Taniwha's Tear by David Hair

anyone in his life, and didn’t even know whether he was capable of such an act, he bitterly regretted that this woman still lived.
    ‘Miss Kyle,’ the stout man said coldly. ‘What brings you to Ol’ Turanga?’
    Donna Kyle stared at the man before her with disdain. ‘Captain Read,’ she drawled with loathing in her voice. ‘My business is my own, and to the best of my knowledge, the judge threw out the warrant for me, so I am free to go where I please.’ Her eyes flickered about, causing Mat to duck back out of sight.
    ‘That may be so, Miss Kyle, but I’ll tell ye flat, ye’re not welcome here an’ never will be.’ Read hawked and spat. ‘Ye’d be best to clear out, I’m thinkin’. Ye can’t hide behind your dead master any more.’
    Mat peered out and saw Donna Kyle rear above Read like a cobra about to bite. ‘Oh, you’re brave now, aren’tyou! I remember my master and I being welcomed here with the best of things, and worms like you crawling aside lest they got crushed.’ She stamped her foot. ‘Crushed underfoot.’
    Read chuckled. ‘Livin’ in the past ain’t gonna dig ye out of the mire ye’re in, Kyle. I hear Seb Venn kicked yer ass up at Kaitawa. I hear ye’ve lost the Redoubt. They say Te Kooti has withdrawn his support, an’ the goblins are wavering. I’m thinkin’ that what comes around goes around, an’ ye ain’t much no more.’ Read looked about him, where armed constabulary had been quietly gathering at a distance, leaning on muskets and smoking watchfully. ‘The good folk of Turanga don’t want you or Venn here no more.’
    Donna Kyle glared about her. ‘The good folk?’ She spat. ‘There are no “good folk” here, just land-stealing racist fools busy digging their own graves. I won’t forget this.’ She looked about her at the hard faces of the soldiers. ‘You hear? I won’t forget this. I will remember every face here, and I’ll know how to repay this insult. Kereopa Te Rau will know how to repay it too, just as he repaid Volkner. Remember him? Remember how he died?’ Her eyes burned about, and armed and battle-hardened though they were, none of the soldiers dared move.
    Mat was sure it would come to blows, but then a soft voice spoke from within the carriage, in tones that barely reached his ears, but made him shudder all the same. ‘Peace, Donna. This is neither the time nor the place.’
    It was the same voice that had spoken from the mouthof the dead cat in the alley in Napier. Mat felt his heart hammering, and tried to pierce the shadows within the carriage with his eyes.
    ‘I rather think we will get a fairer welcome when we return victorious, perchance,’ the sly voice slithered out of the darkness.
    Donna Kyle looked torn between violence and discretion. Eventually, though, she contained herself. ‘Good night, Your Majesty,’ she sneered at Read, then disappeared back inside the carriage. The coachman whipped the horses about, and stormed back down the road out of town.
    Read walked about the circle of men, shaking hands with them, praising their steadfastness and courage. Finally he sauntered into the tobacco shop. He didn’t look at the boys, but went straight to the counter. ‘I’ll have a roll of yer best, Jonas.’
    ‘On the house, Captain,’ said the bearded youth in an admiring voice. ‘On the house.’
    ‘Oh, ye don’ go givin’ away yer product, Jonas lad,’ said Read, slapping a coin onto the counter. He let the owner light his wad, then turned to the boys. Mat noticed that for all his boldness, the hand holding his cigar was shaking. ‘So, lads. What’d ye make o’ that lil’ scene?’
    Riki and Damien looked at Mat uncertainly. Mat thought for a second before replying. ‘You must feel very certain, to defy her, sir.’
    Read’s mouth twisted into a grimace. ‘Not so certain as all that, boy. She’s still a snake, an’ she’s got plenty o’fangs and venom in her. But she’s bad for business—she takes without