cap with a turned-back border, embroidered all over with small, very skillfully fashioned red feathers.
The Princess wore dark blue, her trimming a vivid green but otherwise differing none from Roane’s. There was no cap for her. Instead she combed and braided her long hair, allowing the braids to lie free on her shoulders.
“Very good.” She looked from Roane down along her own person, then back to Roane. “We eat now and then we ride. At least it is a clear night. Nelis thinks it will remain so, and he knows this country well enough to speak with authority.”
They descended to the lower room, where the table was once more set with food, rounds of cold meat, bread, and fruit. The man who rose to greet them was not in uniform but wore a dusty gray suit, with a close-fitting cap which allowed only his face free, for it had a lower frill lapped about his neck, fastening under the chin.
“Nelis!” Ludorica seated herself in the chair he drew out for her. “You?”
He laughed. “Did I not tell you that I knew these hills well? Do you think I would let you ride them alone, Your Highness?” Then he became serious. “You will have your escort of picked men, men from my own stead. They own me overlord as well as field commander.”
“But if Reddick learns you are gone, he may suspect—”
“We have worked out a scheme for that. Remember, you are lost out of Hitherhow. I am searching for you with a flying column and am thus hard to reach, very hard. As far as this company is concerned—though we can answer for their loyalty—they will march within the hour to patrol west of Granpabar, which is territory I do not think the Duke dares invade as yet—seeing as how the lord there has good reason to dislike him.”
“Trust you, Nelis—” The Princess laughed, too.
“I hope you can, Your Highness,” he cut in, still sober. “I hope you can! I understand your reasoning, and it was ever the way of your House to play boldly at need. But there are many ways this play can go wrong. Do not be too confident—”
“Which urging I have had from you many times in the past! No, there is something now which gives me confidence, Nelis. Reddick could not have foreseen the arrival of Roane to spoil his plan. So far every throw of the wish sticks has turned up in my favor. Oh”—she held up her hand when he would have spoken—“I cannot count on such fair fortune’s continuing. But while it is with me, let us make the most of it, just as we shall now make the most of this most excellent food.”
They were not, Roane discovered to her silent relief, expected to ride duocorns alone. She had never guided such a mount in her life, and to begin riding lessons now—there was no time.
To keep their cover of peasant women, who did not usually ride alone, she and the Princess must ride pillion, the Princess with the Colonel, Roane behind one of the other men. All wore the drab civilian dress. And under the cloak she still had her belt, which she determined to cling to. Possession of that gave her the feeling that she was still Roane Hume, not a stranger to herself also.
By dawn, after threading a maze of dusky valleys and scrambling up hillsides where they must dismount to walk their animals, they reached a pass through which the wind blew cruelly cold. Roane was glad of the cloak. Twice they had halted to let the third man of the party scout ahead. But there had been no alarms. And now the Colonel pointed down the slope before them.
“Leichstan, but Gastonhow lies a good eight leagues on. We shall have to rest and change mounts before we reach there.”
“We cannot go to any inn,” the Princess protested.
“Neither can we go far on worn-out duocorns,” Imfry returned. “With those clothes you are of Reveny right enough, but many border families have kin on either side. There may well be a wedding to which we have been bid—”
“Not so! A wedding would have been far-cried. These people will know what chances
The Princess wore dark blue, her trimming a vivid green but otherwise differing none from Roane’s. There was no cap for her. Instead she combed and braided her long hair, allowing the braids to lie free on her shoulders.
“Very good.” She looked from Roane down along her own person, then back to Roane. “We eat now and then we ride. At least it is a clear night. Nelis thinks it will remain so, and he knows this country well enough to speak with authority.”
They descended to the lower room, where the table was once more set with food, rounds of cold meat, bread, and fruit. The man who rose to greet them was not in uniform but wore a dusty gray suit, with a close-fitting cap which allowed only his face free, for it had a lower frill lapped about his neck, fastening under the chin.
“Nelis!” Ludorica seated herself in the chair he drew out for her. “You?”
He laughed. “Did I not tell you that I knew these hills well? Do you think I would let you ride them alone, Your Highness?” Then he became serious. “You will have your escort of picked men, men from my own stead. They own me overlord as well as field commander.”
“But if Reddick learns you are gone, he may suspect—”
“We have worked out a scheme for that. Remember, you are lost out of Hitherhow. I am searching for you with a flying column and am thus hard to reach, very hard. As far as this company is concerned—though we can answer for their loyalty—they will march within the hour to patrol west of Granpabar, which is territory I do not think the Duke dares invade as yet—seeing as how the lord there has good reason to dislike him.”
“Trust you, Nelis—” The Princess laughed, too.
“I hope you can, Your Highness,” he cut in, still sober. “I hope you can! I understand your reasoning, and it was ever the way of your House to play boldly at need. But there are many ways this play can go wrong. Do not be too confident—”
“Which urging I have had from you many times in the past! No, there is something now which gives me confidence, Nelis. Reddick could not have foreseen the arrival of Roane to spoil his plan. So far every throw of the wish sticks has turned up in my favor. Oh”—she held up her hand when he would have spoken—“I cannot count on such fair fortune’s continuing. But while it is with me, let us make the most of it, just as we shall now make the most of this most excellent food.”
They were not, Roane discovered to her silent relief, expected to ride duocorns alone. She had never guided such a mount in her life, and to begin riding lessons now—there was no time.
To keep their cover of peasant women, who did not usually ride alone, she and the Princess must ride pillion, the Princess with the Colonel, Roane behind one of the other men. All wore the drab civilian dress. And under the cloak she still had her belt, which she determined to cling to. Possession of that gave her the feeling that she was still Roane Hume, not a stranger to herself also.
By dawn, after threading a maze of dusky valleys and scrambling up hillsides where they must dismount to walk their animals, they reached a pass through which the wind blew cruelly cold. Roane was glad of the cloak. Twice they had halted to let the third man of the party scout ahead. But there had been no alarms. And now the Colonel pointed down the slope before them.
“Leichstan, but Gastonhow lies a good eight leagues on. We shall have to rest and change mounts before we reach there.”
“We cannot go to any inn,” the Princess protested.
“Neither can we go far on worn-out duocorns,” Imfry returned. “With those clothes you are of Reveny right enough, but many border families have kin on either side. There may well be a wedding to which we have been bid—”
“Not so! A wedding would have been far-cried. These people will know what chances
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