Elder Isles - Madouc Part 31

s.h.i.+mrod jumped to his feet and followed the young woman across the square. At a fruit-vendor's booth she began to select oranges from the display. s.h.i.+mrod watched a moment, then approached and touched her elbow. She looked around with a blank expression, failing to recognize s.h.i.+mrod in his present guise.

"Come aside with me a moment," said s.h.i.+mrod. "I want a few words with you."

The maid hesitated and drew away. s.h.i.+mrod said: "My business is in connection with your mistress. No harm will come to you."

Puzzled and reluctant, the maid followed s.h.i.+mrod a few steps out into the square. "What do you want of me?"

s.h.i.+mrod spoke in what he hoped was a rea.s.suring voice. "I do not remember your name-if, indeed, I ever knew it."

"I am Lillas. Why should you know me? I have no recollection of you."

"Some time ago I called upon your mistress. You opened the door for me. Surely you remember?"

Lillas searched s.h.i.+mrod's face. "You seem somehow familiar, though, in truth, I cannot place you exactly. The occasion must have been long ago."

"So it was, but you are still in the service of Melancthe?"

"Yes. I have no fault to find with her-at least none that would prompt me to leave her."

"She is an easy mistress?"

Lillas smiled sadly. "She hardly notices whether I am here or there, whether I am in the house or gone. Still, she would not want me to stand here gossiping about her affairs."

s.h.i.+mrod produced a silver form. "What you tell me will travel no farther, and cannot be considered gossip."

Lillas dubiously took the coin. "For a fact, I am concerned for the lady. I understand no single phase of her conduct. Often she sits for hours looking out to sea. I go about my work and she pays me no heed, as if I were invisible."

"Does she often receive visitors?"

"Seldom. Still, just this morning-" Lillas hesitated, and looked over her shoulder.

s.h.i.+mrod prompted her. "Who was her visitor this morning?"

"He came early-a tall pale man with a scar on his face; I think he would be a Ska. He knocked at the door; I opened to him. He said: 'Tell your mistress that Torqual is here.'"

"I drew back and he came into the hall. I went to Lady Me lancthe and gave her the message."

"Was she surprised?"

"I think she was perplexed and not well-pleased, but perhaps not altogether astonished. She hesitated only a moment, then went out into the hall. I followed, but remained behind the curtain, where I could watch through the crack. The two stood looking at each other a moment, then Torqual said: 'I am told that I must obey your commands. What do you know of this arrangement?'"

"The Lady Melancthe said: 'I am not sure of anything.'"

"Torqual asked: 'Did you not expect me?'"

'An intimation came-but nothing is clear and I must ponder,' said my lady. 'Go now! If I find commands for you, I will let you know.'

"At this Torqual seemed amused. 'And how will you do this?'"

"By means of a signal. If I am prompted in this direction, a black urn will appear on the wall by the gate. Should you see the black urn, then you may come again."

"At this, the man Torqual smiled, and bowed, so that he seemed almost princely. Without another word he turned and left the villa. That is what happened this morning. I am happy to tell you, since Torqual frightens me. Clearly he can bring the Lady Melancthe only distress."

"Your fears are well-founded," said s.h.i.+mrod. "Still, she may choose not to deal with Torqual."

"So it may be."

"She is now at home?"

"Yes; as usual she sits looking out to sea."

"I will call on her. Perhaps I can set matters straight." Lillas spoke anxiously: "You will not reveal that we have discussed her affairs?"

"Certainly not."

Lillas went back to the fruit-seller's booth; s.h.i.+mrod crossed the square to the harbour road. His suspicions had been validated Melancthe's involvement in the affair might so far only be pa.s.sive and might remain so, still Melancthe's only sure trait was her unpredictability.

s.h.i.+mrod looked to the north, toward the white villa. He could find no reason for delay, save his own reluctance to confront Melancthe. He set off to the north along the beach road, walking with long deliberate strides, and soon arrived at the white stone wall. No black urn, so he noted, was visible.

s.h.i.+mrod crossed the garden, went to the door He raised the knocker and let it fall.

There was no response.

s.h.i.+mrod knocked a second time, with the same result as before.

The villa, so it seemed, was empty of its occupants. s.h.i.+mrod turned slowly away from the door, then went to stand by the side of the gate. He looked up the road to the north. In the near distance he discovered Melancthe, approaching without haste. He felt no surprise; so it had been in his dreams.

s.h.i.+mrod waited, with the sunlight glaring down upon the sand of the road. Melancthe drew near: a slender dark-haired maiden wearing a white knee-length frock and sandals. With only a brief impa.s.sive stare for s.h.i.+mrod, she turned through the gate; as she pa.s.sed, s.h.i.+mrod sensed the faint odor of violets which always accompanied her.

Melancthe went to the door. s.h.i.+mrod followed soberly and entered the villa behind her. She went along the hall and into a long room with a wide arched window overlooking the sea. Moving to the window, Melancthe stood gazing pensively toward the horizon. s.h.i.+mrod stood in the doorway, looking here and there, appraising the room. Little had changed since his last visit. The walls were washed white; on the tiled floor three rugs showed bold patterns of orange, red, black, white and green. A table, a few heavy chairs, a divan and a sideboard were the only furnis.h.i.+ngs. The walls were innocent of decoration; nowhere in the room were objects to indicate Melancthe's point of view or to suggest the bent of her personality. The rugs were vivid and vital, and would seem to be imports from the Atlas Mountains; almost certainly, so s.h.i.+mrod surmised, they had been purchased and laid down by Lillas the maid, with Melancthe taking no particular notice.

Melancthe at last turned to s.h.i.+mrod, and showed him a curious twisted smile. "Speak, s.h.i.+mrod! Why are you here?"

"You recognize me, despite my disguise?"

Melancthe seemed taken aback. " 'Disguise'? I notice no disguise. You are s.h.i.+mrod, as meek, quixotic and indecisive as ever."

"No doubt," said s.h.i.+mrod. "So much for my disguise; I cannot conceal my ident.i.ty. Have you decided upon an ident.i.ty for Melancthe?"

Melancthe made an airy gesture. "Such talk is beside the mark. What is your business with me? I doubt that you have come to a.n.a.lyze my character."

s.h.i.+mrod pointed to the divan. "Let us sit; it is dreary work talking on both feet."

Melancthe gave an indifferent shrug and dropped down upon the divan; s.h.i.+mrod seated himself beside her. "You are as beautiful as ever."

"So I am told."

"At our last meeting you had developed a taste for poisonous blossoms. Is this inclination still with you?"

Melancthe shook her head. "There are no more such blossoms to be found. I think of them often; they were wonderfully appealing; do you not agree?"