Petiron was not at all sure of that, but there was something about Merelan's attitude which made him keep his private views to himself.
He anticipated no trouble at all.
'She's a musical idiot!' he railed when he returned from his first lesson with her. 'Haven't you been able to teach her anything in the full month she's been here?'
'No,' Merelan said quietly, and pointed to the closed door where Robinton was taking a nap.
'But she can't even read notes, even when I beat out the tempo for her. Nor is she able to maintain pitch when I change signatures. She expects me ... me ...' and Petiron laid an eloquent hand on his chest, 'to teach her the entire score by rote. Could Maxilant have done that with her?' he enquired in a petulant tone.
'I believe Maxilant only raved on about her beautiful voice, love, and said nothing about the lack in her general musical education.' Merelan spoke as levelly as she could, having great difficulty masking her inner jubilation.
'She wouldn't vocalize to warm her voice and told me' – Petiron swung on his spouse – 'that you didn't bother ...'
'I didn't 'bother' because I could never get her to see the necessity, Petiron,' she replied with considerable vehemence. 'Washell is of the opinion that if she continues to sing in alto for another few years, she won't be able to squeak.'
Petiron recoiled in surprise at his gentle spouse's critical remark.
'No wonder you were so eager for me to coach her,' he said almost sullenly.
'If you can't, no one in this Hall will be able to,' she said, looking him squarely in the eye. 'She might believe you, where she's certain I'm jealous of your interest in her.'
Petiron scowled. 'Aren't you?'
Merelan laughed. 'My love, I wouldn't be that child for all the diamonds on Ista's beaches. Washell's right, you know. She won't have a voice left if she keeps on this way.'
'He is right,' Petiron admitted, and scowled more deeply. 'Well, she is not...' he paused dramatically '... mining either the duet or the aria. I shall make some changes in both that will put the music at a level she should be able to sing.'
Merelan merely nodded.
When Petiron held his next session with Halanna, she was so insulted that she tried to walk out on him. The argument that ensued was heard by nearly everyone on the rectangle as the two voices, one baritone and one contralto, rose in volume and piercing clarity.
'You can't do that!' Halanna began, an astonished screech in her voice.
'Oh, yes I can! You're incapable of singing what I wrote.'
'Incapable? How dare you?'
'How dare you address a Master in such a tone, young woman! I don't know what Maxilant taught you, but it wasn't manners and it certainly wasn't how to read a simple score.'
'Simple score? You're notorious all over Pern for the complexity of your music. I never hear anyone singing what you write. No one can!'
'The first-year apprentices have no trouble. But then, they can read music and know the value of the notes they're singing.'
'I do know how to read music.'
'Then prove it.'
'No!'
'You will sing.'
'You can't force me!'
Many agreed that they had heard the crack of flesh hitting flesh. And it was true that the right side of Halanna's face was darker than the left when she was finally allowed to leave the studio. But she did begin to sing in a much muted voice. And she continued to sing the music as written until she did so correctly, sometimes until she was hoarse.
'I hope he didn't push her too far,' Merelan murmured to Washell.
'Perhaps it might be better for all of us if he did,' he replied uncharitably.
After that session, Halanna hurried out of the studio and disappeared.
She was seen a little later on her way across the great Fort Hold courtyard to the cottage where she slammed and bolted the door of the room she still shared.
What they didn't realize until the next morning was that she had bribed a Drum Tower apprentice to send an urgent message to her father, Halibran, saying she was being abused. Petiron admitted that he had slapped her, to stop her hysterical ranting – to which everyone in the Hall had been audience. Any Master was permitted to chastise a student for inattention or failure to learn assigned lessons.
When MasterHarper Gennell and Healer Journeywoman Betrice interviewed her about the impropriety of her actions, not to mention the content of the message, she was defiantly tearful.
'No one understands me in this place. I'm being humiliated at every turn, and I had expected so much from you!' she said. 'So much, and you're like everyone else after all!'
Betrice later told Merelan that she almost laughed out loud at such a performance.
'No one has humiliated you, young woman,' Gennell replied, as stern as Betrice had ever seen him. 'You were welcomed, and the very best instructors assigned. You have been paid a high compliment by Master Petiron, who wrote a part especially to show off your voice – scarcely a humiliation, but an honour you seem unable to appreciate. You will apologize to Master Petiron for your unresponsiveness--'
'Apologize?' Halanna rose from the stool in amazement. 'I am the daughter of a Holder, and I apologize to no one. He's to apologize for slapping me, or--'
'That's enough out of you,' Gennell said, and turned to his spouse. 'She's to be quartered in an appropriate room and given only basic rations.'
That was more easily said than done. It took Gennell, Betrice and Lorra to get her, screeching and straggling, up to the third storey of the Harper Hall to one of the spare rooms used by messengers or overflow guests. She refused to eat the food supplied at mealtimes and actually emptied the first three pitchers of water until her thirst got the better of her histrionics. Since it took nearly six days before her clandestine message brought results, she got hungry enough to devour what she was given, though she refused to apologize or promise to remedy her attitude. Such interviews usually resulted in her hurling threats and promises of just retribution at those trying to talk sense into her. Even MasterHealer Ginia had no luck in trying to talk sense into the girl.
The sentry on the Fort Hold eastern tower spotted the ten armed men racing up the harbour road and blew the alarm, which alerted both Lord Grogellan and the Harper Hall. Having been informed of the illegal drum message, Grogellan assembled a larger force from his sons, nephews and armsmen to meet the newcomers just as they turned into the Harper Hall quadrangle. Master Gennell, Betrice, Ginia, Petiron and Merelan were waiting on the broad steps, while every apprentice, journeyman and Master had found some vantage point from which to view the confrontation.
As Halibran and his troops halted their runners, he had no trouble locating his 'abused' daughter who was screeching at the top of her lungs from an upper window.
'She's been at it again, Father,' one of Halibran's riders said in disgust. 'She was the one abusing, I've no doubt.' The resemblance to his sister was obvious, and he was not the only young blond male in the group with a similar cast of countenance.
Halibran, dismounting, waved the young man to hold his tongue. Not a major holder, though a wealthy one from the produce of his lands and the mines under them, he had none of his daughter's arrogance as he mounted the steps and held out his hand to the MasterHarper.
'Since she is sequestered, I assume that Halanna has not seen fit to apologize. Let me do so in her stead,' he said, allowing everyone to heave sighs of relief.
Master Gennell, however, shook his head slowly. 'It is her place, not yours, Holder Halibran, to make restitution for her behaviour and her refusal to accept the usual necessary disciplines of the Harper Hall. She has much to learn.'
The screeching, which the new arrivals were pointedly ignoring, took on a shriller note.
'The fault lies in me,' Halibran said with a weary sigh. 'Her mother died at her birth, and with six brothers she has been much cosseted.'
