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Lady Bernice; I did not mean to distress you. I could never
It s all right. It s a bad memory now. After that, I was bounced around a
number of refugee camps like this one, before ending up at an Elite boarding
school. He looked at her blankly. I suppose you d call it a seminary.
Guy nodded understandingly. This place must spark such terrible memo-
ries: it is little wonder your dreams are haunted.
So what s your excuse? she snapped back, on the defensive at the thought
that he d seen her asleep and vulnerable.
Why are you afraid of me?
What do you mean? As if I couldn t guess, she thought guiltily.
You have a notable tendency to become hostile on a regular basis. I have
seen such a strategy used for verbal defences in many court intrigues. He
didn t look offended, though, she noticed just surprised.
Look, it s not you, Guy. Let s just call it another terrible memory, she said
quietly. Betrayal always is.
Ah. He nodded understandingly. There are many dishonourable men in
this world, he muttered darkly, with a hint of sadness. It seems I must apol-
ogize again
Dammit, will you stop saying that! She shook her head amusedly. His con-
cern for her feelings was surprising considering his profession, she thought.
He turned to leave her alone, as she suspected her expression probably sug-
gested he should.
She stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, turning him back towards
her. Somehow, Guy reminded her of . . . Of course, she thought, it was only
natural that her subconscious would follow on with a memory of how she had
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felt at the end of that time. No. You were right; I didn t even realize I was
doing it. She let herself relax slightly. After all, one didn t often find someone
so . . . That was a worrying thought; last time it had taken her six months to
get to feel this way about someone. Next you ll be believing in love at first
sight or some such nonsense, she scolded herself gently. Lust at first sight, on
the other hand well, what the hell . . .
Now that is your real smile, he commented quietly. His own smile granted
his features a warmer, less gritty look.
So? You want to have your wicked way with me, I suppose?
I have never settled in any place long enough to consider wifeing. He
didn t remove her hand from his shoulder, however, though he glanced at it
as if wondering why their situations weren t reversed.
That s not what I meant. Her other hand joined the first.
I know what you meant, but that is not how I feel.
Now how can a scoundrel like you say a nice thing like that? Haven t you
got a reputation to live up to?
Scoundrel? He gave a faint smile, as if amused and flattered by the term.
As easily as a Lady can make a stand for her strange ways. He paused briefly.
You should be inside, where it is warmer.
It s just bracing out here, that s all.
In that case, I am flattered.
What about?
That your trembling is not due to the cold.
I m not I mean, it is the cold.
He looked at her with eyes that showed concern more than anything else.
Then you must go where you can be warm, lest you catch pleurisy or . . . He
fell silent as her lips brushed his. He looked shocked at her forwardness, but
didn t pull away.
I think it s Both their heads suddenly snapped round, as a distinctly
whooping cry of agony sliced sharply through the crisp clear air. She re-
leased Guy from her embrace as she turned back towards the main keep. It
came from this direction, but it was too near to be one of the wounded in the
hospital . . .
Guy snapped at his soldiers to remain where they were, and then hurried off
towards the keep beside Benny. The upper three levels are the living quarters
of the Parfaits themselves. It sounded as if it came from one of them. They
pushed through the wooden door on to the wide landing of the main stair-
case, immediately noting that footsteps were rushing up from below. Swiftly
ascending to the third floor proper, they paused to judge the direction in which
the footsteps were all heading. The west side, Guy announced after a mo-
ment s thought. They turned into a narrow unlit corridor, boots pounding on
143
the rough wood as a dim glow grew ahead.
They emerged from the passageway into a cul-de-sac in which several peo-
ple were trying to force a door open. Benny and Guy forced their way through,
and Benny tested the door s resilience. It seemed to be giving at the top, but
was stuck fast further down. Something s blocking it. Just a second . . . She
ushered the mass of people back out of the way, ready to charge it. Guy
stepped in front of her.
If you will allow me . . . ?
Chauvinist. She stood aside anyway; she didn t want to risk ending up as
one of her own patients.
There is one thing I would like to ask. The door creaked open a couple of
inches under Guy s weight.
What s that?
This Vandor Prime, in Gamma Delphinus . . . He slammed into the door
again, and it moved slightly further. Yes?
Is that anywhere near Rhodes? Something heavy and solid shook the floor-
boards with a huge crash as the wooden locking bar snapped, and the door
swung open wide enough for Benny to squeeze through.
Not really, she said in a not unkind tone, as she stepped over the rough
scribe s desk which had been propped against the door. On the far side, the
shutters of the sole window were firmly closed, and yellow candlelight tinted
the whitewashed rock walls in gold. In fact it s a bit further away than you
can She froze in the middle of the spartan cell, shock and sadness vying for
position in her consciousness. She suddenly had to jump back slightly as Guy
leaped in, basilards drawn. Don t worry, there s no danger in here. We re too
late for that.
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Chapter 14
Bernice knelt to feel for a pulse at Girard s throat, but there was none, though
his flesh was still warm to the touch. One clawlike hand lay limply to the side,
while the other hung against the small crossguard of a plain, but nonetheless
effective, dagger of crude steel which was sunk almost up to the hilt just below
the old man s sternum. Blood was still congealing throughout the fibres of his
white mantle, tiny bubbles occasionally spreading out and bursting as the
scent of copper drifted up from it.
Guy shook his head sympathetically, returning the triangular blades to his
belt. The strain must have been too much for him, he suggested.
A suicide? Benny asked incredulously. After all his speech earlier about
this Cathare New Year ceremony that s coming up?
Though I have no wish to insult the honour of others beliefs, it is true that [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
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