BreakfastAtTheAnderonsBea, Lady Anderon was breakfasting in her room this morning, which left Renalda presiding over the breakfast table at the opposite end from her father, who was reading his post. Rosie and Gallfrey were continuing a nursery squabble in low voices. Renalda's face was pale, and there were shadows under her eyes that suggested she had not slept much. But she managed a smile for her father as she asked, "Is there anything interesting in the post, Father?" Before Delan had a chance to answer, however, Giulian arrived, having evidently decided to join the rest of the family for breakfast. "Good morning, Father, Nalda." He flicked a half-admonitory, half-amused glance at his two youngest siblings before his gaze fell on Bea's empty chair. "How's Mother this morning?" he asked Delan with concern. "Having breakfast in bed," said Delan. "Look in on her before you go out, would you, Jules? She'd welcome a visit. As would I. Are you free for lunch?" The tone was light enough, but Renalda and Rosie both glanced at him. Giulian, also, glanced up at him alertly as he took a chair, though the tone in which he answered, "Yes, certainly," was unemphatic. "And I'll go up and visit Mother right after breakfast," he promised. "Thank you," said Delan. "And to answer your question, Nalda, there's an invitation for us all to a reception given by Aquila Awake! to meet one of their authors." He glanced at his younger daughter. "Someone called Kate Calloway, I believe." Rosie's spoon clattered down onto her fruit bowl and she stared at her father with wide eyes. "Kate Calloway?" she breathed. "Here? In Aquila? Really? Father -- can I go? She's my most favourite writer of all time, ever!" Delan glanced at his older children. "What do you think?" he said. "Shall we go?" "I think we'll have to, don't you?" Giulian said, smiling over at his youngest sister. Rosie's excitement reminded him of his own reaction the day he found out that Tal Pantera was not only a real live person, but someone he knew to speak to. "I think so," agreed Delan. "And now, I must be off. A busy day. Stop by the office to collect me for lunch, Jules." "I'll do that." Delan moved past his daughters, dropped a kiss on both dark heads, and left. Renalda shot a hopeful look at her brother. "P'rhaps we could have a word before you go out?" she suggested. "What about?" demanded Rosie. "I want to come too!" "Don't be nosey, Rosie," Giulian told her, using an old nursery admonition. He thought he could guess what Renalda wanted to talk about, and it wasn't something either of them would want Rosie to overhear. Rosie frowned. "I think you're both mean!" she declared roundly. "Mean or not, I'm going to talk to Jules," said Renalda, "and if you don't practise that sonatina before school, Sister Divine Discontent will give you a demerit." Rosie, an ace student who feared a demerit more than almost anything in the world, rose with alacrity. "I still think you're beasts!" she added as she hurried from the room. With Rosie gone, Renalda looked hopefully at her older brother. Giulian waited until the faint tinkle of piano keys from elsewhere in the house signaled that Rosie had actually begun practising her music, pouring himself some coffee in the interim. Then, regarding her over the rim of the cup, he said to Renalda, "It's about Romeo, isn't it?" Renalda nodded. "After the Fashion Show ... he seemed so ... well, almost distraught. And he hasn't written or anything since. I wanted to tell him ... that I still love him. Despite what his uncle did. And despite ... despite that drawing and what they say. Because I know it can't be true!" "It does seem unlikely," Giulian said cautiously. "Still... he may feel that his change in status makes a difference. Not necessarily to you, but to the possibility of his courting you successfully." Renalda looked at him, shocked. "But ... but that wouldn't make a difference to Father, would it? I mean ... he married Mama when everyone was saying he had to marry a woman from a Noble House. Why should he be upset if I want to do exactly the same thing?" Similar thoughts had crossed Giulian's mind recently, but he said only, "You may think that way, and I may think that way, but we can't tell what Romeo may think about it. Or his parents, for that matter." "But they can't object!" said Renalda, outraged. "I'm an Anderon! And I am true as ... as steel!" "Yes, you are an Anderon," Giulian agreed. "Whereas Romeo ... isn't an Acciaio anymore, until and unless Lord Acciaio is persuaded to let Rugero and his line back into the family again." "Father will persuade him," said Renalda confidently. "Won't he?" Giulian took another sip of coffee, then said with a thoughtful frown, "It's not really Father's place, you know, Nalda, to dictate to Lord Acciaio in family matters -- any more than he could dictate to us. Only when it concerns the well-being of Aquila as a whole. That's Father's charge, as Regent." Renalda sighed. "Even for my sake?" she said dolefully. Then she shook her head. "No, he won't, will he? Because it would break his code of standards... Sometimes, Jules, I do wish Father was not such a good man!" Giulian grinned sympathetically. "Or at least, not so principled." Renalda looked at her brother with a most mischievous glint in her eye, but before she could respond, the door opened and one of the footmen entered. He addressed Giulian. "A note, my Lord. For Lady Renalda." Renalda leapt to her feet. "A note? For me? It must be from Romeo!" Her brother raised an eyebrow at her. "If it is, I'd better have a look at it first," he said, holding out a hand for the note. "Then no one can say you're carrying on a clandestine correspondence with a young man. ...Oh, don't worry, I shan't read it. I just want to be sure who it's from." He examined the superscription and seal and after a moment said, "I'm afraid not, Nalda. This is the Windhaven seal." He passed it over to Renalda with an apologetic air. "Oh," said Renalda, deflated. She sat down, ripped it open and began to read. "It's Xavier Windhaven. He took me to find Mama when there was all that trouble at the fashion show. He wants to see me again ... how odd! He's asking me out to dinner! With Father and Mama, do you think? He doesn't mention them at all." "Windhaven... That must be one of the new Lord Windhaven's sons," said Giulian. "The previous Lord Windhaven was killed in the foundry fire, you may remember. This branch of the family has been living offworld, from what I understand, so Xavier may not be ... entirely conversant with the proprieties. You should probably consult Mother before you answer him," he advised his sister. Privately, Giulian thought he would like to make Xavier Windhaven's acquaintance. It might not be a bad thing for Renalda to be presented with an alternative suitor, if that was indeed what the young man had in mind. "Hmmm," said Renalda, turning the note over in her hands thoughtfully. To one as used to her as Giulian, it was clear that she was balancing the possibilities of an illicit meeting with a good looking young man with her very real disappointment that Romeo had not written. "Do you think they'll be going to this Reception for Kate Calloway?" she asked. "I mean ... I could explain to him there, couldn't I?" "That would certainly be a good opportunity for conversation," Giulian agreed, "if the Windhavens turn up there. I'm sure they'll have received an invitation." Aquila Awake!, he thought, would leave no stone unturned or noble House uninvited. "Whether they'll be there or not is a different question. But I seem to remember there were several young ladies in the family. One of them must read Kate Calloway. "You should probably answer the note before then, though ... or ask Mother to do so. It's only polite." "I'll answer it," said Renalda hastily, pushing the note into her sleeve. "That is -- I wouldn't want to worry Mother. Not when she's so ill still." She flushed a little under her brother's gaze. "I shall say everything that's proper!" she said firmly. "And ... and nothing too encouraging. I mean ... how could I, when poor Romeo is so bereft and friendless?" "I doubt he'll be as friendless as all that," said Giulian. "He's well liked, and between you and me, Lord Acciaio's vindictiveness isn't likely to make him any less so. The reverse, if anything." He finished off his coffee and reached for his crutches. "I'm planning to drive into town this morning, before I meet Father for lunch. Are there any errands I can do for you, Nalda?" Renalda shook her head. "But if you see Romeo, will you tell him that there's no need for him to stay away?" she asked. "I shall certainly do that," promised Giulian. |
