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George's girl； but she had a lovely line of jaw and throat when she lifted her head。
Slender without weakness； she seemed hardly aware of her grace。。。。 She was chuckling over something Buttons had said。 Bubbles； beside him； waved a hand in front of his face。
〃Wake up； sweet … you're staring right through Raffa； and it could make me jealous。〃 Bubbles exuded sensuality of a very studied sort； from silver nails to tumbled blonde curls； from the deep…plunging neckline of her clinging jersey to the cutouts on the long black tights。 Next to the opera singer； he had always thought of Bubbles as the sexiest girl he knew； but at the moment he was finding her tiresome。 She had been singing along with the lyrics from the cube； and the opera singer had spoiled him。 Now he could hear the breathiness and the slight errors of pitch。
〃Sorry；〃 he said。 〃I was wondering what we're going to do all that time at your father's。 Surely not fox hunting。〃
〃It's not that bad；〃 Buttons said； looking up。 〃I rather like it； sometimes。
If we jiggle the weather…sats； so it's not as cold and wet …〃
〃Father will find out；〃 Bubbles said。 〃He likes authenticity。〃
〃I don't see how you can have authenticity when the foxes aren't even foxes；〃
Sarah put in。 〃Didn't I read somewhere that they're actually reverse…gengineered from cat genes？〃 Ronnie doubted her interest in bioengineering； she and Buttons had signed the second…level prenuptials； and this was her first official visit to his family。 She would be trying to make points。
〃A chimaera；〃 Buttons said； settling into the lecturing tone that made him less than popular in the regiment。 Stuffy； in fact； because he couldn't just answer a question： he had to explain all the juice out of it。 〃Nobody bothered to save Old…Earth red fox genes； so what Dad's people did was go from descriptions； and use what seemed to work。 Luckily Hagworth had already done jackals from dogs； and two of the fox species that got publicity。。。。 The real problem was getting the color and the bushy tail with a white tip。 Our neo…foxes are part kit fox； part jackal； a bit of cat； and raccoon； for the tail。〃
〃I didn't know anyone had saved raccoon genes； I thought they were too mon。〃
〃Only to give an outcross for the red panda；〃 Buttons said。 Ronnie would not have expected him to know； but after all his father was an enthusiast on many forms of hunting and preservation。 Buttons went on to discuss the genetic possibilities at length。 Ronnie let his mind drift。。。 to the opera singer； in whose bed he had learned about things that before had been only rumors。。。 to the prince； whose jealousy he had been glad to arouse。。。 to that night in the mess when he had boasted。。。 somehow it didn't seem quite as clever now as it had then。 Perhaps Aunt Cecelia was right； and he had been a cad。 No。 The prince should have been a better sport。
He reached up and stroked Bubbles's arm； wondering if anything would e of it。 He could not think of anything to say； though； and after a few seconds； she withdrew the arm and stretched herself on the couch across from him。 The same couch where she had been so unfortunately sick。。。。 He wondered if she remembered。 She looked healthy enough now； though her expression of mild sulkiness fit his mood as well as hers。
〃I suppose we should get into shape；〃 George said。 〃Your aunt has that handy little riding…thing。 An hour a day； and none of us would have to worry about saddle sores。〃
〃Her simulator？〃 Ronnie asked。 〃Do what you like； George； but I have no intention of bouncing around on a mechanical horse。 It's bad enough to contemplate bouncing around on a real one。 Do you know she had the gall to order me riding attire？〃
〃Well； you'll need it。〃 Buttons had settled into a pose the male equivalent of Bubbles's sprawl； together they took up both of the couches。 Ronnie wondered why he'd thought exile would be more fun with these people than alone。 They were looking at him as if he were responsible for entertaining them； when none of it was his fault Buttons went on。 〃First of all； my father's head instructor will check you out； before you're assigned your mounts …〃
〃And he's a terror；〃 Bubbles said。 〃So far as I know； there's not a military unit in the known universe that still uses horses； but he acts like a cartoon drill instructor。 You'll spend at least two hours trotting before he decides what to give you。〃
〃I'd like to see him test Aunt Cecelia；〃 Ronnie said。
〃Not her；〃 Buttons said； grinning。 〃She's an old guest； and he's more likely to ask her to test the horses。 'Pick what you like； milady； not that there's anything here worth your time；' is what he'll tell her。〃
〃Is she really that good？〃
Buttons stared at him； eyes wide。 〃You haven't ever seen her ride？〃
〃No。 The family doesn't think much of her hobby。〃 His father had said that； often enough； and he'd heard his mother talking to his other aunts about 〃poor dear Cecelia； what a shame she wasted her life on horses。〃
〃It was hardly a hobby； Ron。。。。 The woman won the Ail…Union individual cross…country championship five times； and ranked in the top five for fifteen years。〃 Buttons turned to Bubbles。 〃Remember when we were just learning to ride； and old Abel was yelling at us； and she stopped him？〃
〃She got me over my first jump；〃 Bubbles said； sitting upright now。 She looked less like a fluffhead than usual。 Could she possibly enjoy hunting？ Ronnie had a brief unpleasant view of himself married to a fox…hunting wife。 No。 It would not do。 〃I'd forgotten。。。 that was that old gray pony； the one that seemed to like dumping us。 She didn't yell at me； just talked me through it〃
〃Yes； and then she got on one of the good horses and showed us what we were supposed to be doing。 Abel fairly purred。〃
Ronnie felt a knot in his head tightening。 It wasn't fair that they knew more about his aunt than he did。 That they admired his aunt for things he hadn't known about； and that his family hadn't respected。 Things were not going the way he'd planned。 He'd expected his friends to rally around him； support him； do what he wanted。。。 and here they were swapping stories of his old maiden aunt。
〃Does everyone hunt together？〃 he asked Buttons。 If he couldn't avoid the topic of horses； at least he could get the conversation away from his aunt。
〃How many horses does your father have； anyway？〃
〃To answer your first question； no。 There are three hunts out of the main house； where we'll be。 Each has its own territory。 We'll each be assigned to one of them； depending on riding ability。 As for horses。。。 many thousands； I suppose； altogether。 The main house stables will hold five hundred； though we won't use that many。 Hunters； hacks； young horses in training。〃 Ronnie tried to imagine five hundred horses in the same place； and failed。 The Academy had had ten； for the training of its young officers； and he had no idea what a 〃hack〃 was。 He was not about to ask。
〃We don't hunt every day；〃 Bubbles put in。 〃Some people do； but most ride out on alternate days。 Particularly in the lower hunts； where they're not as good and get really stiff。〃
〃I'll get really stiff；〃 Raffa and Sarah said together； like a chorus。
〃Isn't there anything