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not be tiresome； Roban。 I know your concerns here； but I do not see how we can do other than back what Bertran has already done。 I am going to ban Borsiard d'Andoria from the fair。〃 The count； her husband； had been like that too； amazingly like that： hugely important decisions were made with a speed that stunned Roban。
〃We will pay for it；〃 he said； feeling his face attaining the unfortunate pink hue that came with agitation。 〃D'Andoria will be funding Gorhaut next year； I'll wager on it。〃
Valery of Talair shrugged indifferently。 〃They don't need funding； my lord chancellor。 With the money they received from Valensa by the terms of Iersen Bridge they have more than enough。 Look what they paid to assassinate Bertran。 Did that appear to be the action of someone short of gold？〃
〃There is always a shortage of gold in wartime；〃 Roban said darkly。 He'd actually had some privy information about the exact sums paid and still owing from Valensa to Gorhaut by the terms of the treaty。 The numbers terrified him。
〃That reminds me；〃 the countess said in a different tone； one Roban recognized apprehensively。 〃Daufridi of Valensa must be desperately short of money these days if he paid so much to Gorhaut for the lands they ceded him。〃
〃I daresay he may have some problems；〃 Roban said cautiously。 He had learned it was always wise to be cautious when he heard that tone…it usually meant some plan or other was about to be proposed。 Usually those plans made him extremely nervous。 His headache was growing worse。 He saw Valery grin just before the man brought a hand up quickly to cover his mouth。 The men of Talair were so clever； it was almost unfair。
〃We'll have to talk about that then；〃 the countess murmured。 〃I do have an idea。〃
Roban had no notion what she was referring to； it rankled him that Valery appeared to know。 His was the endlessly vexing position of being the man left behind to attend to details and minutiae； he was surrounded by quicksilver people whose minds leapt effortlessly down channels he found perilously dark。
The countess was gazing pointedly at Valery； she had seen his smile as well。 〃That is； if Bertran hasn't already had the same thought long before me。〃 Her tone was not nearly as stern as Roban felt it ought to have been。 It was her weakness； he thought； not for the first time： she loved her gallant； irresponsible noblemen far too much to rein them in properly。 And Bertran de Talair； among all of them； was a special case。
〃I am sure；〃 Valery said gracefully； 〃that any thoughts En Bertran might have on the subject of Valensa will be conveyed to you as soon as he arrives。 I believe we can expect him by the end of the day。〃
〃I rather think；〃 Signe de Barbentain said drily； 〃he will instead consent to inform me of measures he has already set in motion。 Exactly as he did with those verses that nearly had him killed this summer。 By the way；〃 she turned to Roban； 〃this is important： I want Barbentain guards visible wherever the duke of Talair goes during the fair this month。 No slight to Bertran's own corans； but anyone with designs upon him must be made aware that we are watching for them。〃
Roban nodded。 This made sense； he liked it when she gave him mands that made sense。
〃Rudel Correze is travelling with the Delonghi；〃 Valery said casually； almost as an afterthought。 〃They were all in a party with the Andoria。〃
〃Wonderful；〃 the countess said tartly。 It pleased Roban to see her angry with someone else； even though Bertran's cousin was hardly the appropriate target。 〃Do I ban him； too？ Do we spend this week antagonizing every important family in Portezza？〃 Signe de Barbentain seldom lost her temper； but Roban sensed it might be happening now。 It gratified him that she understood and shared his concerns。 He smoothed his doublet again。
Valery was shaking his head。 〃Blaise de Garsenc says that the man will do nothing here。 That the Correze are too prudent to risk the economic hazards of violating a truce。 He thinks Rudel has probably withdrawn from his contract in any case。〃
〃Why would he think that？〃 Roban asked testily。 〃No one in that family turns their back on two hundred and fifty thousand in gold。〃
Valery looked apologetic。 〃I thought the same thing； my lord chancellor。 Blaise tells me he knows Rudel Correze extremely well； though。 He sees no danger from him now。〃
〃We are relying on that coran from Gorhaut rather a great deal； aren't we？〃
〃Enough； Roban！〃 He realized his mistake the moment she spoke…the anger building in her had abruptly turned on him。 It always seemed to happen that way； as if he was the safe target； the one she knew she could snap at without risk。 Which was true； he thought ruefully。 It had been true for decades。 Once； he'd wondered if his wife knew how he felt about the countess； and if she cared。 He hadn't thought about such things for a long time。
〃We will not go down that road again；〃 Signe was saying sternly。 〃The man is not simply a coran from Gorhaut。 He is the son of Galbert de Garsenc； and if we have any hope of dividing Gorhaut on this issue he is that hope。 It he betrays us； I will admit you were right before we all die。 Is that enough； Roban？ Will that content you？〃
The chancellor swallowed hard； feeling the way he always felt when she lashed out at him。 When he was younger he had actually wept sometimes behind the closed doors of his own quarters after she'd spoken to him in this way。 He didn't do that anymore； but he sometimes felt like it。 A terrible admission； the chancellor thought； for a man of his age and position。 He wondered if she ever knew when his headaches were ing on； if she would have been more sympathetic； a little gentler perhaps； had he informed her。
Signe really didn't remember Roban ever being this obstinately tiresome when Guibor was alive。 But then she hadn't had as much to do with him then； he was simply the efficient administrator in the background； and Guibor was not a man with whom advisers pushed their disagreements too hard。 It looked as if she wasn't like that herself。 Perhaps she depended on Roban too much； perhaps he felt she was weak and needed him to be stronger now。 She didn't really know； it wasn't something she'd thought about very much。 He was there； he had always been there； and she knew he could be trusted； that something assigned to him would be petently done if it was at all possible。 He looked a little flushed today and there were circles under his eyes。 It crossed her mind to wonder； as she watched him make his habitual little smoothing gesture down the front of his immaculate doublet； if Roban was overburdened…the usual fate of petent men。
She didn't； in fact； feel especially strong herself at the moment； but that wasn't for anyone to see or guess； even Roban； even Valery。 〃Send for Borsiard d'Andoria in Lussan；〃 she told the chancellor。 〃I will give him an audience here。 I will not ban him by fiat or decree。 He will hear it from me in this castle。〃
Which is what had happened later that same afternoon。 Borsiard had stormed into her audience chamber； raging in the most unpleasant manner； demanding Bertran de Talair's censure and death in redress for the slaughter of three noblemen of Andoria。 He had actually had a belief that she might agree； Signe saw。 He was seeing her as a woman； a woman who could be frightened by his rage； moved to do what he wanted her to do。
That realization was what had given her access to the cold anger she needed to quell the Portezzan。 And he had been quelled。 She had dealt with better men than he in the past。 As soon as she'd begun to speak； slowly； letting her measured words fall like stones into the stillness of the room； Borsiard's bravado had seemed to leech away from him。
〃Take your people and your goods and go；〃 she had said； speaking from the ancient throne of the counts of Arbonne。 〃You will not be allowed trade or profit at a fair whose laws you have so vilely broken。 The men who were killed were properly executed by the duke of Talair； who is our agent in this； as are all the nobility of Arbonne。 Whatever your quarrel with Blaise de Garsenc of Gorhaut…a quarrel in which we have no interes