Magda had not, of course, been shocked at the words; but she realized that she did not know Jaelle at all, in this madcap mood. And she herself had been brought up to observe the fairly straitlaced sexual taboos of the mountain women. This had been confusing to her during her off-world training and had tended to throw her, more and more, into the company of Peter; he respected them, to some degree shared them.
Jaelle said, “In any case, no one cares much what happens at such festivals; even dom Gabriel will turn a blind eye to whatever happens in the galleries and dark corners, or when the fires burn low…. Usually the old people go off to bed early and leave the young people to do as they please.” She leaned close to Magda, and whispered, her eyes glowing with mischief, “There is a saying that you never master a language completely till you have learned to make love in it! I saw Darrill looking at you-I am sure he would be happy to teach “you.”
Magda felt her cheeks flaming, and Jaelle gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder. “T should not tease you, sister. Someday you will know how to take our jests, too. Here is Piedro, come to dance with you at last!”
Instead he took Magda lightly by the elbow, and said, “I want to talk to you for a minute.” He guided her toward the refreshment table, dipped himself up some wine from the great cut-crystal bowl there. He said in an undertone, “What did Darrill say to you?”
“Only that he recognized me,” she said, “and asked if dom Gabriel knew who I was.”
“He asked me the same,” said Peter. “I told him that since Lady Rohana knew who I was, I was quite sure dom Gabriel knew it also.” He hesitated, about to fill her glass.
“No, I’ve had enough. I’m feeling a little dizzy,” and she nibbled on a bit of cake instead.
Peter said, almost jealously, “I saw you dancing with Darrill. You certainly seem to be enjoying yourself!”
“I am. Aren’t you? I’ve never had a chance to do this kind of thing before! And I’ve missed it!”
“It never occurred to me you would want to,” Peter said. “I have gone to the Midsummer Festivals in Thendara these last three years; if I had thought of it I could have taken you. But”-he hesitated-“at the public festivals-not the ones in private houses like this, where everything is very decorous-but the public dances, where all comers mingle, the party sometimes gets a little wild. Dancing till dawn, pairing off in the gardens and all that; I didn’t think you’d want to come.”
Magda suddenly felt a violent resentment; he felt it was suitable to go himself, even if the party got a little … wild. Yet he had decided, without consulting her, that that kind of entertainment was not suitable for her! She said dryly, “You might have let me decide it for myself.”
He raised his hand to touch the nape of her neck again; a suggestive touch, arousing memories she had tried to forget. He whispered, “I was jealous, darling.”
She felt a sudden, almost completely irrational anger. How dared he make that decision for her? Had he felt free, then, to take a casual sweetheart for himself at these festivals-a privilege he felt himself justified in denying to her, as it he were her tulher or guardian?
He was still bending close to her, fondling her neck; she could feel his warm breath. He was a little drunk; not much. Like herself, he had been taught to take great care with alcohol or other mind-altering drugs, and he knew and watched his own limits carefully. He was a good agent, she thought, a gifted agent, and felt the old fondness surge through her, so that she did not move away when he put his arm around her and drew her into the shadow of the draperies at one side. He bent his head, murmured to her.
She tensed in his arms and said sharply, “Speak casta; have you forgotten where we are?”
He brought his lips down on hers and kissed her. “It’s good to be alive!” he said violently. “It’s midwinter-night-and I knew I was going to die. I knew there was no hope of rescue. Oh, Magda, Magda, Magda…” His voice faded out. He kissed her, hard enough to hurt. “And I’m alive, and you’re here, and we’re together again.”