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s questioningly。 〃You carry seguignac in a flask to chase sheep on a hill？〃
Bertran de Talair's clever； oddly youthful face relaxed in a smile。 〃I see that you know good brandy；〃 he murmured with deceptive tranquillity。 〃The next questions are how； and why？ You are trying extremely hard to seem like just another young mercenary； a petent sword and bow for hire like half the men of Gotzland。 I watched you during the hunt； though。 You didn't bring down anything till the very end； despite half a dozen clear opportunities for a man who can hit a target every time at eighty paces。 You were too conscious of not showing up either Mallin de Baude or myself。 Do you know what that says to me； Northerner？〃
〃I can't imagine；〃 Blaise said。
〃Yes； you can。 It says that you've experience of a court。 Are you going to tell me who you are； Northerner？〃
Schooling his face carefully； Blaise handed back the handsome flask and settled himself more fortably on the grass； stalling for time。 Beside them the lamb was cropping contentedly； seeming to have forgotten its bleating terror of moments before。 Despite insistent alarm bells of caution in his head； Blaise was intrigued and even a little amused by the directness of the duke's approach。
〃I don't think so；〃 he said frankly； 〃but I've been to more than one court in the past； in Gotzland and Portezza both。 I am curious as to why it matters to you who I am。〃
〃Easy enough；〃 said de Talair。 〃I want to hire you； and I prefer to know the backgrounds of the men who work for me。〃
This was too fast in too many ways for Blaise to run with。 〃I've been hired already；〃 he said。 〃Remember？ Mallin de Baude； youngish fellow； a baron in Arbonne。 Pretty wife。〃
Bertran laughed aloud。 The lamb tilted its head and looked at them a moment； then resumed his own affairs。 〃Really；〃 said the duke； 〃you belie your country's reputation with jests like that： everyone knows the Gorhautians have no sense of humour。〃
Blaise allowed himself a thin smile。 〃We say the same thing back home about the Gotzlanders。 And Valensans smell of fish and beer； Portezzans always lie； and the men of Arimonda mostly sleep with each other。〃
〃And what do you say back home；〃 Bertran de Talair asked quietly； 〃about Arbonne？〃
Blaise shook his head。 〃I haven't spent much time back home in a long while；〃 he said； dodging the question。
〃About four months；〃 de Talair said。 〃That much I checked。 Not so long。 What do they say？〃 His hands were loosely clasped about the flask。 Late…afternoon sunlight glinted in his short brown hair。 He wasn't smiling any longer。
Neither was Blaise。 He met the clear blue gaze as directly as he could。 After a long moment he said； in the silence of that high meadow； 〃They say that a woman rules you。 That women have always ruled you。 And that Tavernel at the mouth of the Arbonne River has the finest natural harbour for shipping and trade in the world。〃
〃And Ademar of Gorhaut； alas； has no sheltered harbour on the sea at all； hemmed in by Valensa on the north and womanish Arbonne to the south。 What a sad king。 Why are you here； Blaise of Gorhaut？〃
〃Seeking my fortune。 There's less of a mystery than you might want to make out。〃
〃Not much of a fortune to be found chasing sheep for a minor baron in these hills。〃
Blaise smiled。 〃It was a start；〃 he said。 〃The first contract I was offered。 A chance to learn your language better； to see what else might emerge。 There are reasons why it was a good idea for me to leave the Portezzan cities for a time。〃
〃Your own reasons？ Or those of Ademar of Gorhaut？ Would there by any chance be a spy behind that beard； my green…eyed young man from the north？〃
It had always been possible that this might be said。 Blaise was surprised at how calm he felt； now that the accusation was out in the open。 He gestured； and de Talair handed him the brandy flask again。 Blaise took another short pull and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand； the seguignac was really extraordinarily good。
〃Indeed。 Very important information to be gathered up here；〃 he said； finding himself for some inexplicable reason in a good humour。 〃I'm sure Ademar will pay handsomely for a precise numbering of the sheep in these hills。〃
Bertran de Talair smiled again and shifted position； resting on one elbow now； his booted feet stretched out in front of him。 〃This could be just a start； as you say。 An entry to our councils。〃
〃And so I cleverly lured you into offering me a position by failing to shoot well on a hunt？ You do me too much credit； my lord。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 said de Talair。 〃What does Mallin pay you？〃 Blaise named the figure。 The duke shrugged indifferently。 〃I'll double that。 When can you start？〃
〃I'm paid through to a fortnight from now。〃
〃Good。 I'll expect you at Talair three days after that。〃
Blaise held up a hand。 〃One thing clear from the start。 The same thing I told En Mallin de Baude。 I'm a mercenary； not a liegeman。 No oaths。〃
Bertran's lazy； mocking smiled returned。 〃But of course。 I wouldn't dream of asking you to swear to anything。 I wonder； though； what will you do if Ademar es south？ Kill me in my sleep？ Could you be an assassin as well as a spy？〃
Which； as it happened； was nearer to the bone than was at all fortable。 Blaise thought suddenly of the High Priestess of Rian on her island in the sea。 He looked down at his hands； remembering Rudel； a moonless night in Portezzan Faenna； the garden of a palace in that dangerous city； fireflies； the scent of oranges； a dagger in his hand。
He shook his head slowly； bringing his mind back to Arbonne； to this high plateau and the disturbingly perceptive man looking steadily at him now with those vivid blue eyes。 〃I'm no more a sworn man of Ademar's than I will be of yours；〃 Blaise said carefully to Bertran de Talair。 He hesitated。 〃Do you really think he might e south？〃
〃Might？〃 In Rian's holy name； why else did he make that peace with Valensa I'm trying so hard to undermine with my songs？ You said it yourself： woman…ruled Arbonne。 Our count dead； an ageing woman in Barbentain； no obvious heir in sight； wine fields and grainlands and a glorious port。 Men who do nothing but write songs all day and yearn like callow boys for a woman's cool hand on their brow at night 。。。 of course Ademar's going to e down on us。〃
Blaise felt his mood changing； the pleasant fatigue of a day's hard labour chased away by the words as clouds were blown by the mountain winds。 〃Why are you hiring me； then？〃 he asked。 〃Why take that chance？〃
〃I like taking chances；〃 Bertran de Talair said； almost regretfully。 〃It is a vice； I'm afraid。〃 The High Priestess； Blaise remembered； had said something much the same。
Bertran shifted position again； sitting up now； and took a last pull of the seguignac before capping the flask。 〃Maybe you'll end up liking us more than you think。 Maybe we'll find you a wife down here。 Maybe we'll even teach you to sing。 Truth is； I had a man killed this spring； and good men are hard to e by； as I suspect you know。 Leading a successful raid on Rian's Island so soon after you got here was no mean achievement。〃
〃How do you know about that？〃
Bertran grinned again； but without mockery this time； Blaise had the odd sensation of being able to guess what that smile might do to a woman the duke wanted to charm。 〃Anyone can kill a corfe on a hunt；〃 de Talair went on； as if Blaise hadn't spoken at all。 〃I need someone who knows when not to kill one。 Even if he won't tell me how he learned that or who he is。〃 He hesitated for the first time； looking away from Blaise； west towards the mountains and Arimonda beyond。 〃Besides which； for some reason you've made me think of my son the last few days。 Don't ask me why。 He died as an infant。〃
Abruptly he stood。 Blaise did the same； seriously confused now。 〃I didn't think you had ever married；〃 he said。
〃I didn't；〃 Bertran said carelessly。 〃Why； do you think it is time？〃 The sardonic； distancing smile was back。 〃A wife to warm my old bones at night； children to gladden the heart in my declining years？ What an intriguing thought。 Shall we discuss it on the way down？〃
He had be