last, Dr. Swan said, "Thank you, Dr. Cliff. That will be all."
"One moment," the bearded admiral spoke up. "There is one more item which needs to be addressed."
I knew that northern-accented voice!
My gaze whipped to the man. I really looked at him - at the man, not the uniform. Impossible. It couldn't be him.
I barely managed to keep from touching my lips as they tingled with the memory of a kiss.
"Go ahead, Lord North," Dr. Swan said.
Admiral Lord North's blue eyes met mine, cold as arctic ice, with no recognition in them at all. I grabbed hold of the lectern to support myself at this point. If I looked as shocked as I felt the room was going to erupt in laughter at any moment.
"Please answer the question, Dr. Cliff," someone said.
I tried to remember what had been said by Lord North in that rich, lilting voice of his while I reeled in shock. Something about honey? Surely he hadn't called me honey, had he? I did my best to focus. "Sir?"
"You are a strong advocate of the use of honeyherb, are you not?" North repeated the question.
"Of course," I answered, not taking the time to consider my words for once.
"Your father profits by the development and production of honeyherb, does he not? You personally profit by honeyherb, do you not?"
"Honeyherb is a proven medication in limiting infections," Dr. Swan spoke up.
The admiral ignored Swan. "Please answer the questions, Dr. Cliff."
I hated North. I absolutely hated him.
I fought the urge to walk out of the room. I had to answer him.
"My father is a professor of botany at the College of Kallak, the school dedicated to the goddess of nature, at the University of Avan. His research has been useful in developing the latest and most powerful formula for honeyherb. The combination of herbs with honey as an aid to healing has been used for generations, Admiral. Does my father profit from the formula he has developed? Yes. He receives a fifth of the profits of the sale of his formulation of honeyherb. The other four-fifths of the profits go to the College of Kallak, funding continued medical research and a scholarship program. I do not see how my use of honeyherb - from two cases of the drug my father donated for use on the ship - has any relevance, sir."
I didn't glance up at my father, but I could feel him seething from here. Mother and Bell were likely holding him by the arms to keep him from jumping up and shouting angrily at the admiral. Rassi was probably trying to keep Tennit from exploding as well. My face burned and my fingers were digging into the edges of the lectern. I was very close to being the family member who gave in to the urge to shout at the admiral.
"Are you familiar with the word profiteering?" North asked. "The Navy takes a dim view of tradespeople who engage in the practice."
There was a muffled sound from overhead.
North probably thought calling my father a tradesman was an insult. Or, even worse, he considered anyone below the noble ranks only useful for providing services to his kind. And what is dishonorable about providing services, I ask you?
"I do not understand, sir. How can donating medicine be considered profiteering?" And what does anything you say have to do with a certificate exam? I looked hard at Samel Swan, and each of the other examiners in turn, hoping someone would bring this fiasco under control, bring my world back in to focus.
It was Admiral Glass who slapped his hand onto the table. "Enough. I'm exhausted, as is the young lady, I am sure. This gathering has gone on quite long enough."
The old man rose creakily to his feet. The others followed slowly after him. The tension in the room began to relax.
"Thank you, Dr. Cliff," he said with a nod to me. "You are dismissed."
I didn't wait for anyone to say another word. I didn't run, but I would not say I moved at a dignified pace to get out of the room.
Chapter Fourteen
The spectators came rumbling down from the gallery as I passed the stairway. I
"One moment," the bearded admiral spoke up. "There is one more item which needs to be addressed."
I knew that northern-accented voice!
My gaze whipped to the man. I really looked at him - at the man, not the uniform. Impossible. It couldn't be him.
I barely managed to keep from touching my lips as they tingled with the memory of a kiss.
"Go ahead, Lord North," Dr. Swan said.
Admiral Lord North's blue eyes met mine, cold as arctic ice, with no recognition in them at all. I grabbed hold of the lectern to support myself at this point. If I looked as shocked as I felt the room was going to erupt in laughter at any moment.
"Please answer the question, Dr. Cliff," someone said.
I tried to remember what had been said by Lord North in that rich, lilting voice of his while I reeled in shock. Something about honey? Surely he hadn't called me honey, had he? I did my best to focus. "Sir?"
"You are a strong advocate of the use of honeyherb, are you not?" North repeated the question.
"Of course," I answered, not taking the time to consider my words for once.
"Your father profits by the development and production of honeyherb, does he not? You personally profit by honeyherb, do you not?"
"Honeyherb is a proven medication in limiting infections," Dr. Swan spoke up.
The admiral ignored Swan. "Please answer the questions, Dr. Cliff."
I hated North. I absolutely hated him.
I fought the urge to walk out of the room. I had to answer him.
"My father is a professor of botany at the College of Kallak, the school dedicated to the goddess of nature, at the University of Avan. His research has been useful in developing the latest and most powerful formula for honeyherb. The combination of herbs with honey as an aid to healing has been used for generations, Admiral. Does my father profit from the formula he has developed? Yes. He receives a fifth of the profits of the sale of his formulation of honeyherb. The other four-fifths of the profits go to the College of Kallak, funding continued medical research and a scholarship program. I do not see how my use of honeyherb - from two cases of the drug my father donated for use on the ship - has any relevance, sir."
I didn't glance up at my father, but I could feel him seething from here. Mother and Bell were likely holding him by the arms to keep him from jumping up and shouting angrily at the admiral. Rassi was probably trying to keep Tennit from exploding as well. My face burned and my fingers were digging into the edges of the lectern. I was very close to being the family member who gave in to the urge to shout at the admiral.
"Are you familiar with the word profiteering?" North asked. "The Navy takes a dim view of tradespeople who engage in the practice."
There was a muffled sound from overhead.
North probably thought calling my father a tradesman was an insult. Or, even worse, he considered anyone below the noble ranks only useful for providing services to his kind. And what is dishonorable about providing services, I ask you?
"I do not understand, sir. How can donating medicine be considered profiteering?" And what does anything you say have to do with a certificate exam? I looked hard at Samel Swan, and each of the other examiners in turn, hoping someone would bring this fiasco under control, bring my world back in to focus.
It was Admiral Glass who slapped his hand onto the table. "Enough. I'm exhausted, as is the young lady, I am sure. This gathering has gone on quite long enough."
The old man rose creakily to his feet. The others followed slowly after him. The tension in the room began to relax.
"Thank you, Dr. Cliff," he said with a nod to me. "You are dismissed."
I didn't wait for anyone to say another word. I didn't run, but I would not say I moved at a dignified pace to get out of the room.
Chapter Fourteen
The spectators came rumbling down from the gallery as I passed the stairway. I
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