“I am far from being a perfectly ordinary citizen, thank you,” said Lioness. She bit a sausage in half and turned her dark, sullen eyes from Lash upon the object of the moment’s contempt.

“I miss the charms of my own country already,” Krakowski said, with a sour expression. “I didn’t think I was to be held hostage here!”

Before Montague could voice his own bitter sentiments, Matthew took charge. “I regret you all feel so … would the word be betrayed? I wish I could alter the situation, but unfortunately it’s not within my power.” He tensed momentarily as Cardinal Black came up beside him and patted him on the cheek with those hideous and murderous fingers before the cardinal took a seat across from Elizabeth. “That said, I am hungry,” Matthew continued. “Where should I sit?”

“In the coach that is waiting for you outside,” said Lash. “You’ll find a basket of edibles there for your breakfast, which you’ll need to share with the able bodyguard the Owl has provided. His name is Bogen. He’ll be here directly to help you along.”

“Travelling in this snowfall?” Matthew asked. “We won’t make much time.”

“You’ll be leaving as soon as possible because my experience at sea tells me the weather is only going to worsen. There’s no use in dawdling. The directions I’ve given my driver are to stop at inns only to freshen the horses and feed yourselves. He knows the way, you may count on it.”

“Here’s butter for your biscuit, you sorry shit,” said Merda. This was followed by a thumb-sized bit of butter hitting Matthew on the side of the face.

Lash took a drink from an ale mug before he went on. “Make sure you take that nice warm coat of Count Pellegar’s. It does look to be a frigid morning. You also may count on the fact that Bogen will be well-armed. The Owl tells me he is capable of extreme violence, if it comes to that. Also, he is instructed to shoot you in the head if anything even appears to his careful eye to be going wrong up there in Fell’s little corner of Wales.”

“Tell him he should save a ball for himself, because after he shoots me they’ll start by sawing his feet off and go up from there by inches.”

“I am sure there will be tensions.” Lash wiped his wet mouth with a white napkin, dabbing gently at the corners. “It will be to your benefit to ease them, keep both death and dismemberment at bay, and lead all events to a happy conclusion.”

“Happy for whom?” Montague threw his own napkin down onto his plate. “I dislike this arrangement to the marrow of my bones, sir! You know I must make a full report to my guild!”