Annice knew he made good money - even better than what was on offer - with some of his clients. That made sense, probably. She nodded, slowly. “No promises. I don’t know what I’m going to do. But thanks.”
Cliff shrugged, and then shifted to ask her about something he’d been working on, taking advantage of a natural groove in the jet to form the shape. He honestly wanted her opinion, it seemed, and that kept them talking until a customer came in and Annice slipped out.
Chapter15
MARCH 19TH
“Look, you have family rites for the equinox. You should go home for them.” Griffin was on the sofa in the sitting room, settling in to be persuasive.
Charlus looked exceptionally dubious. “I don’t need to. Sir.” That last was pointed. “I’m needed here.”
“For the moment, what I’m doing is research and getting things into my head. And yes, it’s a help for you to make sure there’s food, and move stacks of books from one location to another, but it’s not actually essential.” Griffin was, in fact, curious whether Charlus would catch on to the other reasons on his own.
Charlus dropped into the chair. “You have a plan in mind.”
“Several plans. And also, several that are on hold for various reasons,” Griffin agreed. “Care to name them?”
“On hold, whatever happens with Annice Matthewman. No note today, probably not tomorrow, it being Sunday, and who knows about when.” Charlus ticked it off on his finger. “And possibly some progress with one of the others, but that’s slow.”
“Just so. What else?” Griffin shifted slightly, to take the strain off his hip.
There was silence for a good twenty seconds. “The Courts. People in the courts, specifically.” Griffin beamed and gestured with one hand for Charlus to continue. “Politics.” Charlus said the word with some distaste.
“And you being at the equinox rites with your family might turn up some interesting information, don’t you think?” Griffin flicked his fingers. “You know they gossip. Well, most people gossip. It’s just a question of who they gossip with and to and about.”
“The factions, you mean. If anyone is being pointed about your absence, your success or failure. But if I’m there, won’t they shut up?” Charlus asked.
“To your face, yes. To one of your relatives? Maybe not. Not everyone actually keeps track of the familial relationships as much as they ought. Anyway. You might hear something. If you don’t, you don’t, you should still get a few days with your family.” There were other people, former apprentices, where Griffin would not have pushed that, because he’d known things with their family were touchy. That wasn’t the case with Charlus, who cheerfully chattered about seeing cousins or aunts or uncles when he got a chance, as well as his parents.
Charlus nodded. “All right.” He let out a long sigh. “I feel like I’m letting you down.”
“I’m telling you to go. Look, you can go round and collect groceries for me. I’m perfectly competent to make a sandwich or heat some soup. You can come check on me - say Tuesday or Wednesday.” Equinox was the Monday. “And I can make it down to the White Horse & Griffin on the crutches just fine, and I will, so long as it’s not actually pelting with rain.”
That got him a little snort. “And the rest of the work?”
“You don’t like the idea of politics, do you?” Griffin said, pressing on that point.
Charlus shook his head. “It’s naïve of me, I know, sir, but I’d rather hoped the Courts were above that. The pursuit of truth and justice.”
“Ah, but truth often has a certain aspect of perspective. Certainly, there are a variety of approaches. I don’t care for some of the people who don’t care for me, but I do, on the whole, think they’re competent at what they’re doing.” Griffin left it there to see what Charlus would do with that.
“But not perhaps - may I speak freely, sir?” Charlus looked up, a little wary now.
“Please. I would like you to.” That was promising, and this was one thing people had to come to in their own way and their own time. It was part of apprenticing, but it wasn’t one that could be listed out as something to be mastered, not without changing how people learned.
“You might not want that the others should, for example, be named Heir. Should rise to a different position. At least as things are.” Charlus took a deep breath. “Nestor Aplin, for one. And, um. Ulrich Moore, or Neave Williams. And I wouldn’t trust Tess Manfred as a clerk, exactly.”
That last one was an interesting piece of information. That was new to Griffin. Though generally he preferred Lucy or one of the other clerks he knew well, and Tess was still relatively junior. “Nestor, indeed. He has not been subtle about it to me, though I haven’t heard anything new in a while. And I was aware of Moore and Williams, but not Manfred.”
“I heard her gossiping a couple of weeks ago. With someone outside the Courts - she was a table or two over at supper.” Charlus considered. “It wasn’t anything against the confidentiality oaths, not about specific cases. I didn’t report it, but it got closer to that line than I would have thought judicious.”
“Did she know you were there?” Griffin asked.
“Yes, she’d nodded at me when they were seated.” Charlus bit his lip. “Is there a way to mention it informally?”
“There is. You could have a word with Mistress Henning or Master Willis or Master Osgood.” He oversaw the clerks. “They can keep an eye out, and if there are other reports, they can act on the aggregate, even if no single incident quite steps over the line.”
“I’ll do that, then. When I get back to Trellech. You’re sure you’ll be fine here? There isn’t anything besides the groceries I can set up while I’m gone?”
