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s before dinner。。。
what about the inquest on Iklind？〃
〃Not a problem。〃 Lady Cecelia slipped into her seat and picked up her napkin。
〃With the documentation you supplied； and the medical evidence from Timmons； this will be treated as an obvious accident。〃
Heris sat down； she knew she shouldn't continue the subject at table； but questions cluttered her mind。 〃I wish …〃
〃Not now；〃 Lady Cecelia interrupted her。 〃We can discuss this later； if you wish； though I would prefer to wait until tomorrow； local time。 By then forensics should have confirmed the cause of death； and I'll know more。〃
Heris blinked。 She had not realized that Lady Cecelia would be dealing with the legal problems of Iklind's death while she worked on the ship； she had thought she would have to do it all herself。
Dinner arrived； with a cluster of attendants。 Heris found herself staring at a tiny wedge of something decorated with a sprig of green。
〃Lassaferan snailfish fin；〃 Lady Cecelia mented。 〃The garnish is frilled zillik。 We grew that aboard； before … at one time。〃
Heris tasted the snailfish fin； which had been dipped in a mustardy sauce； it had an odd but winsome flavor； perfectly plemented by the zillik。 She had eaten at places that served this sort of food； usually while on a political assignment； but the Service favored less quixotic cuisine。 One rarely had time to spend hours at the table。 She hoped she would not have to spend hours at dinner now … with the relaxation induced by fortable clothes； she had begun to realize how tired she was。
Next came a hot soup； its brilliant reds and golds contrasting with the pallid snailfish fin。 Fish and vegetables； flavors well…blended； with enough spice to make her eyes water。。。 〃Sikander chowder；〃 Lady Cecelia said； smiling。 〃Good when you're tired。 I used to have this a lot when I was peting。〃 Heris wondered what she'd peted at； but didn't ask； she could have eaten two bowls of the chowder； and twice as many of the crisp rolls served alongside it。
〃This is delicious；〃 she said； as she finished the chowder。
〃I thought you'd like that；〃 Lady Cecelia said。 〃I'm going to try their roast chicken and rice； but if you want more chowder just say so。〃
Courtesy and appetite argued； and courtesy won； Heris let the waiter remove her soup plate and accepted the roast chicken … slices of breast meat； marinated and grilled after roasting； formed the wings of a swan； its body was a mound of spiced rice。 The graceful head and neck had been artfully formed of curled spicegrass。 She took a cautious bite of the rice … ginger？ mustard？
coriander？ … and devoured it with almost indecent haste。 She had been hungrier than she knew。。。。 The slices of chicken disappeared； then the spicegrass。
The next course seemed out of sequence to Heris； but she realized that Lady Cecelia could set her own standards。 Still； the platter of fruit； 'ponics…grown melons and berries； didn't suit her at the moment。 She nibbled a jade…green slice of melon； to be polite。 Lady Cecelia； too； seemed as ready to talk as eat。 She began with a question about the literature studied at the Academy … one of her great…nephews had said no one there read Siilvaas … was that true？ Heris recognized this opening； and added to her reply （yes； they read Siilvaas； but only the famous trilogy） a ment about a more contemporary writer。 For a few minutes they discussed Kerlskvan's recent work； feeling out each other's knowledge。 Lady Cecelia had not read the first novel； Heris had not read the third most recent The cheeses came in； the fruit remained。 Heris sliced a wafer of orange Jebbilah cheese； and floated a ment about visual arts。 Lady Cecelia waved that away。 〃As for me；〃 she said； 〃I like pictures of horses。 The more accurate it is； the better。 Aside from that I know nothing about the visual arts； and don't want to。 I was made to study it when I was a girl； but since then … no。〃 She smiled to take the sting out of that。 〃Now； let me ask you： what do you know about horses？〃
〃Nothing；〃 Heris said； 〃except that we had to have riding lessons in the Academy。 Officers must be able to sit a horse properly for ceremonial occasions： that's what they said。〃 In her voice was much the same contempt her employer had expressed for visual arts。 Anyone who could prefer a horse picture； good or bad； to one of Gorgini's explosive paintings。。。
〃You don't like them？〃 Lady Cecelia asked。
〃What … horses？ Frankly； milady； to a spacer they're simply large； dirty； smelly animals with an appalling effect on the environmental system。 I remember one time having to inspect a mercial hauler which was taking horses somewhere … why； I can't imagine … and it was a mess。 I don't blame the animals； of course。 They evolved on a planet； and on something the size of a planet there's enough space for them。 But in the hold of a starship？ No。〃
〃Did you like riding them？〃 asked Lady Cecelia。 She had a mild； vague expression which didn't suit her。
Heris shrugged。 〃It wasn't as bad as some of the other things we had to learn。
I did fairly well； in fact。 But it's so useless … when would anyone need to ride a horse anywhere？〃
〃Only on uncivilized planets where it rains without permission；〃 Lady Cecelia said。 Heris was sure she detected an edge to her voice； but the expression stayed mild。 Belatedly； she remembered that the reason her employer so wanted to be on time was for the start of the 〃fox…hunting season〃 which had something to do with horses。
〃Of course；〃 she said； 〃many people do enjoy them。 Recreationally。〃
〃Yes。〃 This time the edge was unmistakeable。 〃Many people do。 I； for one。 Did your lessons at the Academy ever include riding them in the open … across country？〃
〃No … we had all our lessons in an enclosed ring。〃
〃So you have no experience of real riding？〃
Heris wondered why riding in a ring was not real。 The horse had been large and had smelled like a horse。 The sore muscles she got from riding had been real enough。 But from her employer's face； this was not going to be a popular question。 〃I haven't ridden anywhere but in those lessons； no；〃 she said cautiously。
〃Ah。 Then I suggest a wager。〃 This with a bright…eyed glance that made Heris suddenly nervous。
〃A wager？〃
〃Yes。 If the refitters are finished； and we clear this station forty…eight hours after we arrived … no； fifty hours； for you will need a little time； I'm sure； to ready for departure … then you win； and I will submit to be lectured by you on visual arts for ten hours。 If； however； we are delayed； you lose； and will owe me ten hours； which I shall use in teaching you to ride … really ride … on my simulator。〃
〃An interesting wager；〃 Heris said； nibbling her cheese。 〃But that assumes that I want to bore you with ten hours of visual arts； which I don't … I'm an admirer of some artists' work； but no expert。 What I wish you knew more about was your own ship。 Suppose； if I win； you spend ten hours with me learning how
to tell if your refitters did a good job？〃
〃You are that confident that we will be out in fifty hours？〃
〃I am confident that； either way； we will both learn something worthwhile；〃
said Heris。 Lady Cecelia flushed。
〃You're mocking me … you