r's booth。 There's no reason for you to have remembered me。 I was much the same age young Alvar is now。 And about as experienced。〃
The mention of the young soldier reminded her of something。 〃Alvar？ The one who took Velaz with him？ When are you going to let him in on the stirrup joke you're playing？〃
A short silence as he registered that。 Then Rodrigo laughed aloud。 〃You noticed？ Clever you。 But how would you know it was a joke？〃
〃Not a particularly difficult guess；〃 she said； mimicking his phrase deliberately。 〃He's riding with knees high as his waist。 They play the same trick on new recruits in Batiara。 Do you want to cripple the boy？〃
〃Of course not。 But he's a little more assertive than you imagine。 It won't harm him to be chastened a little。 I intended to let his legs down before we went into the city tomorrow。 If you want； you can be his savior tonight。 He's already smitten； or had you noticed？〃
She hadn't。 It wasn't the sort of thing to which Jehane had ever paid much attention。
Rodrigo Belmonte changed the subject abruptly。 〃Batiara； you said？ You studied there？ With Ser Rezzoni in Sorenica？〃
She found herself disconcerted yet again。 〃And then at the university in Padrino for half a year。 Do you know every physician there is？〃
〃Most of the good ones；〃 he said crisply。 〃Part of my profession。 Think about it； doctor。 We don't have nearly enough trained physicians in the north。 We know how to kill； but not much about healing。 I was raising a serious point with you earlier this evening； not an idle one。〃
〃The moment I arrived？ You couldn't have known if I was a good doctor or not。〃
〃Ishak of Fezana's daughter？ I can allow myself an educated guess； surely？〃
〃I'm sure the celebrated Captain of Valledo can allow himself anything he wants；〃 Jehane said tartly。 She felt seriously at a disadvantage； the man knew much too much。 He was far too clever； Jaddite soldiers weren't supposed to be at all like this。
〃Not anything；〃 he said in an exaggeratedly rueful voice。 〃My dear wife…have you met my dear wife？〃
〃Of course I haven't；〃 Jehane snapped。 He was playing with her。
〃My dear wife has imposed strict limitations on my behavior away from home。〃 His tone made his meaning all too plain； though the suggestion…from what she knew of the northerners…was improbable in the extreme。
〃How difficult； for a soldier。 She must be fearsome。〃
〃She is；〃 said Rodrigo Belmonte； with feeling。
But something…a nuance； a new shade of meaning in the night…had been introduced now； however flippantly； and Jehane was suddenly aware that the two of them were alone in the darkness with his men and Velaz far behind and the camp a long way ahead yet。 She was sitting up close to him； thighs against his and her arms looped around him； clasped at his waist。 With an effort she resisted the urge to loosen her grip and change position。
〃I'm sorry；〃 he said after a silence。 〃This isn't a night for joking； and now I've made you unfortable。〃
Jehane said nothing。 It seemed that whether she spoke or kept silent； this man was reading her like an illuminated scroll。
Something occurred to her。 〃Tell me；〃 she said firmly； ignoring his ment； 〃if you lived here for a time； why did you have to ask what was burning； back in camp？ Orvilla has been in the same place for fifty years or more。〃
She couldn't see his face； of course； but somehow she knew he would be smiling。 〃Good；〃 he said at length。 〃Very good； doctor。 I shall be even sorrier now if you refuse my offer。〃
〃I have refused your offer； remember？〃 She wouldn't allow herself to be deflected。 〃Why did you have to ask what was burning？〃
〃I didn't have to ask。 I chose to ask。 To see who answered。 There are things to be learned from questions； beyond the answers to the question。〃
She thought about that。 〃And what did you learn？〃
〃That you are quicker than your merchant friend。〃
〃Don't underestimate ibn Musa；〃 Jehane said quickly。 〃He's surprised me several times today； and I've known him a long time。〃
〃What should I do with him？〃 Rodrigo Belmonte asked。
It was； she realized； a serious question。 She rode for a while； thinking。 The two moons were both high now； they had risen about thirty degrees apart。 The angle of a journey； in fact； in her own birth chart。 Ahead of them now she could see the campfire where Husari would be waiting with the two men left on guard。
〃You understand that he was to have been killed this afternoon with the others in the castle？〃
〃I gathered as much。 Why did he survive？〃
〃I didn't let him go。 He was passing a kidney stone。〃
He laughed。 〃First time he'll ever have been grateful for that； I'll wager。〃 His tone changed。 〃Fine； then。 He was marked by Almalik to die。 What should I do？〃
〃Take him back north with you；〃 she said at length； trying to think it through。 〃I think he wants to do that。 If King Ramiro has any thoughts of taking Fezana for himself one day…
〃Wait！ Hold； woman！ What kind of a thing is that to say？〃
〃An obvious one； I should have thought；〃 she said impatiently。 〃At some point he has to wonder why he's only exacting parias and not ruling the city。〃
Rodrigo Belmonte was laughing again； and shaking his head。 〃You know； not all obvious thoughts need be spoken。〃
〃You asked me a question；〃 she said sweetly。 〃I am taking it seriously。 If Ramiro has any such thoughts…however remote and insubstantial they may be； of course…it can only help to have the sole survivor of today's massacre with him。〃
〃Especially if he makes sure everyone knows that man came straight to him from the slaughter and asked him to intervene。〃 Rodrigo's tone was reflective； he didn't bother responding to her sarcasm。
Jehane felt suddenly weary of talking。 This was a day that had started at dawn in the market； in the most ordinary of ways。 Now here she was； after the slaughter in the city and the attack on Orvilla； discussing peninsular politics in the darkness with Rodrigo Belmonte； the Scourge of Al…Rassan。 It began to seem just a little too much。 She was going to set out on her own path in the morning； and morning was not very far off。 〃I suppose you are right。 I'm a doctor； not a diplomat； you know；〃 she murmured vaguely。 It would be nice to fall asleep； actually。
〃Much the same； at times；〃 he replied。 Which irritated her enough to pull her awake again； mostly because Ser Rezzoni had said precisely the same thing to her more than once。 〃Where are you riding？〃 he asked casually。
〃Ragosa；〃 she answered； just before remembering that she hadn't planned to tell anyone。
〃Why？〃 he pursued。
He seemed to assume he had a right to an answer。 It must e with manding men for so long； Jehane decided。
〃Because they tell me the courtiers and soldiers there are wondrous skilled in lovemaking；〃 she murmured； in her throatiest voice。 For good measure； she unlinked her hands and slid them from his waist to his thighs and left them there a moment before clasping them demurely again。
He drew a long breath and let it out slowly。 She was sitting very close； though； try as he might to hide a response； she could feel his heartbeat accelerate。 At about the same moment； it occurred to her that she was playing the most brazen sort of teasing game with a dangerous man。
〃This；〃 said Rodrigo Belmonte of Valledo plaintively； 〃is distressingly familiar。 A woman putting me in my place。 Are you sure you've never met my wife ？〃
A moment later； very much against her will and any reasonable expectations； Jehane began to laugh。 And then； perhaps because she was laughing； genuinely amused； she remembered again what she'd seen in that small hut in Orvilla； and then it came back to her that her father had spoken his first words in four years tonight； and she was leaving him and her mother； perhaps forever。
She hated crying。 Laughter and tears； Ishak used to say； were the nearest of kin。 It wasn't a physician's observation； that one。 His mother had told him that； and her mother had told her。 The Kindath had survived a thousand years； they were laden with such folk wisdom； carrying it like their travelling baggage； well…worn； never far fro