Chapter 63

Kimberly Smith was visiting the Castiel residence to report on a series of suspected arsons recently causing an outcry in the capital. “Saint worship, you say?” Adolphus muttered, his elbows resting on his desk and his handsome features mildly distorted by a frown. “What a bother.” Kimberly agreed. The oil left behind at the site of each fire was the same kind used in the ceremonies of the saint worshippers. As the term “saint worship” suggested, this group viewed Saint Anastasia as their supreme deity rather than the Moirai. Their beliefs blended well with Adelbide’s native religion and consequently attracted more followers than other pagan sects. “It seems the extremists have rapidly gained strength over the past several months,” she said. The first fires occurred in unpopulated areas on the city’s outskirts, or in abandoned buildings. But the other day a church had been set aflame. Fortunately, it was put out before causing any major damage, but the scale of the arsons was steadily growing. If rumors spread that the saint worshippers were to blame, a conflict could flare up between religions. Action had to be taken immediately. “Extremists, eh? I’ll wager someone is inciting them,” said Adolphus. “One of my people is looking into that possibility,” Kimberly replied. An image of the young woman she’d hired as her private secretary came to mind. With her fluffy chestnut hair and well-endowed figure, she looked like innocuousness incarnate. But in fact, she had the smarts to coolly evaluate a situation and the guts to act on it. Kimberly liked that. Of course, the girl was an excellent secretary as well. “By the way,” Kimberly said, glancing at the fruit scattered carelessly over Adolphus’s desk. “Are those lemons?” “They are.” “Unusual this time of year, aren’t they?” Lemons were usually available in Adelbide’s markets in fall and winter. “I own some land in the south. My gardeners have been coddling the trees in a glass greenhouse for years, but this is the first time we’ve had a harvest.” Lemons bloom perpetually and bear fruit six months or so after flowering. But flowers don’t form in cold weather, and even if they do, the fruit is small and poor. The fruit on the table was slightly green, but the size and shape looked decent. If Adolphus was growing them in a greenhouse, he must want a summer harvest. Perhaps he’d even developed improved varieties. “But why lemons?” she asked. “Because it’s Carnival season.” “…On El Sol, you mean?” If Kimberly remembered right, the traditional festival should be taking place just about now. Although she didn’t recall anything about a custom of eating lemons. “You’ve heard of it?” asked Adolphus. “I’ve been there.” “That’s news to me.” “It was decades ago.” Adolphus laughed quietly, like he was remembering something. “A young person I’ve taken an interest in is on El Sol now.” He must have meant Constance Grail. Kimberly had heard about the situation with the seventh prince. “Don’t you mean you sent her there?” It wasn’t a bad idea to build up a bank of favors, in consideration of future relations with Faris. That was the thinking behind Kimberly’s question, but Adolphus only smiled. “And what about the House of Fargo?” he asked in return. “Do you think they plan to use Ulysses Faris in some way?” Kimberly thought for a moment, then slowly shook her head. “Unlikely, I think. The current duke has a reputation for being an honest man.” “And you don’t think his wife’s family will pose any problems?” She hadn’t expected him to go so far as to ask about the wife. She was silent for a moment. “…I don’t think so,” she finally said. “Then why did you pause?” “Lady Fargo doesn’t come from a noble family. Her father was a scholar of history, I hear.” “Ah,” Adolphus said with a nod. “Incidentally, why did you visit the Republic?” “For work, of course.” Her memory was hazy, but she had been chasing down either an illegal slave trader fleeing the police or a loan shark. She was young then and capable of absurd jobs like that. It would be impossible for her now. “Must’ve been hard working overseas,” said Adolphus. “It was, but fortunately the local intelligence service cooperated. I even got to be a tourist for a while as I waited for the return boat. It happened to be Carnival.” “How fortunate. Did you enjoy the festivities?” Kimberly thought back on the experience and smiled wryly. “I’ll just say that it was a good holiday.”