Visitor: A Foreigner Novel by C. J. Cherryh Read Free Book Online

woman. The green bowl contains the one dish you should avoid. The rest are safe. The paidhi-aiji has breakfasted with us and has survived. We shall not ask if you slept well—it would be a wonder—but we trust you have been comfortable.”
    “One is comfortable, yes, thank you, nand’ dowager.”
    “Eat.”
    Irene reached for toast. So did Cajeiri, quickly, to have something other to do than stare at Great-grandmother, who spooned preserve onto fish, and for a little space there was gratefully nothing to do but eat.
    “Nand’ Bren is up and about,” mani said, in the way of gossip, “and has met with Gin-nandi, who is in the process of displacing Tillington permanently, to our great satisfaction. We have had no change in the kyo message. Lord Geigi is still holding Central, valiant man, and once he turns its operations over to the humans, he will doubtless wish to retire to his apartment and rest undisturbed.”
    “One wishes,” Cajeiri said, “to pay courtesies to Lord Geigi’s guests, very quietly, before he arrives. As a courtesy, mani-ma.”
    Mani did not look at him, but she did not frown. “You may do so. There are delicate matters which need addressing. They are your guests. You may see to them, but do remember there will soon be other demands on your attention.”
    His
guests. He had not been prepared to hear that. He was not unhappy to hear them described that way.
    And mani said, not, “See to them!” but “You
may
see to them.” That was, he was sure, only because there was company at the table and she was talking to him as a grown-up.
    He was also grateful for that. “One understands, mani-ma.”
    Talk moved on to trivial matters, proper at table, the menu, the doings of staff, the observation of how the apartment had changed since mani was last in residence.
    But after breakfast, in their departing, mani said,
    “Are you, Great-grandson, capable of making sensible and secure arrangements for your other guests? And can do you do so adequately
today,
since we cannot rely upon the future?”
    “I shall try, mani-ma.” He was surprised, a little dismayed, utterly caught without ideas. “How shall I do this?”
    “Ask staff. One understands your young guests have wardrobe in storage. You may retrieve that. The parents may have concerns about property left behind. Reassure them on this point, but make no promises regarding any return to their residences. You may, however, order clothing and some food and items of their preference, which will have to come from the Mospheiran side. Lord Geigi’s staff will likely know how to arrange that, and you may assume that they will remain Lord Geigi’s guests for some time. Do not, however, leave this restricted hallway under any circumstance, nor send your staff or bodyguard outside this hallway. Rely on senior staff for any errands which must be run, and if they cannot, refer to Cenedi. Otherwise do as you must, stay as long as you wish, but do
not
disturb nand’ Bren and Lord Geigi, who may wish to rest when they return.”
    “Yes, mani-ma. I understand.”
    “If you need assistance in any matter, ask Cenedi. Do what you can within the resources of this section, and refer all simple requests to staff, all security questions to Cenedi. Do you agree?”
    “Yes, mani! I shall do that.”
    A motion of mani’s hand dismissed him. He bowed. He went to Irene, who stood aside with his aishid.
    “We have permission to get your clothes from storage,” he said, “and everybody else’s, and that will be easier than sending to the human side. We shall have to ask Lord Geigi’s staff to bring them. We shall make up lists of what everybody needs besides. You will sleep here again tonight, since mani has not said otherwise, and mani says everybody else will stay with Lord Geigi.”
    “I stay here?” Irene asked. Sometimes she could keep her face as quiet and proper as could be, but when she talked to him, she let things show. And she was very anxious to be