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“Oh, magic knives, now, as well as magic monsters? Sure, I believe that. Or maybe some of those secret Lakewalker medicines did the job, and the rest is a nice tale to cover it, make you look good in front of your family, eh?” He moved closer to her. She moved back.
“They don’t even know I was pregnant. I didn’t tell them that part.” She drew a long breath. “Do you really care which, so long as it’s not on you? Feh!” She gripped her hair, then drew her hands down hard over her face. “You know, I really don’t give two pe
Su
Does your family know that?”
Fawn’s breath clogged in rage. She would not scream… “After a miscarriage?
You got no brains at all, Su
He did hesitate at that, doubt flickering in his blue eyes.
“Besides,” she went on, “you’re marrying Violet Stonecrop. Are you poking her yet?”
His lips drew back in something like a smile, except that it was devoid of humor. He stepped closer still. “I was right. You are a little slut.” And gri
Her fingers groped for the frying-pan handle.
Long footsteps sounded from the weaving room; Su
“Hello, Spark,” said Dag. “Any more of that cider around?”
“Sure, Dag,” she said, backing away from Su
Somehow, Dag was now standing between her and Su
“This here’s Su
Su
“Interestin’ to meet you at last, Su
All true, seemingly.”
Su
Dag continued coolly, “So… Su
Su
“I’m surprised,” said Dag. He gently scratched the side of his nose with his hook, a quiet warning, Fawn thought, if both unobserved and unheeded by Su
“Are you trying to start something?” asked Su
“Alas.” Dag indicated his broken arm with a slight movement of the sling.
“I’ll have to take you up later.”
Su
Dag’s eyes thi
Plainly unable to imagine what Dag could possibly do to him, Su
When Dag moved, his speed was shocking. She caught only a glimpse of him swerving half-around Su
It was partly terrorized relief that Dag hadn’t just torn Su
Su
“Best bring a few friends,” Dag recommended dryly. “If you have any.” Aside from the flaring of his nostrils, he seemed barely winded.
Su
“You’re right, Spark,” Dag said, closing the screen door again. “He doesn’t much care for witnesses. You can sort of see why.”
Nattie wandered into the kitchen. “Hello, Fawn, lovie. Hello, Dag. My, that apple butter smells good.” Her face turned, following the retreating footsteps rounding the house and fading. “Young fool,” she added reflectively. “Su
Fawn gulped, dropped the pan on the table, and flew into Dag’s embrace. He wrapped his left arm around her in a reassuring hug. Aunt Nattie’s head tilted toward them, a smile touching her lips. “Thank you kindly for that bit o’
housecleaning, patroller.”
“My pleasure, Aunt Nattie. Here, now.” Dag folded Fawn closer. “For what it’s worth, Spark, he was more afraid of you than you were of him.” He added reflectively, “Sort of like a snake, that way.”
She gave a shaken giggle, and his grip eased. “I was about to hit him with the frying pan, just before you came in.”
“Thought something like that might be up. I was having a few daydreams along that line myself.”
“Too bad you couldn’t really have cut his tongue out…” She paused. “Was that a joke or not? I’m not too sure sometimes about patroller humor.”
“Eh,” he said, sounding faintly wistful. “Not, in any case, currently practical.
Though I suppose I’m right glad to see Su
Her trembling diminished, but her brows pinched as she thought back. “I’m so glad you were there. Though I wish your arm wasn’t broken. Is it all right?”
She touched the sling in worry.
“That wasn’t especially good for it, but I haven’t unset it. We’re lucky for your aunt Nattie and Su
She drew back to stare up at his serious face, her eyes questioning, and he went on, “See, despite whatever hog butchering he’s done, Su