Doazda Deals with His Third Problem

He found the place in a ferment, with searchers being sent out in all directions, though since darkness had fallen there was little hope that they would find their quarry. The only good news - or was it good? - was that Hesht and Astra had made it to Still Manor safely, in spite of the atrocious weather that they had encountered. [48324] But he was worried to discover that Astra had left, and angry when he found out what had happened.

"You fool!" he told Boomer. "No wonder that she ran off the first chance that she got, the way you treated her. With Hesht helping her, it seems, she may well manage to give us the slip. I had told Hesht that he and the woman should stay here and wait till I arrived. Did not he pass that message on to you, or ring the bell that I had given him as a token, that you treated them like tresspassers rather than as guests?"

"Yes, he did. But I had to be careful that the woman wouldn't see anything that she shouldn't, didn't I? Ordinarily it might not have mattered so much, but right now... Besides, we didn't know how much the bad weather would delay you, and I wanted to make sure that she didn't have the chance to leave before you could get here to talk to her - though of course I failed in that."

"I suppose that what you say is true. All right, you couldn't really have acted any differently. But you are right that I had wanted to talk to her, and to find out what really brought her to this remote region. Now that she has seen something of our operation, it is even more important that I should do that. There are some things that do not add up about her. She may be merely the rather naive young woman suffering from delusions that those in Golabi mostly thought her, but she could be something more significant, maybe even dangerous to us.

"According to Hesht, she was trying to get to Petrona. Now whatever route she and Hesht took from here, unless they make a very large detour to throw us off the scent, they are likely to spend tomorrow night at Biligas Convent. [46947] I cannot ride at any speed in the dark, and in any case I am too tired after a long day's riding, but in the morning I will go after them. I should be able to catch up with them at Biligas, since they are on foot. If I somehow miss them there, or they have taken some other route, then I shall have to go on to Petrona itself, and hope to intercept the woman there." (Unknown to Doazda, Hesht had indeed decided on making a large detour. [48593] And of course Hesht and Astra now had a horse.)

"Maybe she was lying to Hesht? Maybe she planned to strike off in another direction at some point, head for Penham for example."

"I shall have to assume that she told Hesht the truth. I can't possibly hope to visit everywhere that she might go. Besides, if she is truly from some land far from here, which is possible though not certain, then Petrona - being the nearest major port outside Hespan - would be her most probable destination, even if we disregard what she told Hesht."

Next day:

1. Doazda has had a good night's rest, an early breakfast, and is now riding in search of Astra and Hesht.
2. Before Doazda leaves, Gordie - having now heard about the fugitives - comes forward with some information, hoping that he won't be in too much trouble. [50704]
3. Astra and Hesht stop for their meal break. [53501]

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