He’s a nobleman, easy on the eyes.”
Moira spotted him then, before quickly turning her
gaze back to the bar. The man was well dressed and looked to be in his early
twenties, with aquiline features and sharp eyes. “I think I saw the one you
mean.”
“That’s the Baron Ingerhold,” said Tamara. “He’s a
smart young man, and no friend of Berlagen. He’s also still unmarried, if
you’re looking for a husband.”
Moira turned a deep red, “I had no intention…”
The older woman chuckled, putting a hand on her arm,
“Relax, I was only teasing. He is the most sought after bachelor in the
kingdom, though. Just something to keep in mind.”
“I’m not here to think about such things,” protested
Moira.
“He’s young, and you are beautiful. If you’re looking
for a co-conspirator, then you should be thinking about such things,”
admonished Tamara. “Men are fools once their smaller brain takes over.”
Moira stared at her, but her magesight could plainly
see the amusement in the older woman’s aythar. “Please stop teasing me,” she
said seriously.
Tamara sighed dramatically, “You’re taking all the fun
out of it. At my age I have so few pleasures. Wait here, I’ll speak with him
and bring him over for an introduction.”
She nodded and as soon as the owner had left, Chad
leaned over, “Are you sure this is wise? We just met that woman.”
Gram stayed silent, but his look as he gazed at the
man Tamara was talking to, was one of disapproval.
“I’m not sure of anything else here,” admitted Moira,
“but I get a sense of honesty from our hostess.”
“Ye can’t know that,” argued the hunter.
She noticed that his bow was settled innocuously
against his leg, and while it was unstrung, he had the string over the lower
end and was holding the rest in his hand. She wondered how quickly he could
ready it. It seemed an awkward weapon for a bar, but she knew better than to
underestimate the ranger. “I do know it,” she insisted. “Besides, I’m
sure if something goes wrong you’ll be more than ready to murder everyone in
here,” she added sarcastically.
The hunter sniffed indignantly before taking another
drink, then he answered, “I had no such intention, but I could enjoy my ale
more if ye’d stop tellin’ our business to every person five minutes after ye
meet ‘em.”
Moira saw the man rising from his table and heading
toward her, following Tamara. Standing, she moved to meet them halfway across
the room, leaving her tense companions behind. The stranger started to bow,
but she held up her hand to stay him. “Is there somewhere more private we
could talk?” she asked Tamara. She could feel Gram and Chad’s unhappy eyes on
her back.
“Let me show you one of our private alcoves,” said the
proprietress, giving her a look of approval. She led the two of them to one of
the curtained rooms on one side of the main floor. Holding the curtain back,
she motioned them within. “I’ll be back in a few minutes with your tea.”
“Thank you,” said Moira, before turning her attention
to her guest. The stranger motioned for her to take a seat before moving to
place himself across from her. She couldn’t fault his manners.
“Mistress Tamara said you might need my advice,
Miss…?” He let his sentence trail off into a question.
She gave him a gentle smile as she replied, “I don’t
think it would be wise to share my name with you yet. I hope you don’t find
that offensive.”
The Baron dipped his head, “I find it intriguing, and
coupled with your foreign accent—beguiling. My name is Gerold Ingerhold, and I
am pleased to make your ‘enigmatic’ acquaintance.”
“Thank you, Lord Ingerhold. I appreciate your
patience with my reticence,” said Moira, sitting a little straighter.
“Please, just ‘Gerold’ if you will. Using titles
makes me uncomfortable, especially since I
Moira spotted him then, before quickly turning her
gaze back to the bar. The man was well dressed and looked to be in his early
twenties, with aquiline features and sharp eyes. “I think I saw the one you
mean.”
“That’s the Baron Ingerhold,” said Tamara. “He’s a
smart young man, and no friend of Berlagen. He’s also still unmarried, if
you’re looking for a husband.”
Moira turned a deep red, “I had no intention…”
The older woman chuckled, putting a hand on her arm,
“Relax, I was only teasing. He is the most sought after bachelor in the
kingdom, though. Just something to keep in mind.”
“I’m not here to think about such things,” protested
Moira.
“He’s young, and you are beautiful. If you’re looking
for a co-conspirator, then you should be thinking about such things,”
admonished Tamara. “Men are fools once their smaller brain takes over.”
Moira stared at her, but her magesight could plainly
see the amusement in the older woman’s aythar. “Please stop teasing me,” she
said seriously.
Tamara sighed dramatically, “You’re taking all the fun
out of it. At my age I have so few pleasures. Wait here, I’ll speak with him
and bring him over for an introduction.”
She nodded and as soon as the owner had left, Chad
leaned over, “Are you sure this is wise? We just met that woman.”
Gram stayed silent, but his look as he gazed at the
man Tamara was talking to, was one of disapproval.
“I’m not sure of anything else here,” admitted Moira,
“but I get a sense of honesty from our hostess.”
“Ye can’t know that,” argued the hunter.
She noticed that his bow was settled innocuously
against his leg, and while it was unstrung, he had the string over the lower
end and was holding the rest in his hand. She wondered how quickly he could
ready it. It seemed an awkward weapon for a bar, but she knew better than to
underestimate the ranger. “I do know it,” she insisted. “Besides, I’m
sure if something goes wrong you’ll be more than ready to murder everyone in
here,” she added sarcastically.
The hunter sniffed indignantly before taking another
drink, then he answered, “I had no such intention, but I could enjoy my ale
more if ye’d stop tellin’ our business to every person five minutes after ye
meet ‘em.”
Moira saw the man rising from his table and heading
toward her, following Tamara. Standing, she moved to meet them halfway across
the room, leaving her tense companions behind. The stranger started to bow,
but she held up her hand to stay him. “Is there somewhere more private we
could talk?” she asked Tamara. She could feel Gram and Chad’s unhappy eyes on
her back.
“Let me show you one of our private alcoves,” said the
proprietress, giving her a look of approval. She led the two of them to one of
the curtained rooms on one side of the main floor. Holding the curtain back,
she motioned them within. “I’ll be back in a few minutes with your tea.”
“Thank you,” said Moira, before turning her attention
to her guest. The stranger motioned for her to take a seat before moving to
place himself across from her. She couldn’t fault his manners.
“Mistress Tamara said you might need my advice,
Miss…?” He let his sentence trail off into a question.
She gave him a gentle smile as she replied, “I don’t
think it would be wise to share my name with you yet. I hope you don’t find
that offensive.”
The Baron dipped his head, “I find it intriguing, and
coupled with your foreign accent—beguiling. My name is Gerold Ingerhold, and I
am pleased to make your ‘enigmatic’ acquaintance.”
“Thank you, Lord Ingerhold. I appreciate your
patience with my reticence,” said Moira, sitting a little straighter.
“Please, just ‘Gerold’ if you will. Using titles
makes me uncomfortable, especially since I
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