Milo visits Joanna

[The Smith]

Milo Bettley comes looking for Joanna three weeks after the murder.

[Marie]

She was busy going over the account books when he arrived, and ushered him in at once.

"Milo! Have a seat. What can I do for you?"

[The Smith]

"I have made the inquires about the Septa." Milo settled and smiled at her.

[Marie]

"Oh good. And? What did you learn?"

[The Smith]

"She was no agent. She had never left the septry before. None of her neighbors heard or say anything." Milo replied, "There appears to be no motive, so I suppose that some married commoner put a child in her, and did not want his wife to discover that."

[Marie]

"There are other ways to be rid of unwanted children," Joanna said, her face hardening. "Why go to the trouble of murdering the woman?"

[The Smith]

"Not after it has quickened." Milo replied.

[Marie]

"Children can be raised in the Faith or sent to the Wall or any number of possibilities," Joanna said. "Murder seems extreme. If it's as you say, the killer faces death if caught. Is the avoidance of a little embarrassment really worth dying for?"

[The Smith]

"For a lord I would think not. But the commoners are surprisingly less forgiving about such things." Milo replied, "I could be wrong, but I can think of no other trouble this girl could have gotten herself into in the short time she has been here."

[Marie]

"Then we should investigate that possibility, and, if we find that this is the truth, we should have the culprit executed," Joanna said firmly. "It's no less than is deserved."

[The Smith]

Milo nodded, "I am looking around, but the only thing against my thought is that every one insists she had no man. But I can think of nothing else."

[Marie]

"If there is no evidence of a lover, what else could it be? Rape?"

Joanna shuddered at the mere thought of it but it had to be considered.

[The Smith]

"Milo it could be, but I think that would have made more noise. And one of her neighbors was awake with a toothache the whole night." Milo replied.

[Marie]

Joanna thought for a long moment.

"What neighbour is this? Also, when I spoke of rape I did mean if she carried a child, not the attack itself, though I suppose either is possible. We should have the maesters examine the corpse for signs of sexual violation or pregnancy?"

[The Smith]

"I asked, and they were unsure." Milo replied.