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well as one can be in this crush. Etgora
is proud of his achievement--and justly so!--but you and I know how
to value an empty garden."
    Had he been less
well-trained, Daav would have winced in sympathy for Kesa's father.
Lady yo'Lanna, it seemed, was not entirely at one with her
host.
    The pale eyes moved, pinning him. "Young
Daav, newly at leave from the Scouts."
    He bowed, lightly. "I have no secrets from
you, ma'am."
    "Do you not?" Her eyebrows rose. "Then come
to me tomorrow and whisper in my ear the tale of how a certain
mutual acquaintance came to break his arm in mid-Port evening
before last."
    Damn . He bowed again, aware of his mother's gaze on the side of
his suddenly warm face.
    "If that is your wish, then how can I deny
you?"
    "Very properly said," Etgora interjected.
"And who better to know Port gossip than a Scout, who are said to
have ears in every cranny?" He turned, spied his daughter, yet
standing stiffly to one side.
    "Kesa, my jewel. Lord yos'Phelium will wish
to reacquaint himself with his age-mates, as he is just returned
from the Scouts. Pray show him to the Sunset Garden--and then you
may refresh yourself."
    He turned to Daav.
    "Card tables have been set out, sir, and
other light amusements. Please, be easy in our House."
    He flicked a glance at his mother, who
inclined her head.
    "Amuse yourself, Daav, do. Etgora will wish
to walk Ilthiria and myself through his garden. I will require your
arm in two hours."
    "Ma'am." He bowed obedience to the Delm,
then a general leave-taking to Lady yo'Lanna and Etgora. This done,
he bowed once more, very gently, and offered his arm to Kesa
del'Fordan, "Lady Kesa, will you walk with me?"
    She hesitated fractionally, brown eyes
lifting to his face in a child's straight look of assessment.
Whatever she saw convinced her that he was not having fun at her
expense, for she stepped forward and put her hand lightly on his
sleeve.
    "Certainly, I will walk with you,"she said,
unselfconsciously. "How else may I show you to the Sunset
Garden?"
    "Very true," Daav replied gravely. From the
edge of his eye, he saw Etgora offer an arm and his mother take it.
"In which direction shall we walk, then, Lady?"
    "This,"she said, moving a hand to the west,
belatedly adding, "Of your goodness."
    The pathways toward sunset were somewhat
less crowded than those they had followed from the house. That was
not to say, Daav thought, that the paths were empty or that the
garden reposed in tranquility.
    He bowed briefly to Lady
pel'Nyan and moved on, Kesa del'Fordan silent on his arm. Etgora,
he considered, had come a fair way to making a recover. Lady
yo'Lanna's attendance had of course assured the attendance of
several other Houses of rank. And if she were inclined to smile upon
Etgora...
    Or, Daav thought suddenly, if Ilthiria
yo'Lanna attended at the request of her old friend Chi yos'Phelium,
Delm of the ancient ally of her House? Oh, yes, that fit well.
Especially when one heard one's mother declaring herself comforted
in the presence of an ally. Korval had never taken allies easily,
to the benefit, mostwise, of the more conservative Clans.
    Daav made a mental note to review the
Summary of Balance dea'Gauss had sent more closely. He had missed
the reason that Etgora was thought necessary to the interests of
Korval. Presumption had, of course, been answered, but it seemed
that the upstart Clan could not be allowed entirely to sink. Thus,
this gather, with its theme of courteous and charming commonsense,
and everyone of consequence in attendance.
    In consideration of
which , Daav said to himself, you are in arrears of your
duty .
    He tipped his head, assessing his companion
from beneath his lashes. She looked pale, he thought, and her jaw
was definitely clenched too tightly for fashion. Her shoulders
moved like boards beneath the pretty silk tunic and the hand that
rested against his sleeve put no pressure on his arm at all.
    He cleared his throat gently and smiled when
she looked up,