Conspirator

“Oh, just carry on, nand’ paidhi, carry on as you would have, with your kinfolk and all.”

“Nand’ Toby will possibly be here the week,” he said, “but he has received word his daughter of another union is injured, and he may opt to sailc one has no idea.” It was in his head that, under changed circumstances, he ought to ask his brother to leave—one needed to concentrateon a guest like Cajeiri, and not have another incident. “One has not had an opportunity to speak to him.”

“One believes you were discussing this very matter when my great-grandson chose to go boating.”

“The aiji-dowager is, as always, very well-informed.”

“One gathers Barb-daja is not pleased at your kinsman’s contact with the prior union.”

God, the aiji-dowager loved romantic scandal, every morsel of it. Of course she had heard, and she was interested.

“That would be understatement,” he said ruefully, and Ilisidi looked pleased. He could only imagine the disaster if the dowager chose to convey her amusement to Barb, and offer advice.

“Pish, pish, your brother should stay. We are acquainted with him and Barb-daja, and shall have no objection to sharing accommodations. No more of this.”

“Yes, aiji-ma.”

“And Lord Geigi’s nephew, this nand’ Baiji. We understand he not only aided in the search, but actually provided the first sighting of my great-grandson’s boat.”

“He did, aiji-ma.”

“Inconvenient.”

“Aiji-ma?”

“He has notpresented himself at court.”

“His predecessor died during the Troubles, aiji-ma: there may exist some confusion in the house. One understands he is youngc”

Ilisidi waved a thin hand and took another sip of brandy. “Excuses. But the fact, nand’ paidhi, is the fact. Geigi’s house, during the Troubles, presented no respects to the assassin of my grandson’s staff, true, but has paid none, either, since my grandson’s return. There is a list of persons who have not come to court nor contacted my grandson. It is a scandal that the nephew of our trusted associate should be on it, but he is. Geigi has promised that Baiji will attend the coming session—but that is not now.”

“One completely understands, aiji-ma.” It was not the law that a new lord had to come to court, but it was unusual, and foolish, given the importance of contact with the aiji, for a lord not to take advantage of that opportunity. “Lord Geigi still being lord of Kajiminda, the nephew never having received a face-to-face appointment from his uncle, perhaps, aiji-ma, he feels that his uncle’s frequent contacts with the aiji are the valid ones.”

The dowager nodded, reached, and began to refill her own glass. Bren started to get up to do so: Cenedi was faster. She had her sip and everyone settled.

“That, certainly, is an unusual circumstance,” she said, “and we would overlook his reticence, nand’ paidhi, but under other circumstances, notably the situation in the South, we ca

“The paidhi would willingly do so. One is scheduled to meet with him in a few days. We might change the schedule and call on him tomorrowc should the dowager find that useful.”

“If you should chance to express our favorable sentiments,” Ilisidi said with a slow nod, “that would be appropriate. Baiji. Certainly more enterprising and useful in his performance this night than the reports of him have said. And you will urge him to remove himself from the list of those who have not contacted my grandson: it is very unbecoming company. My great-grandson will go with you tomorrow. He will not express thanks, but being a child, he can at least honor the house that aided in his rescue, and not enter into their debt.”

An important technicality: if there was a debt, it could notbind a child who would be aiji. It had to be paid in courtesy, but being the visit of a child, would never be at issue unlessthis young lord someday became a true lord and delivered his man’chi to an adult and seated young aiji. Thenthe event might be remembered with some meaning.

So it was an honor the dowager proposed, one with limited current political value, but great potential value, if Baiji had any sense at all and bestirred himself to do what was right.

“I shall make immediate arrangements, aiji-ma. This ca

“Exactly,” Ilisidi said. “The paidhi has an excellent grasp of the delicacy involved.” The other brandy vanished, in three sips. “Now we are assured our great-grandson is safe and that the paidhi-aiji has not frozen or drowned, so we shall sleep soundly tonight.”

“One greatly regrets, aiji-ma, to have been the source of inconvenience in your trip east.”

“Oh, pish, my cousin will still be there a week or two. A little sea air comes welcome. We shall expect to take our own turn on that boat of yours, paidhi-ji, before we fly off again.”

“Gladly,” he said. “A very pleasant prospect, aiji-ma.”

“Then good night to you, paidhi-ji.” She set her cane in place, taking just enough time for Cenedi to spring up and reach her side, to provide a more helpful, yet discreet assistance. Bren rose, bowed, and the two of them, Ilisidi and Cenedi, left the room.

Bren downed the other half of his brandy and let go a long, slow breath, then walked on out into the hall himself, and down the little distance to his own door.

Jago, meanwhile, slightly damp from the bath, had made it back to the room. She was waiting for him.

“The dowager is not out of sorts,” he said, finding cheer in that—if Ilisidi was still speaking politely to him, Tabini-aiji probably would, also. And he found even more cheer in saying, “One is relatively certain the young gentleman will be in his own bed by now.”

“We are assured of it,” Jago said. “The dowager’s guard is on watch tonight at that door, and will not leave it. The staff reports no more calls from the mainland. One supposes there is no news of nand’ Toby’s daughter.”

“None that I know. The dowager is willing for him to finish his visit here.” He sank onto the dressing-bench, and in the discreet absence of Koharu and Supani, began easing off his own boots. “In one way of looking at it, this is a good thing: he has not abandoned his own interests. He was extravagant in his dutiful response, before, which broke his relationship with his first wife: much as I dislike Barb’s behavior—I ca

“And Barb?” Jago omitted all honorifics.

“Has admittedly behaved badly in this visit,” he said, “but she has gotten Toby’s attention—and gotten him to stay with her despite the crisis on the Island. Given my brother’s reactions previously, this is a change in him.” He sighed. “But one dreads to imagine tomorrow, when I take the young gentleman to Kajiminda, and the dowager will be under my roof with Barb.”

“Is that the plan, Bren-ji?”

“It seems nand’ Baiji, in the confusion of his situation, with Lord Geigi in regular contact with the aiji, has not paid due courtesies in court, and the aiji-dowager will not visit him. But the young gentleman will come with me, so one hopes the situation can be regularized. Certainly, we owe the man. And thatis to the good. And one assumes you will come with me.”

“We shall.”

“So the dowager and Barb will be under one roof with only the dowager’s guards.”

“Barb may not survive,” Jago said. She was behind him, massaging his shoulders, but there was a smile in the voice.

“Someone who can speak to Toby must be here,” he said.