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On the other hand； what innocuous reason could she offer for being here？ Truth was； the young coran was right； if not about the women of Vezét； then rather definitely about this particular one。 We are friends； she had said。 If a friendship could be built on a night's clandestine spying like an audrade on a garden wall followed by a rejected invitation to share her Midsummer bed。 He had smiled at her two nights ago here in Barbentain。 Did that count？ She had even thought he was about to e over to her； before Rudel Correze had appeared at his elbow and the two men had walked away。
That had been before this morning's challenge； though： before everything had changed。 These corans in the hallway were； she made herself repeat it again in her mind； the guards appointed for a man who had claimed a throne。
She bit her lip。 Began her retreat。 〃It is late； I know 。。。 〃 she murmured。
〃He is awake；〃 Fabrise said； 〃but not in his room。 He went to see his sister。 His brother's wife； I mean。 The one who gave birth last week。 I think he wanted to be the one to tell her the news。〃
〃Her husband was there；〃 the coran she'd reprimanded now confided； as if anxious to make amends。 〃At Aubry； I mean。 And also her…〃 He stopped with a grunt as one of the others sank an elbow in his ribs。
The four men looked quickly down the corridor； and so Lisseut turned with them…to see Blaise de Garsenc approaching from the shadows。
〃And also her brother；〃 Blaise said； finishing the sentence。 He was walking quite slowly； limping a little； he looked pale beneath the beard and there were smudged circles of fatigue under his eyes。 He came up to them and stopped； looking at the four men； not at her。 〃There is going to be gossip； of course； but we might appropriately leave it to others； don't you think？〃
It was mildly said； but the young coran went crimson to the roots of his hair。 Lisseut actually felt sorry for him。 Then she forgot about the man entirely as she met Blaise's scrutiny。
〃Hello； Lisseut；〃 he said。 She hadn't been positive he would remember her name。 He seemed unsurprised to find her in the hallway outside his room。
She took a breath and said； straining for a normal tone； 〃I'm not sure； do I curtsey？〃
〃I'm not sure either；〃 he said calmly。 〃Why don't we omit it for now？ I thought I heard your voice earlier。 The song from Midsummer； the woman singing in the garden？〃
〃I didn't think you had listened so carefully back then；〃 she said。
〃I didn't either；〃 he murmured。 〃Evidently some of it stayed with me。 Will you e in？〃 He opened the door to his room and stepped aside for her to enter。
Feeling suddenly shy； Lisseut walked in。 He followed； closing the door behind them。 There were candles on chests beside and at the foot of the bed and on the two tables in the room。 They were guttering low； though； and others had gone out。 He busied himself for a moment lighting new ones。
〃There is wine by the far wall；〃 he said over his shoulder。 〃Pour us each a cup； if you will。〃 Glad of something to do； she moved to the sideboard and did so。 A faint scent of perfume lingered in the air。 She thought that if she tried she would recognize it； she didn't try。 She carried the cups back and stood uncertainly in the middle of the room。 The bed； she noticed； was rumpled； the covers in disarray。 He seemed to notice this at about the same time； moving over to smooth them as best he could。
〃Forgive me；〃 he said。 〃This room is in no condition to receive a lady。〃
He was being astonishingly kind； she thought。 Kindness wasn't what she needed； though。 She said； 〃Even the sort of lady who spies on you at night？〃
He grinned； though his fatigue was still evident。 He came over and took his wine； motioning her to one of the chairs by the window。 He sank into the other； with a half…suppressed sigh of relief。
〃You are in pain；〃 Lisseut said quickly。 〃I have no right to keep you awake。〃
〃You won't be able to for very long；〃 he said； somewhat ruefully。 〃Much as I'd like to talk； they gave me some herbal thing earlier and I'm still sleepy with it。 They wanted me to have more but I said no。〃
〃You probably should have taken it；〃 she said。
He grinned mockingly。 She remembered that quickness from Midsummer。 It had been one of the things she hadn't expected from a coran of Gorhaut。 〃I wouldn't have taken you for so obedient a woman。 Do you always do what you're told？〃 he asked。
She smiled then herself； for the first time。 〃Always；〃 she said。 〃I can't remember the last time I didn't obey instructions 。〃
He laughed； and sipped his wine。 〃I saw you in the troubadours' pavilion this morning；〃 he said； surprising her again。 〃Ariane told me only those of the first rank are invited there。 Is this new for you？ Should I be offering congratulations？〃
Ariane。 That was the perfume。 Of course； she told herself： they would have had a council here when the tidings came。 But what she was remembering was five corans in crimson escorting him away on Midsummer Eve。
He had asked a question； Lisseut shook her head； pushing such thoughts away。 She said； 〃Congratulations？ Wouldn't that be absurd？ After you didn't let me salute you？〃
His eyes were bright in the light of the candle on the table and the beard showed quite red。 〃Go ahead if you really want to。 Curtsey and kneel。 Kiss my foot three times。 You'll help me get used to it。〃 There was a bitterness she hadn't expected in his voice。 He paused a moment。 〃I'm not a king yet； you know。 I probably never will be。 I'm only someone who's made a large and foolish claim because I hate what's happened to my country。〃
〃From what I understand of the men of Gorhaut； that's worthy of honour in itself；〃 she murmured。
His expression changed。 〃I'm not sure that isn't as much an attack as a pliment。〃
〃Can you blame me； tonight？〃
There was a silence。 Without speaking； he shook his head。 She took a quick sip of her wine and averted her eyes。 This wasn't at all how she had wanted this conversation to go。 She didn't really know what she had wanted； but it wasn't this。 Thinking quickly； reaching for a new direction； she said； 〃You did miss something 。。。 unique in the hall tonight。 A canzone about your morning's triumph； written at dazzling speed； rhymed in triplets； with a refrain that was simply your name sung four times on a descending scale。〃
〃What？〃
She kept her tone blandly innocuous。 〃We should be fair about that last bit； though： 〃Garsenc〃 is a difficult rhyme in Arbonnais。〃
He looked pained。 〃You're not being serious？〃
〃I'm a serious person； hadn't you noticed？ It was posed by an old panion of yours； too； Evrard of Lussan。〃
〃An old what？〃 He blinked。 〃Evrard？ He called himself that？〃 He looked so astonished she had to laugh。 〃How 。。。 how does anyone know my connection with him？〃
She was smiling now； enjoying this。 〃From Rian's Island？ He began telling us all about it immediately after the challenge this morning。 No one knew before； but as of today you are a link worth exploiting。 Apparently you yourself and no lesser mortal were entrusted by En Mallin de Baude with the delicate task of assuaging Evrard's wounded sensibilities last spring。 Is it true； Blaise？〃
He was slowly shaking his head； though in wonder； not denial。 〃I thought he was a pompous； offensive fool； but Mallin asked me to bring him back so I did。 Unconscious； actually。 My panion。〃 He snorted。 〃We slung him like a sack of grain into a skiff。 I wouldn't have been greatly distressed if he'd fallen overboard。〃 He shook his head again； as if bemused by the memory。 〃I thought all the troubadours were like that。〃
〃And all the joglars？ Do you still think so？〃
〃Hardly；〃 he said directly； not bothering to make a jest of it or a pliment； or anything at all。 He met her gaze for a moment； and it was Lisseut who looked away； out the window。 There was silence then for a while。 She sat gazing out at the late…night stars； listening to the river。 It was not a difficult stillness； she decided。
〃May I ask something of you？〃 he said at length； quietly。 She looked back at him。 〃I am genuinely weary； Lisseut。 I 'm afraid I m too tired to entertain you p