Betrayals by Sharon Green Read Free Book Online

girl had deserved to be given some sort of positive sign….
    The topic of conversation shifted again with the next course, which was a deliciously sweet pate with shredded radishes. Talk of new houses and the newest “in” places to build them had barely been started, when a servant appeared at Lanir’s side. Lanir ignored him while completing a remark, and only then turned his head to the servant and nodded.
    “There is a person here to see you, my lord,” the servant announced with frigid dignity. “He claims to have an appointment, which is the only reason I agreed to disturb you. Shall I have him thrown out, or simply put somewhere to await your pleasure?”
    “Neither,” Lanir replied with sudden amusement. “I’d nearly forgotten he was coming, and how much I’d been looking forward to his appearance. Show him in, Bowes.”
    “At once, my lord,” the servant acknowledged with a bow, then disappeared as silently as he’d arrived. I sat there quietly finishing my pate, pretending I didn’t know who the caller was. It seemed my father had arrived, and I couldn’t help thinking how well he would have fit into that group.
    Lanir went back to his conversation about houses, a secret smile curving his lips. Whatever preparation he’d made for my father’s visit were obviously going to remain his secret for a while, which suited me just as well. With the choice between Lanir and my father, I couldn’t decide whose side to be on. I took a hot, buttered roll and bit into it, and with the last bite the servant Bowes reappeared, leading the visitor.
    “Gentles, the merchant Storn Torgar,” Bowes announced, stressing the word merchant as though it were something low and slimy and obscenely amusing. My father, used to being looked up to and admired, colored at the slur and ground his teeth a bit, but by the time he moved past the servant, he’d forced a charming smile onto his face.
    “Lord Lanir, how good of you to receive me,” he offered, his attitude saying he spoke to a near equal. “I apologize for interrupting your dinner, but the matter is rather urgent. As soon as we’re in agreement, I’ll be on my way again.”
    “Did I remember to tell you all that I had an amusement planned for us tonight?” Lanir said to his friends while completely ignoring his caller. “This peasant is the father of my lovely companion here—do you see the resemblance, with both of them being blond?—and he’s had the nerve to challenge my claim to her. He said he’s willing to negotiate for her return, so shall we ask what his offer is?”
    “By all means,” Wirn called with a laugh from the other end of the table. “I haven’t had a really good laugh in quite some time.”
    “Yes, let’s hear it,” the fat-bellied Fasher agreed while he other three men made similar comments. “The posturing of peasants has always been good for a chuckle.”
    “Do you hear that, Torgar?” Lanir said to my father, who lad gone absolutely expressionless. “They’re all on your side, so let’s hear what sort of offer you’re prepared to make.”
    “I expected to discuss the matter in private, just between gentlemen,” my father replied, an edge to the voice he held completely without inflection. “As you seem to prefer a public negotiation instead, I can do nothing other than oblige you. The girl is my daughter so my claim to her supersedes yours, but I’m prepared to be reasonable. A thousand gold dins if I walk out of here with her right now.”
    I couldn’t keep from blinking at that, obviously having had no real idea just how desperate my father was to get me back. I’d noticed that Odrin Hallasser hadn’t come with him, which wasn’t a good sign where my father was concerned. The horrible beast of a man must have ordered my father to retrieve me or else … For the first time I wondered what that “or else” might entail.
    “Really, my good man, how can you say that?” Lank drawled as his friends laughed.