Coimbra

Josef patiently followed, and stopped at the moment Fandorin did. Half heartedly he listened to the argument. He crossed his hands across his chest and glanced at the closed doors of the tavern.

Fandorin had heard enough. Turning he walked to the main street and followed the road that led to the monastery.

Josef looked startled at Fandorin. Whatever was on his mind, he was not willing to share. Still he let himself remain silent and follow and hope that perhaps once their new destination was reached, he would make more sense.

'Josef, do you know in which part of the monastery the headquarters are?' enquired Fandorin.

"..Sir. I've made you a map. ..all has been additionally marked." He looked impatient, wondering if giving Fandorin the map was at all fruitful when he had not spared much attention to it.

'And how is it going to look were I to take it out and study it in the street?' asked Fandorin sarcastically.

"Why then have you not studied it while we were still at home, sir." He replied subtly back, though there was still some edge in his tone.

'I did not wish to waste time. I wanted to see the house and its surroundings as soon as possible. Now, do you think you can show me where the headquarters are? Please', the 'please' came out sarcastic and not at all polite.

"..And you expect us to be permitted inside without question, sir?" He raised an eyebrow unconvinced. ".. after all. .it isn't just the monks that are at the monastery at present.."

Fandorin felt like banging his head against a wall. 'No, I don't. I expect the guard on duty to fetch Hunter, without me having to actually go in'.

"....Follow me." He looked displeased, and somewhat annoyed. Still he would show the way for Fandorin, so that he could inquire about the man who had visited them a full few hours ago.

They approached the headquarters and Fandorin somehow prevailed upon one of the soldiers to fetch Hunter, the man appeared quite quickly.
'Herr von Dorn? I have no news for you yet. You must appreciate it's still very early in the morning'.
'I've not come to talk of that. Come, let's walk'. Fandorin walked away from the Headquarters along the square in front of them, and Hunter followed. To others it would look like two men simply taking a stroll and enjoying the rather impressive view the monastery presented'.

Tagging behind , Widmayer followed. He was listening in the conversation but with a discreet air about him. It wasn't that he might expect to learn something new, and when he met Hunter it was with the amount of recognition a servant has for another of his master's guests.

'Carlos Branco is dead, and not on my orders', said Fandorin simply, studying the man beside him. Hunter's eyebrows went up.
'Well, I cannot say I am the least bit surprised. Our business is not exactly a safe one. But you are worried'.
'I am not worried, more apprehensive. Whoever killed him did not take any papers. Doesn't mean he did not look through them'. Fandorin stopped, Hunter and him looking at each other, each man with his own agenda, an agenda neither was sure could be trusted to the other.
'And you think someone knows about me? Us?'
'Perhaps... or someone might be coming after you too. Branco would not have known about me'. Hunter scoffed.
'You think someone's on a hunt and I am one of the hunted?' Hunter smiled at Fandorin, but his eyes were serious.
'I do not know... yet. It would not hurt though if you were a little more careful'. They turned and continued circling the square until they reached a street vendor who was obviously hoping to earn some money off the soldiers passing here. Hunter got out some coins and asked for a few pasteis de nata. Biting into one, he offered it to Fandorin first, then to Josef, smiling slightly at the young man, a small crumb already gracing the corner of his mouth.

Josef looked startled at Hunter and his offer. He glanced briefly at Fandorin, as if asking him for permission. Then slowly and with a low bow he took the sweet, thanking the man most graciously.

He took a step back and studied the pastry, then slowly took a tentative bite. He glanced from Hunter to Fandorin again, as if awaiting for them to continue with their conversation.

'So, is this all you wanted? Could have saved yourself a trip and told me about it later', Hunter took another bite, 'Mmm, these are delicious. I think I'll get some more. Fernao would love them'.
Fandorin looked a little exasperated.
'We were in the vicinity anyway. Plus, what if a delay of an hour meant that I came to find you dead? And, Captain, would you stop feeding Josef, I do not want him to decide that he prefers you as a master'. Hunter smirked.
'Then maybe you should feed him better yourself, look at him, he is so slim, one would think you are not feeding him at all'.
'I've also promised to cane him', Fandorin's mouth quirked in a tiny smile. 'I am truly the worst master there is'.

Josef listened to the two men, but kept his gaze startled, as if unable to follow the jabber of English talk amongst them. He looked down at his treat as if trying to figure out whether either had conversed about it, or if their talk had again been of some joke that they both understood.

He lifted his gaze to meet Hunter's then fleetingly glanced at Fandorin again. What he spoke was in German, and even that poorly accented. "Kann ich?" He asked holding the treat outward as if, if he was not permitted, he was eager to return it, not to anger the man whom he served.

Fandorin briefly imagined what would the few people in the square think if he headslapped his servant. Turning he hissed at Josef in German:
'Just eat it or I will sell you to Hunter'.
Hunter shot an amused glance at the both of them and gently pushed Josef's hand that held the pastry towards the man's mouth.
'Herr von Dorn, I am truly worried about the way you treat your servant'. Fandorin muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'What have I done to deserve this?'.

He nodded curtly and took the treat back, eating it in silence. He held his amusement in check. He couldn't quite retort anything to the other man even if he would have wanted to, while Hunter was still around.

So busying himself instead with the food, he enjoyed its taste and much the fact he needn't pay a dime for it. He thought little of the threat. Their arrangement was a play, unless it would benefit that he was turned to stand beside Hunter, he was as free as a bird.

Hunter finished his tart and licked his lips. Something caught his attention and he sniffed at the air.
'Oh, God, I know where he came from!', he exclaimed meaning the vendor, grabbing Fandorin by the elbow he turned to walk into one of the lanes that came out onto the square. 'There is a bakery there, I saw it last night. I think they are busy baking'. Fandorin followed reluctantly.
'Don't you think it is too early for them to be serving the public?'.
Hunter showed him a coin, grinning.
'I'll use my charm, don't you worry. Don't protest, you have nothing better to do anyway'.
'Oh, really? What about you?' asked Fandorin his voice dripping with sarcasm.
'General's still asleep: as you said, it's still too early'.

He shook his head while the two men were paying attention to each other and glanced over his shoulder with a small sigh. Being a servant was testing some times. Especially when masters and guests acted with less reason than a donkey with his back legs tied up.

He touched his forehead briefly then his temple and hurried his step not to loose them. Whoever had been 'kind' enough to assign him to this task would have been best left in the dark.

Hunter banged on the bakery door, receiving a angry shout in the reply. He persisted nevertheless, and the door opened. The owner espying a gold-laced officer subsided and smiling let them in, saying that of course they did not open quite so early but for an english officer he'll make an exception.
Leading them to a table in an adjoining room that served as a coffee shop, he hurried away to fetch Hunter's order.
Fandorin and Hunter sat down and indicated that Josef should join them.
'Some coffee would be good for me. I was up all night', said Hunter by way of small talk.

Josef glanced away from Hunter and made sure that he sat, so as to offend neither of the guests. He was expecting to be served coffee as well, though he did not inquire about it. Instead he studied briefly the entrance to their room and then observed the two gentlemen being at their finest.

It was a grand day since has concluded his tasks in a rather record time. The man being dad had supplied him with more free time - but for the company present - than he had imagined a day earlier.

The owner reappeared after some time with a plate of bolos levedos, marmelade and butter. He poured hot steaming coffee for the men and then returned with another plate piled with suspiros, that he served with dates and figs in syrup.
'I think I am starting to like it here', mumbled Hunter around a mouthful of a bun, spread generously with marmelade.
Fandorin remained unimpressed by the food, paying greater attention to the coffee.

"Sir.." Josef inquired seeing that Fandorin was not eating. He stood and took his plate, and then nodded to the food as if to ask which he wanted, so that it could be served to him. He had not need to pour him coffee, so he gave more attention to the rest.