allow them to entice you into any games of chance, no matter how clever
you think you are. Bitrans make their living at gaming. You can’t
compete at their level.” lantine had promised faithfully to eschew any
gaming. He’d never had much interest in such things, being far more
likely to sketch the players than join the game. But gambling was not a
thing’ that the Master would have meant. Iantine was learning. what did
fall into that category: especially the nuances of the word
satisfaction’. Such a simple word that can be so misconstrued. As he
had done.
He had done not four miniatures, but nearly twenty, using up all the
materials he had brought with him so that he had had to send for more
from Hall Domaize since the wood used in miniatures had to be specially
seasoned or it would warp, especially in a damp environment like Bitra
Hold. He had done the first four on the canvas he had brought with him
for the job, only to discover – along with a long list of other
objections from Lord Chalkin and his wife, Lady Nadona that canvas was
not satisfactory’ If it isn’t the best quality,’ and she ran one of
her almost dragon-talon nails across one canvas, snagging a thread so
badly the surface was unusable, it doesn’t last long.
Skybroom wood is what you should be using.” Skybroom wood is expensive
. You’re being very well paid for these miniatures, she said.
The least we can expect is the best grade of materials.” Skybroom wood
was not stipulated in the contract. . Did it have to be?” she
demanded haughtily. I made sure that Domaize Hall has the very highest
standards.
Master Domaize provided me with the best canvas,’ and he pushed his
remaining frames out of her reach. He said that is what he always
supplies. You should have stipulated sky broom wood in the contract if
that’s what you wanted.
Of course it would be what I wanted, young man. The very best is none
too good for my children.” Is there any available in the Hold?” he
asked. At least with sky broom you could clean off unsatisfactory’
work without the risk of damaging the surface.
Of course.
That was his first mistake. Nevertheless, at that point he was still
eager to do a proper job to the best of his abilities.
However, what sky broom there was turned out to be substantial lumber,
being cured for furniture, and not thin enough to be used for
miniatures: miniatures’ which were now twice the ordinary size.
High on the list of unsatisfactory’ were the poses of the children,
although these had been suggested by the Lady Holder herself.
Chaldon doesn’t look at all natural,’ Lady Nadona said.
Not at all. He looks so tense, hunching his shoulders like that.
Whyever did you not tell him to sit up straight?” lantine forbore to
mention that he had done so frequently, and within Lady Nadona’s
hearing. And you’ve given him such an odious scowl.
Which had been Chaldon’s natural’ expression.
Standing?” he suggested, cringing at the thought of arguing any of them
into standing for the sittings’. He’d had enough trouble getting them
to sit still. They were, as Ussie had foreseen, not biddable and had
such short attention spans that he could never get them to strike the
right pose, or assume an even halfway cheerful expression.
And why on earth did you paint on such a small canvas’?
I’ll need to use a magnifying glass,’ Lady Nadona had said, holding
Chaldon’s likeness away from her as far as her arm would reach.
lantine had known enough about his patroness by then to suppress a
remark about her farsightedness.
This is the customary size for a miniature – So you say,’ she replied
repressively. I want something I can see when I’m on the other side of
the room.
As she was generally on the other side of her room’ whenever her
children were in her vicinity, the need was understandable. They were
the messiest pre-adolescents Iantine had ever encountered: plump, since
they were indolent by nature, dressed in ill-fitting apparel since the