The brother who had spoken gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head and then looked away. The other two managed not to grin, but it didn't escape anyone that they had probably tried to get their father to school his daughter's behaviour.
'What did happen that made her send such a message?' Halibran asked.
Gennell opened his mouth, but it was Petiron who stepped forward and answered.
'She is musically almost illiterate, Holder Halibran,' he said in a flat and firm voice, 'although I know Harper Maxilant to be a competent musician.'
'Maxilant did suggest that the Hall might succeed where he was failing,' Halibran said, raising both gloved hands in helplessness, his answer directed more to Gennell than to Petiron. 'I should not
have sent you our problem.' He turned back to Petiron. 'And?' 'When she repeatedly refused to learn a simple score ...'
No one of the Harper Hall group so much as batted an eye at Petiron's remark.
'... and started to rant in an hysterical fashion, I slapped her. Once.' And Petiron put up one finger in emphasis.
Everyone on the steps nodded.
'We all heard the entire argument,' Master Gennell said, pointing to the studio windows. 'And the single slap.'
'She'd need more than one,' a brother said.
'We shall take her off your hands,' her father said in an almost meek tone, though it was obvious that he was probably not one whir less proud than his daughter.
'Nonsense,' Master Gennell said, just as Petiron stepped forward to protest. 'With your permission, we shall continue to discipline her – firmly – until she realizes that such behaviour gets her nowhere in either her relationships with others or in learning the lessons you asked us to teach her.'
Halibran was astonished; the brothers muttered among one another.
'That is too fine a voice to be misused,' Master Gennell said, glancing up in the direction of the outraged cries. Strips of clothing flapped out of the window and drifted to the ground. 'Or abused. We have disciplined recalcitrant students before now. She may be...' and Master Gennell paused significantly, 'unusually obdurate, but give me leave to doubt she is beyond redemption.'
'I'd say she is,' one brother murmured, and received a buffet on his leg from his glaring father.
'Give us until the Spring Equinox, Holder Halibran, and you will be pleased with the change.'
'How do you propose to achieve that?' the holder asked, tucking his gloved thumbs into his thick riding belt and regarding not only Gennell but the others on the top step.
'If you would make it ... exceedingly ... plain to her,' Gennell said, 'that such antics cut no ice with you, that you will no longer condone her behaviour or rescue her from its consequences, she will soon capitulate.'
Halibran considered as he removed his gloves, stowed them in the saddle bag and flexed his fingers. 'If she does, it will be the first time in her life,' he said, 'but it had better come now.' He opened and closed his fists.
The expression of profound satisfaction was mirrored by all three brothers and, indeed, the other six men of the party.
'I'll lead the way,' Gennell said affably and, as Betrice and Ginia fell into step with Holder Halibran, they disappeared into the Hall.
'Is that the girl you said had a superb voice, Petiron?' Grogellan asked, moving up to the steps from where he and his men had been a witness to the interview.
The oldest brother, recognizing that this was the Lord of Fort Hold, respectfully dismounted and gestured for the others to do so, inclining his upper body politely to one of higher rank. Just then Halanna's voice rasped to an even higher note, almost a wail, and Petiron winced.
'If she keeps on forcing the upper register like that,' Washell remarked to no one in particular, 'she may end up soprano instead of alto... if she's any voice left at all.'
'Hmmm,' was Grogellan's reply, as he turned his head up to the window. 'She certainly shouldn't be allowed to carry on like that.'
'It's a speciality of hers,' the oldest brother remarked. 'She's developed it into a fine art, and none of us' – he included his brothers – 'could do a thing about it.'
Grogellan looked at him with such a glare that he grimaced, shrugging his shoulders. Fort's Lord Holder did not approve of sons criticizing their fathers, no matter what the cause.
'Any moment now,' Washell said, grinning in happy expectation.
He was right. Halanna's shriek broke off abruptly. Then there was a long wait for those on the ground before her voice was heard again, and this time her shout was defiance mixed with astonishment.
That tone altered to outraged cries, screams, and finally into penitent sobs which gradually, over the next few minutes, dwindled into silence. Or at least to a level which was not audible to those below.
To give him credit, the oldest brother controlled his expression as he turned to Washell. 'Our mounts need to be refreshed before we start back again,' he said.
'Then follow us,' said Grogellan. 'You will guest at the Hold, for I know the Harper Hall is presently filled to capacity.' He gestured for the Istans to follow him.
The oldest brother, astonished and grateful for Grogellan's hospitality, looked from him to the doorway of the Harper Hall. 'I should await my father.' He turned back to Grogellan. 'I am Brahil, and those two are my brothers, Landon and Brosil,' he said by way of introduction. 'And Gostol, here, is our good captain who sailed us here.'
Grogellan nodded approval of Brahil's manners and, leaving the young man to wait for his father, he swept the others ahead of him towards the Hold. 'How was the sea on your way here, Master Gostol?' he asked, assuming the duties of a genial host.
The Istan holders stayed three more days, until Halanna finally capitulated – from sheer physical exhaustion. Ginia had naturally attended the girl after each session with her father and, although she was discreet, she did imply that it was no more than the child required to make her mend her ways.
'For so many children, disapproval is sufficient, or a rap on the knuckles,' she said to Merelan, who was genuinely worried when Halanna showed no signs of repentance after the second chastisement.
'Then there are some who have to have manners thumped into their heads. Oddly enough, they seem to recover more quickly than the sensitive child who is only verbally rebuked.'
'But...'
'He uses only his hand, and it's more her pride that's been offended than her butt end,' Ginia said. 'If the issue is not forced now, she will become far worse in later years and end up disgracing her entire family and hold. That can't be allowed.'
'It's just that we've never had a child that difficult,' Merelan said.
Isla joined them, breathless from a fast walk across the courtyard.
'He's taking most of her clothing back with him, and has asked me to provide warmer garments. Just a few, and nothing fancy, though I did talk him into permitting one nice outfit for Gathers and performances.' She looked almost regretful, though Halanna had driven her to despair with her snide comments and spiteful ways. 'Only she's not to pick it out. I'll let Neilla do so. She has the best taste and the most forgiving heart.'
Halanna was required to apologize to the MasterHarper, Journeywoman Healer Betrice, and Master Petiron for her intransi-gence.
Gennell had wanted to include Merelan, but the singer put her foot down. She would have the instructing of the humbled girl, and that was going to be hard enough to handle without the child experiencing further abasement.
'She brought it on herself,' Halibran said sternly.
'That does not require me to compound it,' Merelan said, lifting her chin to match his attitude.
'You are a gracious lady,' he said, relenting and bowing to her.
Halanna was granted a room to herself, the attic one, which had sufficient space for her much reduced wardrobe. If she did not apply herself to her lessons, her father had left instructions with the MasterHealer Ginia to take what disciplinary steps would be required to see that she did.
'And, if you should decide this regimen doesn't suit you,' her father said in so cold a voice that Merelan shivered, 'and attempt to run away from the Harper Hall, I will have the drums repudiate you across all Pern. Do you understand? You wanted to sing, you wanted to come here to the Harper Hall so that you could improve your
