Days of Air and Darkness - Katharine Kerr [53]
“Now, Jill dearest,” Davylla said, “I’ve actually met your Rhodry down at court. I wonder if he’d remember me?”
“Oh, he does, my lady. When I told him where I was going, he said to give you his regards, if you’d take them from a shamed man and a silver dagger.”
“Well, I will, but it’s rather naughty of me.” Davylla flashed a grin. “Rhodry was always so charming.”
For a while, they chatted about Rhodry and his mother, the Lady Lovyan, who was trying to get the king to intervene and recall her son from exile. Sevinna noticed Taurra watching Jill with a pleasant enough smile, but she would glance Jill’s way and then somewhere else, as if she didn’t want anyone to catch her doing it. The maidservant came in and began to hand the dried fruit round, offering the plate to Lady Davylla first, then the lasses, and finally Taurra and Jill.
“Just put that down on the table,” Davylla said. “And you may leave us.”
The servant put the fruit on a low table near at hand, then curtsied, and left. Sevinna nibbled on a dried apricot and listened to the others talk; she was too uncomfortable to say much herself. Lady Taurra seemed to have little to say, either, although once or twice she made some comment to Davylla. Sevinna supposed that she would have little in common with the young lasses. She supposed. Babryan got up once and passed the plate of honeyed fruit round again. Gradually, the talk drifted from Rhodry and court gossip to the real interest of this little group: the Old Lore.
“Baba and Bry showed me the little knife your Wise Woman made them,” Jill said. “I hope that wasn’t naughty of them, but I was awfully interested.”
“Not naughty at all. Poor Clamodda can’t do that fine work anymore, you know, with her eyes. Fortunately, she trained a lass out in the countryside to do it. It’s just amazing what some of these simple farm folk know!”
With a small smile, Taurra got up and fetched the dried fruit, offering it around the circle. By the time it came to Jill, there was only one piece left.
“Odd,” Davylla said vaguely. “I thought there was lots more. Eat that up, Jill darling, and I’ll send someone for more.”
“My thanks.” Jill took the dried slice of apple. “Here, I’ll take the plate and fetch the servant, my lady.”
“She should be just out in the corridor.”
Sevinna surreptitiously glanced at Taurra. She could swear that there was a bulge in her kirtle, as if something were hidden in it. Jill came back and resumed her place.
“You’ve got a bit of honey on your kirtle, Lady Taurra,” Jill said.
“Oh, so I do, how messy of me!” Taurra idly dabbed at it with her forefinger. “Do you have a handkerchief, Davylla dearest? I’ve quite forgotten mine.”
Her eyes met Jill’s in a flash of dueler’s hatred.
While Taurra was busy dabbing at the spot, Jill slipped the apple slice into her brigga pocket. No one seemed to notice but Sevinna. What is going on? she thought to herself. Things seem to have turned so peculiar! Although everyone pressed her to stay, Jill insisted on leaving soon after, saying that Rhodry had told her expressly to come back early, not late. Pleading courtesy, Sevinna walked with her down to the ward. They lingered in the open door of the central broch for a moment.
“Jill,” Sevinna said, “you’ve got some game afoot, don’t you?”
“Whatever makes you think that? Tell me, Sevvi, do you like Lady Taurra?”
“I don’t. I don’t know why, but I don’t.”
“Good. You’ve got more sense than your cousins and the Lady Davylla put together. Now listen, Sevvi. Be very careful while you’re here, will you? Don’t ask me why. Just keep your eyes open and watch what you say to Lady Taurra.”
“She’s not the sort of woman I’d care to cross.”
“Good. Don’t. Now, I shan’t be able to see you again for a while, because Rhodry and I are riding out this afternoon. We’re going to Hendyr. Do tell Lady Taurra that, will you, if she asks? Rhodry can usually pick up hires guarding merchant caravans out of Hendyr.”
Although Sevinna of course agreed,