Just then the tall man glanced over at us, and he straightened up, his dark eyes enigmatic, though he still smiled. He did not turn away, but waited for us to approach.
The lady looked up again, and I think I saw a faint impatience narrow those beautiful eyes; but then she gave us a breathtaking smile as she rose to her feet and laid aside her basket.
"Nimiar? Welcome back, dear cousin," she said in a melodious voice.
"We are returned indeed, Tamara," Nee said. "Your grace, may I present to you Lady Meliara Astiar?" And to me, "The Duke of Savona."
The dark eyes were direct, and interested, and very much amused. The famous Duke responded to my curtsy with an elaborate bow, then he took my hand and kissed it. I scarcely heard the names of the other people; I was too busy trying not to stare at Savona or blush at his lingering kiss.
"My dear Countess," Lady Tamara exclaimed. "Why were we not told we would have the felicity of meeting you?"
I didn't know how to answer that, so I just shook my head.
"Though, in truth, perhaps it is better this way," Lady Tamara went on. "I should have been afraid to meet so formidable a personage. You must realize we have been hearing a great deal about your valiant efforts against our former king."
"Well," I said, "if the stories were complimentary, they weren't true."
The fellows laughed. Lady Tamara's smile did not change at all. "Surely you are overly modest, dear Countess."
Savona propped an elegantly booted foot on an edge of the bench and leaned an arm across his knee as he smiled at me. "What is your version of the story, Lady Meliara?"
Instinct made me wary; there were undercurrents here that needed thinking out. "If I start on that we'll be here all night, and I don't want to miss my dinner," I said, striving for a light tone. Again the lords all laughed.
Nee slid her hand in my arm. "Shall we continue on to find your brother?" she addressed me. "He is probably looking for us."
"Let's," I said.
They bowed, Lady Tamara the deepest of all, and she said, "I trust you'll tell us all about it someday, dear Countess."
We bowed and started to move on. One fellow, a young red-haired lord, seemed inclined to follow; but Lady Tamara placed her fingertips on his arm and said, "Now, do not desert me, Geral! Not until I have a chance to win back my losses…"
Nee and I walked on in silence for a time, then she said in a guarded voice, "What think you of my cousin?"
"So that is the famous Lady Tamara Chamadis! Well, she really is as pretty as I'd heard," I said. "But…I don't know. Somehow she embodies everything I'd thought a courtier would be."
"Fair enough." Nee nodded. "Then I guess it's safe for me to say--at risk of appearing a detestable gossip--watch out.
The lady looked up again, and I think I saw a faint impatience narrow those beautiful eyes; but then she gave us a breathtaking smile as she rose to her feet and laid aside her basket.
"Nimiar? Welcome back, dear cousin," she said in a melodious voice.
"We are returned indeed, Tamara," Nee said. "Your grace, may I present to you Lady Meliara Astiar?" And to me, "The Duke of Savona."
The dark eyes were direct, and interested, and very much amused. The famous Duke responded to my curtsy with an elaborate bow, then he took my hand and kissed it. I scarcely heard the names of the other people; I was too busy trying not to stare at Savona or blush at his lingering kiss.
"My dear Countess," Lady Tamara exclaimed. "Why were we not told we would have the felicity of meeting you?"
I didn't know how to answer that, so I just shook my head.
"Though, in truth, perhaps it is better this way," Lady Tamara went on. "I should have been afraid to meet so formidable a personage. You must realize we have been hearing a great deal about your valiant efforts against our former king."
"Well," I said, "if the stories were complimentary, they weren't true."
The fellows laughed. Lady Tamara's smile did not change at all. "Surely you are overly modest, dear Countess."
Savona propped an elegantly booted foot on an edge of the bench and leaned an arm across his knee as he smiled at me. "What is your version of the story, Lady Meliara?"
Instinct made me wary; there were undercurrents here that needed thinking out. "If I start on that we'll be here all night, and I don't want to miss my dinner," I said, striving for a light tone. Again the lords all laughed.
Nee slid her hand in my arm. "Shall we continue on to find your brother?" she addressed me. "He is probably looking for us."
"Let's," I said.
They bowed, Lady Tamara the deepest of all, and she said, "I trust you'll tell us all about it someday, dear Countess."
We bowed and started to move on. One fellow, a young red-haired lord, seemed inclined to follow; but Lady Tamara placed her fingertips on his arm and said, "Now, do not desert me, Geral! Not until I have a chance to win back my losses…"
Nee and I walked on in silence for a time, then she said in a guarded voice, "What think you of my cousin?"
"So that is the famous Lady Tamara Chamadis! Well, she really is as pretty as I'd heard," I said. "But…I don't know. Somehow she embodies everything I'd thought a courtier would be."
"Fair enough." Nee nodded. "Then I guess it's safe for me to say--at risk of appearing a detestable gossip--watch out.
( Sherwood Smith )
[ Court Duel ]
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