And if the caller disagreed? Well, then there were always the dogs. Few guests rode their fortunes hard with hounds sniffing at their heels.

It was therefore with surprise, disappointment and no small measure of horror that Marek opened the door to behold a bedraggled, torn and bandaged Lady Sevaka.

“My lady . . . What has become of you?”

“Marek.” Bloodshot eyes met his. “I need to speak with my mother. At once.”

“I’ll see if she’s prepared to receive you,” he said. “It is still early.”

Lady Sevaka pushed past into the hallway. The stale smell of exertions past lingered behind. “We both know she’s been up for hours. I need to speak with her.”

Marek flinched and set the door to. He hated being caught between mother and daughter. This was how corsairs felt, chained to the harbour wall as the tide rushed in. Generally, he arranged matters so another of the staff bore the brunt. No chance of that here.

“She’ll want to know what this is about.”

Lady Sevaka sighed in angry resignation. “Very well, tell her . . .”

“You may tell me yourself, now your caterwauling has disturbed half the household.”

Lady Ebigail peered unfavourably down from the bannister. Marek winced at his implied failure but said nothing. It was not his place to answer. For a time, the only sounds were the muted tick of the hallway clock, birdsong from the gardens and the soft swish of Lady Ebigail’s pleated black skirts as she descended. Marek withdrew, taking up position beside the front door.

“Been brawling again, I see,” Lady Ebigail sniffed. “I keep hoping you’ll learn decorum. I should never have allowed you to join the fleet. It’s no life for a noblewoman.”

“We were attacked,” Sevaka bit out. “Rosa and I.”

One eye narrowed in suspicion. “By whom? If this is another tale that begins and ends with one of your romantic misjudgements, you may save us both the trouble. I’ve had my fill of outraged husbands seeking recompense.”

“Aske Tarev,” Lady Sevaka replied. “Something about repaying one of Kasamor’s insults.”

“Such fragile pride, and so much to be fragile about. Tell me you gave her nothing to brag about?”

“She’s dead.”

Lady Ebigail didn’t miss a beat. “And you’d like the body attended to before it draws notice? Tell Marek where she can be found, and he’ll see to it, won’t you, Marek?”

He offered a stiff bow. “Of course, lady.”

How to do so with the streets already growing busy with the morning’s trade, he wasn’t certain. Still, he’d manage. After all, it wasn’t the first time.

“Anton will miss his daughter, of course,” Lady Ebigail went on. “But no one else will. No one who matters, anyway.”

“I didn’t kill her!” Sevaka snapped. “Rosa did. The constabulary took us soon after. They released me after Rosa confessed.”

“And you abandoned her?”