Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 107
hopped down from the cart and curtsied to her.
"Good grief, are you a boy or a woman?" laughed the
lady in a deep voice; Calandria was still dressed in buckskins.
The lady made a fluttering gesture with her hand near her
breast. Silver chain in her hair glinted as she cocked her head.
"And which side of the family are you from?"
Lady May curtsied again. "Neither side, I fear, Madam.
I am Lady Calandria May, and this is my charge, Jordan
Mason." Jordan started at the sound of his own name. He
stood awkwardly and bowed. "I wrote asking for the
hospitality of the house some weeks ago, and received it," Lady
May went on. "If we have come at the wrong time, please let
us know."
"Nonsense," said the lady. "Make yourselves at home. I
am lady Marice Boros. My husband is, alas..." she smiled for
the first time as she looked around, "missing. You see, we are
having the first family reunion in a full generation, and the clan
has grown to unmanageable proportions. These are all my
kin." She swept her hand to indicate the throng, then turned
and frowned at the vista. "Oh dear, they are, aren't they? Well,
no matter, we will accommodate you. Alex," she said to the
man holding their horse, "put them in the tower." She nodded
sharply to Lady May. "I trust you will join us for dinner? I'm
afraid we shan't be able to give you too much attention today;
I've not spoken to some of our family members yet, and will be
doing that at dinner."
"We understand. Though I hope we will be able to
converse at some point, your obligations are clear," Lady May
said. "Oh--we were to rendezvous here with an acquaintance.
Sir Axel Chan. Has he by any chance arrived?"
"Chan. Ah, of course." Lady Marice's eyes narrowed. "I
think you can find him right over there."