Part 29 (1/2)

I let my hand slip down from MarSn's shoulders to the small of her back, and could feel the beginning of her cleft. I longed to slide it down farther, and cup her b.u.t.tocks, but knew better.

”You dance a bit closer than a chaperone might approve of, Damastes.”

”I apologize to the invisible iron lady. But not to you.” ”You are a shameful man, sir. Does the army teach you such behavior?”

”That and worse, my good Countess. For instance, there isa dance done by soldiers of myreal regiment, in faraway Mehul, when they visit the sinful dens of Rotten Row, that requires the man to put both arms closely around his partner. Of course we officers would never partake of such an ostentatiously s.e.xual pastime as that.” 'Ts the dance slow or fast?”

”It alternates, and I've seen women leap from the floor and wrap their legs around their accomplices, and then lean back until their hair brushes the floor.”

”Sinful, perhaps,” Mar n said. ”And definitely acrobatic.” She laughed. ”Wouldn't that shock the good people of Nicias if we suddenly began such a turn?”

”Possibly,” I said, a bit drunk with the notion, ”but I at least wouldn't notice their response.” ”Careful, sir.”

There was a touch on my shoulder, and I came back to earth and prepared to relinquish Maran reluctantly to an interloper. Standing there was Elias Malebranche. ”Good evening, Captain a Cimabue.”

Anger just at his presence flashed through me, but I said nothing, and stepped back. Maran looked puzzled, but moved toward Malebranche, ready to dance away. She smiled at him-the landgrave was a not unhandsome man, I had to admit.

”No, Countess, I am not asking for the dance, but thank you for the honor,” he said. ”My master wishes to have further converse with you.” He nodded at me. ”We shall need the honor*of the lady's presence for only a few moments. So if you'll excuse us...”

Maran's face reddened.

”Captain,” she said to me,”I am not sure I understand what mis man really wishes, but I am most shocked he would ask me to leave my chosen escort at his master's beckon, for some sort of dialogue he is afraid for you to overhear. I gather you know him?”

”Yes,” I said, pus.h.i.+ng my own rage back, and put an expression of puzzlement on my face.

”Yes, now I think I do. Forgive me. Countess Agramonte and Lavedan, tins is Elias Malebranche. I believe he has a t.i.tle... ah yes. Landgrave.”

Malebranche bowed, Mar&i barely inclined her head. Before Maran could respond to the insulting invitation, I said, in my smoothest courtier's tones, ”My humblest apologies, Landgrave Malebranche. But I did not recognize you without your yellow silk cord.”

Malebranche's eyes flashed rage, and he spun on me.

”What does that mean, sir?”

Instead of answering him directly, I spoke to Mara'n.

”The good landgrave has close friends in the hills and now elsewhere who have most unusual ideas on how to enrich themselves. I shall not speak their name here, but his a.s.sociates are the sort of murderous sc.u.m you might expect a man who behaves as he does to a.s.sociate with.”

Malebranche's words came through gritted teeth.

”Your manners, sir, are exactly what I'd expect from a peasant foot soldier. My master merely thought the lady might enjoy the company of a gentleman, rather than a mercenary from a forgotten and barbaric state who's probably taken vows of celibacy to match his costume.”

There could be but one response to that. I was about to explode, but saw Malebranche's hand unconsciously caressing the haft of his knife. If I struck bun, he would be ent.i.tled to defend himself by any means necessary right here, and I was unarmed, though I feared him not in the slightest If I called him out, it would be bis choice of weapons, and obviously he was an expert with the knife. Maran, too, knew what must occur, and her anger had turned to fear.

I don't know where I found control-perhaps Tanis or my monkey G.o.d Vachan granted me a boon.

But I did, and said, in a fairly calm tone, ”Landgrave, I know what you wish me to do. But I cannot. A Numantian officer must not duel with his inferiors.”

”How dare you! The Malebranche family can extend its heritage for a thousand years!”

”If that is so, which I doubt, then your ancestors would be hanging their heads, seeing their descendant no more man a false n.o.bleman's pimp.”

That did it.

Malebranche, his voice ice, said, ”Very well. My response shall be on the Field of Honor. Is that agreeable with you?”

I bowed agreement, and he stalked away.

The red anger subsided, and I looked about. Fortunately no one seemed to have heard our exchange, and we were merely getting puzzled looks as to why we were standing still in the middle of the dance floor.

I took MarSn in my arms and moved away, pretending to dance.

”Now what happens ' she whispered. ”Now I kill the b.a.s.t.a.r.d.”

A few minutes later, Maran's temper roared back, and she wanted to go to Chardin Sher and tell him what a contemptible swine he was.

”If you wish,” I said, choosing my words carefully. ”I'll cheerfully accompany you.”

”No you won't. I can take care of myself. Besides, you'd probably take that wretched man's dagger away from him and stab the s.h.i.+t, and then what would happen?”

”I'd be executed, of course. But I would die happy, and rise on the Wheel for having served such a beautiful woman.”

”Stop trying to calm me down, dammit!”

”My apologies.” I started to say something more, that I had*not been the one to insult her, but fortunately held my tongue. We were alone in one of the gardens. We'd gone out of the ballroom to calm ourselves down, and clearly it was not happening. Maran stared out into the night. After a time, she turned back.

”No, Damastes. It is for me to apologize. I'm foolish to think of going to Chardin Sher. He'll deny he said anything of the sort, and then I'll be the fool.

”Why in the h.e.l.ls is it always the man who's believed?” ”I don't know,” I said. ”Maybe it's because man makes the laws.”

”Well, it's stupid and it's f.u.c.ked!” Her rage was returning. Her dress seemed to respond to her anger, because the coils seemed up and down her body.

”It is,” I agreed. I didn't know what to do-the evening was ruined. I supposed that we should just leave quietly. But instead of suggesting that, I took her gently in my arms, and held her close.

We stood in silence for a very long time, and her breathing came hard, then relaxed, then hard again, then gentled as she fought for, then found, control.

”I am not going to cry, either,” she said against my chest. ”I won't give that son of a b.i.t.c.h the price of one d.a.m.ned tear!” She lifted her head to me, and her lips parted. I kissed her, and she kissed me back, fiercely. Then she pulled away.

”I suppose he would have said how taken he was with me, and perhaps I might be willing to meet him in his quarters later. He doesn't impress me as a man who spends much time wooing those he wants.

”But I've heard nastier suggestions,” she said. ”The sons of the rich think they can talk like stable hands when they're not granted their every desire, and have very strange ideas of what an unaccompanied young woman might wish.” A bit of a smile came. ”Although I've never had them from somebody as high-ranking as Chardin Sher. I suppose I should be honored.”

She laughed then, and the laugh was genuine. ”I wonder how Malebranche qualified as Chardin Sher's procurer.”

”Probably sold him bis mother and sister,” I said. I did not tell her I knew Malebranche to be far more than just a pimp- I now realized he was the prime minister's specialist for any and all dirty work.