Page 131

Aurienne wished that he would invest in a tongue scraper.

“I’m afraid not a single one of us knows,” she said. “The funds werequite literally left in sacks upon our doorstep. No one saw anything—and we have Wardens at Swanstone; if anyone was to have spotted something, it would’ve been them.”

Wellesley’s smile was back, pained this time. “Yes, you do have Wardens. One wouldn’t expect such a level of protection in a place of healing.”

“Unfortunately, not everyone comes to Swanstone with the best of intentions,” said Aurienne.

“You’ll forgive me for pressing you further—but you’re quite certain no one in your Order has any idea who donated these funds?”

“No.”

Wellesley’s smile was fading. “I need to know who made the donation.”

“I can’t help you,” said Aurienne, in perfect, innocent confusion.

“I’d like you to give me names of people who might know. People I might approach. My enquiries have met with nothing. It’s vital that I know the provenance of the funds.”

“Why is it vital?”

“The reasons don’t concern you,” said Wellesley. “Think. You’re a Haelan; you know the inner workings of the Order—if you don’t know, who might know? One of the Heads, surely?”

“The donation wasanonymous,” repeated Aurienne.

“That’s not a good enough answer,” said Wellesley.

“I’m not giving you names. You look as though you’re about to go and shake them up for information.”

“At this stage, yes, that is what I’m going to do,” said Wellesley.

“I refuse,” said Aurienne.

“So you do have names.”

“I don’t.” Aurienne rose. “I’m leaving. Your behaviour has grown alarming. I thought I was summoned to see to a sick child, not to be subject to an interrogation.”

Wellesley eyed Mordaunt, who was now lounging against the wall in a decidedly un-guardish way.

“You’ll leave when I say you can,” said Wellesley.

His men-at-arms found their feet. Five or six remained next to him; the others moved towards the door.

“I need a few small pieces of information,” said Wellesley. “Recommendations. Nudges in the right direction. That’s all.”

“I won’t point you and your men towards anyone in my Order,” said Aurienne. “I’ve already told you: no one knows who gave us that money.”

“Think this through carefully, Haelan.”

“Youshould think this through carefully,” said Aurienne. “You’ve upset me, but I’m willing to walk away and not mention this ill-conceived interrogation to anybody. I shall consider it a misguided decision by a distressed father. Let me go. I can assure you that the consequences of angering my Order would be dire.”

“There are much larger things at stake here than your little Order playing house in that bloody fortress.”

“Really? You’re on the verge of war. My Order can withdraw every Haelan in Wessex and double those in Kent. Any man of yours who goes down will stay down. Are you sure you want to keep me here?”

Wellesley pressed his hands together until his knuckles went white. “We needn’t resort to threats. Give me hints—informally, off the record—that I can pursue, and you can go free. No one needs to be hurt. I just need to know what absolute fool made a donation of twenty million bloody thrymsas to save wretched, Pox-ridden strays.”

Aurienne still felt the squeeze at her fingers by one of the wretched, Pox-ridden strays. She mastered her outrage.

“No one knows,” she repeated, slowly, so that the words would penetrate the suppository. “I’m leaving. You’ve wasted my time abominably.”