Coimbra

"...As you wish." He did not look at all amused. Turning his back to Fandorin he added instead:" ..What are we going to do now.. sir? " He looked at the pond then added subtly:"..As our duty sir...,"

'Our duty? Sit and wait for news from Hunter. We do not have any other business in Coimbra, and I am not leaving until I hand our cargo over'. He sighed. 'Really, Josef, could you stop sulking? It doesn't become you'.

"Sir.. I do not sulk.." He placed a hand across the other." Are we to follow the army once it departs? Or shall we remain in Coimbra if.. what you have, is delivered?"

'We'll follow them, should they continue pushing to Oporto. I rather want to keep an eye on Hunter... as I am sure you do too'. Fandorin stared into the pond. 'Damn it, I wish I had my police authority here. I am rather curious to find out who exactly killed Branco'.

"...If we had something to compare it with.. perhaps we could have discovered a pattern. But... one such attack. It could have been anyone. For whatever reason, even unrelated to his work. "

He had been thinking about it. What was the reason? If they had known atleast that, perhaps it would've been easier to track down the culprit.

'It could not be just any reason. The crime I think was hasty, yet, cold-blooded, not one of passion. Someone came in, slit his throat and had the presence of mind to leave the house in such a way that only one window remained unlocked, and in such a place that I highly doubt the gendarmerie will notice any time soon'.

"..there is a woman , his maid probably, that lies at his body and once she will wake she will alert the authorities." He shrugged his shoulders slightly :"But yes, other than that.. rarely people seek for dead men in their homes unless one is most fortunate that a servant returns, or a guest comes to visit. It isn't out of passion sir? And they took not the papers? What then could have caused them to attack him?"

'I do not have enough facts to tell you that, Josef, but I highly doubt it was a crime of passion. Hasty, perhaps, but too neat: you said yourself that nothing had been disturbed, no signs of struggle, no indication that the victim realised that his guest might have a reason to kill him. But tell me about his wounds, were they neat?'

"Indeed.. I would agree on that. Perhaps we may not know who killed him .. if it was a one time occasion, we may well forget about finding the culprit.. unless there were witnesses seeing anyone coming in before that girl. " He shook his head slightly:" But, is it for us to try and find out why he was done in? "

'Perhaps not, but it is always to be in the know, is it not? I dislike being in the dark'. Fandorin sighed. 'And forget about witnesses, I'd stake my life on the fact the the murder happened last night during the celebrations: there would have been revelrous crowds on the streets, and they tend not to notice things well'

"..Indeed. ...not that it would have been easy to spot a man that entered , with the many in the way, the streets as busy as if it was day."

Josef turned to Erast:" .I believe that at this moment we are unable to learn anything new, but let us keep our eyes and ears open, so that perhaps we may happen to chance upon new evidence."

'I see that you do know how this things work. One would think you have served with gendermarie before'. Fandorin smirked at the boy and turned sharply. 'Shall we then continue our walk?'

"And rob myself of the ability to speak, sir?.. I am sure you would delight in that." He smirked bemused at Fandorin, and straightened somewhat, placing his hand to the lower of his back. "I have but another question.. more by means of confirmation. "

He half turned towards the man.".. Is it today, that we have done all that were meant to do..and thus we are free of work , sir?"

Fandorin narrowed his eyes at Josef. 'Y-yes, I think we are, unless something unexpected happens. Do you wish to be rid of me?' So, little Josef had a personal life after all.

"..no, .."He hesitated." Of course not sir. ..if you wish for company, I shall gladly comply." He bowed respectfully to Fandorin. He may have had interests and even ideas in which way he might spend his free time, yet it was first and foremost that he kept this man happy, and then that he were to seek it for himself. Not, of course, that he could not be happy in Fandorin's company. Quite on the contrary.

Unless, they argued.. "I would suspect that you have found your earlier threat at least made solely of ..a strange kind of humour." He smiled again, politely.

Giving one of his rare smiles to the boy, Fandorin spoke: 'I shall be quite alright on my own, if you wish to attend to your own affairs. Come, I am sure a young man like you would not wish to spend what seems to be turning into a beautiful day with an old man'.

"Sir. An .. old man, is a wise man and from one young men learn." He spoke somberly, though there was a twinkle in his eye, expressing amusement. "Do you wish for company. For I shall depart if you do not wish, but remain if it is that.. that you may enjoy."

'Be sure you do learn then. But no, I am not feeling particularly lonely this morning, you can go play' Fandorin smirked and waved Josef away. 'Go on then'.

"Yes , sir. Should you need me....You will have to wait till five.. at least." He smiled and bowed, and then turned on his heel. A whole day of freedom and what could he do?

He left the gardens in a short, yet relaxed stroll.

Fandorin watched the boy go for a few moments and turned and walked towards the university.

Brother William waited patiently for De Quental to partake of his breakfast: the man enjoyed his food and never took kindly to being rushed when he was eating. By the time he got to his final cup of coffee, there was commotion at the front door and the servant led in a gendermarie officer, who greeted Brother William politely, if off-handedly and turned to De Quental.

'Forgive me for troubling you so early, sir, but I'm afraid there is a matter that requires your attention'.
'What is it?', asked De Quental.
'I'm afraid we have a murder on our hands, sir'.

'Well, Brother William, it would seem that your little mystery will have to wait until I've dealt with this one', said De Quental, putting his cup back onto the table and wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Sometime in the afternoon Fernao approached the house where Hunter sent him to deliver a letter. He was dressed neatly in his new clothes, which he felt rather proud of.
He knocked on the door loudly, clutching the letter Hunter gave him in the free hand.

A servant came to open the main doors and looked at the arrival for a moment as if trying to place him among the known faces. After failing to do so, he spoke: "What would you like, sir? "

Fernao was a little taken aback when the man in the doorway called him sir, but decided that he liked it nevertheless.
'I have come to deliver a letter to Senhor von Dorn', he answered archly.

" Is he expecting you?" He asked, while opening the door a slight bit more.