‘A happy sight, Nils,’ a voice said quietly by Nilsson’s side. He turned to find Saddre, his restless eyes flicking significantly after Rannick.
‘Him riding away?’ Nilsson suggested.
Saddre nodded. ‘Talk about the old days,’ he said, puffing out his cheeks. ‘It’d have been kinder to cut that poor sod of a farmer’s throat than do what he did.’
Nilsson raised his hand as an injunction to Saddre to avoid the topic.
Saddre missed the movement and continued. ‘Do you remember Commander Gro...?’
‘Yes! Leave it,’ Nilsson snapped angrily, favouring Saddre with a look laden unmistakably with danger.
‘Sorry,’ Saddre said hastily. ‘What’s the matter with him, anyway?’ he went on, gesturing after the now-vanished Rannick.
Nilsson shrugged. ‘Doubtless he’ll tell us if he wants us to know,’ he sai
