Death and Honor: Book 1 of 2 Read Online Free PDF Page B

idea why you attacked that caravan.”
    “Truly sir, I ain’t. One afternoon we was sitting by the fire when this big black bird flies over head and lands on the boss’s shoulder. It’s got a scroll tube tied to its foot. The boss takes it and off the bird goes. The boss reads the letter and next thing we know were marching off to set an ambush.”
    Jeremiah nodded, getting a handle on what was happening. “Let’s go, we’ll get nothing more here.”
    When they’d left the jail behind Marcus asked, “What do you think, sir?”
    “It’s clear someone hired those men to attack that specific caravan, no doubt to acquire that small chest we recovered. Anything more will require the scroll to be translated.”
----
    X ander stood beside his brother while his father pace in front of the main house. Uncle Duncan would arrive any minute. The way Father worried you’d think it was the first time Uncle Duncan had come for a visit rather than like the hundredth. Every time the same thing, pace and worry until he got here, then brandy and old war stories. Xander chafed in his fancy slacks and tunic. He scratched the back of his knee with the toe of his boot. In the distance he spotted a short row of horsemen surrounding a carriage coming down the dirt road toward the mansion. At last. “Here they come, Father.”
    Father stopped pacing and crouched down beside Xander. “Please be good.”
    Xander raised an eyebrow but the clatter of hooves and squeak of the carriage drowned out his indignant comment. The carriage door popped open and the round form of Duncan St. Jaques clambered down from the carriage before the coachman got down from his seat to help.
    Father fell to one knee, head bowed. “My lord.”
    Duncan smiled. “For goodness sake, Jeremiah, get up. There’s no need for that foolishness when it’s just the families.”
    “Uncle Duncan!” Xander and Gabriel shouted in unison and charged the older man.
    Duncan scooped Xander up and spun him around once before setting him down. He ruffled Gabriel’s carefully combed hair. “Hello, boys. Gabriel, I swear you’ve grown six inches since my last visit.”
    Behind Duncan his wife, Jolie, better known as the scarecrow when the servants thought no one was listening, climbed down out of the carriage. Rail thin and tall Jolie stood in stark contrast to her husband.
    Xander darted forward and offered his best courtly bow. “You look very pretty today, Aunt Jolie.” This was a bare faced lie and Father wouldn’t approve if he heard, but it was polite so at least mother would be happy with him.
    Jolie’s pinched face crinkled up into a smile. “That’s sweet, dear.” She dug into her little purse and fished out a saltwater toffee for Xander, just as he’d hoped she would. A complement always yielded a treat from Aunt Jolie. He assumed this was because she was so ugly the only way she could get compliments was to bribe people.
    “Mother, you gave away my candy.” The petulant voice of Morgrin St. Jaques echoed out of the carriage. Xander had hoped they’d left the snot behind this time, but no such luck. Tall like his mother and fat like his father Morgrin towered six inches over Xander. Not that he intimidated Xander. Morgrin was soft, slow, and lazy, not a combination that inspired fear.
    “Just one piece, dear. I have plenty more.”
    “But they’re mine,” Morgrin squealed like a hog at the troth. Turning to Duncan, Morgrin said, “When are we going fishing?”
    “After lunch.” Even Uncle Duncan sounded annoyed with Morgrin.
    “I want to go now.”
    “The boys can take him,” Father said.
    Xander winced. The last thing he wanted was to spend the day with Morgrin bloody St. Jaques. He’d only been in the boy’s presence for five minutes and he already wanted to strangle him.
    “Yes, Father,” Gabriel said, always so quick to agree.
    Morgrin looked down at them and sniffed. “Very well, come.”
    “Change your cloths first,” Mother said. A