Ordway lurched to his feet. "What happened?" snapped Reith.
"Well, you see, she was going into her room when I came up behind her. She wasn't wearing that scarf thing she'd borrowed earlier, and I merely tried to slide my arms affectionately around her—you know—what normal man could resist a perfectly ripping pair of tits like—ah—"
"Get on with it!"
Ordway dabbed at his face with a handkerchief. "She's every bit as deadly as you said. First she snapped her head back and smashed my poor nose. Then she kicked me in the shins. When I let go of her, she turned and hit me in the neck, I don't quite know how, and down I went. Must be one of those tricky oriental self-defense things."
Reith said, "Cyril, you'd better understand something. Twenty of your years ago, during her first stay on Krishna, Alicia and I were husband and wife."
"Uh-oo!" said Ordway, putting a hand to his mouth. "Bit of a floater, what?"
"You may well say 'oh'," growled Reith, glowering down like an avenging deity. "I won't go into details, but we're still very fond of each other. So shelve your Alicia project, at least on Krishna. If she decides to go back to Earth, what you two do thereafter is your own affair. But for here and now—well, I advise you not to bother her again."
"What would you do if I did?" said Ordway belligerently.
"You'd find out soon enough. Somebody just might end up dead. Your head would look swell over my fireplace."
Ordway clenched and unclenched his fists, cursing under his breath. Then he smote one palm with the other fist. "Don't suppose I can blame you for feeling strongly. I shan't hold a grudge. Common sense tells me that if you want this she-cobra, you're welcome to her. I never was much for rough-and-tumble. Good night!"
After Ordway disappeared with his bloodsoaked handkerchief pressed to his face, Reith knocked gently on Alicia's door. "Lish! Are you okay?"
The door opened a crack, and Alicia said: "Just a skinned knuckle—nothing that needs attention. Go to bed, Fergus dear!" The door closed.
Back in his room, Reith was laying out the contents of his pockets when he heard a discreet knock and a high, muffled voice, saying in Gozashtandou: "Fergus! Let me in, forthwith!"
Reith's heart leaped up at the thought that it was Alicia, but then it struck him that she would have spoken English. He opened the door to find the Princess Vázni, who pushed her way in. She wore a hooded black cloak, which she tossed on the bed, uncovering the emerald gown she had worn at the banquet.
"Vázni!" he exclaimed. "What in the world—"
"Hush! I had to see you."
"Sit down, my dear."
"Oh, Fergus, it hath been so long ..."
"Yes, yes, but what is it? Aren't you running a risk, coming here alone?"
"Aye, but it cannot be helped. I had Dupulán's own time, evading my servants and those of the Dasht. When mean you to return to Novo?"
"That depends on my clients' business. In a few days, Bákh willing."
"Canst take me with you? If Terrans can disguise themselves as human beings, I can to the converse. I'll tape down my antennae—"
"Good gods, what an idea! Why are you so eager to flee your betrothed? Don't you like him?''
Vázni made the Krishnan negative head motion. "Gilan's a little mad. When he wrote the Dour of Gozashtand, inviting my husband and me to remove to Rosid and enjoy unlimited credit, methought 'twas noble generosity; but when I came to know hiiri—"
"The Dasht called you a widow. What happened?"
"My husband was Aslehán bad-Khar, a knight of Dur. After you so cruelly deserted me, he consoled my grief. The Regent, hoping to lure you back to Dur, would not hear of ending my marriage to you so that I might wed Aslehán. To paint our union with the color of legality, we fled by stealth and took refuge at Dour Eqrar's court.
"Then, when we'd served our purpose as bargaining counters in Eqrar's chaffer with my cousin Tashian, the Dour lost interest in us. So we came to Rosid."
"Had you any offspring?"
"Aye; we'd hatched a daughter in Hershid. She's lately wed and gone to distant Suruskand. Then last year, poor Aslehán was slain in a tournament. Gilan was so sympathetic that my liver was touched, and I accepted his proposal. But after that ..."
"But—what?" Reith prompted.
"A rumor reached mine ears that Gilan had compassed my husband's untimely cease. He'd caused a regular righting lance to be used by Aslehán's antagonist instead of the tilting lance. This fell device was disguised by a bogus coronal, with prongs of strengthless paper. The lance pierced my dear man through.
"I also saw that Gilan's proposal was but a move in his game political. He'd put away his first wife, the lady Farudi. She then wished to wed Sir Shost; but Gilan forbade, calling it unworthy that any woman who had enjoyed his embraces should ever belong to another. When his spies caught the pair in a tryst, he had Sir Shost beheaded on a trumped-up charge and imprisoned Farudi.
"I went to her cell and learned much. The Dasht had discarded her hoping to wed me, thinking that as my consort he'd prevail upon Tashian to name him Dour of Dur—or, failing that, to change the law and name me Douri, whilst he enjoyed the power of my rank."
Reith asked: "Did Gilan figure on begetting a male egg on you, who'd hatch and grow up to become Dour?"
"Doubtless he entertained such a whimsey. But if Farudi spake true, methinks he'd never succeed. He's all but impotent."
Reith chuckled. "Good gods! In spite of all his bluster and warlike posturing?"
"Verily. She said that, in six years of wedlock, he'd gone in unto her fewer than a dozen meager times, and then had discharged but little seed. Now you know why I'm fain to flee from Dur. I've learned a deal since you and I were—"
Alicia, still wearing her bare-breasted gown, tapped on the door and opened it, saying: "I heard voices, Fergus, and—oh!" In Gozashtandou she added: "Are you not the Princess Vázni?"
"Aye; and you are that Mistress—ah—Dackman, was it?"
"Dyckman," corrected Alicia. "We met once, long ago, at Regent Tashian's court, when I was doing research in Dur."
"Well, Mistress Dyckman, any friend of Sir Fergus is a friend of mine. But I must tell you, madam," added Vázni with a touch of hauteur, "that you come at a time untimely. Sir Fergus and I have personal matters to discuss—in private."
"Whatever you say to him you may say to me," replied Alicia, a dangerous glint in her eye. "We are old friends and business associates, and there are no secrets between us. I shall leave only after you."
Vázni looked down her nose and spoke in glacial tones: "You understand not, my good woman. This is an intimate matter, and I shall linger after you depart. As Sir Fergus's former wife, I have a right to a private conversation—"
"I am likewise his former wife," said Alicia sharply. "So I have every bit as much right—"
"You, too?" cried Vázni. "By the divine stars, here's a Ziadian knot to untangle! I'd heard Sir Fergus had wedded again but not to whom. Did he desert you as he so callously abandoned me?"
"No. It was the other way round."
"What a fool you were, to leave so fine a man!"
"I agree. But that's not all; Fergus married once again."
Vázni's feathery antennae shot erect. "Doth he remain conjoined to this third spouse?"
"No. She died."
Vázni relaxed with a slight Krishnan smile. "Meanst that he's fair game for her who can sniggle him?"
"Ladies!" interrupted Reith. "I am not a prize up for grabs. I'm not a superior man. I'm a competent tour guide and a fair swordsman, but I'm a flat failure as a husband."
"Pay no attention," said Alicia. "He likes to talk about himself that way."
Vázni turned to Reith. "Fergus, for twenty years I've yearned to ask: Why didst you leave me in such thwart fashion? Was I not a good and loving wife?"