Legacies by L. E. Modesitt Jr. Page B

white shirt and a brown leather vest was helping ladle out the punch. She wasn’t as slender as Kyrtus’s sister Elyra, and her hair was straight and brown. But there was something about her. Alucius looked away for a moment.
    â€œThat’s Wendra,” whispered Vardial. “She’s Kyrtus’s cousin. Her father Kyrial is the cooper in Iron Stem. He never had enough Talent to be a herder, like his brother Tylal. Father says he’s the best cooper Iron Stem ever had, though.”
    Alucius glanced back at Wendra, watching as she smiled and then laughed. He looked away quickly when she lifted her eyes in his direction. Then he crossed into the house, following Jaff to the washroom. After washing, and patting his hair back into place as best he could, Alucius eased through the large kitchen, not that any stead had a small one.
    Vardial slipped up beside him. “I saw that.”
    â€œSaw what?” Alucius kept his voice even, stopping himself from turning to go back and help his mother and another woman who were wrestling a kettle off the iron stove.
    â€œYou were looking at Wendra.”
    â€œI was also looking at where the punch was.”
    Vardial laughed, but softly. “Just be careful. Kyrtus is sweet on her.”
    â€œThey’re cousins,” Alucius pointed out.
    â€œThat makes it worse.”
    Alucius could see that. “Thanks.”
    â€œShe is nice. I like Elyra, though.”
    The two slipped onto the porch, and Alucius eased up to the punch table behind Jaff. When the taller youth had taken his punch and walked along the railing, Alucius stepped up and smiled pleasantly. He hoped his smile was merely pleasant.
    â€œDo you want the lemon or the berry?” Wendra asked.
    â€œThe berry, please.”
    â€œYou’re Alucius, aren’t you?” She handed him one of the tumblers, three-quarters filled.
    â€œYes, and you’re Wendra?” Alucius looked directly at her.
    â€œYes.” She smiled, not quite meeting the directness of his eyes.
    â€œVardial said you lived in town.”
    â€œWe do, but Grandfather Kustyl always insists we come to the summer gather. He says that no one can make ale like Father, and he won’t drink it unless Father’s here.”
    Alucius made the slightest of gestures toward the one empty bench. “Everyone has punch.”
    â€œI shouldn’t…”
    â€œGo ahead, Wendra,” interjected the older Elyra. “You’ve been serving everyone. I can get a glass for Vardial.”
    The slightest flush ran up Wendra’s long neck.
    â€œIf we sit there,” Alucius nodded to the bench, “you can see if you need to help Elyra.”
    â€œI suppose that would be all right.” She slipped onto the bench gracefully.
    Alucius sat down and turned to face her, careful to leave space between his leg and hers. “I’ve never seen you in town.”
    â€œDuring the week, I’m in school.”
    â€œI get lessons from there, but they come in a package, and it’s usually for a month.”
    â€œYour mother goes over them with you?”
    Alucius shook his head. “Mostly, my grandsire does.”
    â€œVardial said he was strict.”
    Alucius shrugged. “He’s fair, and he wants me to learn.” He could see that Wendra’s eyes were a greenish gold, or maybe a gold flecked with green. He wasn’t quite sure, because they seemed to change. “How do you like school…I mean, learning with all the others?”
    She grinned. “I like it, especially the mathematics. Madame Myrier is going to start teaching me bookkeeping next month. That way, I can help both Mother and Father.”
    â€œYour father’s the best cooper…”
    Wendra’s laugh was musical. “You sound like Vardial. Everyone he likes is the best.”
    â€œHe’s my friend.” Alucius flushed. He flushed even more when she touched his hand, even