hate. Just the thought of showing Jorlan her talent with the emotion excited her.
She patted her hair and cleared her throat to steady herself. Now was not the time to let her fantasies run wild. She would have him soon enough. She had already made sure of it. "You are right, of course, Duchene. My apologies to you and your grandson."
The Duchene snapped her holofan shut. She wasn't appeased by the apology, although politeness demanded she accept it.
Billings brought in a refreshment tray and placed it on a table near the She-Count. She left the room with a disdainful sniff aimed in the She-Count's direction.
"How are your lands to the west, Tamryn? I heard you had some trouble there these past months." Claudine availed herself of a sweet from the tray.
"I can't imagine how you could have heard such a thing." Especially since you were the cause of it. Green tried to contain her ire over the woman's statement about her pleasurer. No matter what happens, Claudine, I promise you will never touch River. Never. Green knew she would never let the vulnerable pleasurer come to harm from such a woman.
Claudine bit into her treat, making a great show of letting it dissolve on her tongue. "Really? That was not the talk among the Slice. The kloobroth has it that you almost went bankrupt trying to save the place. I would have just let the fool thing go. Why risk everything on some backward plantation?"
"That plantation has been in my family for ages. The workers have been with my family for generations. They depend on me for their livelihood, although I don't expect you to understand that."
Claudine waved her hand. "Silly sentimentality if you ask me."
"I didn't ask you."
Claudine paused in the eating of her treat. "Too bad. I'm sure if you had, you would have avoided months of grief." She popped another piece of the sweet into her mouth.
"I'm sure. But since everything is perfectly fine and running smoothly, the topic is moot, isn't it?"
Claudine bit off the final piece with a snap. Green Tamryn had somehow managed to pull her estates out from the brink of ruin! How the Marquelle had done it was nothing short of a miracle, since Claudine herself had set the strength of the trap. The entire scenario was irritating in the extreme, but there was always next time.
Her purpose in this visit had nothing to do with Marquelle Tamryn, who was undoubtedly here to visit her old friend the Duchene.
"I was wondering if your grandson and I might take a ride together, Duchene. There is a Klee I am interested in purchasing and I thought he might advise me."
Jorlan spoke up for himself before his grandmother could answer. "Surely you do not need the advice of a man to make such a purchase, She-Count."
"It is well known that you have a gift with the beasts. Your input might be very useful."
As an invitation it was rather insulting. But Claudine would never see it that way.
"I am sorry to disappoint you, She-Count, but I have made other plans this day."
Claudine bristled, seeing through the pale apology. "Perhaps some other time then," she said icily. "Perhaps."
"Definitely." Claudine stood, wasting no time in further formalities now that her target was out of range. "I'm afraid I must be on my way, Duchene."
"So soon?" The Duchene could barely keep the glee from her voice.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. I will see you before long, Jorlan." There was a slight threat laced in the promise that seemed to unnerve the Duchene. Green looked at her curiously.
Claudine curtly nodded once at Green, as politeness demanded, before grandly exiting the room.
"By the Slice! That woman is terribly rude!" Anya frowned at the empty doorway.
Green and Jorlan smiled secretly at each other. As if rudeness were the worst of Claudine's offenses.
"I thought I might take a walk in your lovely gardens this morning, Anya; that is, if you don't mind lending me your delightful grandson as guide?"
Anya Reynard glanced over at the "delightful" grandson, who, she
She patted her hair and cleared her throat to steady herself. Now was not the time to let her fantasies run wild. She would have him soon enough. She had already made sure of it. "You are right, of course, Duchene. My apologies to you and your grandson."
The Duchene snapped her holofan shut. She wasn't appeased by the apology, although politeness demanded she accept it.
Billings brought in a refreshment tray and placed it on a table near the She-Count. She left the room with a disdainful sniff aimed in the She-Count's direction.
"How are your lands to the west, Tamryn? I heard you had some trouble there these past months." Claudine availed herself of a sweet from the tray.
"I can't imagine how you could have heard such a thing." Especially since you were the cause of it. Green tried to contain her ire over the woman's statement about her pleasurer. No matter what happens, Claudine, I promise you will never touch River. Never. Green knew she would never let the vulnerable pleasurer come to harm from such a woman.
Claudine bit into her treat, making a great show of letting it dissolve on her tongue. "Really? That was not the talk among the Slice. The kloobroth has it that you almost went bankrupt trying to save the place. I would have just let the fool thing go. Why risk everything on some backward plantation?"
"That plantation has been in my family for ages. The workers have been with my family for generations. They depend on me for their livelihood, although I don't expect you to understand that."
Claudine waved her hand. "Silly sentimentality if you ask me."
"I didn't ask you."
Claudine paused in the eating of her treat. "Too bad. I'm sure if you had, you would have avoided months of grief." She popped another piece of the sweet into her mouth.
"I'm sure. But since everything is perfectly fine and running smoothly, the topic is moot, isn't it?"
Claudine bit off the final piece with a snap. Green Tamryn had somehow managed to pull her estates out from the brink of ruin! How the Marquelle had done it was nothing short of a miracle, since Claudine herself had set the strength of the trap. The entire scenario was irritating in the extreme, but there was always next time.
Her purpose in this visit had nothing to do with Marquelle Tamryn, who was undoubtedly here to visit her old friend the Duchene.
"I was wondering if your grandson and I might take a ride together, Duchene. There is a Klee I am interested in purchasing and I thought he might advise me."
Jorlan spoke up for himself before his grandmother could answer. "Surely you do not need the advice of a man to make such a purchase, She-Count."
"It is well known that you have a gift with the beasts. Your input might be very useful."
As an invitation it was rather insulting. But Claudine would never see it that way.
"I am sorry to disappoint you, She-Count, but I have made other plans this day."
Claudine bristled, seeing through the pale apology. "Perhaps some other time then," she said icily. "Perhaps."
"Definitely." Claudine stood, wasting no time in further formalities now that her target was out of range. "I'm afraid I must be on my way, Duchene."
"So soon?" The Duchene could barely keep the glee from her voice.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. I will see you before long, Jorlan." There was a slight threat laced in the promise that seemed to unnerve the Duchene. Green looked at her curiously.
Claudine curtly nodded once at Green, as politeness demanded, before grandly exiting the room.
"By the Slice! That woman is terribly rude!" Anya frowned at the empty doorway.
Green and Jorlan smiled secretly at each other. As if rudeness were the worst of Claudine's offenses.
"I thought I might take a walk in your lovely gardens this morning, Anya; that is, if you don't mind lending me your delightful grandson as guide?"
Anya Reynard glanced over at the "delightful" grandson, who, she
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