Chapter 76: THE WIDOW’S PETITION

DIANA’S POV

The widow’s name was Eva Corven.

By the time she sat across from Diana the next morning, her husband had been dead long enough to be identified, returned home, and buried.

According to Logistics, five of those days had not prevented him from receiving wardstone.

Diana read the receipt before looking at the woman across from her.

Eva Corven was perhaps forty. Her mourning dress had been repaired carefully at one cuff. She held a folded military death notice between both hands even though Diana already had a copy in the file.

Her husband, Perrin Corven, had served as a wagon guard attached to military supply escorts.

He had died during an attack on a northern transport route.

That part was clear across the unit report, witness statement, body identification, burial authorization, and death grant approval.

The problem sat six pages later.

Treasury had released the initial household support but held the final service settlement because Logistics listed Perrin Corven as responsible for material received after the date Military recorded his death.

Master Marlon placed both records beside each other.

"The offices have been returning the case for eleven days."

Eva looked embarrassed.

"I know there are rules."

Diana read the two dates again.

Perrin Corven died during the escort.

Five days later, a logistics receipt placed him at an outer ward station.

Diana moved the receipt closer.

The receipt listed four crates of cut wardstone, repair fittings, and sealant compounds, all received in full.

At the bottom appeared Perrin Corven’s military receiving mark.

Diana turned toward Master Marlon. HE RECEIVED THIS?

"That is what Logistics says."

FIVE DAYS AFTER HE DIED.

"Yes."

Master Marlon did not attempt to improve the fact.

Diana checked the casualty report again.

Perhaps the date was wrong.

She requested the original military copy.

A junior clerk brought it from the casualty office.

Same date.

She asked for the burial authorization.

Same date.

The witness statements were written within hours of the attack.

Perrin Corven had died on the northern road.

His body had been returned.

His widow had buried him.

Five days later, a central logistics record claimed he had personally signed for wardstone at an outer station.

Diana looked at Eva.

The woman had gone pale.

"Does this mean he did something wrong?"

Diana wrote immediately.

NO.

Eva read it.

Diana added: IT MEANS THE RECORDS DO NOT AGREE.

The woman’s grip loosened slightly around the death notice.

"He never reached the ward station."

Diana waited.

"He was supposed to."

Master Marlon looked up.

Eva continued. "The escort carried three deliveries. They were attacked before the second northern turn. My husband’s wagon was one of the rear wagons."

Diana wrote: DID HE LEAVE THE ESCORT BEFORE THE ATTACK?

"No."

RETURN LATER?

Eva stared at her.

Then understood why Diana had asked.

"No. They brought him home."

Diana nodded.

The question had been ugly.

Necessary anyway.

She read the receiving mark again.

It was not a written signature.

Military logistics used assigned marks for many field receipts so records could be completed quickly under poor conditions.

That made copying easier.

Diana asked Master Marlon: WHO VERIFIED THIS MARK?

"Central Logistics accepted the station copy."

WHO SAW HIM SIGN?

"That would be in the local receiving record, if anyone recorded witnesses."

GET IT.

Master Marlon sent the request.

The reply would take time.

Diana continued through the file.

The benefit dispute itself was simpler than the false receipt.

Perrin’s widow qualified for the final service settlement based on his confirmed death.

Whatever had happened to the wardstone record did not change that.

Diana marked the benefits case: RELEASE PAYMENT.

Master Marlon read it.

"Treasury may object while the property responsibility remains open."

Diana pointed to Perrin’s death record.

HE CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR RECEIVING MATERIAL AFTER HIS DEATH.

"That is my view too."

THEN SEND IT.

Master Marlon nodded.

Eva looked between them.

"You can do that?"

Diana shook her head.

Then wrote: I CAN RETURN THE CONTRADICTION TO THE OFFICE THAT CAN.

Master Marlon added, "Treasury makes the payment decision. Her Grace is directing them to review the case separately from the logistics discrepancy."

Eva looked back at Diana.

That distinction mattered.

Diana did not want the woman leaving with the impression that a Duchess could simply wave away rules.

The rules were useful when they made sure the right person decided the right question.

They became dangerous when everyone used them to send one human being to another desk.

Diana took another sheet.

The wardstone receipt did not belong inside Eva Corven’s benefits file anymore.

It belonged somewhere else.

She copied the essential information.

PERRIN CORVEN.

CONFIRMED DEAD.

RECEIPT DATED FIVE DAYS AFTER DEATH.

OUTER WARD STATION.

WARD-REPAIR MATERIAL.

She stared at the last line.

Wardstone. The missing material was not food, blankets, or ordinary trade stock. It was strategic repair supply.

Diana looked toward Master Marlon. WHO REVIEWS FALSE MILITARY RECEIPTS?

"Command Logistics first."

She considered.

A false family record could remain within household review.

A false military supply record should not.

Diana wrote: SEND A COPY TO COMMAND.

Then stopped.

Raigoro.

She took the page herself.

Eva rose.

"Your Grace."

Diana looked at her.

"I only came because they said your office handled records that did not agree."

Diana nodded.

The woman touched the death notice.

"I don’t want anyone thinking Perrin stole from Blackharrow."

Diana turned the slate toward her. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RECEIPT.

Then: WE KNOW HE WAS DEAD.

Eva read both lines.

She nodded and left.

Diana remained with the copied receipt.

The error could still be ordinary: a wrong date or recipient, a copied receiving mark, a station record completed from memory. Any of those would require correction. Diana did not need a conspiracy before she could say the paper was wrong.

She carried the copy to Command Terrace.

Her Household Guards stopped at the ordinary boundary while a clerk went inside with her request.

Raigoro came out himself.

His attention went immediately to the page in her hand.

"What happened?"

Diana gave him the copied receipt. Raigoro read it, then asked, "Source?"

She handed him Eva’s benefits summary.

He read the casualty date.

Then the logistics receipt.

His attention returned to the first page.

"Confirmed body?"

Diana nodded.

"Witnesses?"

She held up the casualty report.

Raigoro read it. Perrin Corven had been identified by his unit officer and two members of the escort before his body returned to Blackharrow.

Raigoro looked at the receipt again.

Diana watched him compare the dates.

He did it once.

Then again.

His thumb stopped beside the receiving mark.

"This says he signed for wardstone five days after he was buried."

Diana nodded.

Raigoro opened the Command Terrace door.

"Daric."

The First Sword looked up from a table inside.

"Problem?"

Raigoro held out the receipt.

"A dead man has been receiving military supplies."