He knew what flashing those good big teeth in that handsome face would get him.
It had got him plenty, and would again. Having assured his comrades that he
would soon bring them the answer, he addressed her with cocky confidence.
“Whatcha hiding under all them robes and veil, sweets?”
“A syphilitic face and a pregnant belly,” the faceless woman told him. “Want to
visit me in my tent tonight?”
“Uh-I uh, no, I was just-“
“And what are you hiding behind that totally phony smile, swordsman?”
He blinked and the dazzling smile faded away in patches, like the dissipating of
those fluffy white clouds that signify nothing.
“You have a sharp tongue, pregnant and syphilitic.”
“That,” she told him, “is true. You can understand that I don’t like men with
winning smiles …”
The handsome guardsman went away.
After that, no one asked her questions. Furthermore, the guardsmen, her fellow
travelers, and the caravanseers not only left her alone, but indeed shunned the
veiled woman-who after all could surely be no lady … !
She had paid her way-the full charge, too-without argument or complaint and with
only the modicum of dickering that showed her to be human, though not .arrogant.
(Most nobles showed their arrogance either by stating their own price and paying
it-usually less than what could be considered fair. Others at once paid what was
asked, so as to show that they were far too well off and noble to dicker with
mere clerks and caravan masters or booking stewards.) She had brought her own
water and foodstuffs. She stayed to herself and caused no trouble, while giving