Sheepfarmers Daughter by Elizabeth Moon Read Free Book Online Page B

again until after supper, in the barracks. Only a few of us were in there; most weren't through with their chores. Paks and I had finished ours before supper. She'd promised to show me how to do a round braid in leather; Siger had told us to start planning the wrappings for our sword hilts. And Korryn was there; he nearly always is. And two or three more. I'd just fastened some thongs together, and was showing Paks, when the corporal came in. He looked around, and saw us, and told Paks he wanted to talk to her.
    "Did he seem the same as before?"
    "I don't know. A little flushed, maybe, and determined. He gestured Paks to the back of the room, and he had hold of her arm. He sort of pushed her against the bunk in the corner, so she sat down, and he sat down with her, and started talking. Telling her she should bed him, she should be flattered, all that stuff. I could tell she was upset; she got very pink and then pale, and she looked around — but what could we do? He was a corporal. He kept talking louder, and then he said — " Saben stopped abruptly and blushed.
    "Yes? What?"
    "He said she must have bedded someone, to be a file leader. It was terrible, sir, Paks of all people, and she was really angry. I didn't think he should be acting like that, so I left to find you. Only I couldn't find you or our corporals, for the longest time — I didn't want to yell it out to the whole courtyard — and when I finally asked a guard, he said you were in the Duke's court with the captain. The guard at the gate wouldn't let me in, and at first he didn't want to take a message. I shouldn't have left, I guess, but I didn't know they'd beat her up."
    "You couldn't tell. Next time there's trouble, though, go to one of the guards at once to find me. Now, do you remember who else was in the room when Stephi came, and who left before you?"
    "Korryn and Jens, Lurtli, Pinnwa, and Vik, I think. Vik left just as the corporal came in; I don't know about the others. I was watching Paks."
    "Saben, have you ever asked Paks to bed you?"
    "No. I've wanted to, though. But she has enough trouble with Korryn bothering her; I didn't want to be that kind of worry. If she wants it, she'll let me know. We're friends, anyway."
    "All right, Saben; you can go."
    "Sir, you won't let them hurt her any more, will you?"
    "I'm doing what I can."
    "But, sir — "
    "Enough, Saben. Go on, now."
    A full glass later, after talking to everyone he'd summoned, Stammel faced his corporals and sighed.
    "I'm convinced," he said. "And you are. But I wish it were any captain but Sejek."
    "He's a hard man," said Devlin, nodding.
    "And stubborn. If he's still in the same mood, evidence won't mean a thing to him. Once he's made up his mind — "
    "You can insist that Valichi preside," said Bosk suddenly.
    "By Tir, I can! How did I forget that? It's not as if Valichi yielded command to Sejek; he was just away. And since she's a recruit — of course her commander has jurisdiction." He rose. "Sejek's going to be furious, I don't doubt, but with what we've found, he'll have to agree. I hope." With a wave of his hand, he left the recruit barracks for the Duke's Court.
    At the gate, he spoke to the guard. "I need to speak to the captain."
    "He's gone up," said the guard. "Are you sure you want to disturb him?"
    "He's not asleep," said Stammel, cocking his head at a lighted window across the court. "I need to see him before he goes to bed."
    "About — ?"
    "Just announce me. He'll see me."
    "On your head, Stammel."
    "It already is." Together they walked across the court and the guard spoke to the door sentry.
    "Very well, sir. Down this passage, up the stairs, second door on the right. Not carrying any weapons, are you?" Stammel sighed and handed over his dagger. "Thank you, Sergeant."
    Stammel took a deep breath, checked the hang of his cloak, and strode down the passage, up the stairs, to pause in the second doorway on the right. Inside the room, a roomy study, the captain sat writing