wanted to reach the outside, to breathe open air away from the threat and hypocrisy choking me from the examination room. I lifted my skirts to run for the main door, but a hand landed on my shoulder before I could take another step. I whirled, expecting to face Dr. Heron.
I found myself looking into the concerned face of Captain Dane Copper.
He let me go immediately. "You did well," he said.
His gaze was steady and reassuring. And it meant everything to me.
By now my entire family was around me. They watched us impatiently.
What would we do without the training of polite society? I wanted to throw myself into Captain Copper's arms. Instead, I managed a shaky curtsy. "Thank you for coming, Captain." My voice was barely above a strained whisper, but I got the words out. "I did not realize you were in the gallery."
I automatically began to introduce my family to my captain, but my father said, "Excuse us, sir, but I need to speak privately with my daughter just now."
Captain Copper bowed slightly. "Of course, sir." He glanced briefly back at me. "Let us watch each other's backs."
"Always, captain," I answered.
The wall of Cliffs surrounding me parted to let the captain through. My gaze followed him to the building entrance and watched him pause a moment to salute a superior officer. Admiral North was standing by the exit.
Well, I wasn't going out that way.
I gestured toward a hallway leading to a side door.
"What did Captain Copper mean?" Father asked as he and I walked ahead of the others. "About watching each other's backs?"
"It is only a saying we use on board the Moonrunner. "
"Um." He took my hand.
Nothing else was said until we were outside. "I heard you up in the gallery," I said as we walked away from the medical buildings.
"That wasn't me," he answered. "Your Dr. Heron is quite a passionate fellow. He might have made quite a scene if your Captain Copper hadn't been rather firm with him."
I'd been trying to break the tension, but it was Father who made me smile.
We came to the wide, curving street that led from the naval section of the port town into the civilian area. Mother moved up to walk beside me. Behind us, a buzz of indignant conversation finally rose among the others.
"We have a celebratory feast laid on at that inn across the way," Mother said, pointing out a three-story building covered in trellises full of climbing roses. The plants were green, but no blossoms were showing yet.
"It looks like a very nice place," I said. I wanted very much to get inside, to get away from the necessity of public normality.
"Why don't you and the others go inside, my dear? I'd like some time alone with my youngest child," Father said. Mother frowned, but nodded at Father's firm look.
She gathered up the others and led them toward the inn. Father and I continued on until we found a small, fenced park in the center of a residential square. We settled onto a bench, away from any possible listening ears. That we both felt the need for some security without even a glance or a word was sad, and disheartening.
I turned to him, and spoke softly. "What is going on? Is this an attack on the family? Does Uncle Eadum know? Has he offended someone important who is now digging to find some scandal to bring the whole family down?"
"We will have a long discussion about all this when the entire family is together in Loudon. In private. With all of our resources in place."
"Thank goodness."
Of course I thought of the family first, since both my parents had been attacked through me. But I also recalled Captain Copper's warning. And Miss Apple and Dr. Heron's explanation of these Gracers hunting out sedition.
Father stroked my hair. "I do not know why you are being singled out for persecution, but you did do well when you were questioned. I have no fear that you will be awarded your surgical certificate."
"May the All agree with you," I said, and sighed. "But I should not feel sorry for myself. I am so angry I could
I found myself looking into the concerned face of Captain Dane Copper.
He let me go immediately. "You did well," he said.
His gaze was steady and reassuring. And it meant everything to me.
By now my entire family was around me. They watched us impatiently.
What would we do without the training of polite society? I wanted to throw myself into Captain Copper's arms. Instead, I managed a shaky curtsy. "Thank you for coming, Captain." My voice was barely above a strained whisper, but I got the words out. "I did not realize you were in the gallery."
I automatically began to introduce my family to my captain, but my father said, "Excuse us, sir, but I need to speak privately with my daughter just now."
Captain Copper bowed slightly. "Of course, sir." He glanced briefly back at me. "Let us watch each other's backs."
"Always, captain," I answered.
The wall of Cliffs surrounding me parted to let the captain through. My gaze followed him to the building entrance and watched him pause a moment to salute a superior officer. Admiral North was standing by the exit.
Well, I wasn't going out that way.
I gestured toward a hallway leading to a side door.
"What did Captain Copper mean?" Father asked as he and I walked ahead of the others. "About watching each other's backs?"
"It is only a saying we use on board the Moonrunner. "
"Um." He took my hand.
Nothing else was said until we were outside. "I heard you up in the gallery," I said as we walked away from the medical buildings.
"That wasn't me," he answered. "Your Dr. Heron is quite a passionate fellow. He might have made quite a scene if your Captain Copper hadn't been rather firm with him."
I'd been trying to break the tension, but it was Father who made me smile.
We came to the wide, curving street that led from the naval section of the port town into the civilian area. Mother moved up to walk beside me. Behind us, a buzz of indignant conversation finally rose among the others.
"We have a celebratory feast laid on at that inn across the way," Mother said, pointing out a three-story building covered in trellises full of climbing roses. The plants were green, but no blossoms were showing yet.
"It looks like a very nice place," I said. I wanted very much to get inside, to get away from the necessity of public normality.
"Why don't you and the others go inside, my dear? I'd like some time alone with my youngest child," Father said. Mother frowned, but nodded at Father's firm look.
She gathered up the others and led them toward the inn. Father and I continued on until we found a small, fenced park in the center of a residential square. We settled onto a bench, away from any possible listening ears. That we both felt the need for some security without even a glance or a word was sad, and disheartening.
I turned to him, and spoke softly. "What is going on? Is this an attack on the family? Does Uncle Eadum know? Has he offended someone important who is now digging to find some scandal to bring the whole family down?"
"We will have a long discussion about all this when the entire family is together in Loudon. In private. With all of our resources in place."
"Thank goodness."
Of course I thought of the family first, since both my parents had been attacked through me. But I also recalled Captain Copper's warning. And Miss Apple and Dr. Heron's explanation of these Gracers hunting out sedition.
Father stroked my hair. "I do not know why you are being singled out for persecution, but you did do well when you were questioned. I have no fear that you will be awarded your surgical certificate."
"May the All agree with you," I said, and sighed. "But I should not feel sorry for myself. I am so angry I could
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