Two Heirs (The Marmoros Trilogy Book 1) (26 page)

“Thank you, young sir. That is appreciated. I have put a new edge on the sword which should last you many months. And to protect both it and you, I have taken the liberty of having this scabbard made.”

Ramirez reached beneath the bench and pulled out a plain leather scabbard and belt. “It’s nothing fancy but I believe it is in keeping with the sword and with your late uncle’s wishes.”

“Thank you, Master Ramirez. May I?”

“Of course. It’s yours now.”

Seb fastened the belt around his waist and carefully sheathed the sword in its new scabbard. "Is there extra to pay for the leatherwork?” he asked.

“No nothing. As I said to you yesterday, your uncle sent a generous amount of money to cover the commission. In fact I have something here for you.”

Ramirez reached beneath the bench again and pulled out a small purse, tipping the contents onto the bench. “One talon and three
groats. As I cannot repay your uncle, that is yours now as well.”

“Thank you once again, Master Ramirez. I promise you I will look after this sword and I will wear it with pride and I hope, with honour.”

“That’s all I ask of any of my clients, young sir. And now, ladies, may I show you something of my shop?”

“I’m afraid it will have to be another time, Master Ramirez. We are required back at the house. I think my mother has chores for us all.”

“Then may I at least know the name of your father, that I may thank him for bringing such an enchanting creature into the world?”

“No no, I beg you,” Teresa laughed. “Do not start that again, for you will have considerably more difficulty in convincing me of your sincerity a second time around. But my father is Master Angelo, the merchant.”

“Angelo! Of course, I see the resemblance now. You must be Mistress Teresa. I’m so sorry that I didn’t recognise you but it has been several years…”

“… and I have grown somewhat,” Teresa finished. “No apology is necessary, Master Ramirez. But I have greatly enjoyed the visit this morning and perhaps you will permit me to return when I have more time.”

“My shop will always be open to you and your companions, mistress.”

Outside the shop, the sun was now well up into a clear blue sky and it was obviously going to be a warm autumn day. The smell of decomposing refuse arising from the river running sluggishly alongside the street, was already becoming unpleasant and the three of them hurried back towards the market. Just as they were reaching the corner of the street, a youth who had been lounging on the bank of the river, made a signal with his hand and three more young toughs came round the corner to block their path.

Seb recognised the apprentice who had been so rude to him the previous day and moved to his left to escort the girls past them. The apprentice and his companions quickly moved across the
street to block them again and force them to stop. The largest of the three newcomers stood a full head taller than Seb and was wearing a brigandine covered in a velvety cloth and decorated with fancy stud work. The apprentice and the other two were wearing ordinary street clothes and all four were carrying slim willow switches.

“Is this the one, Nik?” the brigandine asked.

“Yeah, that’s him with his fancy new sword,” the apprentice replied. “And two fancy women as well. I wonder where he found them.”

“Stand aside and let us pass, please,” Seb said.

“
Stand aside and let us pass, please
,” the brigandine mimicked. “I don’t think so. You don’t look old enough to be carrying a fancy sword like that so just hand it over and let’s take a look at it.”

“You are an arrogant loudmouth,” Teresa said stepping forward. “And you have no right to block our path. Now step aside or I will summon the watch.”

“Summon the watch,” brigandine said looking around him in feigned surprise. “I can’t see any watch. Anybody else see any watch? No? I guess that makes me in charge around here and I will block your path for as long as I want. Now
you
step aside, girl and let me deal with mister fancy sword here.”

Before Teresa could say anything else, Seb moved between them and turned to face her, leaving his back towards the youths.

“It’s alright, Teresa,” he said softly. “Let’s go back to the shop and then we’ll find another route home…”

He broke off with a cry of pain as brigandine slashed him across the shoulders with the willow cane.

“So you’re a coward as well,” brigandine exclaimed. “Cowards aren’t allowed to carry swords in this city. We’ll show you what happens to cowards around here.”

With that all four youths attacked Seb with their canes, raining blows on any part of his body they could reach as he raised his arms to try to ward off the attack.

“Stop it,” Teresa cried as she and Rachel rushed forward to help Seb and then collapsed with a shriek of agony as brigandine turned and deliberately slashed her across the face with his cane.

“I told you to stay out of it, girl,” brigandine snarled and then stepped hurriedly backwards as Seb drew his sword.

“You’re going to pay for that, you bastard,” he shouted at brigandine.

The other youths all fell back as well as brigandine drew his own sword and dropped into a fighting crouch.

“You all saw that,” he said with a triumphant smile. “He drew his sword first and threatened me. Now I’m going to teach you why you shouldn’t be carrying a sword.”

He stepped back again as Seb launched an immediate attack to allow Rachel to help Teresa to her feet behind him. The fight then settled into a period of sparring as both of them searched the other’s defence for any sign of weakness. Brigandine had obviously had some professional training in swordplay but Seb had been taught by his uncle and easily dealt with the larger boy’s attacks. Eventually, brigandine lost patience and began a flurry of attacks, using his greater strength and reach to drive Seb back towards the bank of the river. Seb could feel the ground sloping away behind his back foot and stood very still as his opponent charged towards him. At the last moment he rolled to one side and came to his feet behind brigandine, slapping him hard across his back with the flat of his sword. Brigandine stood there for a second at the very edge of the bank, waving his hands in the air and trying desperately to regain his balance when Seb put his foot to the other boy’s backside and pushed.

The fight had attracted quite a crowd by this time and there was a general ripple of both laughter and applause as brigandine dropped his sword and fell headfirst into the foul smelling river. The laughter quickly died away as the sergeant of the watch and two constables arrived from one direction and Master Ramirez came from the other with Rachel on his heels.

“What’s going on here?” Ramirez and the sergeant asked together.

“Help me. I can’t swim,” came from the river amid the sounds of much splashing.

“Stand up, you silly bugger,” one of the bystanders shouted. “The water won’t even come up to your knees there.”

One of the constables scrambled down the bank to give brigandine a hand and help him out of the water. He climbed back up to the street and stood there, dripping wet and smelling so bad that that crowd moved back a few paces away from him.

“He attacked me,” brigandine said, pointing at Seb. “He drew his sword and threatened me. I was only defending myself.”

“That’s a lie,” Seb replied. “I was protecting the ladies from these bullies.”

“But who drew their sword first?” the sergeant demanded.

“He did,” brigandine shouted. “He drew first. There are witnesses.”

“Is this true?” Ramirez asked Seb. “Did you draw your sword first?”

“Well yes,” Seb admitted. “But they were attacking me and they struck Teresa.”

“I am very disappointed in you, young Waterson. I had thought better of you…” He broke off as a voice sounded inside his head. “
Look at her face
.”

Ramirez frowned and put a hand up to massage his temple. “Look at who’s face?” he asked in surprise.

“I’m sorry, sir. What was that?” the sergeant asked.

“No, nothing. It’s just that I could have sworn I heard somebody speaking to me.”

“
Look at her face
,” the voice sounded inside his head again but louder this time. “
Look at Teresa’s face
”.

Ramirez glanced quickly at Seb who was standing with his head down, studiously examining his feet.

“Teresa?” he said, looking round. “Where is Mistress Teresa?”

“Over here,” Rachel called.

The crowd parted to allow Ramirez and the sergeant through to where Teresa was half sitting, half lying with Rachel’s arms around her and one of the stallholder women dabbing at her face with a damp handkerchief. Ramirez knelt in front of her and gently tilted her chin to see the damage to her face. There was a bright red welt running the length of her cheek and the skin had split at the cheekbone. There was a thin trickle of blood running down which the woman was trying to staunch.

“Oh Miss Teresa, how did this happen?” Ramirez asked. “Who did this to you?”

“He did,” Teresa replied tearfully, pointing at brigandine. “The big one.”

“That’s a lie,” brigandine shouted. “She’s a liar.”

“What happened,” Ramirez prompted gently.

“That one and the others blocked our path as we were walking down the street. We asked them to step aside but they wouldn’t move. So we turned to go back to your shop when they attacked Seb with those thin sticks. They were all hitting him so Rachel and I tried to stop them and that one turned and smashed his stick into my face. That was when Seb drew his sword. He was trying to protect us.”

“That’s all lies,” brigandine shouted again. “She’s nothing but a lying bitch.”

“Hold your tongue,” Seb shouted furiously, struggling against the constable who was restraining him. “Teresa is a hundred times more a lady than you will ever be a gentleman, despite your fancy clothes.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway,” brigandine blustered. “It’s her word against mine and nobody will believe her over me.”

“Oh I don’t know,” Ramirez said as he stood up. “I think the word of Master Angelo’s daughter will carry just as much weight as yours, Master Oscar. Oh yes, I know who you are. And I know your reputation. And I think it certain that Master Angelo will be calling on your father to seek compensation for this outrage.”

The bluster faded away as the brigandine, Oscar started to look a little worried. “Well I didn’t know who she was. And anyway it was an accident.”

“That’s not true”. The woman who was tending to Teresa’s face spoke for the first time. “I have the first stall on the corner there and I saw everything. It all happened as the young lady described. And the blow was not an accident; it was deliberate. That’s why I summoned the watch.”

“I’m not staying here to listen to this,” Oscar said. “I’m off.”

“Seize him,” the sergeant ordered. “And let the other one go.”

The constable who had helped Oscar out of the river, looked a bit dubious about actually laying hands on the filthy youth but he moved in front of him and the crowd closed ranks behind him to block the passage. Seb, as soon as he was released, ran across to Teresa and dropped to his knees in front of her.

“Oh Teresa, I’m so sorry,” he started to say but was interrupted as she leant forward and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

In the meantime, Ramirez and the sergeant had walked back to where Oscar was standing with a scowl on his face. “My father will have your job for this,” he spat at the sergeant.

“Don’t be too sure about that, young man,” Ramirez said. “I think your father is going to be rather more concerned about what to do with you and how to protect his family’s reputation.”

The other constable came up with Oscar’s sword that he had retrieved from the river bank and handed it to the sergeant.

“Let me see that sword,” Ramirez asked. He took the blade and examined it.

“This is one of my swords,” he said in surprise. “Where did you get it? I certainly never sold it to you. Did you steal it from my shop?”

“I never stole anything,” he replied quickly, looking across at where the apprentice, Nik was standing.

Ramirez followed the look. “Ah yes, of course. My apprentice. This was the sword you were working on yesterday wasn’t it,
Nik? So what do you have to say for yourself?”

“I didn’t steal it,” Nik
said sullenly. “I only borrowed it. I was going to bring it back.”

“You took a sword from Master Ramirez’s workshop without his permission,” the sergeant said. “That’s theft. Take that one too,” he ordered one of the constables.

“Take them both into custody, sergeant,” Ramirez said. “I will prepare charges to lay before the magistrate and I will draw up papers to revoke that one’s articles of apprenticeship. He’s nothing to do with me anymore.”

“Begging your pardon, Master Ramirez but do I have to take the smelly one into custody? He’s like to make bail long before he gets before the magistrate and I’d rather not have him in the watch house in that state.”

“Very well, sergeant,” Ramirez laughed. “But take my ex-apprentice with you and I’ll see about getting these young people back to Master Angelo’s house.”

***

The house was in uproar when they arrived. Ramirez had sent runners on ahead to warn the household and to fetch a doctor and then had requisitioned a suitable carriage to carry Teresa and
the others. Servants had obviously been posted at the gates to warn of their approach and Maria was running along by the side of the coach before it had a chance to come to a halt.

“Oh my poor child,” Maria exclaimed when she saw Teresa’s face. “Let me get you a chair. The servants can carry you inside.”

“Mother, I’m quite capable of standing up and walking into the house on my own. It’s only my face that hurts and even that is getting easier now the bleeding has stopped.”

“Bleeding! How could this happen? Whatever did you get my daughter into, young man?” she demanded, rounding on Seb.

Fortunately, the doctor arrived at that moment and forestalled any further discussion by ushering both mother and daughter into the house. As soon as they were inside, Agnes turned to glare at both Rachel and Seb.