the starosta's assistants 5

 sorry to be  running late - I was up late

 

Chapter 5

 

The apartment block, along with several others, belonged to one August Torzecki. Halszka asked around, and discovered that he was not infirm or elderly, but was something of a confirmed gambler.

“So, is he broke?” asked Halszka.

“Close, or so rumour says,” said her informant, Constable Górak, who had taken the babies to his startled wife. “You’ll be pleased to know that my Anna has taken to the little ones, and they are clean and sweet-smelling now, and look more like babbies and less like licho.”

“Poor little devils, they were a bit like luck-sucking goblins,” agreed Halszka. “Have I given you enough to outfit them, and buy somewhere for them to sleep?”

“Yes, thank you, my lord,” said Górak. “And you’re lucky I’m one of the honest ones, or I might have lied.”

“I don’t think the Starosta would have attached you to me as a guide if he thought you were dishonest,” said Halszka. “As you see, I’m dressing Marylko as a boy to protect her; she can be Marian if anyone needs a boy’s name for her.”

“Yes, my lord,” said Górak. “It does seem sensible, especially with her being your servant.”

“So I thought,” said Halszka.

She turned, suddenly at the sound of a voice, singing.

 

Silent by the river, in the night’s darkest hour

Enchanted, there the woods sleep

Willows that whisper a tale within their bower

Sighing of mystery they keep

Willows that whisper a tale within their bower

Sighing of mystery they keep

 

Scattered by rippling, swim there night’s golden stars

Realms where they dwell here below

Weeping the silver birches as the waters pass

Cries a soul’s dreams of sorrow

Weeping the silver birches as the waters pass

Cries a soul’s dreams of sorrow

 

 

Someone is dreaming of heaven-sent fortune

In his life’s storm-tossed anguish

Fortune is fickle, he cannot return so soon

Weeping, for every wish

Fortune is fickle, he cannot return so soon

Weeping, for every wish.[1]

 

She went outside to find that the fine voice belonged to Frydek, now Wronowski.

“I don’t know that song,” she said.

“It’s from the Ukraine,” said Frydek.

“It’s very sad,” said Halszka. “Beautiful, but sad.”

“Most of our songs are,” said Frydek. “My mother would sing them to me when my step-pa was away. He didn’t like them.”

“We Ulans sing some of them too,” said Jaracz. “Most of them are about a Cossack who is in love, but must go away from his sweetheart to war, wishing that he did not know what love was, and that he could just set it aside.”

“Gloomy,” said Halszka.

“Too used to being at war with everyone,” said Frydek, blushing. “I... I wanted to sing it.”

“I am glad to have heard it,” said Halszka, wondering why she felt hot when he looked at her with his liquid brown eyes.

“What did you find in the records?” asked Frydek.

“The owner is an inveterate gambler named Torzecki,” said Halszka. “He owns three apartment blocks and one of the many windmills in this region. The windmill is his main source of income, as he has let the apartments degenerate so much that nobody who can afford a fair rent will stay in them, because they are disgusting.”

“Cards or dice?” asked Frydek, interested.

“Dice, so skill is less important,” said Halszka.

“I’m lucky at dice, and I can calculate the odds for the fall of them,” said Frydek. “But I don’t have anything to wager.”

“I’ll fund you,” said Kordula. “That apartment was disgusting. If you can get him to wager them, we can see to doing them up.  And either selling them on, or pay someone to administer them.”

“I didn’t come away with much,” said Halszka.

“I brought plenty of funds,” said Kordula. “Lets assume you and I put in equal, we can settle up later; Jaracz and Frydek put in their skill in cards and dice; and any winnings are owned equally. Fair?”

“I’ll send to Jeremi to have money sent,” said Halszka. “Frydek should watch him play.”

Frydek nodded.

“I can do that,” he said. “Sprout, will you come with me, and be my messenger?” he asked Marylka.

She nodded, eagerly.

 

oOoOo

 

The large figure of Wilk, now known as Rutski, rode into the town.

“What’s this about you wanting me to hold the fort, my lord, and what am I hearing about Ulans?” said Wilk, without preamble.

“I’m going out to stay with a pair of Ulans – three if you count the bear – and settle a dispute,” said Eugeniusz. “I need someone able in town for a couple of days able to squash my more hot-headed Ulan helpers.”

Wilk looked over Jaracz, Kordula, Halszka, and Frydek, and nodded.

“I can see that the boys and girls might just prove a little... exuberant,” he said.

“A good word for it,” said Eugeniusz. “And it’s the first night of the season of masquerade balls tonight so things are bound to be a little... exciting, when edges fray against each other.”

 

oOoOo

 

Eugeniusz, who had taken Felicia and a constable as an escort, was not really surprised to see the figure of Paweł Zabiełło loitering on his horse, also with an escort.

“Cousin,” said Zabiełło.

“My lord-brother; I’m not sure of our degree of relationship,” said Eugeniusz. “Were you waiting for me?”

“Not exactly,” said Zabiełło. “I was considering coming to see you, however, about the ridiculous claim made by some girl to be the heir of old Lasecki.”

“Hardly ridiculous,” said Eugeniusz. “The girl has documents in her father’s hand, his will, leaving everything to her, the deeds of the property, a deposition of her legitimacy from the priest in the church where she was christened, and so on. Now what I need to see you about is a claim that you forced peasants off the Lasecki land and made them your serfs, as well as having killed the Lasecki steward.  Now, if this is all a misunderstanding, and you sought to give the peasants gainful employment, I am sure that returning them to their proper lands – I understand there are lists – and a nominal sum in blood money for the loss of the steward would probably be acceptable to keep the peace. The girl wants to enact blood feud on you if you don’t comply, you know; and I need to examine matters to see whether to sign off on a writ of legal krwawa waśń. I’m hoping it can be settled without that, as she’s likely to deprive me of my Ulan helpers who are her and her husband’s friends if it goes that far.”

“Preposterous,” said Zabiełło, gnawing his moustache at the idea of being under feud with an unspecified number of Ulans. “I don’t know what she thinks I’ve done but any peasants on my side of the border came willingly. And they will swear to it.”

“Well, now, perhaps you will come with peasants prepared to so swear to the Lasecki dwór at six this evening,” said Eugeniusz, genially. “And I will hold court.”

“Of course, my lord-brother Starosta,” said Zabiełło, with a smile which held the warmth of a cave furnished with icicles for teeth.

 

oOoOo

 

Eugeniusz was greeted enthusiastically by the young couple, and by their bear. Ursyn remembered the starosta and patted him on the head, and went through his czupryna with care.

“He likes you,” said Sylwia. “He doesn’t check just anyone’s hair.”

“I am honoured,” said Eugeniusz, and remembered again as he was beamed at that irony was entirely lost on Sylwia so far as her bear was concerned. Ursyn took his cloak and hat and hung them up, however, which, thought Eugeniusz was a neat trick. He did the same for his wife but turned shy over the constable he did not know and retired sucking one paw.

After refreshments, Eugeniusz explained that he intended to hold an enquiry, and had required Paweł Zabiełło to attend, with peasants to back up his story that they left voluntarily.

“Oh, sir, how could you?” said Sylwia, reproachfully. “He’ll be holding their family hostage against them lying.”

“I know that, but I can hardly move without proof,” said Eugeniusz.  “You need to say that you will always welcome any who wish to return, and hope that someone without family takes the risk of escaping to lay deposition. Meanwhile you can say you don’t believe him, and that you wish reparation for your steward.  Are you good enough to duel him, either of you?”

“We both got trained some by the Falcon and by Mikołaj Krasiński,” said Sylwia. “Unless he’s well-practised.”

“Your friends look impressive enough with sabre drill,” said Eugeniusz.

 

 

Zabiełło arrived with a couple of what could only be described as thugs, and an elderly peasant.

“This enquiry is in session,” said Eugeniusz.

“I am willing to answer all questions,” smirked Zabiełło.

“You are accused of rounding up the peasants from your neighbour’s land and forcing them to work for you,” said Eugeniusz.

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” said Zabiełło, steepling his hands. “I confess to trespassing, to offer peasants whose lands were neglected the chance to work and thrive.”

“Peasant, what is your name?” said Eugeniusz.

“Whatever Lord Zabiełło says is true, my lord,” said the peasant.

“I didn’t ask you that, I asked your name,” said Eugeniusz.

“Whatever it pleases Lord Zabiełło to call me, my lord,” said the peasant.

“Did you go of your own free will to work for Lord Zabiełło?” asked Eugeniusz.

“Whatever Lord Zabiełło says is true, my lord,” said the peasant.

“He’s been coerced,” said Sylwia. “I don’t believe it. Moreover, you killed my steward.”

“Your steward assaulted me,” said Zabiełło.

“He saw you manhandling my peasants,” said Sylwia.

“He was a peasant who assaulted me; I was within my rights,” said Zabiełło.

“I call duel on you,” said Sylwia.

“My dear little girl, you had better wait until your husband arrives and let men discuss this,” said Zabiełło, patronisingly.

“My husband is here and cedes me my right to duel you,” said Sylwia.

“What?” Zabiełło glared at Eugeniusz.

“Jarosław Bogacki, do you cede your right to duel to your wife, Lady Bogacka, lately Lasecka?” said Eugeniusz.

“Yes, said Jaras. Sylwia was at least as good as he was, having learned sabre drill from her father.

“You’re her husband? But you told me it was your captain,” exploded Zabiełło.

“Never did, old boy,” said Jaras. “Said my captain had charged me to look after her affairs. Permission to take leave to do so.”

“See here, my lord-brother,” said Zabiełło to Eugeniusz, “This mere boy is free with falsehoods, and he shouldn’t even be married to her anyway. Her father promised her to me. If you dissolve this marriage, I can marry her immediately, and I’ll say no more about her little rebellion.”

“Well, how you can say that when you informed me that you thought the heir was some sickly boy, I don’t know,” said Jaras. “The falsehood is yours.”

“You filed a suit with me, presuming the Lasecki boy to be dead,” said Eugeniusz, pleasantly. “I fear you are caught out in the falsehood, my Lord-brother Zabiełło.”

“Well then! The duel shall be about the right to the property of this land,” said Zabiełło. “I look forward to teaching you a lesson, little girl.”

“I will have my peasants back when I have won,” said Sylwia. “And blood money for my steward.”

“The duel will take place tomorrow, then, and I will referee,” said Eugeniusz. “You’d better make a will, in case you die of your wounds, Zabiełło,” he added.

Zabiełło stared. Surely the starosta was not taking this seriously?

Apparently he was.

“Are you going to let that silly little girl duel me, for real? I won’t give her quarter,” said Zabiełło.

“Why should you? She’s Raven-trained,” said Eugeniusz.

Zabiełło paled.

Everyone had heard of the insanity of the White Raven Banner, and how they expected their women to be as competent with weapons as their men. It had been the downfall of poor Mieszko... that, and falling foul of The Falcon.

Zabiełło left with his entourage, absently cuffing the peasant too stupid to do anything but to repeat what he had been told to say, verbatim, without making it sound convincing.

It did not, fortunately, occur to Zabiełło that the peasant had been just stupid enough on purpose. Thus Jakob Kubowitz returned home with a sore head but whole to his family, who were permitted to rejoin him, and were freed from the nooses around their necks where they had waited, from old Maria to their younger daughter’s two year old child.

Jakob quietly swore vengeance, and got on with seeing to the animals.

 

And Zabiełło plotted.

If he could have won a fine piece of land just for giving the beating of her life to a naughty little girl, it would have been fine; but if there was even a chance that she would win, he would be humiliated, and that would not do.

If, however, she and her boy of a husband disappeared overnight, they might be held to have forfeited the duel by her cowardice.

Yes, that would work. He would smother them, and then dispose of their bodies. There was a faulty catch on one of the windows; he had used it before to go looking fruitlessly for the deeds. Who would think of a girl thinking to take such important documents with her! Anyone would think she was able to reason.

And he would not involve anyone else; once an underling was party to murder, they became dangerous.

 

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[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o89kEMsLFQs Tykho nad richkoyu; I’ve used several translations and tried to make a free translation that scans and rhymes.