we proceed with the interview? Do you, madam, have any knowledge of—?”
Gwen interrupted me with a loudly stifled yawn.
“I’m sorry, William,” she said. “Could I possibly trouble you to return in the morning at a decent hour? I’m an oldster, you must understand, and we’re not always in perfect condition. Extended life isn’t the panacea that some might have you believe.”
“But if you would only—”
“I’m sorry,” she said, standing suddenly. “I must excuse myself. My doorman will show you out. Give my best to your parents. I’ll send them a gift in the morning, be assured.”
Open-mouthed, I stood and stared at her back as she headed for the stairs. She paused at the top and looked down at me from that lofty perch.
“One more thing,” she called down to me, “should you decide to return, would you be so good as to use the appropriate entrance next time? It would make things so much easier for everyone.”
I was at a loss. The urge to shout, to command her to sit down and answer my questions was almost overwhelming.
But I restrained myself. I was a Sparhawk, and a guardsman. It wouldn’t do to throw a fit in House Astra in front of its matriarch. It occurred to me that she might be attempting to elicit just such a response.
“Good night, Gwen of Astra,” I said.
She left, and I sighed deeply. The doorman approached, gesturing for me to follow. I frowned as he wasn’t leading me to the entrance I’d used not ten minutes before. Instead, he beckoned for me to follow him into a side passage.
“What is it?” I asked him in a husky whisper. “Do you have something to tell me?”
The doorman looked confused. “No sir. I’m merely leading you back to your vehicle.”
“But I left it out front.”
“Ah, yes, well…it’s been moved to a more appropriate location.”
Simmering, I allowed the old man to lead me into passages that grew increasingly dim in illumination and less grand of aspect with every step. When we’d found an area with ringing concrete floors and doors so low I was almost forced to stoop to enter them, I passed by the scullery. There, I caught sight of a familiar face.
Her dress wasn’t sea-foam green. Nor was her hair filled with sparkling jewels, but she was lovely all the same.
“Lady Chloe of Astra?” I asked.
“The same,” she replied.
She turned her eyes toward the elderly doorman, who was gaping at both of us uncertainly.
“You can go, Tobias,” she said. “I’ll show him the way.”
“But Miss….”
“Don’t worry, I’m of age now.”
He smiled tightly and nodded. After he’d vanished, Chloe offered me her hand. I took it and touched it briefly then let it gently drop.
“To what do I owe this honor?” I asked.
“It’s you who honors me, Officer Sparhawk.”
For a moment, we looked at one another, full of uncertain formality. In our time, such chance meetings were embarrassing for both parties.
Suddenly, she laughed.
“Such foolishness,” she said. “Do you want a drink?”
“I’d love one.”
I quickly found that following Lady Astra the Younger was a far more pleasant experience than following the doorman had been. She led me to the kitchens where pots simmered and refrigerators sighed. We helped ourselves to a fine soup and a bottle of the best beer I’d tasted in years.
“Tell me about what happened tonight,” she asked me. “Did you really kill me—a copy of me?”
Her eyes were big, and I felt embarrassed to tell her the truth. “It wasn’t like you. It didn’t speak. It moved with perfectly even steps. It had your face, but that’s all.”
“How did you kill it? The news wasn’t clear.”
I shifted on the bench opposite her. Between us was a polished table of fine hardwood and two open bottles.
“I…I thrust my saber into the creature. But I didn’t actually kill her. She was shot down by another guardsman.”
“Another guardsman? A man under your command?”
“Yes.”
Chloe nodded and
Gwen interrupted me with a loudly stifled yawn.
“I’m sorry, William,” she said. “Could I possibly trouble you to return in the morning at a decent hour? I’m an oldster, you must understand, and we’re not always in perfect condition. Extended life isn’t the panacea that some might have you believe.”
“But if you would only—”
“I’m sorry,” she said, standing suddenly. “I must excuse myself. My doorman will show you out. Give my best to your parents. I’ll send them a gift in the morning, be assured.”
Open-mouthed, I stood and stared at her back as she headed for the stairs. She paused at the top and looked down at me from that lofty perch.
“One more thing,” she called down to me, “should you decide to return, would you be so good as to use the appropriate entrance next time? It would make things so much easier for everyone.”
I was at a loss. The urge to shout, to command her to sit down and answer my questions was almost overwhelming.
But I restrained myself. I was a Sparhawk, and a guardsman. It wouldn’t do to throw a fit in House Astra in front of its matriarch. It occurred to me that she might be attempting to elicit just such a response.
“Good night, Gwen of Astra,” I said.
She left, and I sighed deeply. The doorman approached, gesturing for me to follow. I frowned as he wasn’t leading me to the entrance I’d used not ten minutes before. Instead, he beckoned for me to follow him into a side passage.
“What is it?” I asked him in a husky whisper. “Do you have something to tell me?”
The doorman looked confused. “No sir. I’m merely leading you back to your vehicle.”
“But I left it out front.”
“Ah, yes, well…it’s been moved to a more appropriate location.”
Simmering, I allowed the old man to lead me into passages that grew increasingly dim in illumination and less grand of aspect with every step. When we’d found an area with ringing concrete floors and doors so low I was almost forced to stoop to enter them, I passed by the scullery. There, I caught sight of a familiar face.
Her dress wasn’t sea-foam green. Nor was her hair filled with sparkling jewels, but she was lovely all the same.
“Lady Chloe of Astra?” I asked.
“The same,” she replied.
She turned her eyes toward the elderly doorman, who was gaping at both of us uncertainly.
“You can go, Tobias,” she said. “I’ll show him the way.”
“But Miss….”
“Don’t worry, I’m of age now.”
He smiled tightly and nodded. After he’d vanished, Chloe offered me her hand. I took it and touched it briefly then let it gently drop.
“To what do I owe this honor?” I asked.
“It’s you who honors me, Officer Sparhawk.”
For a moment, we looked at one another, full of uncertain formality. In our time, such chance meetings were embarrassing for both parties.
Suddenly, she laughed.
“Such foolishness,” she said. “Do you want a drink?”
“I’d love one.”
I quickly found that following Lady Astra the Younger was a far more pleasant experience than following the doorman had been. She led me to the kitchens where pots simmered and refrigerators sighed. We helped ourselves to a fine soup and a bottle of the best beer I’d tasted in years.
“Tell me about what happened tonight,” she asked me. “Did you really kill me—a copy of me?”
Her eyes were big, and I felt embarrassed to tell her the truth. “It wasn’t like you. It didn’t speak. It moved with perfectly even steps. It had your face, but that’s all.”
“How did you kill it? The news wasn’t clear.”
I shifted on the bench opposite her. Between us was a polished table of fine hardwood and two open bottles.
“I…I thrust my saber into the creature. But I didn’t actually kill her. She was shot down by another guardsman.”
“Another guardsman? A man under your command?”
“Yes.”
Chloe nodded and
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