按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
d them。
〃Do not；〃 Urté said； 〃expect another salute。 The last time I looked into the matter； Ademar was king of Gorhaut。 I'm afraid I do not bow to the presumption of pretenders。〃
〃Why do you save their lives； then？〃 It was Rudel who asked as Blaise kept silent； thinking as swiftly as he could。
The duke didn't bother to look at Rudel。 His eyes held Blaise's as he smiled thinly。 〃The Arimondan was a disappointment。 He cost me ten corans two nights ago； and a thousand in gold to Massena Delonghi this morning。 And I didn't really want to be the sworn liege lord of a coran who killed this man from behind in a challenge。 Bad for my own image； you understand。〃
〃I think I do； actually；〃 Blaise said。 A cold anger was rising in him。 〃You were at risk if he survived； weren't you？ Since you betrayed him in Lucianna's rooms； he might have continued to talk about how you were really part of that attempt on my life two nights ago。 Very bad for your image； I agree。 You didn't save me； my lord； you killed an inconvenient man。〃
The duke was undisturbed。 〃A fair reason to kill a man； I would say。 You might want to take care to avoid being inconvenient yourself； as well as presumptuous。〃
Rudel gave a bark of shocked laughter。 〃Are you mad？ Are you threatening him？〃
Again Urté did not even look at him。 Blaise said then； very deliberately； 〃Does it matter greatly what I do？ I'd heard simple error was enough to cause you to kill； actually。 Musicians who sang the wrong tune； loyal corans who made the mistake of obeying your instructions at the wrong time。〃 He paused； and fixed his gaze on Urté。 He knew he shouldn't say this； but there was a rage working through him now； and he didn't care any more： 〃And then there was a child who had the regrettably bad judgment to be sired by the wrong man； and a young wife who…〃
〃I believe that is enough；〃 said Urté de Miraval。 His smile was gone。
〃Do you？ What if I do not believe so； my lord？ What if I choose to suggest otherwise？ To bee truly inconvenient； as you put it？ To denounce you myself for plotting to have me slain？ And for other things； however long ago？〃 Blaise felt his hands beginning to tremble。 〃If you wish； I will be pleased to fight you now。 I have my attendants here； and there are two corans of Miraval already waiting by that tent。 I will be happy to engage you。 I don't like men who kill babies； my lord of Miraval。〃
Urté de Miraval's expression had grown thoughtful。 He was calm again； if very pale now。 〃De Talair told you that？〃
〃He told me nothing。 I have never asked him。 This has nothing to do with Bertran。〃
The duke smiled again。 It was not a pleasant smile this time either。 〃Ah； then；〃 he murmured； 〃it was Ariane； last summer。 Of course。 I ought to have guessed。 I love the woman dearly； but she loosens her tongue when bedded。〃
Blaise's head snapped back。 〃I have just offered once。 Need I do so again？ Will you fight me； my lord？〃
After a moment； Urté de Miraval shook his head； seeming now to have fully recovered his posure； to be genuinely amused。 〃I will not。 You are hurt； for one thing； and are possibly of some importance to us right now； for another。 You fought bravely this morning； Northerner。 I can honour a man for that； and I do。 Look； the women are waiting for you。 Go play out the game and then have your ear dealt with； coran。 I rather fear you are going to look like de Talair when that blood is cleaned away。〃
It was a dismissal； in fact； a high lord speaking as if to some promising young swordsman； but Blaise； though recognizing that clearly； didn't quite know how to turn it into something else。 Valery did it for him。
〃There remains one unanswered question； my lord；〃 Bertran's cousin murmured to the duke。 And Urté turned to him as he had not done for Rudel。 〃Is it shame that keeps your back so straight just now？ Shame because you have been off with an Arimondan on a dark trail of murder while the rest of us； including En Bertran； are trying to save Arbonne from a ruin we know to be ing。 How far into the present will you carry the past； my lord； whether or not you killed the child？〃
For an instant Urté was rendered speechless； and in that moment； feeling an easing of his own fury and a rush of satisfaction like a cool breeze； Blaise nodded politely to him and then turned his back； in the sight of all those watching。 He heard his friends following as he began to walk towards the pavilion of the countess of Arbonne and the queen of the Court of Love； leaving the duke of Miraval standing alone on the grass with his bow； beside the body of his dead coran； the sunlight falling clearly upon the two of them。
Roban； the chancellor； standing discreetly but readily available towards the back of the countess's golden and white pavilion； saw the son of Galbert de Garsenc turn his back upon Urté de Miraval and begin to walk towards them。 He winced。 He hadn't heard a word of what had been spoken； of course； but the cool effrontery of the gesture carried its own message。
The messages were ing fast and furious this morning； all tending towards the same end。 He still didn't like what was happening…it was too flamboyant； far too provocative for Roban…but he had to concede that the Gorhautian was carrying it off with real grace。 Given what had just happened； he couldn't honestly claim to doubt the man any more。 He might fail in this； they might all fail； but Blaise de Garsenc had abandoned any chance to betray them when he'd had the banner of the kings of Gorhaut raised above his tent this morning。
Roban made an unobtrusive gesture and one of his own people came hurrying over from the cleared space behind the pavilion。 He sent the man running for the countess's physician and the priestess of healing as well。
In the middle of the field he saw En Urté make a belatedly imperious gesture； summoning the two Miraval corans to remove the body of the Arimondan。 Roban had spent most of his life at court。 He knew perfectly well why Urté had fired that long； splendid arrow shot from behind the tent。 The duke； he was certain； had fully expected to find Blaise of Gorhaut already dead when he arrived at the Delonghi woman's rooms with the countess two nights ago。 It wasn't any particular hatred of the young coran that would have driven him…de Miraval very possibly hadn't even known who Blaise really was…it would have been simply another blow； one more stupid； trivial； destructive blow in the endless war of Miraval and Talair。 Bertran valued the Gorhautian and kept him close： therefore； and needing no other reason； Urté de Miraval would be pleased to see him slain。 After which the Arimondan would have been abandoned to his fate； exactly as he had been in any event； and the unsettling； possibly dangerous lady from Portezza left to the countess。 And to Roban； of course； the hard things were always left to Roban。
He watched as Blaise de Garsenc approached； walking with obvious difficulty。 Some distance behind him the two green…garbed Miraval corans were running across the grass in response to their lord's summons。 Roban was a thoughtful man； and it had long struck him as strange…and did so again now…that none of the blows between the warring dukes were ever directed at each other。 It was as if…in some unspoken； unacknowledged fashion…they needed each other to keep alive the clear； bitter memories of that long…ago year； to give each other； however inexplicable it might appear； a reason to continue living。
It was ridiculous to Roban； hopelessly irrational； dark as pagan ritual； but at the same time something the countess had once said still rang true for him： it was virtually impossible ever to think of either man without immediately calling the other to mind。 They were bound and grappled together； Roban thought； as in a net； by the death of Aelis de Miraval。 Roban looked over and saw Bertran； relaxed and at ease in a chair under the countess's golden canopy。 He was smiling broadly as he watched Urté stalk before his corans as they bore the Arimondan's body from the field。
It never stopped。 It would not ever stop while the two of them lived。 And who knew what people…and nations…they would draw do