I was not averse to drinking his booze, though, and I wanted a belt of something strong. The manor was dark; I entered quietly and I found the sideboard.
I poured a stiff one, tossed it off, poured another, and carried it to the window. I could see for a great distance. The manor stood on a hillside and Benedict had landscaped the place well.
“ ‘White in the moon the long road lies,‘ “ I recited, surprised at the sound of my own voice. “ ‘The moon stands blank above…‘ “
“So it does. So it does, Corwin my lad,” I heard Ganelon say.
“I didn‘t see you sitting there,” I said softly, not turning from the window.
“That‘s because I‘m sitting so still,” he said.
“Oh,” I said. “How drunk are you?”
“Hardly at all,” he said, “now. But if you would care to be a good fellow and fetch me a drink . . .”
I turned.
“Why can‘t you get your own?”
“It hurts to move.”
“All right.”
I went and poured him one, carried it to him. He raised it slowly, nodded his thanks, took a sip.
“Ah, that‘s good!” he sighed. “May it numb things a bit”
“You were in a fight,” I decided.
“Aye,” he said. “Several.”
“Then bear your wounds like a good trooper and let me save my sympathy.”
“But I won!”
“God! Where did you leave the bodies?”
“Oh, they are not that bad off. Twas a girl did this to me.”
“Then I‘d say you got your money‘s worth.”
“ ‘Twas not that sort of thing at all. I believe I‘ve embarrassed us.”
“Us? How?”
“I did not know she was the lady of the house. I came in feeling jolly, and I thought her some serving wench . . .”
“Dara?” I said, tensing.
“Aye, the same. I slapped her on the rump and went for a kiss or two—” He groaned. “Then she picked me up. She raised me off the ground and held me up over her head. Then she told me she was the lady of the house. Then she let me fall . . . I‘m eighteen stone if I‘m a pebble, man, and it was a long way down.” He took another drink, and I chuckled.
“She laughed, too,” he said ruefully. “She helped me up then and was not unkind, and of course I apologized—That brother of yours must be quite a man. I never met a girl that strong. The things she could do to a man. . . .” There was awe in his voice. He shook his head slowly and tossed back the rest of his drink. “It was frightening—not to mention embarrassing,” he concluded.
“She accepted your apology?”
“Oh, yes. She was quite gracious about the whole thing. She told me to forget all about it, and said that she would, too.”
“Then why are you not in bed sleeping it off?”
“I was waiting up, in case you came in at an odd hour. I wanted to catch you right away.”
“Well, you have.”
He rose slowly and picked up his glass.
“Let‘s go outside,” he said.
“Good idea.”
He picked up the brandy decanter on the way out, which I also thought was a good idea, and we followed a path through the garden behind the house. Finally, he heaved himself onto an old stone bench at the foot of a large oak tree, where he refilled both our glasses and took a drink from his own.
“Ah! He has good taste in liquor, too, your brother.” be said.
I seated myself beside him and filled my pipe.
“After I told her I was sorry and introduced myself, we got to talking for a time,” he said. “As soon as she learned I was with you, she wanted to know all sorts of things about Amber and shadows and you and the rest of your family.”
“Did you tell her anything?” I said, striking a light.
“Couldn‘t have if I wanted to,” he said. “I had none of the answers.”
“Good.”
“It got me to thinking, though. I do not believe Benedict tells her too much, and I can see why. I would be careful what I say around her, Corwin. She seems over-curious.”