Read Online Crystal Flame by Jayne Ann Krentz - Free Book Online
Authors: Jayne Ann Krentz
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announced with sudden enthusiasm. "Don't you agree?"
"A proper send-off?" Kalena gave her companion a curious, questioning glance.
"A last night of freedom before you hit the trail. My friends and I will come for you shortly before the evening meal tomorrow night," Arrisa said decisively. "I have several friends who will be glad to join us.
We'll make certain you enjoy the night, Kalena."
"The night? We will spend an evening in the taverns?" Astounded excitement lit Kalena's eyes as she considered the prospect. Such an evening would have been unheard of back home. No respectable woman went out at night to a tavern, alone or even in the company of other women. But apparently it was not looked down on here in the town; another small taste of what lay ahead in her free future.
"The prospect interests you?" Arrisa asked with a grin.
"Very much," Kalena said enthusiastically. "I'll wear one of my new tunics. I ordered some short ones, just like yours. You are very gracious to invite me to join your friends, Arrisa."
Arrisa chuckled. "It's going to be an amusing evening."
The formal dining chamber of Quintel's magnificent house was done in subtly contrasting shades of tan and pale blue. Kalena had become accustomed to the strongly balanced hues used throughout the house.
She was grateful for the softer shade of sand and sea used in this room. Normally she was fond of vivid colors, but these middle Spectrum tones were more soothing to her nerves tonight.
To say the least, she found it somewhat stressful to sit down to dine with the man she had come to kill and the man to whom she was contracted in marriage.
It had all seemed so distant and abstract back home in Interlock. The man called Quintel had been only a name, part of her aunt's endlessly repeated tales. Marriage to a stranger named Ridge had been only a means to an end. But for two nights she had shared a meal with both of these men, and her aunt's bitter stories had taken on the substance of reality. Kalena found herself abnormally quiet during the evening meal.
The low, round table in the center of the softly colored chamber was inlaid with tiny, exotically colored tiles that formed a swirling, undefined pattern. Kalena had spent some time trying to analyze the meaning of the design and had failed. The restless chaos in the tilework would have been disconcerting but for the pale tones used. Kalena, Ridge and Quintel were seated on low cushions, their fingerspears resting on small carved stands in front of them. The men sat with traditional masculine casualness, their attire making it easy for them to change position when the mood took them.
Although Kalena was wearing one of her new, shorter tunics, she found herself too self-conscious to sit in any position other than the formal, kneeling, feminine style. Her trousered legs were gracefully curled beneath her and her back was elegantly straight. From this position she was expected to handle any service at the table that was not taken care of by the silent servant who brought in the various dishes.
Pouring extra wine or dishing out second helpings was considered a female occupation. Good-naturedly, Kalena accepted the inevitable role of a woman at the evening table, telling herself it was only temporary.
She wondered privately what Quintel and Ridge did when they had no female present. She would bet her last gran they were quite capable of serving themselves.
Kalena was in the act of pouring Ridge another goblet of the golden Encana wine when he turned from his conversation with Quintel and spoke to her directly. "You made your purchases today?"
"Yes," she responded politely, setting down the crystal wine bottle. "I bought everything you told me to get, including your shirts. I'll send them to your apartments later this evening."
For some reason she decided not to mention that she had been overcome by an unexpected attack of a traditional sense of duty toward her future husband late this afternoon. Or
"A proper send-off?" Kalena gave her companion a curious, questioning glance.
"A last night of freedom before you hit the trail. My friends and I will come for you shortly before the evening meal tomorrow night," Arrisa said decisively. "I have several friends who will be glad to join us.
We'll make certain you enjoy the night, Kalena."
"The night? We will spend an evening in the taverns?" Astounded excitement lit Kalena's eyes as she considered the prospect. Such an evening would have been unheard of back home. No respectable woman went out at night to a tavern, alone or even in the company of other women. But apparently it was not looked down on here in the town; another small taste of what lay ahead in her free future.
"The prospect interests you?" Arrisa asked with a grin.
"Very much," Kalena said enthusiastically. "I'll wear one of my new tunics. I ordered some short ones, just like yours. You are very gracious to invite me to join your friends, Arrisa."
Arrisa chuckled. "It's going to be an amusing evening."
The formal dining chamber of Quintel's magnificent house was done in subtly contrasting shades of tan and pale blue. Kalena had become accustomed to the strongly balanced hues used throughout the house.
She was grateful for the softer shade of sand and sea used in this room. Normally she was fond of vivid colors, but these middle Spectrum tones were more soothing to her nerves tonight.
To say the least, she found it somewhat stressful to sit down to dine with the man she had come to kill and the man to whom she was contracted in marriage.
It had all seemed so distant and abstract back home in Interlock. The man called Quintel had been only a name, part of her aunt's endlessly repeated tales. Marriage to a stranger named Ridge had been only a means to an end. But for two nights she had shared a meal with both of these men, and her aunt's bitter stories had taken on the substance of reality. Kalena found herself abnormally quiet during the evening meal.
The low, round table in the center of the softly colored chamber was inlaid with tiny, exotically colored tiles that formed a swirling, undefined pattern. Kalena had spent some time trying to analyze the meaning of the design and had failed. The restless chaos in the tilework would have been disconcerting but for the pale tones used. Kalena, Ridge and Quintel were seated on low cushions, their fingerspears resting on small carved stands in front of them. The men sat with traditional masculine casualness, their attire making it easy for them to change position when the mood took them.
Although Kalena was wearing one of her new, shorter tunics, she found herself too self-conscious to sit in any position other than the formal, kneeling, feminine style. Her trousered legs were gracefully curled beneath her and her back was elegantly straight. From this position she was expected to handle any service at the table that was not taken care of by the silent servant who brought in the various dishes.
Pouring extra wine or dishing out second helpings was considered a female occupation. Good-naturedly, Kalena accepted the inevitable role of a woman at the evening table, telling herself it was only temporary.
She wondered privately what Quintel and Ridge did when they had no female present. She would bet her last gran they were quite capable of serving themselves.
Kalena was in the act of pouring Ridge another goblet of the golden Encana wine when he turned from his conversation with Quintel and spoke to her directly. "You made your purchases today?"
"Yes," she responded politely, setting down the crystal wine bottle. "I bought everything you told me to get, including your shirts. I'll send them to your apartments later this evening."
For some reason she decided not to mention that she had been overcome by an unexpected attack of a traditional sense of duty toward her future husband late this afternoon. Or
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