is in Fortunalt just now?” Senneth demanded. She still didn’t like this idea. “It’s not beyond the bounds of possibility.”
“Well, it is, because my father is holding a traditional winter dinner party in about three days and none of his vassals would want to miss it,” Kirra said. “Particularly Erin.”
“But if that’s so, what would make her come to Forten City and throw a party?” Senneth said.
“I’ll think of something,” Kirra promised. “It’s a good idea. You’ll see.”
But as it happened, the necessity did not arise. They rode into Forten City the next day and checked into a small but fashionable inn to find that a social event had already been planned there for the following evening. Two young nobles were getting married, and gentry from a hundred miles around were attending.
“I wouldn’t even have a room for you, since we were all booked, except someone had to leave this morning on account of her mother falling sick,” the proprietor told them when Kirra and Senneth presented themselves at his desk. He looked doubtfully at the attractive Lady Erin and her less attractive but still quite genteel cousin. “Well, I’ve got the room for you two ladies. Your men’ll have to sleep in the stables, if that’s all right with you.”
“They won’t mind at all,” Kirra said blithely, and Senneth had to hide a smile. “But what about my wolfhound? Can he stay in the room with us? I feel so much—safer—when he’s near.”
Wolfhound? Senneth wondered, but the innkeeper was already nodding. “Oh yes, many of our guests bring their pets in with them,” he said, beaming. “We’re quite partial to dogs here.”
Kirra was busy signing her name on the register and counting out gold coins. “So who’s getting married?” she asked casually.
“Katlin Dormer and Edwin Seiles,” the proprietor replied.
Kirra looked up, pen slack in her hand. “No! But I know Katlin! She was visiting at my father’s—oh, five years ago, maybe—and we were quite friendly! Oh, this is wonderful! Is there any way I can go to her mother’s room and give them my congratulations? Sindra,” she added, turning to Senneth, “you’ll have to go out this afternoon and find a gift for me. Something very pretty—you’ll know just what’s right.”
“Of course, Cousin,” Senneth murmured.
“There!” Kirra said, signing her name with a flourish. Even her handwriting looked different, Senneth thought, while her sharp, pointed face and tangled black curls made her completely unrecognizable. “Let’s go up to our room, shall we?”
Within a couple of hours, their luggage had been transferred into the small room, and both women had bathed and changed. Kirra went off to try to find Katlin Dormer’s mother, while Senneth tracked down the men, who were having a beer in the tavern adjoining the inn.
“I think you’re supposed to be a wolfhound,” Senneth said, seating herself next to Donnal.
He grinned. Tayse looked up, interested. “That’s a good idea,” he said. “Since they’re keeping us down in the stables.”
“I appreciate your concern,” Senneth said. “But I think we’re safe enough inside the hotel. There are locks, and I’ve got weapons.”
“And you’ll have me,” Donnal said.
“What news so far?” she asked. She eyed their beer with some longing but asked the waiter for wine when he approached. Bad enough to be fraternizing with guardsmen, but she couldn’t be seen sucking down ale in the common taproom.
“City’s as full as it can hold,” Tayse said. “Some wedding or something tomorrow night, and gentry spilling out of every inn in town.”
Senneth nodded. “Unless I miss my guess, Kirra’s about to get us invited to it,” she said. “This answers better than her other ideas.”
“So you’ll go, too, dressed as—what? Her lady in waiting?”
Senneth made as much of a mock curtsey as she could while sitting in a bar booth, a wineglass in hand.
“Well, it is, because my father is holding a traditional winter dinner party in about three days and none of his vassals would want to miss it,” Kirra said. “Particularly Erin.”
“But if that’s so, what would make her come to Forten City and throw a party?” Senneth said.
“I’ll think of something,” Kirra promised. “It’s a good idea. You’ll see.”
But as it happened, the necessity did not arise. They rode into Forten City the next day and checked into a small but fashionable inn to find that a social event had already been planned there for the following evening. Two young nobles were getting married, and gentry from a hundred miles around were attending.
“I wouldn’t even have a room for you, since we were all booked, except someone had to leave this morning on account of her mother falling sick,” the proprietor told them when Kirra and Senneth presented themselves at his desk. He looked doubtfully at the attractive Lady Erin and her less attractive but still quite genteel cousin. “Well, I’ve got the room for you two ladies. Your men’ll have to sleep in the stables, if that’s all right with you.”
“They won’t mind at all,” Kirra said blithely, and Senneth had to hide a smile. “But what about my wolfhound? Can he stay in the room with us? I feel so much—safer—when he’s near.”
Wolfhound? Senneth wondered, but the innkeeper was already nodding. “Oh yes, many of our guests bring their pets in with them,” he said, beaming. “We’re quite partial to dogs here.”
Kirra was busy signing her name on the register and counting out gold coins. “So who’s getting married?” she asked casually.
“Katlin Dormer and Edwin Seiles,” the proprietor replied.
Kirra looked up, pen slack in her hand. “No! But I know Katlin! She was visiting at my father’s—oh, five years ago, maybe—and we were quite friendly! Oh, this is wonderful! Is there any way I can go to her mother’s room and give them my congratulations? Sindra,” she added, turning to Senneth, “you’ll have to go out this afternoon and find a gift for me. Something very pretty—you’ll know just what’s right.”
“Of course, Cousin,” Senneth murmured.
“There!” Kirra said, signing her name with a flourish. Even her handwriting looked different, Senneth thought, while her sharp, pointed face and tangled black curls made her completely unrecognizable. “Let’s go up to our room, shall we?”
Within a couple of hours, their luggage had been transferred into the small room, and both women had bathed and changed. Kirra went off to try to find Katlin Dormer’s mother, while Senneth tracked down the men, who were having a beer in the tavern adjoining the inn.
“I think you’re supposed to be a wolfhound,” Senneth said, seating herself next to Donnal.
He grinned. Tayse looked up, interested. “That’s a good idea,” he said. “Since they’re keeping us down in the stables.”
“I appreciate your concern,” Senneth said. “But I think we’re safe enough inside the hotel. There are locks, and I’ve got weapons.”
“And you’ll have me,” Donnal said.
“What news so far?” she asked. She eyed their beer with some longing but asked the waiter for wine when he approached. Bad enough to be fraternizing with guardsmen, but she couldn’t be seen sucking down ale in the common taproom.
“City’s as full as it can hold,” Tayse said. “Some wedding or something tomorrow night, and gentry spilling out of every inn in town.”
Senneth nodded. “Unless I miss my guess, Kirra’s about to get us invited to it,” she said. “This answers better than her other ideas.”
“So you’ll go, too, dressed as—what? Her lady in waiting?”
Senneth made as much of a mock curtsey as she could while sitting in a bar booth, a wineglass in hand.
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