“He didn’t like to say much most of the time.”
“At times, you got him to talk.”
“Only in the last few months, and only when he was in the mood,” Charyn replied.
“What are you going to do about the threats? They won’t go away. Neither will the attacks.”
Rather than answer his mother’s question directly, Charyn asked, “Why does he hate us all so much?”
“Because of what his father did.”
“What did he do?”
“Those are matters left largely unspoken, even to you. Let me assure you that our father was a man of great personal appeal and charm, and utterly depraved in almost every way possible.”
“It has something to do with Grandmother, doesn’t it?”
“Your grandmother was an extremely beautiful woman who was very ambitious and never loved your grandfather. Our father found her attractive. The results almost destroyed Solidar and embittered my brother. We will leave it at that, and I would appreciate your not telling either your brother or sister at the present time.”
Charyn nodded, but studied his mother’s face, seeing the tightness there. Finally, he said, “That’s not all, is it?”
“No. We will leave it at that, Charyn, except to say that your uncle is no better than his father, far less charming, and far closer to the Namer.”
To Charyn, Chelia’s voice was colder and bitterer than the snow outside, and the way in which she spoke suggested even greater depravity than Charyn had imagined … and he hadn’t thought he’d had many illusions about his uncle.
Her voice turned softer and warmer as she asked, “Is there anything else, dear?”
Charyn didn’t want to say that there wasn’t. “Does all that have to do with why Palenya is here?”
“Some of it. I wanted you to learn something about women. I don’t have your invitation list for the Spring-Turn Ball.”
Charyn understood that anything more even remotely connected to Ryel’s depravity was not going to be talked about. “I’ll get the names I’d personally like to see to you in the next day or so. I promise.”
“How are you coming with the imagers?”
“Maitre Dylert and I have come up with a plan for making the chateau guards more effective…” He smiled as he began to explain the changes.
When he left his mother more than a quint later, Charyn headed down the grand staircase to the music room to see if Palenya had returned. She was standing beside the table desk when he entered the chamber.
“You’re back, I see?”
“I’ve been back at the chateau for almost a glass. I’ve been talking to Kaylet about how to transport the clavecin.”
“Was the one you looked at suitable?”
“It was a very good instrument.” Palenya shook her head. “It’s been neglected for several years. It belongs to the granddaughter of a musician. She got it from her father when he died. She’s married to a cloth factor. He already had a clavecin built by Dhorek. The one he had is inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Her husband doesn’t want two clavecins, and he told her she could keep the golds if she just sold it. They’re both fools. The one they want to sell was a better instrument, but it looks plain by comparison. It needs work.”
“How much will it cost?” Charyn wasn’t that concerned, but he thought he should ask.
“It likely cost thirty golds when Dhorek first sold it. They were happy to sell it for ten. I gave them a gold to seal the bargain.”
“How did you find out about it?”
“The way one always does. By going to the musicians’ hall and asking who had a clavecin for sale.”
Charyn wouldn’t have thought of that, either. “What do you mean by ‘it needs work’?”
“It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
Charyn frowned.
Palenya offered a sigh that very much sounded like one of exasperation. “My father insisted that I be able to tune and repair a clavecin. He said it was important for a woman musician not to have to rely on men.”
“Where…?”
“At the Collegium. There’s no point in working on it and then moving it. I already talked to Kaylet. There’s a wagon in the back barn that will hold it until the Collegium can take it.”
“If someone else did the repairs, what would it cost?”
“The work might cost eight silvers. I’ll need to buy vulture quills to replace some of the plectra, and two jacks, maybe three, need to be replaced, and strings, more than a few. They sell those at the musicians’ hall. It costs more there, but it will be quicker.”
Charyn had only the vaguest idea of what she was talking about. “When do you need to pick it up?”
“Tomorrow. Kaylet said it wouldn’t be a problem. He and Aedryt and two of the stable boys have it planned out.”
“So you need nine more golds and how many silvers?” He frowned. “Do they know who you’re representing?”
“I just said that I was representing my patron who wanted a second clavecin for his sister to practice on. I thought that was close enough to the truth. They had to know that my patron is wealthy. Free musicians don’t show up in coaches drawn by matched pairs and hand over a gold as a seal.”
“You’ll need two golds more for the … quills and the strings?”
“I doubt if I’ll need more than five silvers in addition to the golds. That might be too much, but it would be better to have ten just in case. Silvers, though, for the quills, jacks, and strings … and musicians’ glue.”
“You can do this?”
“I’ve already done some of that to your clavecin. I had to revoice it completely in Erntyn. I’ll have to do that for the one you’re buying as well.”
“You amaze me. Again.”
She smiled.
With the warmth of her expression, Charyn forgot, for the moment, that he needed to compose a letter to Maitre Alastar to let him know about the clavecin.
54
By two quints past ninth glass on Samedi morning, Charyn was almost continuously looking out the study window for any sign of Palenya … and the clavecin. As soon as he saw the wagon start up the drive, he pulled on a heavy winter jacket and hurried down to the rear courtyard. There, he stood on the small landing outside the rear door and watched as Kaylet deftly maneuvered the wagon into the coach barn.
Is there anything they don’t do well?
In the comparatively short time that it took to move the wagon into the barn, Charyn could feel his ears beginning to go numb. Once the horses were unhitched, he crossed the courtyard to where Palenya stood, waiting for him. So well covered was she with her scarf that only her eyes were visible.
“Did everything go as you planned?”
“It did. Did you expect it wouldn’t?”
“I was worried. You seemed to be taking a long time.”
“That’s because I had Kaylet stop at the musicians’ hall so I could get what I needed. It was only three blocks out of the way, and it seemed stupid to have to make a second trip in this kind of weather.”
“Only three blocks?” asked Charyn wryly.
“Well … three … and another half score.”
Charyn shook his head. “I’d like to see the clavecin.”
“You should, but don’t be surprised. I told you it needed work.” Palenya turned and walked through the barn doors that one of the stable boys was beginning to close.
It was warmer inside the coach barn, but not all that much. Palenya climbed up into the wagon bed, and Charyn followed.
Slowly, she eased back the old blankets that had covered the clavecin. “The keyboard is in good shape, but it needs to be cleaned. The entire soundboard needs restringing and most of the plectra need replacing. So I bought enough quills to replace them all. That will make getting an even sound volume easier. The wood on the spine is in good shape. The same for the bentside and the cheek, but the tail of the cabinet is badly scratched. I’ll have to smooth that down, but trying to match the finish
…”
“I’d wager that for just the finish on the wood,” suggested Charyn, “one of the maitres, possibly Maitre Alyna, could image a match, especially if you told her what was in most finishes. I don’t know that I trust imaging for the inside, though.”
“Do you think…?”
“Howal has been able to match … the finish on the hilt of my letter knife.” Charyn had almost mentioned inks, and that would have been a very bad slip. “This sounds like you’ll have to practically rebuild the inside.”
“Not really. Most of what I’ll have to do isn’t that much more than I did for the clavecin in the chateau music room. It hadn’t really been worked on for quite a while.” She smiled mischievously. “That’s one reason why you all sounded so much better after I came. Playing a well-tuned clavecin does make a difference.”
“The difference didn’t just come from a better-tuned instrument,” replied Charyn as he studied the clavecin, starting with the goldenwood cabinet and taking in the keyboard with its double row of keys, as well as the well-turned legs. “Do I want to look inside?”
“I’d rather you didn’t. It’s possible that the moving might have loosened or frayed the strings. I’d prefer not to open it until it’s in place.”
“Then we should head back to the chateau proper.”
Palenya jumped down from the wagon bed before Charyn could even offer a hand, and he had to hurry to catch up to her.
“If I weren’t going to have to do all the work on the inside, I’d worry about leaving it in the cold, but since we’ll have to move it again in the cold, it’s better that it stays here. That way it doesn’t get warmed up, then chilled, then warmed up again. Shifts from hot to cold and back again, or from moist air to dry and back over short periods of time aren’t good for any instrument.”
As they entered the rear foyer of the chateau, Bhayrn approached, also wearing a heavy winter coat of dark teal wool. He looked to Charyn. “You won’t be using the plain coach this afternoon, will you? I’d like to go to Kharlyn’s. I can stable the horses there until I return this evening.”
“Go ahead, but make sure the guard going with you is scheduled for duty.”
Bhayrn frowned, but nodded.
“You can check with the duty desk. In the alcove off the front entrance,” Charyn added.
Bhayrn sighed, then turned and headed toward the front of the chateau.
Palenya raised eyebrows, but said nothing, then began to unwind the scarf that had protected her from the intense cold.
The two walked to the music room, where Palenya took off her gloves and heavy woolen coat, revealing that she had worn a woolen jacket underneath.
“You were prepared for the cold.” Charyn tried not to wince at the twinges that radiated from his ears, apparently from thawing out from the chill outside.
“Better than you.” Palenya smiled.
“I hadn’t thought my ears would get so cold so quickly.”
“I saw how cold the guards were, and riding on an open wagon…” She shook her head. Then, from inside her jacket, she extracted the cloth bag that Charyn had given her earlier and extended it. “There’s only a gold and four silvers left. After looking at the instrument, I realized I had to buy more than I’d thought. I also bought some extra quills, strings, and a spare jack, just in case. They’ll be used, sooner or later.”
Charyn handed the bag back. “What’s left is yours. Call it repayment for doing all sorts of things I couldn’t in obtaining the clavecin. I had no idea getting a clavecin was going to take all … everything. There’s much … more…”
“To being a musician than you realized?” Palenya slipped the bag back inside her jacket. “Thank you.”
“You’re more than welcome.” He paused, then asked, “How good will that clavecin be when you’ve finished with it?”
“The soundboard and the inside workings are as good as the one here. It should produce a sound that’s comparable, but I won’t know for sure until I’m finished. It doesn’t have the elaborate finish that yours does, nor all the gilt, but it looks to be as good a basic instrument. It should be, since it was made by Dhorek.”
“That’s very good.” Charyn nodded. “You’re pleased to have found it, aren’t you?”
“I am. They were both fools. Now the clavecin will be played by someone who will enjoy it.”
“I’m not certain that all students always enjoy playing,” said Charyn dryly.
“But Aloryana does. So does Maitre Malyna, whether she will admit it or not.”
“Speaking of playing … I’d like to play the duet with you later, perhaps midafternoon, and work on the nocturne … and we could have dinner. But I need to write a letter to Maitre Alastar first so that I can send it off. And I need to go over some changes in the stablemaster’s plans and the Chateau Guards plan that Dylert gave me…”
“I would like that … if you would.”
“Of course I would. What ever…” He broke off his words as he saw her smile. “You…”
He was still shaking his head as he left Palenya in the music room and headed up to the study, marveling at all she knew about clavecins, so many aspects of the instrument that he’d never even realized. Like so many other things you hadn’t even considered a year ago.
The first thing he intended was to write the letter to Maitre Alastar telling him that the clavecin was in hand. He wanted to make it clear that it would require considerable work by Musician Palenya before it would be ready to play. Then would come writing out the list of names of potentially suitable High Holders’ daughters to appease his mother. The name that easily came to mind was that of Alyncya D’Shendael, but he’d list the others, if only for political reasons, since the last thing he could afford was any unnecessary or perceived slight to any High Holder. Then would come poring over the plans from Dylert and Kaylet.
He took a deep breath.
55
Samedi and Solayi were cold and windy, with scattered snow, not enough to block the roads and streets, although those streets were largely deserted, unsurprisingly, given the biting winds. When Charyn entered the study on Lundi morning, the chamber was cold enough that he thought he ought to have been able to see his breath. He did not. He did detect a faint floral and smoky scent.
“It was colder earlier, sir,” announced Howal, “but I had Norstan bring up some braziers.”
Charyn frowned involuntarily. “I don’t recall braziers…”
Howal offered a sheepish grin. “I … found several. There were cuttings from the gardens in the wood barn, and several barrels of dried rose petals.”
Charyn looked around for the braziers.
“I had them removed. Even under the best of circumstances, it’s not good to leave them in a closed room for long. They did take off the worst of the chill.”
“Thank you.” Charyn didn’t even bother with going to the window. He knew that the hazy white sun just made everything look even colder, and pulling open the window hangings would just make the study more frigid.
He began to think about how to confront Ryel in a way that would make him reveal what he had done, but he realized that Ryel would admit nothing unless he saw that he was doomed, in which case, he might reveal matters in a way to attempt to undermine Charyn, as a last attempt to destroy the regial family. You can’t give him any openings. And that would be difficult.
Just after seventh glass, while Charyn was still thinking, Sturdyn announced, “An imager courier, sir.”
“Have him come in.” Charyn noted that the only part of the courier’s face that was reddened was around his eyes, suggesting that the gray scarf around his neck had been wound around not only his neck, but all of his face but his eyes. “It’s really bitter out there, isn’t it?”
“Yes, sir. This is from Maitre Alastar.” The man handed the sealed envelope to Charyn.
“Thank you. Before you leave, go down to the kitchen and get warmed up.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
Charyn was already opening the envelope when the courier left.
Rex Charyn—
The Collegium is most grateful for your kind offer and your generosity in presenting a clavecin for the use of imagers and students. The changes to the new music room in the administration building will be completed by the evening of Mardi, the fourth of Fevier, allowing arrival of the clavecin on Meredi or thereafter.
Both Aloryana and Maitre Malyna are especially looking forward to its appearance.
You and your mother should be pleased to learn that Aloryana is already making great progress in both her studies and in her imaging, and Lystara is very much enjoying her company.
Charyn smiled at the last words.
“Sir?”
“The Maitre will be most pleased to have a clavecin at the Collegium, and Musician Palenya and Maitre Kaylet can deliver it any time from Meredi onward, depending on the weather.”
Before that long, Bhayrn slipped into the study, almost ahead of Sturdyn’s announcement of “Lord Bhayrn.” He stood before the desk, not quite glowering.
“How are you doing?” asked Charyn.
“I’m bored enough with whist and other plaque games that I’ve started counting the marble tiles in the grand foyer. You at least have things to do to keep you busy.”
“Why don’t you take the plain coach and go visit one of your friends. No one is going to find fault with you for taking a coach in this weather. But make sure that the horses, driver, and guards have shelter wherever you go. If that’s not possible, send them back here and have them return for you later.” Charyn knew he was repeating himself, given that he had reminded Bhayrn before, but it was cold, and he wanted to make certain his brother understood his concerns.
Bhayrn opened his mouth, shut it, and frowned. Finally, he nodded. “Thank you. I think I will.”
“Try not to go too far in this cold.”
“I wouldn’t think of it.” With that, Bhayrn turned and strode out of the study.
After watching his brother leave, Charyn resumed his study of the Chateau Guard reorganization plan. Even though he and Dylert had worked on it together, he wanted to make certain he could describe it well enough without needing notes. He knew he had to give the impression of being the rex while improving the lot of the guards.
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