Page 2 of Centerpiece (Infinite Grace #2)

“This one makes friends, in town and elsewhere.” Betram laughed. The bailiff did as well, hearty chuckles that made Agreeable shut his mouth.

He had not looked away from the man but was nonetheless startled when the man was suddenly before him and very close.

Agreeable was urged to the side before he had time to truly react, and stayed there, frozen and foolish, when his tall, dark-eyed, strangely mild captor stood in front of the door he had just opened, blocking all view of the room from the hall.

“I believe I saw some of the commotion,” the man remarked, not a hint of anything in his soothing voice. “I thought the thief was caught at the time.”

“Accused a priest of it!” The bailiff was outraged. “Then ran while everyone was leaping to stop the priest!”

Agreeable would swear his tall captor’s lip twitched, perhaps amused, perhaps trying not to comment. He didn’t spare Agreeable a glance, but Agreeable shrugged to indicate that he’d had no choice in the matter. And the priest had been fine. Even the bailiff had only been worried over his dignity.

Agreeable’s captor, or maybe, possibly, hopefully, his savior, raised his chin and murmured, “I certainly hope justice will be done, and wish you both well in the search for it.” He closed the door before Betram or the bailiff could react, then held up a hand, silencing Agreeable who was too stunned to speak anyway.

He tipped his head, clearly listening to make sure they were alone before he finally lowered his hand.

He didn’t give Agreeable a chance to think of what to say. “Why accuse the priest?”

“I was being chased,” Agreeable explained with only a small moment of stuttering hesitation.

He realized he was gazing into the man’s eyes and forced his head down.

“I needed a distraction. The priest was mostly a shroud of brown cloth some distance away. He could have been anyone at first glance.” When there was no response, Agreeable looked up.

“I knew they’d let him go once they saw his face.

A few moments of trouble at most. And priests are supposed to forgive. They say so all the time.”

One side of the sensible, generous mouth twitched up again. But only for half a moment. “Did you steal the coin?”

Agreeable was already shaking his head. “No.”

The lip twitch did not return. “But you know who did.”

Agreeable noisily caught his breath, glanced away, then glanced back up. “I didn’t see it happen,” he hedged.

“Who was the coin from?” A strange question. Agreeable wasn’t sure that mattered, but had no choice but to answer.

“A different priest, I believe.” He mumbled it, then chewed his lower lip.

Dark eyebrows flew up. “Where did a priest get coin enough to steal?”

Agreeable scoffed like the fool he was. But the man was a stranger to the area, so perhaps Agreeable ought to explain.

Still, as he peered up, he tried to make his words harmless, true though they were.

“The priests have a large property here. They sell their excess crops to the Count. He favors them.”

The man frowned, a ferocious look for a jewel. It set Agreeable’s legs to trembling again. “The priests are supposed to give their excess to those in need.”

He truly wasn’t from the area. Agreeable nodded, then also shook his head. “If you consider it like that, we—they, the thieves, I mean—were just taking back what should have been theirs to begin with.”

The man narrowed his eyes, and his lips twitched up only to blossom into a full smile for one fleeting moment.

“Then the coin was taken to purchase food?” His voice held something in it that said he knew very well that was not the main reason the coin had been taken.

Agreeable gave him one, then two, suspicious looks, but answered. “For whatever is needed. Likely some ale too. Or are good times only for those who own land?”

That did not earn him a smile, but though he waited, the man showed no sign of outrage.

He glanced to the side, giving Agreeable a moment to breathe.

“It’s market week here for the neighboring towns, but I noticed the market was.

.. subdued.” He paused and stared back at Agreeable, who probably looked as lost as a fish in a field.

“That means quiet.” The man rolled one wrist. “I expected more sellers and a bustling town.”

“Oh.” Agreeable was only slightly embarrassed to have not known the word but resolved to use it in the future if he could. Subdued . Wouldn’t he be the fancy one? “It costs too much. There’s pretty things in the market but who’s the money to buy them? Or spare goods to trade?”

The man stepped back. Agreeable, as he had expected, was indeed pinned to the door by lovely eyes alone. His legs trembled again. It wasn’t with fear.

“If the priests are not sharing, then the local lords should be. They take vows when they claim their titles before the King.”

Agreeable raised his eyebrows. “I’ve never heard of that.”

“It’s written in the....” The man cut himself off and looked to the fire.

He had a plain-seeming ring on one finger.

His doublet had a collar, fastened with one loose button.

He wore no lace, and the fabric wasn’t printed or embroidered, but the button looked to be mother-of-pearl.

A wealthy traveler, then, likely a merchant.

“I apologize,” he spoke suddenly, leaving Agreeable speechless. “I didn’t mean to sound insulting.”

“‘S fine,” Agreeable mumbled, because he wasn’t insulted. “Don’t need to read to sow or harvest.”

Those eyes returned to him. “You’re a farmer?”

It was Agreeable’s turn to look at the fire.

“Used to be.” He let the memories go with a long sigh, then glanced back.

“The priests do a much better job with the land, if it matters to anyone. And a lot of those that used to work it serve in their kitchens now, which is easier, all in all. Except for the feast days. Priests do love a feast when they aren’t the ones preparing for it. ”

“So then where do...?” The man stopped himself again, and rubbed his chin as if not too long ago he’d had a short, fashionable beard to scratch when he felt thoughtful. “Does this lord allow hunting on the wild lands, or the gathering of wood?”

Agreeable snorted. It didn’t quite make the man smile, but it was more than a mere lip twitch.

Yet the eyebrows remained knitted in thought or displeasure. “Should I ask if he provides food from his farms? Or lowered your taxes to make up for your inability to hunt?”

“You ask questions you must know the answers to,” Agreeable observed, then widened his eyes to appear innocent when the man’s gaze sharpened.

“The tales are that our count has ambitions toward court, and wishes to invite the King, or at least the Duke of this region, here, and is planning to impress him with the vastness and wealth of his estates. Or so it is said.”

Although the old Duke had died, so it would likely be another winter at least before the Count could convince the new Duke to visit. If he could. He’d never gotten the last one to visit. A bit sad, that. All his efforts and nothing to show for it.

Either Agreeable’s answer had satisfied or the man had decided the truth on his own. He gave one short nod. “That explains why the market was not as busy as I’d expected.”

“It all affects even the merchants too?” Agreeable hadn’t thought about it before, but of course it would. He sympathized. “That’s lords for you. What can you do?”

“Steal apparently,” the man returned, dead serious as far as Agreeable could tell. “Until you are caught.” Agreeable suddenly realized why the man was so serious. “And the punishment here? It’s hanging in some places.”

Agreeable awkwardly scratched the side of his neck, remembered the scarf was still there, and began to pet it as though it was a lock of hair, perhaps a lovely thick curl like this man had, but much longer.

“Sometimes that here as well. Or you lose a hand. Or an ear. Most often a beating. The bailiff might be merciful, in his way.”

“Have you been beaten?”

“Cheeky,” Agreeable answered without thought, then sucked in a breath. “That would mean admitting to stealing and then another beating, unless I trusted you.”

The man crossed his arms. “I spared you just now.”

“And for what reason?” Agreeable met those lovely eyes and let himself tremble. Very fierce, the man was, all because Agreeable had possibly taken a beating or two.

But the man’s head went back as if Agreeable had surprised him. Not offended, not pleased. Only surprised. Agreeable sank against the door and puffed out a sigh.

The man scarcely seemed to notice. “I should demand a service, shouldn’t I?

That would be expected. Very well.” Agreeable nearly asked who the man was speaking to in his capital, courtly, noble voice, using such words and phrases, but didn’t get a chance to.

“I planned to eat in my room tonight. As payment, you will join me and tell me more tales of this lord and this place.”

Agreeable stared until he noticed he was staring.

He was lost again. “No one wants to listen to me talk,” he said without thinking, although he hadn’t believed his jewel of a merchant had been after a tumble.

The man had a way about him. And Agreeable was.

.. not handsome. Nor was he truly pretty, as lasses and some lads could be.

He was comely enough. That was what most said, with speckled cheeks, bright eyes, and a ripe mouth.

Even those that claimed they didn’t like lads were inclined to have a go.

Agreeable was, well, agreeable . Friendly and very willing.

But people would ask for that before they’d want Agreeable’s thoughts on anything. Maybe it was the dim light, or the scarf hiding his hair from view, so the man hadn’t thought of a more obvious use for him.