Coimbra

'No, but I was told this letter is very urgent,' said Fernao, putting as much confidence and conviction into his voice as he could.

"I shall announce you. " He stepped aside to let Fernao enter. Not asking the boy for a name he went to retrieve Fandorin's servant. The you looked started at first. Then though he nodded as if at last understanding.

Not much later he appeared below greeting Fernao with few words, heavily accented. What on earth was this boy doing here. He studied him somberly, inquiring on who he was. Not calling the boy, sir himself.

Fernao felt uncomfortable under the gaze of the young man who appeared after the servant's call. He held the letter out to him.
'This is for Senhor von Dorn from Captain Hunter.'

Josef nodded curtly. He took the letter and turned, dismissing the boy. He expected Fernao to speak up if he wanted anything else. He smiled knowingly to himself.

Fernao huffed at being dismissed so off-handedly, but turned and left, making his way back to tell Hunter that he'd done what was asked of him.

Josef left while the servant behind him had to return to close the door. The youth carried the letter he received tucked neatly in his pocket. He knocked on the door of Fandorin's office and then carefully entered.

After he closed the door again making sure that noone was close to it, he spoke:" You've got mail."

Fandorin looked up from his papers, raising an eyebrow at Widmayer.
'Well, why don't you give it to me?'

Josef walked around the desk and flicked the letter at his master. "Here sir."

Taking the letter, Fandorin unfolded it.
'Someone really should teach you some manners, Widmayer'.

The letter was short and to the point. He was to wait upon the General, after the man's dinner. But it was the last sentence that attracted his attention: 'Please, be ready'. Almost anyone, who read this would assume that Hunter urged Fandorin to be ready for the meeting with the General, but for some reason it seemed to Fandorin that Hunter was warning him of something.

However obscure the warning, if it was a warning, Fandorin still burnt the letter immediately.

"Oh? " He smiled and continued in mock politeness. "It shall not happen again, sir. I promise." He gave a short bow.

"What did it say?" He asked not expecting an answer.

'It simply said I should come see the General at about eight tonight.' Fandorin paused. 'I hope he does not eat too much garlic', he added with a smirk, remembering a General of his acquiantance.

"Do you need me to accompany you, sir?" Josef asked , seating himself at the edge of the table, as one equal, rather than subordinate.

'No. It would look strange if I was to bring a servant, when I wish to discuss a matter such as this.' Answered Fandorin firmly. It was also better that Josef was not too noticeable: in case everything went spectacularly wrong, it may well prove his salvation.

".. very well. Do you have any tasks for me, while you are royally entertained, sir?" He looked smugly at Fandorin.

Fandorin snorted. 'Royally? I doubt it. I'll be grateful he even listens to a word I have to say to him.' He paused. 'Tasks? Yes. I do not know if you have noticed, but our house is being watched. I want you to watch the watcher. Don't do anything. Simply observe the man'. Fandorin got up and paced the room.

'This is a dangerous game we are playing,' he said quietly, as if afraid of people eavesdropping. 'You have to be careful. Very careful.'

"Yes sir." It meant that his act would need to become even better. Not only was he to play a servant before others. It was better to act it at all times.

"Seems.. my trips shall need to be reduced to only the ones in favour of serving you." No personal trips any longer, nothing that could raise suspicion.

Fandorin sighed. 'No need to be quite such a martyr to the cause, Widmayer. You are quite free to do what you will in your free time as long as it is nothing to do with our affairs.' He suddenly remembered the friendly overtures of Hunter towards Josef.

'If you decide that it is... If you find yourself wishing to befriend Hunter, I would suggest you are very careful. Not only because you would be putting all of us in a precarious position. I suggest that you also be careful of him.'

Fandorin had his suspicions about the ADC, but it was not his business, and he would leave it at that. Besides, he rather got the feeling, Hunter would not hurt Widmayer.

"Why sir?" It was odd that he would need to worry about a mere man. After all, he was just a soldier. He'd remembered him too, for the fun that Hunter and Fandorin shared against him.

Fandorin looked straight into Widmayer's eyes. 'He is a dangerous man, Widmayer, even if you cannot see it.'

"I've a feeling you suspect him to be something worse.. yet we have not the time to worry about him. He is probably no more dangerous than any of them soldiers taught to kill." He smiled , straightened and walked the length of Fandorin's room.

"Once you have concluded your business.. do we continue with the army or shall we return home, sir?"

Fandorin simply shook his head at the boy's overconfidence. 'I think we might, Widmayer. I'd like to have a conversation with the men on Hunter's list, before they have been 'dispatched' into the world beyond, as the one here already was. There are two more names: one man in Lisbon, who I am more than sure is dead and rotting already, the other in Oporto. The others are in Spain and further up north. We shall see where the army marches next and follow them'.

Fandorin looked out of the window: 'That is, of course, after we have gotten rid of out 'watchdogs'.

"We cannot just kill them though... not in a too obvious way at least. Might raise suspicion and only have more of their men sent on our trail..." He looked a slight bit irritated about the watch even if he hadn't expected much different to happen eventually.

"Are we solely to convince them we are.. who we say we are?.." He stretched a limb carelessly, finding his constant way of spending time sitting, somewhat unkind to his body. "Or have you a plan?" He wondered if someone would be sent to their abode to 'run his grabbby little fingers through their things' while Fandorin was visiting Wellesley.

Fandorin gave the man a sardonic look. 'I am surprised you are able to restrain yourself from killing them. We shall simply try to convince that we are who we say we are, in the hopes that will not find us interesting of further observation. If they do, we shall have to simply throw them off our trail.'

"As much as that would entertain me sir, ...this trip is not that of pleasure but of business. And in so judging... my wishes stand aside." He smiled cooly. He may have been many things, and of those he could also be a patient man.

"Indeed. Let us play our game first. If the need comes some bait may throw interest elsewhere." He looked on. "In the meanwhile, I believe knowing of things that go in the army, and deviate from the standard should be observed, studied and learnt from. People and their dealings both."

He glanced at Fandorin: "Shall you request of Wellesley for the permission for us to follow in the 'safety' of the army's shadow?" He smirked.

Fandorin goggled at Widmayer. 'Are you mad?! I do not want that man knowing of our existence beyond Coimbra. I do not want to owe him anything either!'