It didn't really seem that important at the time. But in retrospect, I wondered…
We had ridden that day, Vinta and I. Seeing my growing exasperation of the morning, she must have felt a break was in order. She was right. Following a light lunch, when she made the suggestion that we take a ride about the estate, I agreed readily. I had wanted a little more time in which to think before continuing our cross- examination and discourse game. And the weather was good, the countryside attractive.
We made our way along a curling hail through arbors, which led at length into the northern hills from where we were afforded long views across the rugged and cross-hatched land down to the sun-filled sea. The sky was full of winds and wisps of cloud, passing birds… Vinta seemed to have no special destination in mind, which was all right with me. As we rode, I recalled a visit to a Napa Valley winery, and the next time we drew rein to rest the horses I asked her, «Do you bottle the wine here at the estate? Or is that done in town? Or in Amber?»
«I don't know,» she said.
«I thought you grew up here.»
«I never paid attention.»
I bit back a remark about patrician attitudes. Unless she were joking, I couldn't see how she'd fail to know something like that.
She caught my expression, though, and added immediately, «We've done it various ways at various times. I've been living in town for several years now. I'm not sure where the principal bottling has been done recently.»
Nice save, because I couldn't fault it. I hadn't intended my question as any sort of trap, but I felt as if I had just touched on something. Possibly from the fact that she didn't let it go at that. She went on to say that they shipped large casks all over the place and often sold them in that fashion. On the other hand, there were smaller customers who wanted the product bottled… I stopped listening after a time. On the one hand, I could see it, coming horn a vintner's daughter. On the other, it was all stuff I could have made up myself on the spot. There was no way for me to check on any of it. I got the feeling that she was trying to snow me, to cover something. But I couldn't figure what.
«Thanks,» I said when she paused for breath, and she gave me a strange look but took the hint and did not continue.
«You have to speak English,» I said in that language, «if the things you told me earlier are true.»
«Everything I told you is true,» she replied, in unaccented English.
«Where'd you learn it?»
«On the shadow Earth where you went to school.»
«Would you care to tell me what you were doing there?»
«I was on a special mission.»
«For your father? For the Crown?»
«I'd rather not answer you at all than lie to you.»
«I appreciate that. Of course, I must speculate.»
She shrugged.
«You said you were in Berkeley?» I asked.
A hesitation, then, «Yes.»
«I don't remember ever seeing you around.»
Another shrug. I wanted to grab her and shake her. Instead, I said, «You knew about Meg Devlin. You said you were in New York -»
«I believe you're getting ahead of me on questions.»
«I didn't know we were playing the game again. I thought we were just talking.»
«All right, then: Yes.»
«Tell me one more thing and perhaps I can help you.»
She smiled. «I don't need any help. You're the one with problems:»
«May I, anyway?»
«Go ahead and ask. Every time you question me you tell me things I wish to know.»
«You knew about Luke's mercenaries. Did you visit New Mexico, too?»
«Yes, I've been there.»
«Thanks,» I said.
«That's all?»
«That's all.»
«You've come to some conclusion?»
«Perhaps.»
«Care to tell me what it is?»
I smiled and shook my head.
I left it at that. A few oblique queries on her part as we rode on led me to believe that I had her wondering what I might have guessed or suddenly seen. Good. I was determined to let it smolder. I needed something to balance her reticence on those points about which I was most curious, to lead hopefully to a full trade of information. Besides, I had reached a peculiar conclusion concerning her. It was not complete, but if it were correct I would require the rest of the answer sooner or later. So it was not exactly as if I were setting up a bluff.
The afternoon was golden, orange, yellow, red about us, with an autumn-damp smell behind the cool nips of the breezes. The sky was very blue, like certain stones…
Perhaps ten minutes later I asked her a more neutral question. «Could you show me the road to Amber?»
«You don't know it?»
I shook my head. «I've never been this way before. All I know is that there are overland routes coming through here that lead to the Eastern Gate.»
«Yes,» she said. «A bit farther to the north, I believe. Let's go find it.»
She headed back to a road we had followed for a time earlier and we turned right on it, which seemed logical. I did not remark on her vagueness, though I expected a comment from her before too long in that I had not elaborated on my plans and I'd a feeling she was hoping that I would.
Perhaps three quarters of a mile later we came to a crossroads. There was a low stone marker at the far left corner giving the distance to Amber, the distance back to Baylesport, the distance to Baylecrest in the east and to a place called Murn, straight ahead.
«What's Murn?» I asked.
«A little dairy village.»
No way I could check that, without traveling six leagues.
«You plan on riding back to Amber?» she asked.
«Yes.»
«Why not just use a Trump?»
«I want to get to know the area better. It's my home. I like it here.»
«But I explained to you about the danger. The stones have marked you. You can be tracked.»
«That doesn't mean I will be tracked. I doubt that whoever sent the ones I met last night would even be aware this soon that they'd found me and failed. They'd still be lurking about if I hadn't decided to go out for dinner. I'm sure I have a few days' grace in which to remove the markings you spoke of.»
She dismounted and let her horse nibble a few blades of grass. I did the same. Dismounted, that is.
«You're probably right. I just don't like to see you taking any chances,» she said. «When are you planning on heading back?»
«I don't know. I suppose that the longer I wait the more likely it is that the person behind last night's business will get restless and maybe send more muscle.»
She took hold of my arm and turned, so that she was suddenly pressed against me. I was somewhat surprised by the act, but my free arm automatically moved to hold the lady as it tends to on such occasions.
«You weren't planning on leaving now, were you? Because if you are, I'm going with you.»
«No,» I answered truthfully. Actually, I'd been thinking of departing the following morning, following a good night's sleep.
«When, then? We still have a lot of things to talk about.»
