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.Toward Firekeeper he had beendistant, but not unkind.The two girls, Lillis and Agneta, were still clearly uncomfortable with their newly adopted sister.They were not souncomfortable that Agneta age eight had failed to inform Blysse with cheerful self-importance that although Blysse wasthe elder by seven years, Agneta was actually the "big" sister because Blysse's recent adoption made her the younger withinthe Kestrel birth order. Whatever his siblings' reactions, Edlin was clearly fascinated with Blysse.Whenever possible, he peppered her withquestions about her childhood questions she answered rather shortly, newly aware of the former enmity between the RoyalBeasts and humankind.Edlin, however, was not discouraged by her terseness.Nor was he intimidated by Blind Seer.Edlin liked dogs one of hisprides was a kennel of red-and-white spotted bird dogs, similar to Race Forester's Queenie.In his interactions with the wolf, Edlin Norwood chose to treat Blind Seer as he would any big dog that is, he accordedthe wolf distance and respect.Edlin always held out his hand for the wolf to sniff, never stared down at him, and even sat onthe floor or a low chair lest the wolf think he was attempting to dominate.Now, breezing into the room, Edlin held out his hand to Blind Seer and then, when the wolf sniffed it politely, ploppeddown onto the rug.Firekeeper had learned that the courtesies Derian had taught her didn't always apply between brother andsister.Edlin, by walking in on her like this, was treating her no differently than he would Lillis or Agneta.The wolf-woman, with her own strong sense of hierarchy for even wolf pups fought each other until an acknowledgedorder was arrived upon wasn't at all sure she liked sibling informality.However, she didn't know how to get rid of Edlinwithout insulting him and she knew enough of human customs to know that insulting heirs apparent was a bad idea."Hi!" Edlin greeted her brightly."I thought you'd like to know that Mother is back at last, bringing with her the rest of thehouse party, what?"Firekeeper nodded, her pulse quickening a bit.The only member of the Kestrel family she hadn't met was Lady LuellaKite, the earl's wife.Race Forester had warned Derian that Lady Luella hadn't been completely delighted by her husband'sadoption of Blysse less because anything about Blysse herself offended her than because the adoption had been a Kestrelmatter and the earl, caught up in his own dreams of power, had not consulted his wife until after he had gained the duchess'sapproval."When do I meet Lady Luella?""She's resting from the road now," Edlin replied a touch more seriously, "and told Father that shortly before dinner woulddo."Firekeeper swallowed a groan."Formal dress," she said aloud."I must see Derian.""I say!" Edlin said quickly."I have news for you about that, too.Grandmother thinks you're too old to have a maleattendant especially one as young as Counselor Derian.""I have heared that," Firekeeper admitted, "from other lips.What do I do? Ask sister's maids or maybe Ninette?""Grandmother has someone for you," Edlin replied, "if you like her that is.She's a woman who does all sorts of things forGrandmother.Most of the lady's maids are frightened of the wolf, you see, but Wendee isn't.""Wendee?""Wendee Jay," Edlin clarified, grinning as if he'd just offered Firekeeper a present."When," Firekeeper asked, feeling a vague despair that Edlin could talk so much and say so little, "do I meet thisWendee?""As soon as you want," Edlin said."Shall I have someone bring her to you?"Firekeeper remembered her human-style manners."This room cold, maybe I meet her in my room?""I say, that sounds great!" Edlin replied.He rose, bowed slightly to Blind Seer, and then paused."And don't worry aboutMother.She's no monster and I think she'll like you a whole lot, just like I do!"He dashed out then.Firekeeper got to her feet and brushed off her breeches."He seem younger than Derian," she said at last, "but they tell me he is older by a year's turning and more.""Edlin likes you," Blind Seer replied with a dry cough, "and from what I have seen of human males liking a female canmake them frolic like puppies."Firekeeper, thinking of the times she had caught Doc laughing overloud at a joke or humming to himself just because Elisehad smiled at him, nodded."I don't like Edlin not like that," she said stubbornly."I will tell him.""Not wise," Blind Seer warned her."Even puppies have sharp teeth and no matter how he frolics now, Edlin Norwood isnot a puppy."Firekeeper sighed and then bolted to the stairs nearest to her room, running as if she could outrun these awkward socialentanglements.Blind Seer loped behind her, nipping at her heels.Wendee Jay was not at all what Firekeeper had expected.In her experience, lady's maids had fallen into two categories.Either they were like Ninette, Elise's companion, a genteel-appearing woman of fairly young years, or they were olderwomen, bossy and officious, often assuming their importance among servants was equivalent to that of their mistress among her peers.In both cases, more often than not they were unmarried.Elise had explained that a married woman could not be expected to keep the odd hours a lady's maid did.If a maidmarried, she either left service entirely or was reassigned to a post with a more regular schedule.The first thing that was clear about Wendee Jay was that she was a mother, for the little girl with pale blond hair whoclung around her neck when Wendee entered Firekeeper's room was obviously her daughter [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]