Mutineer by J.A. Sutherland Read Free Book Online Page B

tables set far apart for privacy. Only a few of the tables were occupied, and those by older men, most in uniform and most of those had sleeves bearing the four narrow gold bands of a Post Captain. She was, Alexis noted, not merely the only woman in the room, but by far the most junior officer. A second servant appeared and held a chair for her at a table in a secluded corner.
    “Should I really be here, Lieutenant Williard?” Alexis asked, sitting.
    “I feel there may be unplumbed depths to that question.”
    Alexis smiled. “Nothing too philosophical, sir, only that I’m neither a gentleman nor of high rank.”
    “Dorchester’s was founded on New London. You’ll find them less than provincial, no matter where they’ve opened a branch — and they care far more about my peerage than naval rank.”
    “Well, neither am I a peer, for a certain.”
    Williard laughed and raised his glass. “That they care about. You’d not see the inside of the place without a title — or a very great deal of money, they do like that as well — and that would truly be a shame, for they’ve the best chops you’ll find.”
     
     
    * * * * *
     
     
    The meal, when it came, was everything Williard had led her to believe it would be. Starting with a rich, creamy soup made with some sort of shellfish Alexis hadn’t encountered before. Her grandfather’s farm on Dalthus had been nowhere near the sea, and Denholm Carew avoided his coastal holdings for some reason that had never been explained to Alexis.
    “This is quite good, sir, thank you,” she said as the bowls were being removed and they waited for the next course.
    Following naval custom, they’d not discussed “shop” once the meal started. Nothing about the war or Hermione . Instead, talk had turned to their pasts and families.
    Alexis learned that Williard was a second son, bound for the Navy from birth as his older brother would inherit. When his brother died in an aircar crash, Williard had become the heir, but had decided to remain in the Navy, much to his father’s displeasure.
    “I’d much prefer to make my way in the Navy and my younger brother would do much better at managing the estate, but father is a bit of a traditionalist,” Williard told her with a small smile. “But what of yourself? From Dalthus, was it? What brought you to the Navy?”
    “Yes, Dalthus.” Alexis hesitated. Once she’d seen what life aboard Hermione was like, she’d remained silent about her life before coming aboard. The other midshipmen would use anything they could against her and as for the lieutenants, well, personal conversations were few and far between. “One could say Dalthus is a planet of traditionalists, sir.”
    Williard frowned. “Not political or religious is it? I hadn’t heard it mentioned as one of those.”
    Alexis shook her head. With habitable planets so common, any group with enough funds to form a colonization company could buy a star system. That was how her grandfather had come to Dalthus, as one of the three thousand or so original settlers who’d bought shares in the company. Those settlers had all been of mostly independent mindsets, not like some colonies that were founded by groups with strong opinions that were then codified into the system’s laws.
    “No,” she said, “not one of those. Just … well, they turned their tradition into law and decided that a woman can’t hold lands there at all. And as I’m my grandfather’s only heir … potential heir, I suppose …”
    Williard frowned. “Yes, I’d noticed that about the Fringe. You’re the first woman I’ve seen in uniform since I was transferred from the Core. The colonies do sprout odd ideas, I suppose.” He grunted. “Not that the Core Worlds have room to judge, what with how some of them were founded.”
    Alexis smiled. “There’s a New London founder or two who’ve some things to answer for in the afterlife, if my grandfather’s oaths over the household accounts carry any