The Wyvern's Spur - Kate Novak [72]
Cat leaned back and eyed him critically. "Like a merchant. You need something else." She took a lock of Giogi's brown hair and plaited it, fastening it together with some green beads she took off a chain hanging about her neck.
"Well?"
"Not quite right," Cat said. "You look like a sailor."
From the open doorway came a polite cough. Giogi looked up in surprise.
"Oh, Thomas. I took a dive in the Immer Stream, I'm afraid. Could you see to those wet things, please?"
Thomas slipped into the room and began gathering up Giogi's dripping clothes, surveying the damage to each article. He made a special point to keep his eyes averted from the bed.
Last year, when his master's aunt had tried her best to match Giogi with Minda Lluth, Thomas had not approved. The lady had been far too frivolous, but at least she had been a lady. He wasn't sure where he would classify this Cat person, but he knew ladies did not sit on gentleman's beds, wrapped in nothing but bed sheets.
"I'm afraid these boots may be beyond cleaning, sir," Thomas reported, trying to sound regretful about it.
"Oh, no. We can't lose the boots," Cat said with mock alarm. She jumped from the bed and took the dodders from Thomas She set them down before the fireplace and whispered an incantation. A small whirlwind of steam began to rise from inside each boot and danced up the flue. After a minute, the steam dissipated. Cat brought them to Giogi's bedside. "There you are, Master Giogioni. As good as new."
"I say. What a neat trick. Wasn't that a neat trick, Thomas?"
"Most entertaining, sir," Thomas replied coolly, holding the other soaked articles. "I've been keeping dinner warm. Will you be down to dine shortly, sir, or shall I bring up trays?"
Something in Thomas's tone warned Giogi that it would be unwise to choose the more amusing course. "We will be down as soon as we've dressed," the nobleman replied, trying to sound cool and undaunted by his servant's disapproval.
"Very good, sir." Thomas bowed and exited.
"Trays would have been just fine with me," Cat said.
"Perhaps, but not with Thomas. Dinner tends to be formal when we have guests. We'll have to do him proud and dress to the nines, or he'll be-disappointed."
Cat looked down at the carpeting. "I washed out my robes, but they're still wet. I'm afraid they didn't get too clean in any case."
Giogi struck his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Oh, of course. Forgive me. I should have thought of it before. We'll dig something up from the chest in the lilac room."
Giogi picked up a lamp and led his guest out into the hall. He opened the door to the lilac room.
"How lovely," the mage whispered, stepping inside. She ran her fingers along the delicate silk wall hangings, the crepe bed curtains, the intricately carved dressing table, and the mother-of-pearl jewelry box. "This was your mother's room, wasn't it?" she whispered.
"Yes. Do you like it?" Giogi asked hopefully.
"I've never seen any place so lovely," Cat said softly.
"Thomas thought you might be more comfortable in the red room for some reason. Shall I tell him to light a fire and turn down this bed for you, instead?" Giogi offered.
"Oh, you needn't bother him about it. I can do that myself," Cat insisted.
"All right, then. There are scads of pretty things in that chest there. Several years out of fashion, I'm afraid."
"I'm sure it's all perfect," Cat said, smiling gratefully at the young nobleman.
"I'll leave you to it, then," Giogi said, backing out of the room.
He returned to his own room to dress. Pulling on his breeches, he caught sight of his bare-chested reflection in the leaded window glass. The nobleman posed menacingly, half shutting his eyes, trying to imagine campfires burning instead of a cozy fireplace, and nervous horses staked to ropes instead of comfortable chairs. At length he grimaced and turned away.
"I do look like a sailor," he said with a sigh. He tugged the window drapes closed to avoid catching another glimpse of his scrawny, unheroic figure.
Had Giogi looked out the window instead of