Three Hands for Scorpio Read Online Free Page B

adder struck. A forest of candles and lamps gave us good sight of all persons present in the large chamber. Our full state use of plate made a treasure display on the table in honor of the guests. After the fashion of our own country,
those of noble blood sat at midboard, the company descending in rank at either side of them. We also followed court custom in that we were seated woman and man, woman and man.
    At the far side of our assembly, a table had been hastily prepared for one diner alone, and the disruptive stranger had been seated there. One of the household squires was busy gathering plate and food from the floor, Udo Chosen having swept all away as he had seated himself, declaiming loudly that the richness of both was an insult, for a believer ate not from silver, nor took more than hard bread and broth.
    Our parents evidently meant to take the course of refusing to answer any of his slurs, allowing the serving lads to bring him what he wanted. But we knew that this shameful conduct must be angering both Father and Mother. We shared scathing thoughts, even though we kept a smile on our collective face and pretended not to hear.
    Our escorts in the seating arrangement were the younger Starkadder and two kinsmen near his age. They did not appear to wish to carry on any conversation, even though we attempted to find a subject to interest them. Moreover, their table manners were so boorish as to set Bina mentally repeating excerpts from Duty’s instructions when we were still in guidereins, until we had to stifle our laughter. She had just finished repeating the suggestion that one should use the napkins provided instead of wiping fingers on the tablecloth when far more coarse behavior turned our amused communication into quite another mood and message.
    The Starkadder heir leaned a little closer to me, by chance assigned as his partner.
    â€œYour lord knows well how to bedeck his hall with fair flowers, sweetling. Give a kiss to my glass, now.” He held out his goblet.
    â€œYou are ready to be welcoming, are you not?” he continued wheedlingly, leering at my low-cut bodice. “Such a toothsome bedwarmer! Yes, indeed, your lord knows how to make a guest truly at home.”
    He got no further with his insults. I rose, pushing back my chair to face him more directly. Sudden silence fell along the feast table, except for the sound of two more chairs in motion. All three of us were standing now.
    The Starkadder scion stared, a flush rising beneath his veil of freckles.
    I still fronted the Gurly, but I turned my head first toward our father and then in the direction of our mother, bowing it a fraction as I made my explanations to each. “Since this one, welcomed in friendship, gives great insult to
your daughter, Lord Verset—Lady Altha—I must ask permission to withdraw. I am no lightskirt, such as I have just been named, but a Scorpy by blood and birth, and it is not meet that I draw steel in this place to bring blood in exchange.”
    My hand had gone to my breast while I spoke. Now I drew into plain sight the scissor-knife that a gentlewoman always wore.
    The chief’s son was already on his feet, breathing rapidly, plainly angered to the edge of control. His hands were curled into fists as if he readied himself to aim a blow.
    â€œI do not call you beast,” I continued in the same calm voice, “for most beasts act cleanly among the females of their kind; in field or fold none talk of ‘bedwarmers.’ But I advise you to watch that tongue of yours, Northling. It is a weapon that may turn on you in the end.”
    Now I pushed past my chair and started toward the door, Bina and Cilla following. Thus the three of us left the feast in silence; and in us such a white fury was fired that we had to summon our combined strength to contain our wrath.

Three

    S et faced, our hands curled into fists, we ascended the curved tower stair. Grosper seemed deserted; we met no one