rh.theassassinsapprentice-第39部分

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that　she　might　be　disgusted　by　it　as　I　knew　Burrich　would　be。　So　I　smiled；　and　we　talked；　and　I　kept　my　thoughts　to　myself。
　　　　　　　I　walked　her　home　through　the　quiet　streets　and　bid　her　good　night　at　the　door　of　the　chandlery。　She　paused　a　moment；　as　if　thinking　of　something　else　she　wanted　to　say；　but　then　gave　me　only　a　quizzical　look　and　a　softly　muttered　〃Good　night；　Newboy。〃
　　　　　　　I　took　myself　home　under　a　deeply　blue　sky　pierced　by　bright　stars；　past　the　sentries　at　their　eternal　dice　game　and　up　to　the　stables。　I　made　a　quick　round　of　the　stalls；　but　all　was　calm　and　well　there；　even　with　the　new　puppies。　I　noticed　two　strange　horses　in　one　of　the　paddocks；　and　one　lady's　palfrey　had　been　stabled。　Some　visiting　noblewoman　e　to　court；　I　decided。　I　wondered　what　had　brought　her　here　at　the　end　of　the　summer；　and　admired　the　quality　of　her　horses。　Then　I　left　the　stables　and　headed　up　to　the　keep。
　　　　　　　By　habit　my　path　took　me　through　the　kitchens。　Cook　was　familiar　with　the　appetites　of　stable　boys　and　men…at…arms　and　knew　that　regular　meals　did　not　always　suffice　to　keep　one　full。　Especially　lately　I　had　found　myself　getting　hungry　at　all　hours；　while　Mistress　Hasty　had　recently　declared　that　if　I　didn't　stop　growing　so　rapidly；　I　should　have　to　wrap　myself　in　barkcloth　like　a　wild　man；　for　she　had　no　idea　how　to　keep　me　looking　as　if　my　clothes　fit。　I　was　already　thinking　of　the　big　earthenware　bowl　that　Cook　kept　full　of　soft　biscuits　and　covered　with　a　cloth；　and　of　a　certain　wheel　of　especially　sharp　cheese；　and　how　well　both　would　go　with　some　ale　when　I　entered　the　kitchen　door。
　　　　　　　There　was　a　woman　at　the　table。　She　had　been　eating　an　apple　and　cheese；　but　at　the　sight　of　me　ing　in　the　door；　she　sprang　up　and　put　her　hand　over　her　heart　as　if　she　thought　I　were　the　Pocked　Man　himself。　I　paused。　〃I　did　not　mean　to　startle　you；　lady。　I　was　merely　hungry；　and　thought　to　get　myself　some　food。　Will　it　bother　you　if　I　stay？〃
　　　　　　　The　lady　slowly　sank　back　into　her　seat。　I　wondered　privately　what　someone　of　her　rank　was　doing　alone　in　the　kitchen　at　night。　For　her　high　birth　was　something　that　could　not　be　disguised　by　the　simple　cream　robe　she　wore　or　the　weariness　in　her　face。　This；　undoubtedly；　was　the　rider　of　the　palfrey　in　the　stable；　and　not　some　lady's　maid。　If　she　had　awakened　hungry　at　night；　why　hadn't　she　simply　bestirred　a　servant　to　fetch　something　for　her？
　　　　　　　Her　hand　rose　from　clutching　at　her　breast　to　pat　at　her　lips；　as　if　to　steady　her　uneven　breath。　When　she　spoke；　her　voice　was　well　modulated；　almost　musical。　〃I　would　not　keep　you　from　your　food。　I　was　simply　a　bit　startled。　You　。。。　came　in　so　suddenly。〃
　　　　　　　〃My　thanks；　lady。〃
　　　　　　　I　moved　around　the　big　kitchen；　from　ale　cask　to　cheese　to　bread；　but　everywhere　I　went；　her　eyes　followed　me。　Her　food　lay　ignored　on　the　table　where　she　had　dropped　it　when　I　came　in。　I　turned　from　pouring　myself　a　mug　of　ale　to　find　her　eyes　wide　upon　me。　Instantly　she　dropped　them　away。　Her　mouth　worked；　but　she　said　nothing。
　　　　　　　〃May　I　do　something　for　you？〃　I　asked　politely。　〃Help　you　find　something？　Would　you　care　for　some　ale？〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you　would　be　so　kind。〃　She　said　the　words　softly。　I　brought　her　the　mug　I　had　just　filled　and　set　it　on　the　table　before　her。　She　drew　back　when　I　came　near　her；　as　if　I　carried　some　contagion。　I　wondered　if　I　smelled　bad　from　my　stable　work　earlier。　I　decided　not；　for　Molly　would　have　surely　mentioned　it。　Molly　was　ever　frank　with　me　about　such　things。
　　　　　　　I　drew　another　mug　for　myself；　and　then；　looking　about；　decided　it　would　be　better　to　carry　my　food　off　up　to　my　room。　The　lady's　whole　attitude　bespoke　her　uneasiness　at　my　presence。　But　as　I　was　struggling　to　balance　biscuits　and　cheese　and　mug；　she　gestured　at　the　bench　opposite　her。　〃Sit　down；〃　she　told　me；　as　if　she　had　read　my　thoughts。　〃It　is　not　right　I　should　scare　you　away　from　your　meal。〃
　　　　　　　Her　tone　was　neither　mand　nor　invitation；　but　something　in　between。　I　took　the　seat　she　indicated；　my　ale　slopping　over　a　bit　as　I　juggled　food　and　mug　into　place。　I　felt　her　eyes　on　me　as　I　sat。　Her　own　food　remained　ignored　before　her。　I　ducked　my　head　to　avoid　that　gaze；　and　ate　quickly；　as　furtively　as　a　rat　in　a　corner　who　suspects　a　cat　is　behind　the　door；　waiting。　She　did　not　stare　rudely；　but　openly　watched　me；　with　the　sort　of　observation　that　made　my　hands　clumsy　and　led　to　my　acute　awareness　that　I　had　just　unthinkingly　wiped　my　mouth　on　the　back　of　my　sleeve。
　　　　　　　I　could　think　of　nothing　to　say；　and　yet　the　silence　jabbed　at　me。　The　biscuit　seemed　dry　in　my　mouth；　making　me　cough；　and　when　I　tried　to　wash　it　down　with　ale；　I　choked。　Her　eyebrows　twitched；　her　mouth　set　more　firmly。　Even　with　my　eyes　lowered　to　my　plate；　I　felt　her　gaze。　I　rushed　through　my　food；　wanting　only　to　escape　her　hazel　eyes　and　straight　silent　mouth。　I　pushed　the　last　hunks　of　bread　and　cheese　into　my　mouth　and　stood　up　quickly；　bumping　against　the　table　and　almost　knocking　the　bench　over　in　my　haste。　I　headed　toward　the　door；　then　remembered　Burrich's　instructions　about　excusing　oneself　from　a　lady's　presence。　I　swallowed　my　half…chewed　mouthful。
　　　　　　　〃Good　night　to　you；　lady；〃　I　muttered；　thinking　the　words　not　quite　right；　but　unable　to　summon　better。　I　crabbed　toward　the　door。
　　　　　　　〃Wait；〃　she　said；　and　when　I　paused；　she　asked；　〃Do　you　sleep　upstairs；　or　out　in　the　stables？〃
　　　　　　　〃Both。　Sometimes。　I　mean；　either。　Ah；　good　night；　then；　lady。〃　I　turned　and　all　but　fled。　I　was　halfway　up　the　stairs　before　I　wondered　at　the　strangeness　of　her　question。　It　was　only　when　I　went　to　undress　for　bed　that　I　realized　I　still　gripped　my　empty　ale　mug。　I　went　to　sleep；　feeling　a　fool；　and　wondering　why。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　TWELVE
　　　　　　　Patience
　　　　　　　THE　RED…SHIP　RAIDERS　WERE　a　misery　and　an　affliction　to　their　own　folk　long　before　they　troubled　the　shores　of　the　Six　Duchies。　From　obscure　cult　beginnings；　they　rose　to　both　religious　and　political　power　by　means　of　ruthless　tactics。　Chiefs　and　headmen　who　refused　to　align　with　their　beliefs　often　found　that　their　wives　and　children　had　bee　the　victims　of　what　we　have　e　to　call　Forging；　in　memory　of　the　ill…fated　town　of　Forge。　Hard…hearted　and　cruel　as　we　consider　the　Outislanders　to　be；　they　have　in　their　tradition　a　strong　vein　of　honor　and　heinous　penalties　for　those　who　break　the　kin　rules。　Imagine　the　anguish　of　the　Outislander　father　whose　son　has　been　Forged。　He　must　either　conceal　his　son's　crimes　when　the　boy　lies　to　him；　steals　from　him；　and　forces　himself　upon　the　household　women；　or　see　the　boy　flayed　alive　for　his　crimes　and　suffer　the　losses　of　both　heir　and　the　respect　of　the　other　houses。　The　threat　of　Forging　was　a　powerful　deterrent　to　opposing　the　political　power　of　the　Red…Ship　Raiders。
　　　　　　　By　the　time　the　Red…Ship　Raiders　began　to　seriously　harry　our　shores；　they　had　subdued　most　opposition　in　the　Out　Islands。　Those　who　openly　opposed　them　died　or　fled。　Others　grudgingly　paid　tribute　and　clenched　their　teeth　against　the　outrages　of　those　who　controlled　the　cult。　But　many　gladly　joined　the　ranks；　and　painted　the　hulls　of　their　raiding　vessels　red　and　never　questioned　the　rightness　of　what　they　did。　It　seems　likely　that　these　converts　were　formed　mostly　from　the　lesser　houses；　who　had　never　before　been　offered　the　opportunity　to　rise　in　influence。　But　he　who　controlled　the　Red…Ship　Raiders　cared　nothing　for　who　a　man's　forebears　had　been；　so　long　as　he　had　the　man's　unswerving　loyalty。
　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　I　saw　the　lady　twice　more　before　I　discovered　who　she　was。　The　second　time　I　saw　her　was　the　next　night；　at　about　the　same　hour。　Molly　had　been　busy　with　her　berries；　so　I　had　gone　out　for　an　evening　of　tavern　music　with　Kerry　and　Dirk。　I　had　had　perhaps　one　or　at　most　two　mugs　more　of　ale　than　I　should　have。　I　was　neither　dizzy　nor　sick；　but　I　was　placing　my　feet　carefully；　for　I　had　already　taken　one　tumble　in　a　pothole　on　the　dusky　road。
　　　　　　　Separate　but　adjacent　to　the　dusty　kitchen　courtyard　with　its　cobbles　and　wagon　docks　is　a　hedged　area。　It　is　monly　referred　to　as　the　Women's　Garden；　not　because　it　is　exclusively　their　province　but　simply　because　they　have　the　tending　and　the　knowing　of　it。　It　is　a　pleasant　place；　with　a　pond　in　the　middle；　and　many　low　beds　of　herbs　set　among　flowering　plantings；　fruit　vines；　and　green　stoned　pathways。　I　knew　better　than　to　go　straight　to　bed　when　I　was　in　this　condition。　If　I　attempted　to　sleep　now；　the　bed　would　begin　to　spin　and　sway；　and　within　an　hour　I　would　be　puking　sick。　It　had　been　a　pleasant　evening；　and　that　seemed　a　wretched　way　to　end　it；　so　I　took　myself　to　the　Women's　Garden　instead　of　my　room。
　　　　　　　In　one　angle　of　the　garden；　between　a　sun…warmed　wall　and　a　smaller　pond；　there　grow　seven　varieties　of　thyme。　Their　fragrances　on　a　hot　day　can　be　giddying；　but　now；　with　evening　verging　on　night；　the　mingling　scents　seemed　to　soothe　my　head。　I　splashed　my　face　in　the　little　pool；　and　then　put　my　back　to　the　rock　wall　that　was　still　releasing　the　sun's　heat　back　to　the　night。　Frogs　were　chirruping　to　one　another。　I　lowered　my　eyes　and　watched　the　pond's　calm　surface　to　keep　myself　from　spinning。
　　　　　　　Footsteps。　Then　a　woman's　voice　asked　tartly；　〃Are　you　drunk？〃
　　　　　　　〃Not　quite；〃　I　replied　affably；　thinking　it　was　Tilly　the　orchard　girl。　〃Not　quite　enough　time　or　coin；〃　I　added　jokingly。
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose　you　learned　it　from　Burrich。　The　man　is　a　sot　and　a　lecher；　and　he　has　cultivated　like　traits　in　you。　Ever　he　brings　those　around　him　down　to　his　level。〃
　　　　　　　The　bitterness　in　the　woman's　voice　made　me　look　up。　I　squinted　through　the　dimming　light　to　make　out　her　features。　It　was　the　lady　of　the　previous　evening。　Standing　on　the　garden　path；　in　a　simple　shift；　she　looked　at　first　glance　to　be　little　more　than　a　girl。　She　was　slender；　and　less　tall　than　I；　though　I　was　not　overly　tall　for　my　fourteen　years。　But　her　face　was　a　woman's；　and　right　now　her　mouth　was　set　in　a　condemning　line；　echoed　by　the　brows　knit　over　her　hazel　eyes。　Her　hair　was　dark　and　curling；　and　though　she　had　tried　to　restrain　it；　ringlets　of　it　had　escaped　at　her　forehead　and　neck。
　　　　　　　It　was　not　that　I　felt　pelled　to　def