"Liaden Universe - 04 - Plan B" - читать интересную книгу автора (Miller Steve)

She stopped him at the hall door, though, struck by one more detail.

"We gonna let on I don't know your family from sliced bread? I don't think even tel'Vosti'd like a lifemating where I ain't met your First Speaker, much less you got her permission."

"A valid point," Val Con murmured and tipped his head, staring hard at nothing, with his brows pulled slightly together.

"Line yos'Phelium," he said after a bit, "presently includes Kareen, my father's sister; her son Pat Rin, and his heir, Quin. My father is Daav yos'Phelium, who is eklykt'i. His lifemate, my mother, was Aelliana Caylon. She is dead. I was fostered into the household of my father's cha'leket, Er Thorn yos'Galan, and his lifemate, Anne Davis. They, also, have died. Shan is Lord yos'Galan, Nova is First Speaker, Anthora isЧAnthora." He paused.

"yos'Galan children are Padi, who is Shan's heir, and Syl Vor, who is Nova's. Korval's seat is Jelaza Kazone; yos'Galan's Line House is Trealla Fantrol. We are located to the north of Solcintra City. The ship of which Shan is captain and master trader isDutiful Passage ."

Miri considered him. "That's it?"

"Yes."

"Nothing else?" she persisted. "I don't wanna trip up."

"This should be sufficient to see us through dinner," Val Con said softly. "It is scarcely to be expected that a new bride will have complete intimacy of her lifemate's clan."

"Great." She shook her head as he opened the door and bowed her through ahead of him. "All right, Liaden. Just rememberЧit's your neck we're gambling with."

She'd never seen so many redheads in one place.

The reception room was jammed with them, male and female; old, young and in-between, with hair shading from the lightest strawberry blonde through orange, mere-red, auburn and a particularly striking mahogany.

Hand resting on Val Con's arm, Miri considered the crowd, noting the eyes that slid toward them and slid awayЧ and also something else.

"You'retall! " she blurted, remembering at least to whisper, though there was no one directly beside them.

One eyebrow slid upward. "A little above middle height," Val Con acknowledged, lips twitching. "For a Liaden."

He glanced across the room to where Emrith Tiazan stood talking to tel'Vosti and a youngish woman with carroty hair piled high on her head. "We to the delm, now, cha'trez, to make our bows."

And to hear the results of the gene test. She sternly put down the rebellion in her stomach and walked head up at his side, fingers curled lightly around his wrist, trying to act like she didn't notice the way conversation ebbed at their approach and picked up again, once they were past.

"Is this a good idea?" she muttered out of the side of her mouth.

"No, of course not," Val Con muttered back and she almost laughed.

Emrith Tiazan's face saved herЧhalf-relieved and half-approving, as if she'd expected them to show up for dinner in leathers. Miri felt a spurt of sympathy as she bowed respect for the host, Val Con bowing at the same instant.

"Ma'am," he said, soft voice pitched so that it carried across the still sea of redheads, "we offer thanks for the grace and care the House has shown us."

"It is the House's honor," the old woman said into the silence, "to guest its ancient ally and friend." She looked up across the room then, and raised her voice, though it wasn't necessary.

"Hear me, my children, for I tell you of wonder and joy. Come to us only today is Miri Robertson, who is of Erob by Tiazan, this without doubt." She looked hard at Miri out of stern gray eyes.

"Turn," she ordered, still loud enough for the whole room to hear, "Miri Robertson Tiazan, that your cousins may see your face and rejoice."

Sure. She squared her shoulders and turned, looking out over the mob and seeing precious little rejoicingЧunless you counted an orange-haired somebody around eight or tenЧ she wasn't too good at guessing ages that youngЧwho was grinning fit to split her face.