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.She could see why Giogi chose to live in a townhouse in Immersea.Even Cat shuddered when she saw the castle.A servant ushered them into the parlor, where Gaylyn lay knitting, alone on the couch."Giogi, you've brought company.How wonderful," the young woman said, peering intently at Olive and Cat."Don't I know you? Olive Ruskettle the bard, isn't it? What a delightful surprise.Everyone was so pleased with your performance at the wedding reception.We were disappointed that you had to leave early.Aren't you Alias?" she asked Cat."She's, um, a relative of Alias's," Giogi explained."Gaylyn, allow me to present Cat of Ordulin, a mage.Mistress Cat, this is my Cousin Frefford's wife, Gaylyn."Cat curtsied and whispered a hello."You'll excuse me for not rising, I hope.""Of course," Olive replied."We've all heard your good news.How is your little girl, Lady Gaylyn?""If I ever see her again, I'll let you know," Gaylyn said, laughing."Amberlee's Great-grandauntie Dorath stole her away the moment she was born and has spent all her time since then doting on the child.Actually, you've just missed her.Aunt Dorath brought her down here for breakfast, and when Amberlee was finished, her Aunt Dorath took her away to sleep in the nursery so I could entertain without waking her," Gaylyn explained."Please, sit down," the new mother encouraged them."You must be freezing from your ride.There's a pot of tea over there," Gaylyn said, pointing to a silver tea set desperately in need of polishing."Giogi, since we ladies outnumber you, you may do the honors."Giogi filled and handed out teacups.Gaylyn passed a plate of cookies around."It's lucky you're here, actually.Freffie has been so busy looking for someone who might be a lost member of the family.He spent all night questioning people at the inns- merchants, mercenaries, adventurers, farmers, fishermen, and now he has to deliver some packages for the memorial service tonight for Uncle Drone.He's up in the tower."She fixed Giogi with the bright green eyes that had ensnared his cousin."You wouldn't mind running the packages up to the Temple of Selune for him, would you, so I could get a little more of his attention?""Of course," Giogi agreed."I was going there later, anyway.But I thought Julia was handling the arrangements for the memorial service.""She was, but she twisted her ankle while walking in the ice last night, so she's out of commission.Aunt Dorath was beside herself, claiming how the curse had found another victim.""That must have put her in a foul mood.Julia, I mean."Gaylyn laughed."Silly boy.It's been the luckiest break she's had all year.There's nothing like an ankle injury.No one can say you're malingering, because its so gruesome-looking, but you can cover it up with your petticoat and still look marvelous for all the suitors who come to wait on you hand and foot.""Julia has suitors?" Giogi asked with mild surprise."Well, only one, but that's all she wants.She's in heaven right now.Sudacar couldn't have found a better excuse to fuss over her unless she'd been kidnapped by a dragon.""Samtavan Sudacar is Julia's suitor?" Giogi asked, astonished."Who else? Sudacar is so commanding.Of course, Steele isn't keen on it, because Sudacar doesn't come from forty generations of nobility and isn't rich.Just between you and me—I shouldn't be saying this to outsiders," she whispered to Olive and Cat, "but Steele is acting like an old poop.He just wants to keep Julia under his thumb, because he'll never get a nice girl to do things for him if he doesn't sweeten himself up."She has Steele's number, all right, Olive thought.Giogi tried to imagine Sudacar fussing over Julia, and Julia being pleased about it.No one has that much imagination, he thought and shook his head."Gaylyn, I'm afraid we've really come on business," he said."I know," Gaylyn said with a sigh."I was just pretending otherwise.I know it's awful about the spur and Uncle Drone, but it's hard for me to be gloomy, what with Amberlee and all.Uncle Drone wouldn't mind.You know, right after Uncle Drone died, I dreamt of his spirit while I was sleeping with little Amberlee lying beside me.In my dream, Uncle Drone appeared by my bed and bent over the baby.He tickled her under her chin and made funny faces at her.Then he disappeared.I know it was his spirit, because he was dead by then, but not even being dead stopped him from playing with his new niece."Olive smiled at the young woman's fanciful notion."That sounds like Uncle Drone's spirit," Giogi agreed."Gaylyn, we need to look over things in Uncle Drone's lab.I was hoping he might have written something in his journal about the theft of the spur.We'll be looking through his magic, too, in case there's something there we can use.""Oh, dear.It's a good idea, but Aunt Dorath has forbidden it.Steele wanted to do it yesterday.She told him it was too dangerous and sent him off on other duties.She's probably right, you know.""Yes.That's why I brought Mistress Cat and Mistress Olive along as advisors.""Well, in that case." Gaylyn stopped for a moment, tilting her head like a child considering some mischief."You might want to sneak up the back stairs, so you don't disturb Aunt Dorath in the nursery.I kept a catalog for Drone.It's a lovely pink book with pressed flowers on the cover, and it's on his desk.""You cataloged his magic?" Cat asked."Have you studied magic?""Oh, no," Gaylyn said, laughing again."My father was a sage, though.I used to catalog all his things for him.When I helped Uncle Drone, he was always around to keep me from anything chancv.You will be careful, won't you, Mistress Cat?"Cat nodded."You know, you really are much prettier than your relative," Gaylyn complimented the mage."I like the way you've done your hair
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