the crowd. Her timor ous look made her more appealing. „So I've got to convince me first. So what? Honest, Kristen. Don't push it. It's too much temptation. I don't know about her, but / couldn't handle it."
Kristen's amusement faded. „You're serious, aren't you?"
„Yeah. Really. I can tell just by looking at her, and from what I know about her, and about how I work inside, that I'd fall like a rock. I'd make a complete fool of myself. That's fun once in a while, but I don't have the time now. I can't handle two mistresses at once. My main lady is headed for some hard times, I think."
She asked her question with a raised eyebrow.
„Kavelin."
„Oh. You think there's going to be trouble?"
„Maybe. I'm trying to head it off. You'll get a feel of it tonight. Listen to what people are talking about. The big subjects this year aren't crop yields and mine production."
„Does it have anything to do with General Liakopulos?"
„It may. Sic her on Michael, why don't you?"
„She's not interested in Michael."
„Damn you. What did you have to say that for? Excuse me." He glanced at Sherilee again. So tiny. Like a toy. And every curve and line of her a match for a fantasy-lover's template. He shook his head viciously. „Damn me, too." He left Kristen looking bemused.
Inger joined him on the dais. Her perpetual mocking smile had shrunk to a minimum. „What was that about?" She did not like Kristen. They were both mothers of candidates for Kavelin's throne.
„Household allowances. She wants a separate tutor for Ainjar and Bragi. She tried her jolly-the-old-man-along approach."
„Grasping little witch. It never fails. The commons... ."
„Inger?"
„Hmm?"
„Hold my hand."
She reached over. Her smile returned. He squeezed once, gently, reassuring himself. „Inger. Don't take this as a shot. But you're holding the hand of a common foot soldier who did a lot of grasping. And you married him."
„What do you mean?"
„I don't think it makes much difference who our parents were. We all take what we can get. Switch a Marena Dimura baby with a Nordmen child and when they're adults they'll act like the people who raised them. Blood doesn't have anything to do with it. Be quiet, Derel."
He and Prataxis had had the blood versus environment argument before. Derel was perfectly willing to take either side. Argument was a game with the scholar.
Inger said, „I try to believe in what you're doing, but it's hard. The most you can make out of a peasant is a peasant in pretty clothes."
„What about his children? It's the children that interest me. And the peasant himself, for that matter." Before she could reply, he added, „I'm indifferent to the quality of a man's speech and table manners, dear. It's what's up here that counts with me." He tapped his temple. „And how well he does his job."
„Like Abaca?" Her sarcasm was thick. She loathed Cre dence Abaca.
„Exactly. He has a foul mouth, abominable habits, and the best tactical mind I've ever seen. Ever. Given time, I think we can housebreak him."
„He
doesn't even have the qualities of a peasant. Those disgusting people eat insects... ."
„Dear, if blood counts for that much, you and me, we're headed for a heap of trouble."
Her eyes narrowed. Her fighting smile vanished. She leaned forward. A string of blondeness fell over her left eye. „What do you mean?"
„You've got the Greyfells blood. The Greyfells have been traitors, treachers, murderers, and rebels since my grandfa ther was a pup. If blood tells, then I'd better have you watched by my fifty most faithful men."
Her face lost expression. The color drained away. She surged to her feet. Crimson replaced her pallor. She sput tered in anger.
„Sit down, darling. I was just trying to show you the hole in your argument."
„I don't think that was a very nice way."
„Maybe not. But I think you'll have to concede."
She looked at him hard. „I suppose. If I don't, I might end up sharing my life
Kristen's amusement faded. „You're serious, aren't you?"
„Yeah. Really. I can tell just by looking at her, and from what I know about her, and about how I work inside, that I'd fall like a rock. I'd make a complete fool of myself. That's fun once in a while, but I don't have the time now. I can't handle two mistresses at once. My main lady is headed for some hard times, I think."
She asked her question with a raised eyebrow.
„Kavelin."
„Oh. You think there's going to be trouble?"
„Maybe. I'm trying to head it off. You'll get a feel of it tonight. Listen to what people are talking about. The big subjects this year aren't crop yields and mine production."
„Does it have anything to do with General Liakopulos?"
„It may. Sic her on Michael, why don't you?"
„She's not interested in Michael."
„Damn you. What did you have to say that for? Excuse me." He glanced at Sherilee again. So tiny. Like a toy. And every curve and line of her a match for a fantasy-lover's template. He shook his head viciously. „Damn me, too." He left Kristen looking bemused.
Inger joined him on the dais. Her perpetual mocking smile had shrunk to a minimum. „What was that about?" She did not like Kristen. They were both mothers of candidates for Kavelin's throne.
„Household allowances. She wants a separate tutor for Ainjar and Bragi. She tried her jolly-the-old-man-along approach."
„Grasping little witch. It never fails. The commons... ."
„Inger?"
„Hmm?"
„Hold my hand."
She reached over. Her smile returned. He squeezed once, gently, reassuring himself. „Inger. Don't take this as a shot. But you're holding the hand of a common foot soldier who did a lot of grasping. And you married him."
„What do you mean?"
„I don't think it makes much difference who our parents were. We all take what we can get. Switch a Marena Dimura baby with a Nordmen child and when they're adults they'll act like the people who raised them. Blood doesn't have anything to do with it. Be quiet, Derel."
He and Prataxis had had the blood versus environment argument before. Derel was perfectly willing to take either side. Argument was a game with the scholar.
Inger said, „I try to believe in what you're doing, but it's hard. The most you can make out of a peasant is a peasant in pretty clothes."
„What about his children? It's the children that interest me. And the peasant himself, for that matter." Before she could reply, he added, „I'm indifferent to the quality of a man's speech and table manners, dear. It's what's up here that counts with me." He tapped his temple. „And how well he does his job."
„Like Abaca?" Her sarcasm was thick. She loathed Cre dence Abaca.
„Exactly. He has a foul mouth, abominable habits, and the best tactical mind I've ever seen. Ever. Given time, I think we can housebreak him."
„He
doesn't even have the qualities of a peasant. Those disgusting people eat insects... ."
„Dear, if blood counts for that much, you and me, we're headed for a heap of trouble."
Her eyes narrowed. Her fighting smile vanished. She leaned forward. A string of blondeness fell over her left eye. „What do you mean?"
„You've got the Greyfells blood. The Greyfells have been traitors, treachers, murderers, and rebels since my grandfa ther was a pup. If blood tells, then I'd better have you watched by my fifty most faithful men."
Her face lost expression. The color drained away. She surged to her feet. Crimson replaced her pallor. She sput tered in anger.
„Sit down, darling. I was just trying to show you the hole in your argument."
„I don't think that was a very nice way."
„Maybe not. But I think you'll have to concede."
She looked at him hard. „I suppose. If I don't, I might end up sharing my life
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