***

Not seeing much point in sitting in with the guards, and wanting to avoid his father, who was terribly grumpy about the whole situation with the Arriland delegates, Travis took himself to his own apartment. Kate could send for him if she needed him. He had his own affairs to manage, and that would take up some of his time. He picked up his letters and writing supplies from the desk and sat with them on the bed, on his stomach with his feet kicking the headboard. Belatedly, he remembered to take his boots off so he didn't get yelled at again.

He had been helping his father with minor official duties since he had reached adulthood, and his father had very high standards. Travis has started the habit young, and still did, stick to rebelling by being overly casual in familiar settings and overly friendly in non. His personal household staff had mostly gotten used to it, though they did stiffen up if the King himself was nearby. He had prepared replies to several letters of both personal and official correspondence when someone knocked and the door opened slightly. “Sir, Miss Katherine to see you?”

“She can come in. You too, please.” Not that he wanted the servant, but Kate technically needed a chaperone in his rooms. He started to pack his things up so they could move to somewhere they could talk more privately.

Kate came in and shook her head at how he was lying. “You must drive your secretaries mad.”

Travis chuckled. “Notice I don't have one in here with me. When I need one, I have to sit at the desk, and I can't concentrate there.”

“I can't concentrate well if I'm not at a desk,” Kate replied, shaking her head.

“How perfect! When we are married, you can have the desk, and I will have the bed.” The prince gave her a cheeky grin. “Now where did my boot go?”

“Under the bed.”

“Oh, thanks. What can I help you with, Oh Great Detective?”

“I’m glad you are in a good mood. Come back to my office with me, and listen to me talk to myself at my own desk. Then when I finish, buy me dinner,” was Kate’s answer.

“My pleasure.” He nodded the servant out and shut the door behind them all.

They talked about other things on the walk back, though Travis saw Kate watching the actions of the guards at the main gate as they walked past. They barely glanced up even though it was only a few days since the Count had vanished.

“You have lazy guards,” she told Travis. “Usually you would think that they would be extra sharp for a while, knowing they were being looked at in the case.”

“I know, but I can't do anything. That's one area Father hasn't let me touch. He insists that the guard and army are all his and I can order them about when he is dead and not before.”

Kate rolled her eyes. Travis just chuckled.

“Not like I'm in a hurry, Dearest. Being King sounds like more trouble than it is probably worth. Maybe I'll hope Father will outlive me and then my cousin Ronnie can have the whole mess.” Travis Bumped Kate’s shoulder playfully as they walked.

“Considering that your father is already old, please don't.”

“Oh, would you miss me?” Travis teased.

“No, it’s just that he is already letting his guards get lazy, if he gets much older they might stop working all together,” she teased back.

Back at the building where Kate kept her bedroom and office, they waved at the landlady, who had a room at the back and kept the place up while Kate worked and paid the rent. She did her usual half curtsey and watched them go to Kate’s rooms with a slightly disapproving look.

“You'd think she would be used to me by now,” Travis remarked.

“I'm sure she thinks I am a trollop. I would swear she has no idea what I do to earn my rent money, just that I get visitors at strange times and am gone nights a lot.”

Travis was startled into surprised laughter. “I'm surprised she puts up with you. Also, she must be pretty much alone in that opinion, or I'd have heard criticism about the loose woman I spend time with.”

“My guess is paying rent on time makes up for a lot.” Kate checked the basket near her door for new messages, then opened the curtain over her window. “And you are my most frequent visitor, which probably has a lot to do with it, too.”

“At least I am good for something.”

“You are good for lot of things. Or you wouldn't be here in my office. Have a seat.” Sitting at her desk, she took out clean stack of papers and a fresh quill, and took out her notes from the castle.

Travis settled himself and prepared to listen and not much more.

Kate sighed. “I knew this wouldn't be easy, or you wouldn’t have needed me. Still, what a mess. I wish I had time to go to Arriland and ask around there, but I don’t, so... I know that the Count made a comment about looking for a woman when he went out, and told his valet he'd be back late. I need to find out if he found one; I'll do that tomorrow. If he could afford a woman and clothing repairs, he wasn't too pinched for money.”

“Or he had just gotten some after being without for a while,” Travis interrupted.

Kate paused. “See, this is why I have you here. Good suggestion. Did he have money when he got here, or did he accept some after he arrived and if so, for what?” She wrote that down. “Moving on. I know back home he had a dowager mother, a young fiancé who is the daughter of a minor baron with money, and an illegitimate son, aged three, that does not live with them but was supported in part by him. He inherited four years ago when his father died suddenly of illness.” She seemed to get another thought, and made another note.

“His estate has its value mostly in farming with some small amount of livestock. The Count is not considered a gifted manager, but competent enough.” She paused, looking at Travis. He was the one who knew about estates and nobility, more than she did.

“Weather could have a huge effect on his finances. Should be easy to check. Also while you probably can't get to Arriland in time to check, you might be able to send a message to Freeport, where the Arriland bank has a branch, and where the Count would have had to pass through, to get here. Maybe he stopped for some reason?”

Kate nodded. “I didn't think about them staying in Freeport for a night on their way. A man could get into all kinds of messes there.”

“He could also find a woman there, far cheaper than here, if he isn’t picky.”

“I will take note of that, but not ask how you know.”

“No worries, I am picky. Very, very picky.” He grinned at her.

“Well, good. I already have a list of things to do tomorrow. Let’s make it longer.”