Alberon turned to Razi. ‘Lord Razi,’ he said firmly, ‘we shall stick to the subject that Le Garou and I have brought to this table. Your own agendas will fall aside.’
Alberon turned back to Le Garou and went to speak, but almost immediately his lieutenant made himself known at the door, and the Prince hung his head in exasperation while Oliver went to take a message.
While waiting, David Le Garou smiled across the table at Razi, who still stared at Alberon in disbelief. ‘Those dogs sound a mite savage, my Lord,’ said the Wolf, tilting his head to the distant baying of the Merron hounds. ‘I hope they are well fettered.’
Razi turned his head as if on rusty hinges, and Alberon looked at Le Garou from under his brows, irritated at the obvious resumption of verbal hostilities.
Le Garou just kept smiling at Razi. ‘Of course, there’s naught more dangerous than an unchained cur,’ he murmured. ‘One would hope the owner of such an animal would be wise enough to keep him tethered.’
At his back, the row of Wolves grinned, and Razi regarded them with hatred.
Oliver came and whispered in Alberon’s ear. The Prince’s young face brightened into a wicked smile. ‘Oh, I have no doubt they do,’ he said. He glanced at Le Garou as if sharing a great jest. ‘The Haun have requested access to my presence.’
David Le Garou chuckled. ‘Of course they have.’
‘Tell them no,’ said Alberon, and Oliver nodded and went to convey the message to the lieutenant.
‘My arrival has thrown them,’ smiled Le Garou. ‘Poor things. They do rely so on my father’s collusion in the Sultan’s demise. They can only be alarmed at my unexpected communion with you.’ He sighed and ran his gloved hands across the tabletop, his eyes on Alberon. ‘Now,’ he murmured, ‘tell me my reward.’
‘The Lord Gascon De Bourg,’ said Alberon. ‘You recall him, Lord Razi? A foolish man. So foolish, indeed, that he sided with my father’s enemies during the insurrection.’
‘This proved bad for his health?’ asked the Wolf.
‘Extremely.’
‘And his heirs? Can I presume that their father’s foolishness prove bad for their health?’
‘It proved fatal.’
‘As it should. No house should take arms against a king and live to think the better of it. Tell me, your Highness, this dead traitor to your father . . . he left a sizeable estate?’
‘Large, rich, well established. It has vineyards, lake and pasture. Marvellous stock and well managed tenantry. The King has planned to divide it between four of his supporters, and a fine living they all would have made of it too . . . I shall ensure it is given to you instead, Monsieur Le Garou, in its entirety. You and your men will be set for life.’
Le Garou sighed again and closed his eyes. He rolled his head as if some unseen hand were kneading the tension from his shoulders. ‘An estate,’ he breathed. ‘At last.’
Wynter shook her head. She watched Alberon closely. This must be some kind of trick. He was planning to fool the Wolves somehow; there could be no other explanation.
Alberon’s eyes went hard. ‘Now, Monsieur,’ he asked flatly, ‘what do you offer me?’
Le Garou’s face darkened with bitter satisfaction. ‘My father has denied me my due too long,’ he whispered. ‘He grins at me and calls me his best, but keeps me to heel like a common whelp while lesser sons get their title and are released. I grow weary of an old dog’s suspicion. His lack of faith has made of me that which he feared all along.’ He tilted his head, his smile cold. ‘I will split the packs for you, Prince. I will draw my father’s allies from him with the promise that they will join me in my new life. The ones who are left in his command will smell his weakness and tear him apart in their efforts to gain control.’ He jerked his head towards the camp. ‘Those Haun await confirmation that my father and his Corsair allies are ready to forge an alliance to topple the Sultan. They will be sore disappointed when I break the news of my father’s change of heart.’
‘A change of heart which exists only in your imagination,’ murmured Alberon.
Le Garou grinned wide and Wynter clearly saw the Wolf behind the man. ‘I am my father’s voice and claw, Prince. Why would they doubt me? The Haun are weak already. Spread thin by time and distance, this is a blow