Wine of the Gods 08: Dark Lady by Pam Uphoff Read Free Book Online
Authors: Pam Uphoff
Cotton, for instance. It's like she's never seen cotton before. And prams, and she asked about magic. I took her to Church yesterday, and she didn't know any of the responses." Liz huddled miserably in the saddle. "They worship false gods in Arbolia, don't they?"
The Prince patted her shoulder. His horse was n't as tall as Phantom, but he was taller than she was. It put them eye to eye. "It may be nothing more than my over caution. But if she does anything . . . detrimental to the kingdom, do let me know." He smiled charmingly as they entered the stable yard. "And really, she probably had a country manor house attacked by bandits, and fled, traumatized, and I'm being all paranoid about spies."
He dismounted and loosened his cinches.
Roger snorted, "You aren't going to put up your own horse, are you? Whatever else, you're still a royal prince."
Captain Alpha stiffened, then led his horse into the stable. Liz followed, passing him and going to the last stall. Harv had put the stallion back where he'd have fewer neighbors and no horses walking up and down the aisles in front of him, not that he'd been a problem at all. Harv hustled out now, and hovered, as both Liz and the prince were determined to do their own horses. He did managed to snatch saddles and take them to the tack room. Liz ran a brush over Phantom's silky coat and Roger walked around him, giving him a good look over in the lamp light.
The Prince chuckled. "If you find a flaw, point it out to me. She wouldn't sell him, so I've sent a letter to my man in the capital to send out my best mares for breeding."
Roger snorted. "I suspect we'll be taking him for taxes. Send the mares to me."
Liz cleared her throat. "She paid the Mayor's taxes, and checked specifically about how that was forwarded on to the Royal Treasury."
Roger spun around and glared. "Did you warn her about that?"
" No," Liz shook her head. "She seemed quite familiar with finances, and asked specifically about taxes." She led Phantom into his stall and removed the halter. He had plenty of water and hay. She shut the door on him and walked across the stable yard with the men. The men pumped up some water and she washed with them, an odd sort of camaraderie that she never have thought she'd feel around Roger, let alone a royal prince. She shook the water from her hands, and used her handkerchief to dry her face. She peeked into the Main room and found the lady eating dinner, and chatting with two other women. Three babies were bundled against the wall.
" The Doctor took one look at us and sent us away. Perhaps I should have tried archery." The lady looked apologetic.
The two women shook their heads in unison. "Oh no, Master Gaston is even worse."
" Baronet Roger Weigh, Captain Kurt Alpha, Miss Elizabeth Hinton may I present Mrs. Floral Jackson and Mrs. April Kostel." The lady looked at Liz. "Did I get that right, in the Kingdom's customs?"
They all shook their heads.
Mrs. Kostel smiled. "For formal introductions you use our husbands' names. So I'm Mrs. Michael Kostel and Floral is Mrs. Harold Jackson. You leave off the esquire, which would append to our husbands names when they use them, themselves."
" Otherwise you're implying that we are the lawyers, not our husbands." Mrs. Jackson added.
" Right, and I'd certainly never have gotten that impression talking to you about charters and grants and constitutions," the lady smiled. "Gentlemen and Liz, I'd invite you to join us, but we are out of room."
" We'll just take the table next to you and pretend we aren't listening to your salacious town gossip." The Captain grabbed the chair nearest the lady. Liz tentatively sat, and Roger pulled up the chair beside her.
Lady December shook her head, looking amused. "And how was courier duty today?"
" Actually, rather boring. Today they were just checking that everyone could ride and had a sound horse that would jump fences and cross water. Wednesday, they'll be setting up the relay stations, and we'll
The Prince patted her shoulder. His horse was n't as tall as Phantom, but he was taller than she was. It put them eye to eye. "It may be nothing more than my over caution. But if she does anything . . . detrimental to the kingdom, do let me know." He smiled charmingly as they entered the stable yard. "And really, she probably had a country manor house attacked by bandits, and fled, traumatized, and I'm being all paranoid about spies."
He dismounted and loosened his cinches.
Roger snorted, "You aren't going to put up your own horse, are you? Whatever else, you're still a royal prince."
Captain Alpha stiffened, then led his horse into the stable. Liz followed, passing him and going to the last stall. Harv had put the stallion back where he'd have fewer neighbors and no horses walking up and down the aisles in front of him, not that he'd been a problem at all. Harv hustled out now, and hovered, as both Liz and the prince were determined to do their own horses. He did managed to snatch saddles and take them to the tack room. Liz ran a brush over Phantom's silky coat and Roger walked around him, giving him a good look over in the lamp light.
The Prince chuckled. "If you find a flaw, point it out to me. She wouldn't sell him, so I've sent a letter to my man in the capital to send out my best mares for breeding."
Roger snorted. "I suspect we'll be taking him for taxes. Send the mares to me."
Liz cleared her throat. "She paid the Mayor's taxes, and checked specifically about how that was forwarded on to the Royal Treasury."
Roger spun around and glared. "Did you warn her about that?"
" No," Liz shook her head. "She seemed quite familiar with finances, and asked specifically about taxes." She led Phantom into his stall and removed the halter. He had plenty of water and hay. She shut the door on him and walked across the stable yard with the men. The men pumped up some water and she washed with them, an odd sort of camaraderie that she never have thought she'd feel around Roger, let alone a royal prince. She shook the water from her hands, and used her handkerchief to dry her face. She peeked into the Main room and found the lady eating dinner, and chatting with two other women. Three babies were bundled against the wall.
" The Doctor took one look at us and sent us away. Perhaps I should have tried archery." The lady looked apologetic.
The two women shook their heads in unison. "Oh no, Master Gaston is even worse."
" Baronet Roger Weigh, Captain Kurt Alpha, Miss Elizabeth Hinton may I present Mrs. Floral Jackson and Mrs. April Kostel." The lady looked at Liz. "Did I get that right, in the Kingdom's customs?"
They all shook their heads.
Mrs. Kostel smiled. "For formal introductions you use our husbands' names. So I'm Mrs. Michael Kostel and Floral is Mrs. Harold Jackson. You leave off the esquire, which would append to our husbands names when they use them, themselves."
" Otherwise you're implying that we are the lawyers, not our husbands." Mrs. Jackson added.
" Right, and I'd certainly never have gotten that impression talking to you about charters and grants and constitutions," the lady smiled. "Gentlemen and Liz, I'd invite you to join us, but we are out of room."
" We'll just take the table next to you and pretend we aren't listening to your salacious town gossip." The Captain grabbed the chair nearest the lady. Liz tentatively sat, and Roger pulled up the chair beside her.
Lady December shook her head, looking amused. "And how was courier duty today?"
" Actually, rather boring. Today they were just checking that everyone could ride and had a sound horse that would jump fences and cross water. Wednesday, they'll be setting up the relay stations, and we'll
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