Wine of the Gods 08: Dark Lady Read Online Free PDF Page B

avoided winking back, and drove the horses over behind the barn, where she'd seen visitors' carriages waiting so many times before. She set the brake, and the horses settled down to wait patiently. She also wondered how many mares Phantom was going to cover this evening. Preston had been so innocent about suggesting she ride him down when she picked up the coach, and leave him until she returned. The lady had been amused. "Stealing stud services is a long honored tradition where I come from," she'd said, and then gotten that puzzled look again.
    The l ady herself was a puzzle. 'Quicksilver' was embroidered on quite a few of the baby's things. But not a single Quail. And there were no words at all in the lady's other embroidered items.
    She'd only known the l ady for four days. She could be from anywhere. The faint accent she'd heard the first day had already disappeared. Liz hoped the lady remembered, and hoped that what the lady remembered wasn't so awful that she regretted the memories.
    She kept her eyes open and alert, hoping Roger had no idea she was here, wishing some of her siblings would come round with tea the way she had occasionally.
    And wondering what was going on at dinner.
     
    ***
     
    "This Kingdom of the West, I haven't found anyone who has heard of it." Captain Alpha studied the elegant woman beside him.
    " Yes," she frowned uncertainly. "I'm afraid I cannot enlighten you. My memories . . . something happened, people screaming and dying all over. I fled with my daughter, and I am not altogether sure how I got here."
    He could feel her dis tress, but also her reticence. She remembers more than she says.
    " I quite distinctly recall a Kingdom of the West, but I suppose it could be a kingdom somewhere in the west. The poor horse was coated with dried salt from sweating, exhausted. We found a stream, and rested, and wandered around for a few weeks and finally followed the smell of wood smoke until it led us to your north gate."
    Unfortunately the doctor overheard that, and turned to join the conversation. "My dear lady, clearly you have suffered a traumatic experience. Your weak female mind is unable to deal with it, and has broken under the strain."
    She blinked in astonishment. "Traumatic damage, possibly, yet I wouldn't think it was because of my femaleness."
    " Doctor Easler, may I present Lady December Quicksilver."
    " My dear, what a pleasure to meet you. And I assure you, the female mind is a feeble and easily damaged organ. Education for women should be banned, much too great a danger."
    Kurt could feel her combined astonishment, contempt, and puzzlement.
    She frowned at the man. "We shall always disagree on the matter, sir, so why don't we dismiss the subject. Tell me about education in general, here. Where did you go to become a doctor?"
    " Well, my Dark and Mysterious Lady, I traveled to The University in Lundun. It is a grand and inspiring place, although you would no doubt find it overwhelming."
    " Which country is it in?" She was amused, but under it, thinking about something else.
    " Arbolia, my dear a huge empire to the south of us, that some people think will eventually engulf the World."
    " Arbolia? Is that were they think they have living gods walking the streets?"
    That is something she wants to know about, with a sick twist of apprehension in with the hopefulness.
    The doctor laughed. "They talk about it, but I never saw any person who actually claimed to be a god. Mind you, I heard that in Paree they are very strange, and they say there are hideously ugly mutants with magical powers down in the catacombs."
    The lady thought that over, an d wrinkled her nose. "Really?" She turned to look at the other people present.
    Kurt offered her his elbow, "Have you met the baron and Baroness?"
    " No, I have not had that pleasure," she smiled as she walked up to them.
    " Baron Christian Weigh, Baroness Heidi Weigh, may I present Lady December Quicksilver."
    " Lady December, my pleasure." The Baron took