Next was the foursome I had been bracing myself to face all along: Tamara, Savona, the newly met Lady Elenet, and the Marquis of Shevraeth. Very conscious of Olervec's pale eyes following me, I forced myself to greet the Marquis first: "Good morning," I said, as if we'd been talking just the day before. "How much I wish to thank you for putting me in the way of finding the proper books for my project."
Again that laughter was evident in his glance as he sketched a bow. "If you have any further questions," he said, "it would be my pleasure to accommodate you."
"I'd be honored." I curtsied, my hands making the fan gesture of Unalloyed Gratitude. The shadow of humor in the corners of his mouth deepened.
Then I turned to the others. Savona grinned at me, one hand moving slightly in the fencer's salute of a good hit. I fought the urge to blush as Tamara murmured, "You'll be in the race tomorrow?"
"Of course," I said, lifting my hands. "I have to prove whether my wins last time were luck, skill--or the kindness of well-wishers."
Tamara smiled a little. "And once you've proved which it is?"
"Why then I either celebrate, commiserate--or fulminate!"
They all laughed at that, even the quiet Elenet, though her laughter was so soft I scarcely heard it.
I turned to Shevraeth and said, "Will you be there?"
"I hope to be," he said.
"Riding your gray?"
"Is that a challenge?" he replied with a hint of a smile.
I opened my mouth, then a stray memory brought back our private wager before we reached Athanarel and nothing could prevent the heat that burned up my neck into my face; so I quickly bent over, making a business of ordering one of the flounces on my gown. After I had straightened up I'd have an excuse for a red face, or at least enough of one to pass the notice of the three who {presumably} knew nothing of that unpaid wager.
"I think," I said, retying a ribbon and patting it into place, then unbending with what I hoped was an expression of nonchalance, "I'd better find out if my luck is due to skill or kindness before I make any pledges."
"Very well," he said. "A friendly race will suffice."
When the conversation came to a natural close, I retreated to Nee's side and finished the rest of the picnic with her and Bran.
Again that laughter was evident in his glance as he sketched a bow. "If you have any further questions," he said, "it would be my pleasure to accommodate you."
"I'd be honored." I curtsied, my hands making the fan gesture of Unalloyed Gratitude. The shadow of humor in the corners of his mouth deepened.
Then I turned to the others. Savona grinned at me, one hand moving slightly in the fencer's salute of a good hit. I fought the urge to blush as Tamara murmured, "You'll be in the race tomorrow?"
"Of course," I said, lifting my hands. "I have to prove whether my wins last time were luck, skill--or the kindness of well-wishers."
Tamara smiled a little. "And once you've proved which it is?"
"Why then I either celebrate, commiserate--or fulminate!"
They all laughed at that, even the quiet Elenet, though her laughter was so soft I scarcely heard it.
I turned to Shevraeth and said, "Will you be there?"
"I hope to be," he said.
"Riding your gray?"
"Is that a challenge?" he replied with a hint of a smile.
I opened my mouth, then a stray memory brought back our private wager before we reached Athanarel and nothing could prevent the heat that burned up my neck into my face; so I quickly bent over, making a business of ordering one of the flounces on my gown. After I had straightened up I'd have an excuse for a red face, or at least enough of one to pass the notice of the three who {presumably} knew nothing of that unpaid wager.
"I think," I said, retying a ribbon and patting it into place, then unbending with what I hoped was an expression of nonchalance, "I'd better find out if my luck is due to skill or kindness before I make any pledges."
"Very well," he said. "A friendly race will suffice."
When the conversation came to a natural close, I retreated to Nee's side and finished the rest of the picnic with her and Bran.
( Sherwood Smith )
[ Court Duel ]
www.QuoteSweet.com