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.The oil lamp showed her a small wine bottle, but whenshe d raised it to her lips, what she swallowed wasn t wine, but somethingfaintly bitter, some medicine.She d made a face and stumbled backto bed, this time to sleep deeply and unbrokenly.* * *Whatever the drug had been, it left an unpleasant taste.She poured aglass of water and rinsed her mouth, then drank.Her serving girl,an ylf maid named Ardain, came in from the adjoining room. Good morning, your ladyship, Ardain said. I hope you rested well.Varia assessed how she felt.Neither good nor bad.A sort of medium gray, she decided. Well enough, I guess, she said, andwondered if this girl read auras.Not likely.She also wondered againwhat A duaill had learned from her the day before.He d said he danswer her questions today.Or no, that wasn t it.He d said he d receiveher questions.Pin him down, she told herself.She bathed, the ylf maid scrubbing her back.What would Liiset say if shecould see.She knew what Idri would say, or Sarkia, who as long as Varia couldremember, had portrayed the ylver as evil, depraved.She reminded herself thenof General Quaie, who d made the slander convincing.Not that most of theSisterhood needed convincing; if Sarkia said it, it was so.I m well out of all that, she told herself.The trick now is to get out of here, a much more pleasant prison.Clean clothing had been put out for her, including a frock hanging at herdresser set.Ardain suggested she wear it this morning.It was lovely, a palegreen; she was surprised that this house had one so suited to her coloring.If my hair were long, she told herself, I might put it on, then rejected thethought.It wouldn t do to look too pretty, not where Cyncaidh would see, soshe dressed in uniform.She d expected to eat breakfast with him, and perhaps Mariil.When theyweren t there, she told the steward she d like to see them after breakfast.Mariil, he answered, usually slept through the morning, and theCyncaidhwas out inspecting the property.That, Varia told herself, could take awhile. Then I d like to speak with A duaill, she said. I ll leave your message with his scribe, the steward answered politely,  butjust now, he can t be disturbed.Varia wondered if she was being put off.It smelled that way.She ended upasking a reluctant Ardain to eat with her, clearly not the sort of thinga serving girl was supposed to do.But perhaps she could answersome questions. Why am I being treated so well? Varia asked. I was brought here aprisoner, you know. A prisoner? No ma am, I didn t know that. Ardain seemed to doubt the claim. Why do you imagineI m being treated so well?Page 75ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlArdain was uncomfortable now. The Cyncaidh is a gentleman, andthoughtful, my lady.He s that, all right, Varia told herself, but it doesn t answer my question.Besides, Ardain sweetie, you know something you re not telling me.She tried another angle. Ahain told me Mariil would be happy tosee me, or something to that effect.Why would he say that, do you suppose?She d never met me.The ylf maid s discomfort clearly was growing. I don t know, my lady.But you suspect, Varia thought, then told herself to leave the girl alone;she d hardly tell anyway. Are you from around here? she asked. Yes, my lady, from Salmon Cove.My family fishes.And harvests seals in theirseason. That sounds interesting.How did you come to work here at the manor? My uncle s been with the Cyncaidh s household troops since he waseighteen.He s first sergeant now, she added proudly. So I gotinterviewed by Lady Mariil.I ve been here since I was fifteen. I ll bet they like you; I do.How old are you? Seventeen. Suppose you want to get married? Or are those things arranged foryou?Ardain blushed. Noble girls get husbands arranged for them sometimes, thoughthey can refuse.For folk like us though, fisher folk or farmers, it susual to marry a lad who catches your eye. She laughed. Theboy s supposed to ask the girl, but a girl can get him to, if she wants. And do the lords ever, um, impose on a girl who works in the house? Alord or his sons?Ardain darkened. Never! she said. I don t mean you, Ardain, or the Cyncaidh.I was thinking abouthouseholds less well regulated.Less honorable.I m a stranger in your land,you know.This mollified the girl somewhat. I ve heard of such, I ll admit, she said, but it wouldn t happen here.If the Cyncaidh had sons, and they troubled aserving girl, he d discipline them severely, I have no doubt.If the Cyncaidh had sons. I suppose he would.He s considerate of others.A noble without sons, whose wife is far beyond child-bearing [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]