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A Kiss Of Shadows :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 161 из 338Brownie's Bed-and-Breakfast, whereyou can be waited on, cooked for, by an ex-member of the royal court."
"Have you not spoken with her since you left three years ago?" he asked.
"I haven't contacted anyone, Doyle. It would have endangered them. I disappeared. That means I left everything and everyone behind."
"There were jewels, heirlooms, that were yours by right. The queen was amazed that you left with nothing but the clothes on your back."
"Any of the jewels would have been impossible to sell without it getting back to the courts; same with the heirlooms."
"You had money that your father had put away for you." He was watching me now, trying to understand, I think.
"I have been on my own for three years, a little over. I have taken nothing from anyone. I have been a woman on my own, free of obligation to anyone of the fey."
"Which means you can invoke virgin rights when you return to court."
I nodded. "Exactly." Virgin in the old Celtic ideal was a woman who stood on her own, owing nothing to anyone for a space of time. Three years was minimum for claiming it at court. To be virgin meant that I was outside any old feuds or grudges. I could not be forced to take sides on any issue, because I stood apart from all of it. It was a way of being in the court, without being of the court.
"Very good, Princess, very good. You know the law and how to use it for your benefit. You are wise as well as polite, a true marvel for an Unseelie royal."
"Being virgin allowed me to make hotel reservations without risking the queen's anger," I said.
"She was puzzled as to why you did not wish to stay at the court. After all, you want to return to us, do you not?"
I nodded. "Yes, but I also want some distance until I see just how safe I'm going to be at court."
"Few would risk the queen's anger," he said.
I looked at him, searching his eyes so I would catch whatever he thought of my next words. "Prince Cel would risk her anger, because she's never seriously punished him for anything he's ever done."
Doyle's eyes tightened when I mentioned Cel's name, but nothing more. If I hadn't been watching for it, I wouldn't have noticed any reaction at all.
"Cel is her only heir, Doyle; she won't kill him. He knows that."
Doyle gave me empty eyes. "What the queen does, or does not do, with her son and heir, is not for me to question."
"Don't give the party line, Doyle, not to me. We all know what Cel is.
"Have you not spoken with her since you left three years ago?" he asked.
"I haven't contacted anyone, Doyle. It would have endangered them. I disappeared. That means I left everything and everyone behind."
"There were jewels, heirlooms, that were yours by right. The queen was amazed that you left with nothing but the clothes on your back."
"Any of the jewels would have been impossible to sell without it getting back to the courts; same with the heirlooms."
"You had money that your father had put away for you." He was watching me now, trying to understand, I think.
"I have been on my own for three years, a little over. I have taken nothing from anyone. I have been a woman on my own, free of obligation to anyone of the fey."
"Which means you can invoke virgin rights when you return to court."
I nodded. "Exactly." Virgin in the old Celtic ideal was a woman who stood on her own, owing nothing to anyone for a space of time. Three years was minimum for claiming it at court. To be virgin meant that I was outside any old feuds or grudges. I could not be forced to take sides on any issue, because I stood apart from all of it. It was a way of being in the court, without being of the court.
"Very good, Princess, very good. You know the law and how to use it for your benefit. You are wise as well as polite, a true marvel for an Unseelie royal."
"Being virgin allowed me to make hotel reservations without risking the queen's anger," I said.
"She was puzzled as to why you did not wish to stay at the court. After all, you want to return to us, do you not?"
I nodded. "Yes, but I also want some distance until I see just how safe I'm going to be at court."
"Few would risk the queen's anger," he said.
I looked at him, searching his eyes so I would catch whatever he thought of my next words. "Prince Cel would risk her anger, because she's never seriously punished him for anything he's ever done."
Doyle's eyes tightened when I mentioned Cel's name, but nothing more. If I hadn't been watching for it, I wouldn't have noticed any reaction at all.
"Cel is her only heir, Doyle; she won't kill him. He knows that."
Doyle gave me empty eyes. "What the queen does, or does not do, with her son and heir, is not for me to question."
"Don't give the party line, Doyle, not to me. We all know what Cel is.