Fox Hunt; Chapter 3

I let my eyes flick about the room. Everything is clean and orderly. The former mayor's widow had done well for herself after her husband's death. Just how she had wound up in such a town was beyond me, yet it was clear she had refused to leave the high life of the big cities behind. I find it hard to picture a person trained to run spending much time here. Finally, the door opens. Before the butler can speak, an older woman, who I presume is Lady Nightingale, brushes past him. Everything about her is prim and polished, yet there's no mistaking the distraught look on her face as her eyes flick between Priamos and me.

"Is there any news?" She asks hopefully as she approaches.

"None yet," Priamos says, bowing his head in false remorse.

I had once wished I had his ability to fake the emotions people needed to see. He had tried to teach me, but it had been an effort in futility. Once I had become a Hunter though, it hadn't mattered. We weren't expected to be the face of operations to the public. We were only expected to produce results, which I excelled at.

Lady Nightingale presses a hand to her chest, shutting her eyes. "That poor girl. She must be terrified." I keep my face blank as her eyes open again, smiling ruefully. "I still remember when they first came here. She was so little. I used to watch Sylvaine for Tiberius. He had the good sense to keep sending her to me even when she got older. Oh, dear me, where are my manners? Please, sit. Would you like anything to drink?" She asks as she sets herself upon the chair.

I've half a mind to say no, but Priamos speaks first as we sit. "If it's no trouble," he says kindly.

Lady Nightingale smiles pleasantly, looking over to the butler still standing in the doorway. "Elmendorf, would you see to it that we get some tea, please?" The butler nods and disappears. Her attention turns back to us. "My apologies for dragging you all the way out here. It's just. . ." her hand comes up to her chest again, eyes blinking rapidly, "Since I heard the news, I've been so distraught. Sylvie is just so small and just the sweetest thing. The thought of her lost and wandering around on her own or- or- or worse. . ." I'm not quite sure where the handkerchief she dabs at her eyes comes from. "Please, ask whatever you need to. I've been like a mother to that girl. I know her as well as Tiberius. I just want her found safe and sound."

"As we do too and we greatly appreciate your cooperation," Priamos says appreciatively. "You referred to her as Sylvie earlier. I take it that's a nickname she goes by?"

Lady Nightingale nods. "Yes." She smiles wistfully. "She used to hate having to write out her whole name. She tried to change her name to just Sylvie once. Tiberius wouldn't have it though and I completely agreed with him. Sylvaine is so much more proper. There's nothing wrong with nicknames, but such proper names shouldn't be left in the past. Thankfully, she quickly got over that phase."

Priamos nods calmly. "Of course."

The door opens, admitting the butler, tea tray in hand. The conversation pauses as he sets to serving the first round of tea. Lady Nightingale and Priamos accept the cups, but I hold up a hand to ward off the cup. The butler merely nods, setting it back on the tray. Once the first round has been served, the butler returns to his post at the door.

Priamos takes a sip from his cup, leaning back. "Lady Nightingale, you mentioned you were like a mother to Sylvaine?"

"Yes. When they first arrived here she was. . . six, if I remember correctly. Sylvaine was a bright child, but also curious and just so full of energy. With his leg, Tiberius just couldn't keep up with her. She was just the sweetest thing. I offered to watch her once for Tiberius, one of the days he was busy running about the town on calls. He had been leaving her with David. I know he just wanted her to learn some discipline, but retired soldiers have no place watching children. No offense," she quickly holds up a hand towards Priamos, who nods understandingly. "Call me old-fashioned but girls should be protected, not to taught how to fight. It's just not proper." She shakes her head as if to clear it. "Anyway, I didn't think I was going to enjoy her company as much as I did, so I offered to watch her whenever he needed me to." She smiles at the memory. "I watched her quite a lot when she was little, and it was a good thing too. Don't get me wrong, Tiberius was an excellent father to her, but children need mothers. If it weren't for me, she might not have had any manners."

This was exactly what I was trying to avoid. Sylvaine's childhood was useless to me. It would give me nothing to work with on what she would do or where she would go. Especially if she was six when they came here. She'd hardly remember that, much less where they had been before that.

"Lady Nightingale," I say, forcing a smile, "I understand that this is hard for you, but time is short. I need to know what Sylvaine is like now. Anything that might help us figure out where she might be going if she's alone, what she might do if she's hiding."

Lady Nightingale blinks, looking over at me. "Oh, of course. Sorry. Let's see. What she might do. . . Oh, I just don't know. The poor thing is probably scared out of her wits." The hand comes up to her chest again. "I wish I had tried harder to convince her to leave. She could have done splendidly for herself in some big town. She once went with me to visit my cousin. I was a bit worried she wouldn't be able to hold her own at the party my cousin threw, but she didn't need me at all. You'd have thought she was raised going to parties in big cities." I can feel my attention piquing. "No one was any wiser she wasn't." Lady Nightingale sighs. "Sylvaine could have gone so far in a big city. A bright girl like that is wasted talent in a town like this. I could never convince her to leave Tiberius though. Those two were fiercely loyal to each other. She wouldn't hear of anyone else helping him."

Now that was useful. At least coming here hadn't been entirely useless.

"I don't know where else she might have gone either," Lady Nightingale rambles on. "This is the only home that girl's ever known. Oh, dear." Again that hand to the chest. "You don't think-" Lady Nightingale chokes back a sob.

Priamos leans forward, placing a hand on her knee. "We'll do all we can to find her," he tells her reassuringly, smiling gently.

Lady Nightingale smiles back, resting a hand on top of his. "Thank you so much." Her hand leaves his so she can once more dab the handkerchief to her eyes and Priamos leans back. "Is there anything else you need to know?"

"No," I say, rising from the chair. I was more than ready to leave. There would be nothing more we could get from her. "Thank you for your time."

She smiles pleasantly at me. "Of course. I'm sorry there's nothing more I can do to help."

"Madam," the butler suddenly speaks, "What about the photo?"

"The photo? Oh, yes! Fetch it, won't you, Elmendorf."

"Right away, madam." Elmendorf disappears with a bow.

She turns her attention back to us. "It's not a recent photo, but she hasn't changed much since it was taken."

Now that would definitely be useful. I bow my head respectfully. "That would be greatly appreciated."

Lady Nightingale smiles brightly. "Of course. If there's anything else I can do to help you find poor Sylvie, don't hesitate to ask."

Once the butler returns with the photo we're escorted out. As we walk back towards the barracks, I study the photo, working to commit her face to memory. I couldn't rely on the color or length of her hair; she could cut it or find a way to darken its auburn color to a true brown. Her hazel eyes would be more distinctive. With her delicate features, I don't find it surprising that Lady Nightingale had taken a liking to her.

"Well, at least we have her picture now," Priamos muses. "It wasn't a complete waste."

I have the feeling he didn't get what I had gotten from the conversation. "That isn't all we learned," I tell him as I pocket the photo. I have the sudden feeling we're being followed.

"You managed to find something useful in that nonsensical drivel?"

"She didn't just get lucky with those militiamen. She played them." I use the glass of the storefront we pass to look behind us. We certainly did have a tail.

"They thought she was the help," Priamos points out.

"As she expected them to. She used that to escape their attention. Played at being no more than the help. She's good at fitting in. Where ever she goes, she's not going to stand out." I pause locking my eyes on our reflection in the glass of another shop. "We're going have to be on high alert."

Priamos follows my gaze, catching the double meaning of my words. "Do we say hello?"

I study the man now pretending to look at a street merchant's wares. "No." I begin walking again. I don't miss his head turning back towards us. "I have a feeling they'll say hello first."