"Mercedes Lackey - Owl Mage 2 - Owlsight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

After all, it was spring, and that meant insect season; in particular, the fleas and ticks that would infest the
Fellowship herds, given half a chance. So as soon as she had finished the wet-tail potion Alys needed,
but before the woman could pull out her purse to pay for it, Keisha made her an additional offer.
тАЬLook, this year IтАЩd like to get ahead of the bugs instead of trying to catch up with them after
your beasts are scratching themselves raw,тАЭ she said, trying to be as persuasive as she knew how. тАЬWhy
donтАЩt I make you up some batches of that repellent dip we talked about last year and a good supply of
the kill dip. You can try the repellent right away, and if you see it isnтАЩt working, youтАЩll be able to dip them
all again with the kill before it gets to be a problem.тАЭ
Cautious, and frugal as always, Alys wrinkled her forehead and bit her lip cautiously. тАЬThat
would be very helpful, but - тАЭ
Keisha already knew what she was going to say; at the moment, the FellowshipтАЩs coffers were
pretty bare. They wouldnтАЩt have made any major sales to traders since the Harvest Faire two seasons
ago. тАЬWeтАЩll just make it a credit against a shawl trade later for one of my brothers - at least one of them
is bound to settle on a girl by Harvest. Or if youтАЩd rather, when the traders get done with you at Spring
Faire, you can pay me then.тАЭ She grinned and held out her hands. тАЬIтАЩd rather have you on credit than
have to deal with an infestation like we had three years ago!тАЭ
Alys shuddered and nodded agreement. The Fellowship folk normally didnтАЩt much care for
credit, but as Keisha had known it would, the mere mention of that horrible flea infestation made the
difference. It had taken weeks to clear up, and worse, the poor beasts had yielded inferior fleeces that
year. Between the cost of the dips and the loss of quality fleeces, the FellowshipтАЩs steward had been
beside himself. Alys had already been beside herself; anything that caused her beasts pain caused her
anguish, too.
And since the dips are all made from things I can harvest in the woods right now, rather
than things I have to pay for, I can afford to extend them the credit.
No sooner agreed than done; making up the batches of sheep dip ate up enough candlemarks
that by the time Alys left, both arms laden down with baskets packed with jugs, the Alder home was full
of friends and neighbors to the point where another body could not possibly have squeezed inside.
Afternoon sun gilded the kitchen wall as Keisha stood out in the yard and listened for a moment; from the
general emotional tenor of the cacophony, Sidonie had gone from grief to pride -
As it should be.
- and now the gathering had all the signs of turning into an impromptu celebration.
But Keisha still didnтАЩt want to be anywhere near it. And she didnтАЩt want to have to deal with the
three heartbroken boys either, for all three suitors would be bound to show up on the doorstep of her
workshop, looking for consolation. At least, she didnтАЩt want to deal with them right now.
But since IтАЩm out of flea-wort, lerch buds, tannim bark and elo root now, I have the perfect
reason to go harvest some. And, if they think I am sulking because my sister was Chosen and not me,
well then, let them think that.
Maybe it will make some of them do something nice to comfort me. That way I can get some
reward I can call тАЬappreciationтАЭ to make up for the times my generosity was taken advantage of in the
past.
With a big basket over one arm and harvesting tools in the pockets of her tunic, she set off to the
woods to do just that. She took the long way round, using the path that skirted the edge of the fields
rather than cutting straight through. Young plants were just starting to show whether theyтАЩd be successful
or not; the weak ones were ready to be weeded out, and the strong ready for a bit of manure. She
exchanged some sort of greeting with everyone working out there as she passed; it was impossible not
to. The good thing was that since she was carrying her gathering basket, it was obvious that she had
work to do, and there were only a limited number of candlemarks before dusk fell. No one would delay
her when it might be medicine he would need that sheтАЩd be gathering.
Self-interest isn тАШt that bad a thing, when it comes down to it. We all tend to do things in
self-interest, even - maybe especially - when we can couch it in terms of nobility and self-sacrifice.