Read Online Trade Secret (eARC) by Steve Miller, Sharon Lee - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Steve Miller, Sharon Lee
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that Terran offers wonders to you as Liaden does to me; surely Terran begins to offer wonders to the first mate, who takes lessons from you."
Jethri was silent, watchful, trying to gather the sense of what he'd not done right, of a reason for rumors . . .
"It is what I can offer the ship when we are in Jump, ma'am. And I learn much from Gaenor, and now from others since I can speak so much better and needn't fall to Trade for simple things and even more . . ."
The Master Trader bowed acknowledgment.
"And so, we come to what the ship can do for you and what a mother can do for you and what needs to be done."
She paused, sighed, laughed to herself.
"Our introduction of you to traders was quite effective as I recall, and in fact, you had the interest there of Parvet sig'Flava."
He remembered--the trader, the astoundingly interesting trader who'd perhaps had a drink too many and a need unmet who'd offered to take him away to her bed. He blushed, nodded.
"I remember her, ma'am," he said.
"I'd be amazed if you did not, my son, indeed I would. I gathered that but for my intervention you would have returned to Elthoria in the morning with a stack of first memories of amazing kind and dimension."
His blush grew and she laughed lightly again, her hands making the same soothing motion.
"Jethri, her wiles and her attractions are such that if she offered me a Festival night, I, at my advanced age, might be tempted. I beg you to understand that I am not laughing at anything but irony and situation. You were honored by the offer, and no doubt would have learned much."
He put aside her comment about her age and her own potential interest in the woman, but in her face saw only serious interest in their current conversation, not jokes made at his expense.
"I didn't even know how I could say yes, ma'am," he admitted, "and didn't know how to say no, either. I'm not sure I would have done well either way!"
"Yes, that, that is precisely my point, my son. Should I need to be off on adventure with ter'Astin, or if you do, I must know that I turn loose an Ixin able to deal properly with people in situations of intimacy, so that mistakes are not made. Your partner who we hope to install as a trader here, is an excellent person, and he is the son of a mistake or a treachery or a love match not well carried. Had he been a Festival child and acknowledged as that, all would have been well. Instead we have chel'Gaibin's revenge still at odds with the norms . . ."
She sighed, raised hands, and with open palms, bowed.
"What needs to be done is a matter of care and of comfort, of seeing you confident and aware, of knowing that should you come upon Parvet sig'Flava again in similar spirits you might acquit yourself well whatever your answer."
He must have looked startled, though he felt the blush was gone . . .
"And why not? You will not repeat that I tell you that she is reputed a night's prize of the first water. You are of Ixin, you are of ven'Deelin! Why should you stay your suit if you are interested in such a challenge? Yet you needs must know the rules, and tel'Ondor has been instructed to turn you to the sections of the Code most needed. Yet bookwork and dry study is not enough."
That was said firmly, and her hands were strong with emphasis.
"So, my son, your student of the long walks, she enjoys your company very much. She has brought this to my attention this day, having no one else to turn to on the matter but yourself and finding yourself full of busy eyes and silence."
Now he blushed well and truly--but what else was he to do?
"I had thought," he admitted, "that she might be interested, in maybe bundling or something. I just wasn't sure, and she's an officer and I don't know that I should be bothering officers since it could confuse melant'i and, besides, without experience, I'd be a bother!"
Jethri was fiddling with his hand now, seeing that he needed to do something about the hair on the back of it, which was darkening and
Jethri was silent, watchful, trying to gather the sense of what he'd not done right, of a reason for rumors . . .
"It is what I can offer the ship when we are in Jump, ma'am. And I learn much from Gaenor, and now from others since I can speak so much better and needn't fall to Trade for simple things and even more . . ."
The Master Trader bowed acknowledgment.
"And so, we come to what the ship can do for you and what a mother can do for you and what needs to be done."
She paused, sighed, laughed to herself.
"Our introduction of you to traders was quite effective as I recall, and in fact, you had the interest there of Parvet sig'Flava."
He remembered--the trader, the astoundingly interesting trader who'd perhaps had a drink too many and a need unmet who'd offered to take him away to her bed. He blushed, nodded.
"I remember her, ma'am," he said.
"I'd be amazed if you did not, my son, indeed I would. I gathered that but for my intervention you would have returned to Elthoria in the morning with a stack of first memories of amazing kind and dimension."
His blush grew and she laughed lightly again, her hands making the same soothing motion.
"Jethri, her wiles and her attractions are such that if she offered me a Festival night, I, at my advanced age, might be tempted. I beg you to understand that I am not laughing at anything but irony and situation. You were honored by the offer, and no doubt would have learned much."
He put aside her comment about her age and her own potential interest in the woman, but in her face saw only serious interest in their current conversation, not jokes made at his expense.
"I didn't even know how I could say yes, ma'am," he admitted, "and didn't know how to say no, either. I'm not sure I would have done well either way!"
"Yes, that, that is precisely my point, my son. Should I need to be off on adventure with ter'Astin, or if you do, I must know that I turn loose an Ixin able to deal properly with people in situations of intimacy, so that mistakes are not made. Your partner who we hope to install as a trader here, is an excellent person, and he is the son of a mistake or a treachery or a love match not well carried. Had he been a Festival child and acknowledged as that, all would have been well. Instead we have chel'Gaibin's revenge still at odds with the norms . . ."
She sighed, raised hands, and with open palms, bowed.
"What needs to be done is a matter of care and of comfort, of seeing you confident and aware, of knowing that should you come upon Parvet sig'Flava again in similar spirits you might acquit yourself well whatever your answer."
He must have looked startled, though he felt the blush was gone . . .
"And why not? You will not repeat that I tell you that she is reputed a night's prize of the first water. You are of Ixin, you are of ven'Deelin! Why should you stay your suit if you are interested in such a challenge? Yet you needs must know the rules, and tel'Ondor has been instructed to turn you to the sections of the Code most needed. Yet bookwork and dry study is not enough."
That was said firmly, and her hands were strong with emphasis.
"So, my son, your student of the long walks, she enjoys your company very much. She has brought this to my attention this day, having no one else to turn to on the matter but yourself and finding yourself full of busy eyes and silence."
Now he blushed well and truly--but what else was he to do?
"I had thought," he admitted, "that she might be interested, in maybe bundling or something. I just wasn't sure, and she's an officer and I don't know that I should be bothering officers since it could confuse melant'i and, besides, without experience, I'd be a bother!"
Jethri was fiddling with his hand now, seeing that he needed to do something about the hair on the back of it, which was darkening and
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