knowledge. I shall of course obey his instruction but I-'
'I'm sure you can, I'm sure,' the Duke said. 'And pray, what part of Drezen was it you said that you are from?'
The Doctor drew herself up a little more. 'From Pressel, on the island of Napthilia, sir.'
'Ah yes, yes. Napthilia. Napthilia. Indeed. You must miss it terribly, I imagine.'
'A little, sir.'
'Having no one of your own kind to talk to in your native language, unable to catch up on the latest news, lacking compatriots to reminisce with. A sad business, being an exile.'
'It has its compensations, sir.'
'Yes. Good. Very well. Think on, about those dances. We shall. see you later, perhaps, high-kicking, whirling and whooping, eh?'
'Perhaps,' the Doctor said. I for one was glad I could not see her expression behind the mask. Of course, being a half-face mask, her lips were visible. I began to worry how much aspersion a pair of full red lips could convey.
Just so,' Walen said. 'Until then, madam.' He nodded.
The Doctor bowed subtly. Duke Walen turned and led his party towards the ballroom.
We sat down. I took off my mask and wiped my face. 'I think the Duke was a little the worse for wine, mistress,' I said.
The mirror-mask faced me. My own visage looked back; distorted and flushed. Those two red lips gave a small smile. Her eyes remained unreadable behind the mask. 'Yes. Do you think he will mind that I cannot provide him with a Drezeni dance? I really am unable to recall any.'
'I think the Duke was being rather rude to you, mistress. The wine was doing most of the talking. He sought only to — well, I am sure as a gentleman he would not seek to humiliate you — but he was perhaps having a little sport with you. The detail of the matter was not important. He will probably forget most of what has passed here.'
'I hope so. Do you think I am a poor dancer, Oelph?'
'Oh no, mistress! I have not seen you put a step wrong so far!'
'That is my only goal. Shall we…?'
A young man in a hide and gem-stone mask and wearing the dress uniform of a captain in the King's Own Frontier Guards appeared at our side. He bowed deeply. 'Master Oelph? Madam Doctor Vosill?' he asked.
There was a pause. The Doctor looked at me. 'Yes!' I blurted.
'The King commands me to invite you to dance with the royal party during the next figure. It starts directly.'
'Oh, shit,' I heard myself say.
'We are delighted to accept the King's kind invitation,' the Doctor said, rising smoothly and nodding to the officer. She held her arm out towards me. I took it in mine.
'Please follow me,' the captain said.
We found ourselves arranged in a figure of sixteen with King Quience, a small, buxom young princess from one of the Sequestered Kingdoms in the mountains beyond the land of Tassasen, a tall brother-and-sister prince and princess from Outer Trosile, Duke Quettil and his sister Lady Ghehere, the Duke and Duchess of Keitz (uncle and aunt to Guard Commander Adlain), their startlingly proportioned daughter and her fiance, Prince Hills of Faross, the Guard Commander Adlain himself and Lady Ulier, and, lastly, a young lady I was introduced to and had seen about court but whose name escaped me then and now, and her escort, the brother of Lady Ulier, the young Duke Ulresile we had first encountered at the King's table in the Hidden Gardens.
I noticed that the youthful Duke wade sure that he positioned himself in our half of the figure, so ensuring that he would have two opportunities to dance with the Doctor rather than one.
The introductions were made and the dance was named by a very impressively dressed Wiester, wearing a plain black mask. We took our places in two lines, male facing female. The King took a last drink from a goblet, replaced it on a tray, waved away the servant carrying it and nodded to Wiester, who in turn nodded to the conductor of the orchestra.
The music began. My heart was beating hard and fast. I was reasonably familiar with the figure we were engaged upon, but still concerned that I might make a mistake. I was just as concerned that the Doctor might commit a serious misstep. I did not think she had danced so formally complicated a figure before.
'You are enjoying the ball, madam?' Duke Quettil asked as he and the Doctor advanced upon each other, bowed, held hands, circled and stepped. I was similarly engaged with the lady Ghehere, who gave every impression through her carriage and bearing that she had no interest whatsoever in conversing with the assistant to a woman who claimed the honourable but un-noble title of doctor, and so I was at least able both to dance without treading on her toes and to attend to what passed between my mistress and the Duke.
'Very much, Duke Quettil.'
'I was surprised when the King insisted that you be invited to join us, but then he is most… most merry this evening. Don't you think?'
'He does appear to be enjoying himself.'
'Not too much, in your opinion?'
'It is not my place to judge the King in any aspect, sir, save that of his health.'
'Quite. I was granted the privilege of choosing the figure. Is it to your taste?'
'Entirely so, Duke.'
'It is perhaps a little complex.'
'Perhaps.'
'So much to remember that is not entirely natural, so many opportunities to make a mistake.'
'Dear Duke,' the Doctor said with some concern. 'I hope this is not some subtly disguised warning.'
I happened to be circling my immediate partner with my hands clasped behind my back and was facing.the Duke Quettil at this point. I got the impression that he was momentarily taken aback, unsure quite what to say for the moment before the Doctor went on, 'You are not preparing to step on my toes, are you?'
The Duke gave a small, high laugh, and with that the timeous demands of the dance took both the Doctor and myself away from the centre of the figure. While our other four-set took the centre, we stood alongside each other, our hands clasped or on hips as appropriate, marking time with one foot then the other.
'All right so far, Oelph?' the Doctor said. I thought she sounded slightly breathless, and even as though she was enjoying herself.
'Aye, so far, mistress. The Duke seemed-'
'Were you teaching Quettil extra steps there, Doctor?' Adlain asked from her other side.
'I'm sure that there is nothing I could teach the Duke, Guard Commander.'
'I'm equally sure he feels just the same way, madam, and yet he appeared to lose his way for a moment in that last turn.'
'It is a complicated figure, as he himself pointed out to me.'
'Yet one he chose.'
'Indeed he did. Does Count Walen dance it as well, do you think?'
Adlain was silent for a moment. 'I fancy he might, or at least fancy that he fancies he might.' I saw him glance at the Doctor. His half-mask allowed him to show a smile. 'However I myself find it takes all my concentration just minding my own steps without attempting to scrutinise somebody else's. Ah, excuse me…'
Another set. 'Good Doctor,' young Duke Ulresile said, meeting her in the centre. His companion, the young lady whose name I forget, seemed no more inclined to talk to nee than Lady Ghehere.
'Duke,' the Doctor replied.
'You look most striking.'
'Thank you.'
'That mask, is it Brotechian?'
'No, sir, it is silver.'
'Ah. Indeed. But does it originate in Brotechen?'
'No, in Haspide. I had a jeweller fashion it.'
