Brand carefully scrutinized the two people before him; only after quite a while did he pick up the envelope on the table again, glance at it, and then ask the Female Knight:
"Lady Laurenna, may I ask—when did the Cruz people first become aware of this matter?"
Laurenna looked at him, was briefly taken aback, then realized what he was asking. She furrowed her brow and replied with an entirely official expression: "Two months ago, Lord."
This question and answer referred precisely to the second matter raised in Veronica's letter to him. Compared to the first, which barely scratched an itch, this second issue struck Brand as far more troublesome.
