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！
ed in the tawny hair and beard。 She had been clad in nothing but her sleeping…gown； her fair hair let down about her shoulders for the night。 He would never have seen her hair down before。 They had looked at each other for a frozen moment； silent within the midnight silence of the castle； then Rosala had said； softly； not to be heard at all outside this room； outside the small space of this single candle's glow； 〃Will you not love me once？ Only once before you go？〃
And Blaise had crossed the room and lifted her in his arms and laid her down upon his bed； with her bright yellow hair spread out upon his pillow and her gown slipping with a rustle of sound above her waist as she raised her hips to let him move it so； and he had blown out the one candle and removed his wet clothing and taken her in darkness before he left his home again； taken her in silence； in rage and bitterness； and in the endless bone…deep anguish she knew he lived with because of his own lack of power。 There had been no love that she could name in the room with the two of them； none at all。
And it had not mattered。
She had known what would be the things that might bring him to touch her that night； what would drive him； and she had not cared。 Whatever it takes； she had thought in her own cold bed； summoning courage to her as from a far…off place while she waited for him to return。 Whatever would bring him to take her for at least the one time。
And in his room later； in that darkness； with the unholy wind raging beyond the walls； the same thought again： she would accept and wele…her hands grappling him hard to her； feeling him beginning to thrust with urgency； hearing the quickening pace of his breathing…whatever might bring him to give her the child Ranald could not。
He spoke her name once； after。 She would remember that。
She did remember it； sitting in the window seat in Barbentain。 Curiously； it had e to matter。 Not so much for herself…she was not a woman who nurtured such illusions…but for Cadar。 Rational or not； it somehow seemed important to her now that at her child's conception that one spoken link between the two of them had been made manifest。 It was an irony of sorts that it was the man who had done so； her own single…minded need had precluded such a reaching out。 She wondered what the priestesses of the goddess would say about that； what their teaching would be。 What happened； in their doctrine； when Corannos and Rian came together in love…if they did？ She knew almost nothing about the rituals of worship here in Arbonne； only the twisted versions of them uttered with loathing in Gorhaut by the brethren of the god。 She wondered if she would be here long enough to learn the truth。
There were footsteps in the corridor behind her。 The wet…nurse； she thought； quickly concerned。 She was about to lean out from the window seat but the steps halted just before where she sat； and Rosala heard a woman's voice she did not know； and then a man's。 She remained motionless in the shadows of the alcove and realized； after a moment； that the voices were speaking of murder。
〃It is to be done neatly and in silence；〃 the woman said nervously in accented Arbonnais。 〃She told me to say as much。〃
〃I tend not to make a great deal of noise with a blade；〃 the man answered； amused。 His voice was deep and assured。
〃You do not understand。 This must not be traced to her。 The body will have to be disposed of； and no one the wiser。 She said it would be best if he didn't even see you； lest he cry out。〃
〃Ah。 She will be keeping him occupied？ Oblivious to all else in the world？ Does this sort of thing excite her？ Will I have other duties； after？〃
〃You need not be vulgar；〃 the woman said primly。
The man laughed softly。 〃Fear not。 I will only follow your mistress's lead。 If she wants to taste blood she will have to ask。 He must see me； though； or there is no point in this。 He must know who is killing him。〃
〃He might call for help。 We cannot allow…〃
〃He will not。 This is not a man inclined to call for help。 And there will not be very much time； I promise you。 e； which door？ There is a ghost to be assuaged； and I have tarried。〃
They went by her then； shadows behind them and then before as they passed under the wall torch in the empty corridor。 Rosala shrank back against the window。 The joglar in the great hall below was singing of endless love and unrequited desire。 Neither the man nor the woman turned as they went by。 She knew neither of them。 At a doorway a little distance down their footsteps stopped。 Holding her breath； Rosala leaned out slightly。 She saw the man smile then and draw a knife from his belt。 He opened the door and slipped inside； moving with silent； feline grace。 The door closed behind him。 There came no sound at all from within the room。 The woman hesitated for a moment and Rosala saw her make a quick； warding sign before hurrying along the corridor and down another flight of stairs at the far end。
It was silent in the hallway； save for the distant voice of the singer drifting up from below； mournful and melodious。 Rosala brought her hands up to her face。 There was a horror about to happen。 She could scream； she knew； to summon aid； and perhaps it would be in time； more likely not。 She was not a woman inclined to scream。 She took a steadying breath； struggling to decide what to do。 Her first； her only duty； was to Cadar； to guard her own safety as his sole shelter in the world。 There was no disputing that； or what choice it pelled。
Rosala de Savaric stood up； looked back along the corridor to where her new…born son was sleeping and resolutely began walking the other way。 She was her father's daughter； and would not sit silent in a window seat or turn her back and let a man be murdered in a castle that had given her haven。
As it happened； she knew whose suite of rooms the man with the blade had just entered。 The mingled scents of spices and perfume had been redolent in the corridor since that guest had arrived。 The priestesses and the wet…nurse had been talking about her obsessively for two days。 Rosala paused outside that doorway only long enough to look back one last time towards Cadar's room； then she squared her shoulders in a gesture that had also been her mother's； and she opened Lucianna Delonghi's door and stepped inside。
Daufridi and his escort left the inn first。 Bertran gave them some time and then they rode back to Lussan themselves； passing under the trees and then along the west bank of the river beneath the blue moon。 Just inside the gates of the city the duke insisted on parting from the three of them。
He looked at Blaise； hesitated； and then smiled wolfishly in the moonlight。 〃I neglected to mention it to you…the baron of Castle Baude arrived this morning。 I thought I would say hello to Mallin before retiring for the night。 Shall I convey your good wishes？〃
Even with what he had learned from Ariane de Carenzu last summer； there was still something disconcerting to Blaise about Bertran's indefatigable energy in this regard。 With all that had just happened； with grim； huge discussions of his country's fate scarcely behind him； the duke of