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Quietly the mistress said to her husband： 〃We don't want to。。。〃 She let the statement trail off there； but Denis listening had the strong impression that her next words would have been： arouse suspicion。
Whatever meaning the master read into her halfvoiced thought； he nodded his agreement with it。 Looking at Denis； he ordered： 〃Say nothing to them about our visitor。 We've seen no one tonight。〃
〃If they want to search？〃
〃Leave that to me。 But pick up your hatchet again； just in case。〃
When all three of the people inside were ready； Courtenay undid the bars and opened the door again。 In the very next instant he had to demonstrate extraordinary agility for a man of his weight； by jumping back out of the way of a blow from a short sword。
The three men who had e bursting in； dressed though they were in the Lord Mayor's livery of gray and green； were plainly not the Watch。 Denis with his hatchet was able to stand off the first rush of one of them； armed with a long knife in each hand。 Another of the intruders started toward Lady Sophie。 But her right arm rose from her side； drawing into a whirling blur the sling's long leather strands。 Whatever missile had been cradled in the leather cup now blasted stone fragments out of the wall beside the man's head； giving him pause； giving her the necessary moment to reload her weapon。
〃Ben of Purkinje！〃 cried out the third invader； hacking again at Master Courtenay with his sword。 〃Greetings from the Blue Temple！〃 This attacker was tall； and looked impressively strong。
Master Courtenay； after advising Denis to be armed； had himself been caught embarrassingly unarmed on the side of the room away from the rack of weapons。 He had to improvise； and out of the miscellany of tools around the forge grabbed up a long； iron…handled casting ladle。 It was a clumsy thing to try to swing against a sword； but the master of the house had awesome strength； and now demonstrated good nerves as well。 For the time being he was holding his own； managing to protect himself。
The man who had started after the Lady Sophie now turned back； indecisively； as if to give the swordsman aid。 It was an error。 In the next instant the second stone from the sling hit him in the back of the head and knocked him down。 The sound of the impact and the way he fell showed that for him the fight was over。
Denis was distracted by the lady's achievement unwisely； for a moment later he felt the point of one of his opponent's long knives catch in the flesh of his forearm。 The hatchet fell from Denis's grip to the stone floor。 Scrambling away from the knives； clearing a low bench in a somersaulting dive； Denis the Quick lived up to his nickname well enough to keep himself alive。
He heard one of the bigger workbenches go over with a crash； and now he saw that Master Courtenay had somehow managed to catch his own attacker by the swordarm … maybe the fellow had also been distracted； dodging feints of a slung stone。 Anyway it was now going to be a wrestling match … but no； it really wasn't。 In another instant the swordsman； bellowing his surprise； had been lifted clean off his feet； and in the instant after that Denis saw him slaughtered like a rabbit； his back broken against the angle of the heavy； tilted table。
The knife…wielder who had wounded Denis had now changed his strategy and was scrambling after the lady。 Suddenly bereft of friends； he needed a hostage。 Denis； reckless of his own safety； and wounded as he was； threw himself in the attacker's way before the man could e within a knifethrust of the mistress。 Denis had one quick glimpse of the lady； her white robe half undone； scooting successfully on hands and knees to get away。
And now Denis was on his back； and the knife was ing down at him instead … but before it reached him； the arm that held it was knocked aside by a giant's blow from the long ladle。 The iron weight brushed aside the barrier of an arm to mash into the knifer's cheekbone； delivering most of its energy there with an effect of devastation。 Denis rolled aside； paused to look back； and allowed himself to slow to a panting halt。 The fight was definitely over。
In the workshop； only three sets of lungs were breathing still。
The lady； pulling her robe around her properly once more （even amid surrounding blood； terror； and danger； that momentary vision of her body was still with Denis； he thought that it would always be。） Now she let herself slide down slowly until she was sitting on the floor with her back against one of the upset benches。 Evidently more angered then terrified by the experience； she said to her husband acidly； 〃You are quite； quite sure； are you； that they represent the Watch？〃
Coutenay； still on his feet； looking stupid； breathing heavily； could only mumble something。
Once more there came the sound of pounding on a door； acpanied by urgent voices。 But this time the noise was originating within the house。 The door that closed off the ascending stair was being rattled and shaken； while from behind it a man's voice shouted： 〃Mistress！ Master！ Denis； are you all right？ What's going on？〃
The master of the house cast down his long iron ladle。 He stood for a moment contemplating his own bloodied hands as if he wondered how they might have got that way。 Denis saw an unprecedented tremor in those hands。 Then Courtenay drew a deep breath； raised his head； and called back； almost calmly； 〃It's all right； Tarim。 A little problem； but we've solved it。 Be patient for a moment and I'll explain。〃
In an aside he added： 〃Denis； help me get these。。。 no； you're hurt yourself。 Sit down first and bind that up。 Barb； you help me with these visitors。 Drag 'em around behind that bench and we'll throw a tarp over 'em。〃
Denis； in mild shock now with his wound； took a moment to register the unfamiliar name。 Barb？ Never before had he heard the master； or anyone else； call the lady that。。。 it wasn't going to be easy； he realized； to bind up his own arm unaided。 Anyway； the wound didn't look like it was going to kill him。
Courtenay； while keeping busy himself； was still giving orders。 〃Now close the street door。〃 He dropped a dead man where he wanted him； and pulled out a heavy tarpaulin from its storage。 〃No； wait； let Tarim see it standing open。 We'll say some brigands got in somehow； and。。。〃
Tarim and the other awakened staff were presently allowed to e crowding in。 Whether they fully believed the vague story about brigands or not； they took their cue from their master's manner and were too wise to question it。 The outer door was closed and barred。 Tarim himself had to be dissuaded from standing watch in the workshop for the rest of the night； and eventually he and all the others were on their way back to bed。
Alone in the workshop again； the three who had done the fighting exchanged looks。 Then they got busy。
Courtenay began a preliminary clean…up； while the mistress applied a bandage to Denis's forearm； following his directions。 Her small fingers； soft； white； and pampered； did not shrink from bloody contact。 They managed the bandaging quite well； using some of the cloth that had been brought for the first patient。
When the job was done； her fingers held his arm a moment more。 Her dark eyes； for the first time ever （he thought） looked at him with something more than the wish to be pleasant to a servant。 She said； very quietly but very seriously； 〃You saved my life； Denis。 Thank you。〃
It was almost as if no woman had ever touched him or spoken to him before。 Denis muttered something。 He could feel the blood flowing back into his face。 What foolishness； he told himself。 He and this lady could never。。。
A quick look at the stranger now occupying Denis's bed showed that the fight in the next room had not disturbed him。 He was still unconscious； breathing shallowly。 Denis； looking at him； came round to the opinion that nothing was likely to disturb this man again。 With two wounded men now on hand； the mistress announced that she was going upstairs to search more thoroughly for medical materials。
The master said to his lady； 〃I'll e up with you； we have to talk。 Denis can manage here for a few moments。〃
The two of them climbed in thoughtful silence； past the level where Tarim and other workers slept； past the next floor also。 Reaching the topmost level of the house； they passed through another door and entered a domain of elegance。 This began with a wood…paneled hall； lit now by the flame of a single candle in a wall sconce。 Here the lady turned in one direction； going to rummage in her private stocks for medical materials。 The master turned down the hall the other way； heading for a closet where he expected to find a fresh； unbloodied robe。
Before he reached the room that held the closet； he was intercepted by the toddling figure of a knee…high child； an apparition followed almost immediately by that of an apologetic nurse。
〃Oh sir； you're hurt；〃 the nurse protested。 She was a buxom girl； almost a grown woman now。 And at the same time the child demanded： 〃Daddy！ Tell story now！〃 At the age of two and a half； the little girl fortunately already showed much more of her mother's than her father's looks。 Brazenly wide awake； as if something about this particular night delighted her； she waited in her silken nightdress； small stuffed toy in hand。
The man spoke to the nursemaid first。 〃I'm all right； Kuan…yin。 The blood is nothing。 I'll put Beth back to bed； you go see if you can help your mistress find what she's looking for。〃
The nurse looked at him for a moment。 Then； like the other employees； wise enough to be incurious tonight； she moved away。
The huge man； who for the past four years had been trying to establish an identity as Master Courtenay； wiped drying gore from his huge hands onto a robe already stained。 With hands now steady； and almost clean； he bent to carefully pick up the living morsel he had discovered he valued more than his own life。
Carrying his daughter back to the nursery； he passed a window。 Through genuine glass and rainy night he had a passing view of the high city walls some hundreds of meters distant。 The real watch were keeping a fire burning atop the wall。 Another light； smaller and steadier； was visible in a slightly different direction； one of the upper windows glowing in the Lord Mayor's palace。 It looked as if someone was having a busy night there too； the observer could only hope that there was no connection。
Fortune was smiling on the huge man now； for he was able to remember the particular story that his daughter wanted； and to get through the telling of it with reasonable speed。 The child had just gone back to sleep； and the father was just on his way out of the nursery； shutting the door with infinite care behind him； when his wife reappeared； still wearing her stained white robe。
〃We have a moment；〃 she whispered； and drew him aside into their own bedroom。 When that door too had been softly closed； and they were securely alone； she added： 〃I've already taken the medicine downstairs to Denis。 He thinks that the man is probably going to die。。。 there's no doubt； is there； that he's the courier we're expecting？〃
〃I don't suppose there's much doubt about that； no。〃
The lady was slipping out of her bloodied robe now； and throwing it aside。 In the very dim light that came in through the barred window from those distant watchfires； her husband beheld her shapely body as a curved warmed silver candlestick； a pale ghost hardly thickened at all by having borne one child。 Once he had loved this woman hopelessly； and then another love had e to him； and gone again； dissolved in death。 Sometimes he still saw in dreams a cascade of bright red hair。。。 his love for his darkhaired wife still existed； but it was very different now。
As she dug into a chest to get another robe； she told him calmly； 〃One of those we killed tonight cried out； something like： 'Greetings to Ben of Purkinje； from the Blue Temple。' I'm sure that Denis heard it too。〃
〃We're going to have to trust Denis。 He's proved tonight he's loyal。 I think he saved your life。〃
〃Yes；〃 the lady agreed； in a remote voice。 〃Either trust him … or else kill him too。 Well。〃 She dismissed that thought； though not before taking a moment in which to examine it with deliberat