6
Princess Kadolan peered around the south drawing room, being careful not to appear to be peering; she did not think it seemly for a lady to screw up her eyes merely to see properly. In a moment she located the burgundy dress she sought, and the high-piled honey-blond hair. She set off at a measured pace, smiling and nodding to a few friends. The big room was almost empty, and also strangely drab. The snow floating down outside had muffled the morning sun and muted the normally joyful tones of Angilki’s decor.
In searching out the brightest light for her sketch book, Inos had curled up on a love seat by the window. Her bright gown burned hot against the winter whiteness without and the potted plants within. Behind her, beside the casement, an oversize grandfather clock steadily chopped away at the seconds, contrasting the relentless march of time with youth and beauty. Portrait of an artist…
Kade knew well that in most women such a pose would be a deliberate stratagem, but in Inos it came from pure instinct. Imperceptibly Kinvale had melted away her awkward adolescence to reveal a stunningly beautiful young woman. She had gained poise and grace, and yet she still retained her bloom of innocence. That would vanish, of course, as soon as she herself became fully aware of the change, but—as Ekka had remarked only a few minutes ago—the smallest part of the problem now was motivating the prospective suitors.
Inos flipped over a page and frowned at it. Then she noticed Kadolan’s approach, sat up straight, put her feet down…
“Don’t get up, dear.” Kade settled at her side. “Does this snow make you homesick?”
Inos flashed her a smile that could have demolished an Imperial legion. “This? I don’t think a Krasnegarian would call this snow, Aunt. You couldn’t lose a horse in this.”
“You could barely lose a copper groat in it. No, unless it gets much deeper it should not spoil the skating party.”
“I hope not,” Inos said, gazing happily out at the winter-shrouded lawns and hedges. She had not known how to skate until a few weeks ago—skating was not a practical pastime in Krasnegar—but she had taken to it like a horse to oats. From her father she inherited a natural ability for such vigorous pursuits.
She glanced around to see who might be within earshot. Kadolan had already determined that no one was.
“You have come to scold me, Aunt. You have that this-will-hurt-me-more look about you.”
“Oh, dear! Am I becoming so obvious in my old age?”
Inos chuckled and reached out to squeeze her hand. “Of course not! I am teasing. But I certainly ought to know when I have distressed you; I do it often enough, do I not?”
“No, dear…” Kade found herself being studied by the greenest eyes in the Impire, large and deep and unreadable.
“Well, I did!” Inos said, much amused. “I was quite horrid to you when we first arrived, my dear Aunt, and I am truly repentant. But I am seeing that expression much less often, so either you have given up on me, or I am getting better. Which is it?” When Inos chose to be charming, she was irresistible.
“You are doing wonderfully, my dear.”
A tiny gleam of pleasure was masked at once by a coquettish smile. “But…”
“Well… That naval person has departed—”
“Captain Eggoli?” Inos contrived to look shocked. “Should he be traveling in his present state of health? In this snow?”
“He seemed quite eager to leave—and not at all eager to come and make his farewells to you.”
Inos threw up her hands dramatically. “And I did so hope to hear just once more how he keelhauled those poor mutineers! Surely it would have been proper for an Imperial officer to have come to say good-bye?” She could not quite keep the satisfied twinkle out of her eye, although she was becoming much more skilled at hiding her feelings now. Inosolan was much more skilled at almost everything now.
And it really was very funny.
“What I cannot understand,” Kadolan said, playing along, “is how a strapping young sailor like that could have come down with such a terrible cold when everyone else seems perfectly healthy.”
Still Inos kept a straight face. “I did hear rumors that he spent a night in a potting shed.”
“That seems an unwise thing to do. The whole night?”
“A good part of it, I expect. He has very strong opinions.”
“Of himself, you mean? Oh, Inos! How could you?”
“Me? I wasn’t there!” With demure innocence, she turned to gaze out at the big cottony flakes drifting past the windows. Eventually she looked back at Kadolan, and then they both laughed. Their laughter was rather long and immoderate for high-born ladies.
Inos recovered first. She smoothed her sketch book with her hand, took a deep breath, and said, “He really did deserve it! I don’t mind the ones who are looking for wives, Aunt. I mean, I don’t mind them looking. I mind some of them thinking I would be interested… Oh, I’m not saying this very well.”
“Take your time, dear. I think we ought to have this out now.”
Inos looked startled. “Hair down? A woman-to-woman chat?”
“A lady-to-lady chat.” The sort of chat they could not have enjoyed even a few short weeks ago.
“All right! You and the dowager dragon—”
“Inos!” Kadolan murmured reprovingly.
“Hair down, Aunt! You two have been parading your breeding stock—”
“Inos!” She chuckled. “All right, but why do you think I had hysterics that time at the Kinford Horse Show?”
“I knew exactly why, dear, and so did everybody else.”
“And I should have grown out of it by now? I’m sorry, Aunt. I just can’t take it all seriously!” But her fists were clenched.
“You have to, my dear. You will be a queen one day. Your choice of husband is a matter of state. You know that.”
Inosolan sighed and pouted. “Father promised I was not being sent here to be married off!”
“Your father wants you to choose, for love. Few kings would be so considerate. Obviously there is no one suitable in Krasnegar, so he hopes you will meet someone here. Here you have been introduced to some of the most eligible—”
“Dullest, fattest, oldest—”
“Don’t be so conceited,” Kadolan said primly. “People do visit Kinvale for other reasons than you.”
Her niece colored slightly and said nothing.
“Also, Ekka has many other ladies visiting, also. She can hardly hand her gentleman friends a menu when they arrive, now can she?”
Kadolan did not add that all those other ladies were in despair, that Ekka’s renowned matchmaking venture had not produced an engagement in months, that no living, breathing male guest had eyes for anyone but the fabulous princess.
Inos nodded repentantly. “I am trying, Aunt. I really am! I made some mistakes at first, but I think I’m doing all right now.”
“You’re doing splendidly, my dear. I’m very proud of you.”
“Well, then! But there have been one or two, like the hearty Captain Eggoli . .” The big green eyes grew round with wonder. “He really believed me! He really thought I was going to meet him in the potting shed, of all places, so he could—”
“I think I can guess what he thought.”
Inos chuckled again, then sighed. “It isn’t fair! It just isn’t fair! Just because they’re bigger and stronger than we are, they think they can run the world to suit themselves. And run us, too.”
Kadolan could remember thinking things like that. “We are not totally without resources. Captain Eggoli is much bigger and much stronger than most, but he looked very miserable as he left. His nose was red, and his eyes were puffy as lambswool bedsocks.”