The view was wasted on Aleatha, who had seen it all before and whose primary goal was to make it her own. She had been introduced to Lord Daidlus before, but had not noticed until now that he was witty and intelligent and moderately handsome. Seated next to the admiring young man on a teakwood bench, Aleatha was just about to tell him her story of the slave when, as in her reverie, a cheerful voice interrupted her.
“Oh, there you are, Thea. I heard you’d come. Is that you, Daidlus? Did you know your wife’s searching for you? She doesn’t look pleased, either.”
Lord Daidlus did not look pleased himself. He glowered at Paithan, who returned the glare with the innocent and slightly anxious expression of one whose only desire is to help a friend.
Aleatha was tempted to hang on to the lord and get rid of Paithan, but she reflected that there was a certain merit in allowing the pot to simmer before bringing it to a boil. Besides, she needed to talk to her brother.
“I’m ashamed of myself, My Lord,” Aleatha said, flushing prettily. “I’m keeping you from your family. It was thoughtless and selfish of me, but I was so enjoying your company. . .”
Paithan, crossing his arms, leaned back against the garden wall and watched with interest. Lord Daidlus protested that he could stay with her forever.
“No, no, My Lord,” Aleatha said with an air of noble self-sacrifice. “Go to your wife. I insist.”
Aleatha extended her hand to be politely kissed. The young lord did so with rather more ardor than society would have considered proper.
“But I do so want to hear the end of your story,” said the besotted Daidlus.
“You shall. My Lord,” answered Aleatha, with downcast eyelashes through which glinted sparkles of blue-purple. “You shall.”
The young lord tore himself away. Paithan sat down on the bench beside his sister, and Aleatha took off her hat and fanned herself with the brim.
“Sorry, Thea. Did I interrupt something?”
“Yes, but it was all for the best. Things were moving too fast.”
“He’s quite happily married, you know. Got three little ones.”
Aleatha shrugged. The matter didn’t interest her.
“Divorce would be a tremendous scandal,” Paithan continued, sniffing at a flower he’d stuck in the buttonhole of his long, white linen lawn suit. Loosely made, the coat flowed over white linen pants, gathered at the ankles.
“Father’s money would hush it up.”
“The queen would have to grant it.”
“Father’s money would buy it.”
“Callie’d be furious.”
“No, she wouldn’t. She’d be too happy I was finally respectably married. Don’t worry about me, Brother, dear. You have worries of your own. Callie was looking for you this afternoon.”
“Was she?” Paithan asked, trying to appear unconcerned.
“Yes, and the expression on her face could have launched one of Father’s infernal devices.”
“Worse luck. Been talking to the guvnor, had she?”
“Yes, I think so. I didn’t say much. I didn’t want to get her started. I’d be there still. Something about a human priest? I- What in Orn’s name was that?”
“Thunder.” Paithan glanced up into the thick vegetation through which it was impossible to see the sky. “Storm must be coming. Drat. That means they’ll cancel the boating.”
“Nonsense. It’s far too early. Besides, I felt the ground tremble. Didn’t you?”
“Maybe it’s Callie, stalking me.” Paithan removed the flower from his buttonhole and began playfully tearing it up, tossing the petals in his sister’s lap.
“I’m so glad you find this amusing, Pait. Wait until she cuts your allowance. What is this about a human priest, anyway?”
Paithan settled himself on the bench, his eyes on the flower he was decapitating, his youthful face unusually serious. “When I came back from that last trip, Thea, I was shocked to see the change in Father. You and Callie don’t notice. You’re around him all the time. But … he looked so … I don’t know . . . gray, I guess. And woebegone.”
Aleatha sighed. “You caught him in one of his more lucid moments.”
“Yes, and those damn rockets of his aren’t clearing the treetops, let alone coming close to the stars. He was going on and on about Mother . . . and you know how that is!”