at bay with music. Duty he did understand, as far as it went. Duty, for him, was quite a complex issue.
“It may not be so bad, lass,” Ged said, putting a hand on Ana’s knee and,with a glance at Faolan, removing it again. “This fellow Alpin is wealthy, at least. And youngish. You may do very well for yourself.”
IT WAS DIFFICULT to tell if the new girl, Creisa, would be a help or a hindrance to the expedition. She came with her own pony and a shawl woven in the rainbow hues that set Ged’s household apart wherever they traveled. Creisa could certainly ride, andshe did not snore. It was her effect on the men of Ana’s escort that gave cause for concern. She was young, and had a freshness about her like that of a spring primrose: red cheeks, full lips, wide, longlashed brown eyes. Her figure was generous, and showed to advantage when she sat astride her pony, back straight and shoulders square, with the unconscious grace of a natural horsewoman. In the eveningsshe engaged the men in conversation around the fire, keeping them from their sleep. By day she joked as they rode along, and the hand-picked escort responded, vying for her attention, until Faolan silenced them with a curt command. Then there would be a period of peace and order, until Creisa made a throwaway comment or a giggling suggestion and it all began again.
Faolan developed a little linebetween his brows and a corresponding tightening of a mouth already less than relaxed. Ana found the girl’s banter and the men’s-responses amusing, harmless; all of them knew that on such a journey it could not go any further. She was sorely tempted, after Faolan’s snarls at the men, to comment that surely this pleased him better than her singing, but she held her tongue, not wishing to let himknow that the jibe had hurt her. She had sung Derelei to sleep more times than she could remember, and she missed his infant warmth, his trusting smiles. Long ago she had taught the same songs to her little sister. Music was love, family, memory. She did not know how anyone could dismiss it thus.
Abertornie had been the last friendly house, the last overnight stay within the shelter of walls.It was deemed too dangerous to seek accommodation with the unknown inhabitants of the wild northern valleys, few as they were. An unplanned visit to the stronghold of a Caitt chieftain, especially when one traveler was a young woman of particular strategic value, might just as likely end up with the whole party being seized as hostages or worse. That risk was not worth taking for the sake of a night’sshelter, clean clothing, or a better quality of supper.
So the travelers went on, maintaining a good speed as the moon went from new to half to full and began to wane again. Each day the way seemed to be steeper and the forests darker, the undergrowth thicker and the hillsides more precipitous. The weather assisted them, remaining mostly dry, though cold. At night, Ana and Creisa slept closeunder their shared blankets, keeping each other warm.
“Better than nothing, my lady,” Creisa whispered as, outside their small shelter, the men who were off watch settled around the fire and the night creatures began their mysterious dialogues in the forest beyond. “Not that I wouldn’t rather be snuggled up with one of the fellows. That Kinet, for instance, he’s got a good set of shoulders onhim and a lovely smile; or maybe Wrad, have you seen the bold way he looks at me? When we get to where we’re going, I’ve a treat in store for someone. Can’t make up my mind which, so far.”
“Shh,” Ana hissed, torn between the need to reprimand her serving woman as a lady should, to silence such foolish talk, and a kind of envy that the girl could speak so openly, and with such evident relish,of matters that were still a mystery to Ana herself, even at nearly nineteen years of age. “You should not speak thus, Creisa. It’s unseemly.”
“Sorry, my lady,” Creisa said in a small
“It may not be so bad, lass,” Ged said, putting a hand on Ana’s knee and,with a glance at Faolan, removing it again. “This fellow Alpin is wealthy, at least. And youngish. You may do very well for yourself.”
IT WAS DIFFICULT to tell if the new girl, Creisa, would be a help or a hindrance to the expedition. She came with her own pony and a shawl woven in the rainbow hues that set Ged’s household apart wherever they traveled. Creisa could certainly ride, andshe did not snore. It was her effect on the men of Ana’s escort that gave cause for concern. She was young, and had a freshness about her like that of a spring primrose: red cheeks, full lips, wide, longlashed brown eyes. Her figure was generous, and showed to advantage when she sat astride her pony, back straight and shoulders square, with the unconscious grace of a natural horsewoman. In the eveningsshe engaged the men in conversation around the fire, keeping them from their sleep. By day she joked as they rode along, and the hand-picked escort responded, vying for her attention, until Faolan silenced them with a curt command. Then there would be a period of peace and order, until Creisa made a throwaway comment or a giggling suggestion and it all began again.
Faolan developed a little linebetween his brows and a corresponding tightening of a mouth already less than relaxed. Ana found the girl’s banter and the men’s-responses amusing, harmless; all of them knew that on such a journey it could not go any further. She was sorely tempted, after Faolan’s snarls at the men, to comment that surely this pleased him better than her singing, but she held her tongue, not wishing to let himknow that the jibe had hurt her. She had sung Derelei to sleep more times than she could remember, and she missed his infant warmth, his trusting smiles. Long ago she had taught the same songs to her little sister. Music was love, family, memory. She did not know how anyone could dismiss it thus.
Abertornie had been the last friendly house, the last overnight stay within the shelter of walls.It was deemed too dangerous to seek accommodation with the unknown inhabitants of the wild northern valleys, few as they were. An unplanned visit to the stronghold of a Caitt chieftain, especially when one traveler was a young woman of particular strategic value, might just as likely end up with the whole party being seized as hostages or worse. That risk was not worth taking for the sake of a night’sshelter, clean clothing, or a better quality of supper.
So the travelers went on, maintaining a good speed as the moon went from new to half to full and began to wane again. Each day the way seemed to be steeper and the forests darker, the undergrowth thicker and the hillsides more precipitous. The weather assisted them, remaining mostly dry, though cold. At night, Ana and Creisa slept closeunder their shared blankets, keeping each other warm.
“Better than nothing, my lady,” Creisa whispered as, outside their small shelter, the men who were off watch settled around the fire and the night creatures began their mysterious dialogues in the forest beyond. “Not that I wouldn’t rather be snuggled up with one of the fellows. That Kinet, for instance, he’s got a good set of shoulders onhim and a lovely smile; or maybe Wrad, have you seen the bold way he looks at me? When we get to where we’re going, I’ve a treat in store for someone. Can’t make up my mind which, so far.”
“Shh,” Ana hissed, torn between the need to reprimand her serving woman as a lady should, to silence such foolish talk, and a kind of envy that the girl could speak so openly, and with such evident relish,of matters that were still a mystery to Ana herself, even at nearly nineteen years of age. “You should not speak thus, Creisa. It’s unseemly.”
“Sorry, my lady,” Creisa said in a small
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