“Because the duke had sent me to see the count a few days earlier to try to convince the count to illegally divert imperial funds to him, in order to pay for weapons pirates had stolen and were ransoming. The count said no—as he should have—so naturally the count assumed the duke also assigned me to this alleged kidnapping to apply pressure.”

“But you did speak to the young Claremont on the duke’s account.”

“Yes.” Ghreni noted Mount’s apparent acceptance of his spin on the kidnapping, but obviously said nothing about it. “The duke was aware I didn’t approve of his plan to ‘borrow’ the funds, but I still asked because he was my duke.”

“Still odd he wouldn’t try for you as well.”

“Perhaps he planned to. But then there was the duke’s bolt thrower. I don’t think he was expecting the duke to have that.”

“No,” Mount agreed. “The head of the duke’s security detail was surprised by it, too. Said to me the duke didn’t generally like or carry weapons. He left that to his bodyguards.”

“The duke was probably being prudent. He knew the count was upset with him.”

“Yes, but where did he get the bolt thrower? His security people said they’d never seen it before.”

Ghreni allowed himself to look uncomfortable.

“Yes, Lord Ghreni?” Mount pressed.

“It’s mine and I lent it to him,” Ghreni said. “I bought it a while ago when things started getting bad with the rebellion.”

“You have your own security people.”

“I don’t have them with me all the time. The duke was aware I had it—I never carried it around him, for obvious reasons—so he asked me to bring it for the meeting. For his own safety.”

“He could have just had his security attend the meeting. Or have his people frisk the count when he arrived.”

“I think he thought either would just enrage the count more. The meeting was supposed to repair the wound between them. That’s why he chose to have the meeting at Weatherfair. A private residence rather than the public office. A friendly meeting, not a formal one.”

Mount looked back at the slab. “It appears the duke miscalculated.”

“What are you going to do about the Count of Claremont?” Ghreni asked.

“For now he’s upstairs in a private room with six of my marines around him. He’s still out of it. I don’t imagine when he wakes up he’ll tell me the same story you just did, will he?”

“I couldn’t say,” Ghreni said. “I know he’s still angry with me. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to suggest I was involved in some way. Other than lending the duke my bolt thrower, I mean. He wouldn’t know about that. Is there a recording from the office?”

Mount shook his head. “Security tells me the duke didn’t have any of that at Weatherfair. He called it his ‘place of refuge,’ whatever that means.”