Part 46 (1/2)
He had already determined that for hiht so, too
”Sos,” he admitted, ”I did correctly” He tipped his head, then, and shot a quick glance into Luken's face, where he found the gray eyes attentive ”Do you care, father? The trade I have set myself to learn, that is”
Luken spread his hands ”Why should I care? From all I understand, it's a difficult study you undertake in order to ascend the heights of a profession which is exhilarating and not without its moments of risk” He smiled ”I would expect, of course, that you will rise to becoa of those who had undertaken his education ”But, yes There arethem?”
Well of course he did Who of Korval, present or past, had not sought to stand a the masters of whatever profession or avocation they embraced? Certainly not Luken
”Yes,” he said ”I do”
”It is well, then,” his foster father judged ”That you will mind your melant'i and keep the honor of your House pure, I have no need to ask”
He paused for ahis hand fall with a slight sigh
Pat Rin got up, bore the glass to the sideboard, refilled it and brought it back
”Gently done,” Luken hts clearly somewhere else ”My thanks”
”It is my pleasure to serve you, father”
”Sweet lad” He had a sip frolass and looked up
”I wonder if you've given thought to setting up your own establishment,” he said ”It occurs to me that bin'Flora has a townhouse for lease in a location near the High Port”
Most of Solcintra's gah Port There were several residential streets just beyond the gate, none of theh one or two not asfashi+onableas they oods s-and the present master of the house, one Sisilli, and Luken had enjoyed a friendly rivalry for possibly more years than Pat Rin had been alive
Therefore, it was likely that the house in question was on- ”Nasingtale Alley,” Luken ht, as you walk out frotale Alley are certainly above my touch,” he said to Luken ”I am yet a student”
”Yet an able student, for that,” Luken said ”And the rent may not bequite ruinous””Ah” He considered the face across frohtfully ”Shall I set up hed ”It's a prying old man, to be sure,” he said ”But I will tell you what is in h, I worry about you, walking about the port with large amounts of coin on you”
He raised a hand ”I know your reputation with the small arree,” Pat Rin murmured, and Luken inclined his head
”Too, it makes sense to hold a base near your daily business, and this house bin'Flora offers is certainly that
”And lastly” His voice faded and he glanced aside
Pat Rin felt his stomach clench
”You know your mother and I have no love lost between us,” Luken said slowly, ”despite that which the Code tells us is due to kin And you know that, as a youngling, you were moved from your mother's care into mine, by the word of the Delm”
The Delm That would have been Daav yos'Pheliuone from the clan these years, on a mission of Balance There had been no love lost between his h as a child he had adored his tall, easy uncle
”I confess that I was a bit puzzled when you went to live with yourwas done” He raised a hand ”I don't ask your reasons, boy-dear, though I know you had them Nor will I speak ill of your e of you-and of her-perhaps you ht consider if you would be morerelaxed in your own small establishht, for his ent Code
He supposed that was inevitable, given her reputation as Liad's foremost scholar of and expert on the Code She also held rank a hosts, and it was for that reason that Pat Rin, returning home from university and fixed upon the trade that he would follow, had taken up residence with his parent, rather thanback into his comfortable place with Luken
Kareen yos'Phelium could-and did, for who knew better as due the heir of a woe and melant'i?-launch hih his clientele cah Houses And Pat Rin had needed the final polish and the ties to the High which only his ive hi in Luken's sunny alcove, if he would have chosen differently, had he known the cost beforehand For life with his h he was surrounded by every luxury He was required to live to his mother's standard, and to study the Code until he was very nearly an expert his, as well, so that he would have a store of graceful conversation available; he attended all the fashi+onable plays, patronized his ems of the first water, and was never seen at a stand
The onerelaxation he allowed hi, on the lifetiiven to hi with sudden clarity-that his mother had never believed his assertions that he intended to make his ithout recourse to the funds of the Clan She had heardhim, for she was a courteous listener, precisely as the Code instructed-heard him, but did not believe
And he had never quite seen that there would need be an after to his plan
”Pat Rin?” Luken murmured
He blinked back into now, and inclined his head
”You understand,” he said slowly ”That I attempt toproduce a certain, and very specific, affect
Produce, and sustain it”
Luken smiled ”I am not quite an idiot, boy-dear”
”Of course not,” he ht in his calculations ”So, the question before me nohether the affect will remain fixed, should I retire to my own establishment”
”I should think,” Luken said, ”that the key would be not to retire, but to continue as you have been, only fro”
A townhouse on Nasingtale Alley could scarcely be called a 'dig'-and Luken, as he so often was, despite one'sht Pat Rin had only to carry on as he was The invitations would continue to arrive-and he ht even host a small entertainment or two, hih of hiswas done
”Please consider,” Luken said carefully ”You are noell known a the Houses Your melant'i is your own, no matter that it in some measure reflects your mother's, and your Clan's, as it ularly best your uests while you yourself sleep under her roof Nor would it be best for you, seen a orously ri that, froht appear thus
” as I say, if you need to press an honest advantage across a table, itthe lesser members of the Houses until Lord Pat Rin isLady Kareen's son is not your occupation,your own place will afford you both s and s I say this as one as, alas, once young myself”
Seated, Pat Rin bowed the bow of apprentice to lanced to Luken's face ”If bin'Flora's rate is possible”
Luken smiled ”Please, know that there are two partners in every trade The place would have been rented anytime the last two relumma were the matter sih House, h House equally acceptable
Whatever the Code may teach
”I will mention your interest to Sisilli,” Luken concluded, and drank off the rest of his tea ”As much as I enjoy your company, child, I am afraid that I must leave you for an appoint on the otten on the table He extended a slender hand and plucked the page up, running an eye trained by Master Merchant Luken bel'Tarda down the list of iteone?” he asked Luken ”That will have to be done, whatever else Cousin Er Tho to his feet ”If you have the leisure, boy-dear, the ould be appreciated You'll find the lot of the rooht if not a clear head, I suggest you make use of so on it-McWortle's Special Wake-Up Blend-and it should be taken just as the directions instruct Shall we plan on dining at Ongit's this evening?”