Lois McMaster Bujold 15.5 Winterfair Gifts

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Nothing moving out there but maybe people being born or people dying,
necessity, and us.
Eh, and the bad night people we re put on watch against.
She glanced through the archway into the great hall and beyond. Apparently
so. What an evil trick . . .
She trailed off in a grimace.
This Quinn, you ve known her a long time?
She was in the Dendarii mercenaries at the time I joined the fleet original
equipment, as she says. A
good leader, a friend by many shared disasters. And victories, sometimes. Ten
years adds up to some weight, even if you re not watching. Especially if
you re not watching, I suppose.
He followed the thought spoken by her glance, as well as her words. Eh, yeah.
God spare me from ever facing such a puzzle. It would be as bad as having your
count revolt against the emperor, I suppose. Or like finding m lord in on some
insane plot to murder Empress Laisa. Shouldn t wonder that you ve been running
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around in circles in your head all night.
Tighter and tighter, yes. I couldn t enjoy the emperor s party from the
moment I thought of it, and I
know Miles so wanted me to. And I couldn t tell him why I m afraid he thought
I was feeling out of place. Well, I was, but it wasn t a problem, exactly. I m
usually out of place. She blinked tawny eyes gone dark and wide in the
half-light. What would you do? If you discovered or suspected such a horror?
His lips twisted. That s a tough one. A higher honor must underlie ours, the
count says. We can t ever obey unthinkingly.
Huh. That s what Miles says, too. Is that where he got it, from his father?
I shouldn t be surprised. M lord s brother Mark says integrity is a disease,
and you can only catch it from someone who has it.
A little laugh sounded in her throat. That sounds like Mark, all right.
He considered her question with the seriousness it merited. I d have to turn
him in, I guess. I hope I d have the courage, anyways. Nobody would win, in
the end. Least of all me.
Oh, yeah. I can see that.
Her hand lay on the sofa fabric between them, clawed fingers tapping. He
wanted to take it and squeeze
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aster%20Bujold%20-%2015.5%20-%20Winterfair%20Gifts.html it for comfort hers,
or his? But he didn t dare.
Dammit, try, can t you?
His argument with himself was interrupted when his wrist com sounded. The gate
guard reported the return of the Vorkosigan House party from the Imperial
Residence. Roic coded down the house shields and stood aside as the crowd
disembarked from a small fleet of groundcars. Pym was in close attendance upon
the countess, smiling at something she was saying over her shoulder to him.
The guests, variously cheerful, drowsy, or drunk, streamed past chatting and
laughing.
Anything to report? Pym inquired perfunctorily. He glanced in curiosity past
Roic at Taura, looming over his shoulder.
Yes, sir. See me in private as soon as you can, please.
The benign sleepy look evaporated from Pym s features. Oh? He glanced back
at the mob now divesting wraps and streaming up the stairs. Right.
Low-voiced as Roic had been, the countess had caught the exchange. A wave of
her finger dismissed
Pym from her side. Although, if this is of moment, Pym, I ll take a report
before bed, she murmured.
Yes, my lady.
Roic jerked his head toward the antechamber of the library, and Pym followed
him and Taura through the archway. The moment the guests had cleared the next
room, Roic decanted a short precis of the night s adventure, self-plagiarized
from the one he d given to the ImpSec forensics captain. Omitting, again, the
part about Taura s attempted theft. He hoped like hell that it wasn t going to
turn out to be horribly pertinent later. He would submit the full account to
m'lord s judgment, he decided. When the devil was m lord going to return?
Pym grew rigid as he took in the report. I checked that necklace myself,
Roic. Scanned it clear of devices the chemical sniffer didn t pick up anything
either.
Did you touch it? asked Taura.
Pym s eyes narrowed in memory. I mainly handled it by the clasp. Well . . .
well, ImpSec will run it through the wringer. M lord always claims they can
use the exercise. It can t hurt. You acted correctly, Armsman Roic. You can
continue about your duties now. I ll follow it up with ImpSec.
With this tepid praise, he moved off, frowning.
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Is that all we get? Taura whispered as Pym s ascending footsteps faded on
the winding staircase.
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Roic glanced at his chrono. Till ImpSec reports back, I guess. It depends on
how hard that dirty stuff you saw he didn t insult her by phrasing it as you
claimed you saw
is to identify.
She scrubbed tired-looking eyes with the back of her hand. Can I, uh, can I
stay with you till they call?
Sure.
In a moment of true inspiration, he led her down to the kitchen and introduced
her to the staff refrigerator. He d been correct; her extraordinary metabolism
was in need of fuel again. Ruthlessly, he cleared out everything on the
shelves and laid it in front of her. The early morning crew could fend for
themselves. There was no shame here in offering up servants food to a guest;
everyone ate well from
Ma Kosti s kitchen. He dialed up coffee for himself and tea for her, and they
perched together on two stools at the counter.
Pym found them there as they were finishing eating. The senior armsman s face
was so drained of blood as to be nearly green.
Well done, Roic, Sergeant Taura, he began in a stiff voice. Very well done.
I just now spoke with
ImpSec headquarters. The pearls were doctored with a designer neurotoxin.
ImpSec thinks it s of
Jacksonian origin, but they re still cross-checking. The dose was sealed under
a chemically neutral transparent lacquer that dissolves with body heat. Casual
handling wouldn t release it, but if someone put the necklace on and wore it
for a time . . . half an hour or so . . .
Enough to kill someone? Taura s tone was tense.
Enough to kill a bloody elephant, the lab boys say. Pym moistened dry lips.
And I checked it myself.
I bloody passed it. His teeth clenched. She was going to wear them to M lord [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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