Three Hands for Scorpio Read Online Free Page A

tight-lipped above a pointed chin. Altogether, it was not a face to awaken trust in another at first glimpse, nor, perhaps, even at tenth viewing.
    Starkadder gave a small shrug as the fellow crowded up and glanced at my father. We sensed, and exchanged the thought, that in some way the clan chief was waiting for the Lord Warden of the South to make the first move.
    The pause that followed was evidently disapproved of by the ascetic scarecrow, for he pulled his bowstring mouth even more taut, if such a gesture were possible. Then the Gurly chieftain spoke directly to our father.
    â€œHis Majesty craves your grace, Lord Verset, for this follower of Chosen Forfind. His name is Udo Chosen.”
    My father, in no way seeming to note such an unusual introduction, looked to the stranger.
    â€œAs one come guesting, you are welcome.” But he did not expand that grudging greeting to include any introduction of our mother or us.
    â€œBe all here unbelievers?” demanded Udo Chosen.
    My father touched the wide brim of his hat, but for only a brief instant, making his recognition tremble on the thinnest border of courtesy—a response far from his usual treatment of any honest man.
    â€œUnder this roof,” he returned curtly, “we are followers of the Established Church of which Her Majesty is the Reverend Head.”
    The thin grayish face seemed to swell, portending a forthcoming roar. However, the Starkadder now took a hand, or rather a foot, in the matter as, with a stride, he stepped between the seemingly wit-scrambled Chosen and our father.
    â€œClan greetings, Lord Verset, and also a salutation of goodwill from His Majesty.” Starkadder tapped the hilt of his sword, and we saw it was tightly bound round with the gold, blue, and green plaid ribbons of a declared truce.

    Our mother came down the last step into the courtyard. Once more she curtseyed. Father extended his arm a little, and she curtseyed again and laid her fingers on his wrist.
    â€œMay this house shelter you well, my lord. Let us show you to the chambers prepared for you and your kinsmen.”
    Thus, the proper ritual being reestablished, she and our father led the Gurlys within. Privately, we three remained astounded at the lack of manners shown by this Udo Chosen, who was said to be a representative of the king.
    His horse now being taken in charge by a guard, Lord Starkadder and his son followed our parents. Several others of those dressed like noblemen moved forward as though to come next, but the priest slid from his pony and cut in ahead of them. Nor, to our surprise, did they deny him, though anger was plain to see on a number of faces.
    As he clumped by us, he halted and stared, his face drawn up in a scowl. Clasping the metal-bound book Rogher had spoken of tightly to his breast with his left hand, he extended the right, folded into a fist, save the first and second fingers. Then he pointed directly at us.
    â€œTake shame how you show your bodies to tempt the believers. Whores you are, for all your draggle of silks!” Having hurled that verbal gauntlet at our feet, the Chosen was quick to make up the gap that had opened between him and the Starkadder before him.
    â€œNo!” Cilla’s thought was quick. “We must make nothing of this. The creature is truly mad!” Agreeing with her assessment, we schooled our faces so that any watching beyond earshot might think he had delivered a compliment.
    Though we all desired some instruction from our mother as to how to handle such outright insult, that we could not get, for she, having done hostess duty, was now chambered with our father for a private talk of their own. We knew that it would be foolish to invite more trouble with any of the Gurly party. Yet we would have done well to remember the old adage that a serpent has more than one dose of vicious poison. Only too soon came the summons to the feast.
    We had reached the second course of the banquet before the