An Apprentice Without Magic, page 23
part #2 of Magic Missing Series
The youth folded his arms. “That’s not what the rumors say.”
“What do you trust more, rumors or facts? A constable uses rumors, but only as something to be verified. If you can’t verify a rumor, it should be disregarded. The same thing goes for guesses. They are only good if they lead to facts.”
Hander Pot chimed in. “You are correct, but sometimes we aren’t in a position to find out if a rumor is fact or not.”
“Then whatever you decide to believe is your own opinion and exactly that, an opinion. It doesn’t have any real weight except to yourself,” Sam said.
“That is a very good reply, Constable Smith. Are you sure you are only an apprentice?”
“I have a good trainer, Dickey Nail.”
Hander nodded. “I’ve heard of him. Nearly noble.”
“From what I understand, he’s noble by blood, but not by upbringing,” Sam said.
“That is a polite way of saying it. Nail is well-respected for what he does. Am I right, Winnie?”
Winnie raised her eyebrows. “My father says he is his best snoop.”
“Bentwick must think highly of you, placing you in the charge of such a distinguished investigator,” Hander said.
Sam shrugged. “I’m just trying to learn as much as I can, but I appreciate the opportunity to give you all a presentation. I don’t get out much.” Not at all, in fact, Sam thought.
“Perhaps we can help you out with that,” Jenna Pot said. “The Hardstone Preparatory School is holding a dance in two weeks. You may come. I will send you an invitation.”
“I probably don’t know how to dance Baskin dances,” Sam said, truthfully.
“That won’t be a problem,” Winnie said. “You can learn quickly enough. Anyway, most of the time we just stand around consuming refreshments and chatter. You will be welcome since more girls are attending the school than boys.”
“But the young men who attend are superior,” one of the boys said.
“In their own minds,” one of the other girls said to much laughter.
“Then I will be happy to attend unless I am called away to work,” Sam said.
The soiree ended precisely one-and-a-half hours from when it started. Most of the students left promptly.
“I took the liberty of calling for a carriage, Constable Smith,” Hander Pot said as he and his daughter walked Sam to the door. “The fare is on me. I have enjoyed the session as much as anyone. Should you wish to call on me, please do. I am a principal of Red Marine Shipping. Our office is next to the Royal Recorder’s.” He gave Sam a card.
“I’m sorry I don’t have a card, but you know where the central constabulary is. That is where I work.”
“You will bring Dickey Nail along with you should I require the services of a snoop?”
Sam nodded. “He is my partner.”
Jenna threaded her hand through her father’s arm. “I’ll be sure to send you an invitation. Do you live at the constabulary?”
Sam shook his head. “I share a house with my brother and my large dog.”
“You have a dog?” Hander asked.
“A Great Sanchian Hound. Her name is Emmy. I acquired her last summer.”
“My, you do impress. Those are quite rare. Is she as big as they say?”
Sam nodded. “She is this high at the shoulders.” He put his hand halfway up his chest.
“Sounds more like a horse,” Jenna said.
“She eats like one. And that is a fact, not a rumor,” Sam said. Winnie walked up behind Jenna, dressed to leave.
“Can I borrow your carriage?” Winnie said.
“You can,” Sam said. He looked at Hander Pot. “Is that acceptable?”
Jenna’s father nodded. “It is. I hope to see you again, sometime, Constable Smith.”
“And I you. I appreciate your hospitality.” Sam bowed to Hander Pot and to his daughter. “Good night.”
Sam let Winnie climb into the carriage first after giving their addresses to the driver.
“You live in auntie’s house,” Winnie said, once the driver got underway.
“I rent from your father.”
“She kept the place a mess. Father didn’t know what to do with it. He said he was renting it out.”
“I’m glad he did,” Sam said. “It is a perfect place for my brother and me. Emmy gets the back garden to herself. It is up to me to keep it clean.”
“Ugh! That would be a reason for me not to have a dog. Father feels differently, and we have a golden hound. He is very happy and very friendly,” she said. She looked out the window and then back at Sam. “You did exceptionally well tonight. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t anticipate that you spoke court language better than anyone in the room, except for Jenna’s father. Jenna is noble, you know.”
“I didn’t know. I thought all nobles lived in large mansions.”
“Your partner is noble. Harrison Dimple is noble. Do they live in mansions?”
“I don’t know where Dickey lives,” Sam said. “But Harrison lives in a cottage deep in a wood.”
“See? My father isn’t noble, but we interact with the lesser ones, like Jenna.”
“I’m surprised she was so friendly to me when I left,” Sam said. “My experience with the nobility doesn’t indicate much tolerance of the common people.”
“Her mother is a common person,” Winnie said, with a smile.
Sam didn’t know if Winnie was chiding him or not, but he was having a conversation with a girl about a sensitive subject, and he hadn’t offended her yet, he hoped.
“I know a noble lady who doesn’t fit the mold,” Sam said. “I became an employee of the Piper Club in disguise and was able to observe various lords. They didn’t have much regard for commoners.”
“Undercover, I think my father calls it. I didn’t know you were on a mission all by yourself.”
Sam nodded. “I can’t say much about it, because the investigation isn’t over, yet. That is why I had to learn court language. When my assignment at the club was over, I continued my lessons. I am taking lessons from a Polistian woman, and she is a stickler for pronunciation.”
Winnie smiled. “It shows. Keep it up. I don’t think it ever hurts to know what the nobility is saying behind your back. That is what my father says.”
“Can he speak court language?”
“Not as well as you, but he has made it a point to converse with his children who have learned. We use court language words all the time at home,” she said, looking out the window. “My house is near. Before we part, I’d like to thank you for the presentation and for the discussion on the way home. Father thinks the world of you. I’ve never seen him respect a youth quite the same way he respects you.” She lifted her index finger. “Don’t you tell him I said that.”
The carriage stopped, and Winnie opened the door. On the way out, she pecked him on the cheek. “You did well, tonight.” She slipped out the door and disappeared into her house.
Chapter Twenty-Six
~
“H ow did it go?” Dickey asked as Sam entered the snoop office after his sword practice.
Sam shrugged. He was still smiling as he thought of Winnie’s little kiss, but he restrained himself. Dickey would be merciless if he knew.
“Did you find a girlfriend?”
“I was called upon to talk about my summer adventure with Harrison Dimple in court language.”
“Did they laugh at you?”
Sam shook his head. “It appears that I can speak it better than they can, except for Hander Pot, one of the girls’ father.”
“Of Red Marine Shipping?”
“The same. He asked more questions than the preparatory school students. He asked me a lot about Harrison Dimple.”
“I would think so. He was one of Dimple’s allies during the period of unpleasantness before Dimple was banished from Baskin.”
“So he was testing me?”
Dickey nodded. “And learning from you what his erstwhile hero has been doing. Dimple doesn’t get mentioned much in Baskin. The king is not his friend. It isn’t particularly healthy to talk about him.”
“He still has enemies in Baskin?”
“He does. And he still has supporters. It is better for a constable to keep out of the drama. You can perform your job better if you don’t become embroiled in all the politics. That is an order, Smith.”
“Yes, sir,” Sam said. “I did get to talk extensively with Jenna Pot. She was the hostess, and Winnie Bentwick, the chief’s daughter. I sat between them.”
“And you didn’t become the butt of their jokes?”
“Maybe, but not while I was there. Winnie was very nice.”
“And Jenna?”
“She invited me to a dance at the Hardstone Preparatory School.”
Dickey raised his eyebrows. “My apprentice is a quick learner.”
Sam waved off Dickey’s comment. “No, I’m not. Last night was easy. The dance will be a real social event. It’s easy when you are invited to talk about yourself. The dance? I don’t know if they dance the same dances in Baskin, not that I attended many dances at Cherryton.”
“How many would a fourteen-year-old go to?” Dickey asked.
“My sister taught me the dances. I went to one dance. I was treated like I was highly contagious, but I looked on.”
Sam’s partner smirked. “Go. You need to learn what life is like, even if you do get embarrassed. It will be good for an up-and-coming apprentice.”
“What do you do for your social life?” Sam said.
Dickey narrowed his eyes. “That is my business and not yours,” he said, closing the topic immediately.
Chief Constable Bentwick entered the snoop office. He walked over to Sam, who immediately shot to his feet.
“You left an admirable impression on my daughter.”
“An impression?” Dickey said. He turned to Sam. “You didn’t tell me you left an impression on a girl.”
“No, I didn’t,” Sam said. “She was friendly, a polite kind of friendly.” Sam could feel his face burn. “We got along fine.”
Bentwick nodded. “Winnie isn’t your average girl,” he said. “She doesn’t gush, and her compliments were, well, complimentary. You did a fine job, Sam. I just wanted you to know.” He turned and left the room.
A few of the other snoops snickered at Sam, whose cheeks still felt hot.
Sam sat back down. “She is seventeen,” Sam said.
“Not quite, so I remember,” Dickey said.
“My sister is just about the same age.”
“So? There isn’t a rule about having an older girlfriend. In school, it is a bit hard since you are in different grades, but for an apprentice? Nah,” Dickey said. “Is there a problem, boys?”
The other snoops all said ‘no’ amidst their laughter.
Sam shook his head. “This is why I didn’t want to tell you,” he said.
~
Tru walked up to the house just as Sam turned the corner. He lifted up the collar of his coat and adjusted the large packet of aging meat he had just purchased from his friendly butcher for Emmy. A couple of thick beefsteaks were wrapped tightly and sitting in the pocket of his coat for Tru and Sam’s dinner.
Tru spotted the steaks that Sam tossed on the table and grinned. “I can use one of those tonight. We can celebrate my latest sale.”
“What is that?” Sam asked.
“A mantelpiece of my own design. Antina got a lot of money for it, about twenty times what it cost me to create. She says she can sell lots of them, as long as each one is a little different.”
“Obviously different,” Sam said. “One-offs. That’s what people like.”
“And how do you know that?”
Sam laughed. “Your partner Antina told me that long ago. I get more than language lessons when I go to her shop.”
“And what was your reason for buying two expensive steaks?” Tru said.
“Last night I attended a soiree. Bentwick’s daughter, Winnie, invited me at her father’s insistence.”
“A girlfriend?”
Sam shook his head, but the feel of Winnie’s kiss popped into his head. “She is nearly as old as Addy, our sister.”
“So?”
Sam put his hand over his face. He had been through this with the snoop constables.
“Too old for me,” Sam said. “But I met another girl.” Who hadn’t kissed him on the cheek, he thought. “She is the daughter of our host, and we are the same age, and she is going to invite me to a dance.”
“A dance? You’ve never set foot in a dance hall, Sam.”
“I did once. Addy showed me a few steps, but I ended up not dancing. Are dances different in Baskin?”
Tru scratched his head. “Not the places I go, but I’ve never been to a preparatory school. Those are where fancy people get their schooling. Who knows what kind of prancing and bowing passes for dancing among those folk? I do my steps in local taverns with ladies of all types,” Tru said. He scratched his chin, this time. “Well, not all types.” He smiled at Sam. “Let’s just celebrate, huh? I’ll do the cooking.”
Sam fed Emmy and took her for a quick walk in the alleyway before he returned. Tru had boiled some small potatoes that they kept in a root cellar just outside the back door.
Sam couldn’t down all his steak, but Tru made a better show of eating. After they finished, they let Emmy in to finish everything off, which she did with gusto.
They cleaned the dishes and ended up in the parlor. Sam scratched Emmy’s ears as she sat next to him on one of the two overstuffed chairs, with Tru stretching out on the couch.
“That was good,” Tru said.
“I found out something interesting last night,” Sam said. “Winnie said that Bentwick’s sister or his aunt lived in this house. She must have died.”
“That explains why decent furniture got so dusty,” Tru said. “I hope she didn’t die in my bed, but we’ve been here for two seasons now, and no ghosts.”
Sam shivered. “Don’t bring up ghosts. Anyway, we have a nice house. You just made a big sale, and I entered regular society, in a way. Antina Mulch helped both of us do that.”
“She did,” Tru said. “And she will continue. Keep up your court language lessons. Antina has been after me to follow your path, and I’ll have to start doing that soon enough. I will need to know enough words to count money and price my merchandise, she said.”
“Maybe Baskin will work out for us after all,” Sam said.
Tru yawned. “I’m fine with that.” He sat up. “Time for bed. I have another commission to work on tomorrow.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
~
A ntina Mulch finished her Vaarekian lesson. Sam had read his novel to her during which time, Antina would ask questions about what he had read. They would go over grammar and new words.
“Your brother has developed some competition,” Antina said.
“Who?” Sam said as he made a few notations in his thick notebook. “Have they cut into his commissions?”
“They will, I believe,” Antina said. “There is a group of high-ranking commoners who are putting out pollen-based versions of Tru’s work.”
“Copies?”
“Almost,” Antina said. “Your brother lost his first commission today because of them. They are selling for half Tru’s price.”
“But he can cut his price below theirs,” Sam said.
Antina shook her head. “I know my business. Even though I make pollen jewelry, all my work is original and unique. You don’t want to cut the price of one-off luxury goods. Then they aren’t luxuries anymore. Tru will have to weather the competition. It’s a shame, since his work has just started to be recognized.” Antina sighed. “Enough of that. Your dance is tonight?”
“It is. I’m wearing my uniform again. I figured it to be safer, since I don’t have presentable clothes for a dance. I don’t even know what is in style. Do the students wear different clothes than they wear to soirees?”
“Maybe for the boys and definitely for the girls,” Antina said. “A uniform is very neutral, especially since you aren’t a student. I think you made the right choice.”
Sam nodded. “Thank you. I’ll be going now.”
Later, as darkness descended on a chilly Baskin, Sam hired a carriage and ended up on a circular drive in front of the Hardstone Preparatory Academy. He had always called it a ’School.’
Sam gave the visitor’s invitation to a well-dressed woman standing in front of the door.
“Apprentice Constable, eh? We’ve had a few of you here before. Mind you don’t hog the refreshment table, Constable Smith.” She winked at him. “Enjoy yourself.”
Sam smiled at her. “I hope to.”
He followed others just arriving and entered a hall decorated with white bunting and white flowers. The hall wasn’t full yet, and the music players were still tuning their instruments.
Instead of holding up a wall, Sam drifted over to the refreshment tables. He hadn’t needed to eat any dinner, looking at the spread of food in front of him. Sam was tempted to jam the sliced meat in his pockets for Emmy, but he figured it wouldn’t be appropriate.
“Sam,” Winnie Bentwick said.
He turned around and saw she wore a white gown with shiny things. Sam put his spectacles on. Reflective pollen sequins covered her gown.
“The light isn’t that bright,” she said.
“I have a confession to make,” Sam said. Of course, it would ruin any chance Sam might have for the older girl. “I can’t see pollen or do pollen magic.”
“None?”
Sam sighed. “Not at all. These spectacles allow me to see pollen-made things. Actually, I can see pollen better through these than most people.”
“Wonderful! Father was right. I didn’t believe him, you know. How could anyone not be able to detect that which surrounds us and makes our lives so much better?” Winnie said. She smiled. “I’m not put off if that was what you expected. Your face looked like a frightened rabbit.”
She began to laugh and put her hand over her mouth. It was something Sam had seen Addy do with one of her boyfriends.
