‘OH!’ Tenna slumped weakly against the back of her chair. ‘I hit the wrong man?’
‘Uhhuh,’ Rosa said as both she and Cleve nodded their heads.
‘Oh dear,’ and she made a start to get up but Rosa hastily put out a restraining hand.
‘I don’t think apologies will help.’
‘No? Who did I hit?’
‘His twin brother, Horon, who’s bad enough in his own way.’
‘Quite likely, with the lewd look he gave me.’ Tenna was halfway to convincing herself that she had at least hit someone who needed a put-down.
‘Horon’s a bit of a bully and nice girls won’t have anything to do with him. Especially at a Gather.’ Then Rosa giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. ‘He was sure looking you up and down. That’s why we thought you’d hit him.’
Remembering the force of her punch, Tenna rubbed her sore knuckles.
‘You may have done someone a favour,’ Cleve said, grinning. ‘That was some punch.’
‘My brothers taught me how,’ Tenna said absently, watching the group across the Square. She was a trifle relieved when Horon was helped to his feet. And pleased that he staggered and needed assistance. Then, as the group around Horon moved about, she saw Haligon’s figure striding up to the station. ‘Uh oh. Why’s he going to the station?’
‘I wouldn’t worry about that,’ Rosa said, standing up. ‘Torlo would love to remind him of all the harm he’s been doing runners.’
‘Even if they weren’t as pretty as you are,’ Cleve said. ‘Let’s see about your leathers.’
They took their empty glasses back to the refreshment stand. Tenna managed one more look at the station but there was no sign of Haligon or Torlo, though there was a lot of coming and going. There would be, on a Gather day. Would she have to knock Haligon down, too? To satisfy runner honour? It wouldn’t be as easy, for he had been wary enough of her when he had caught up with her on the dance floor.
After a second round of the Gather stalls, they all decided to find out what prices were being asked. At the first Tanner’s stall, Cleve did more of the talking so that the real buyer was protected from the blandishments of the Tanner journeyman, a man named Ligand.
‘Blue for a Harper singer?’ Ligand had begun, glancing at Tenna. ‘Thought I saw you eyeing the stall earlier.’
‘I’m Runner,’ Tenna said.
‘She just happens to look her best in blue,’ Rosa said quickly in case Tenna might be embarrassed to admit she wore a borrowed gown.
‘She does indeed,’ Ligand said. ‘I’d never have guessed her for a runner.’
‘Why not?’ Rosa asked, bridling.
‘Because she’s wearing blue,’ Ligand said deferentially. ‘So what colour is your delight this fine Gather day?’
‘I’d like a dark green,’ and Tenna pointed to a stack of hides dyed various shades of that colour in the shelves behind him.
‘Good choice for a runner,’ he said and, with a deft lift, transferred the heavy stack of hides to the front counter. Then he moved off to the other end of his stall where two holders were examining heavy belts.
‘Not that trace moss leaves stains,’ Rosa remarked as Tenna began flipping through the pile, fingering the leather as she went along.
‘We go for the reddy-browns in Boll,’ Cleve said. ‘So much of the soil down in Boll is that shade. And trace moss doesn’t do as well in the heat as it does in the north.’
‘Does fine in Igen,’ Tenna said, having run trace there.
‘So it does,’ Cleve said reflectively. ‘I like that one,’ he added, spreading his hand over the hide before Tenna could flip to the next one. ‘Good deep emerald green.’
Tenna had also been considering it. ‘Enough here for boots. I only need enough for summer shoes. He wouldn’t want to divide it.’
‘Ah, and you’ve found one you like, huh? Good price on that.’ And Ligand was obviously aware of all that went on at his booth. He flipped up the hide to see the markings on the underside. ‘Give it to you for nine marks.’
Rosa gasped. ‘At five it’s robbery.’ Then she looked chagrined to have protested when Tenna was the prospective purchaser.