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〃All of what？〃 Ronnie looked over the toast rack and chose whole wheat with raisins。
〃You said you were up to something。〃 George looked at the others for support； but they weren't playing up。 〃You said you were …〃
Ronnie looked at him； a bland good…humored look。 〃I've said many things； George； which aren't breakfast conversation。 And I'm hungry。〃 He smiled at Cecelia。 〃Excuse me； Aunt Cecelia … could I have some of that curry？〃
Cecelia smiled back。 Whatever had happened； she wasn't going to interfere with it。 〃Certainly。 I hope you haven't been ill。。。。〃
〃Not at all。〃 He engaged himself with the curry； and the variety of other edibles that Cecelia considered appropriate to breakfast with pany。 George opened and shut his mouth twice； then shrugged and went on eating his omelet。
Buttons； never very forthing in the morning； finished nibbling toast； excused himself； and went away； the three young women； after glancing several times from Ronnie to his aunt and back； also left。 Cecelia ate her usual large breakfast； trying to ignore all the signals they were trying to pass so obviously。 Finally only George and Ronnie were left； Ronnie eating steadily； as if to make up for many lost meals； and George in spurts； eyeing Ronnie。
Cecelia struggled not to laugh。 It was； after all； ridiculous。 There was George； trying to protect Ronnie （too little and too late） from whatever horrors an elderly aunt could inflict on him。 Finally she decided to intervene； before Ronnie burst himself overeating； or George had a stroke。
〃I am not planning to harm him； you know；〃 she said to George。 George turned bright red and nearly choked on a muffin。
〃She's quite right；〃 Ronnie said； in the same pleasant tone he'd used so far。
〃It's safe to leave us alone。〃
〃But … but you said …〃
〃It's all right；〃 Ronnie said。 〃Really it is。 I can tell you're not hungry … why not go play something with the others？ I'll be along shortly。〃
George； still red and coughing； managed to say that he hadn't meant to interfere and Ronnie would know where to find him。 Then； with a nod to Cecelia； he got out of the room as gracelessly as Cecelia had ever seen him move。
〃You are all right。。。。〃 Cecelia said。 Ronnie's clear hazel eyes gazed into hers； a look that bined all the charm and mischief she had seen in him since birth。
〃I'm fine；〃 he repeated。 〃Why shouldn't I be？〃
〃Well。。。〃 Cecelia pleated her napkin； a gesture that she knew conveyed feminine indecision to the men in her family。 〃You were fairly cross about my new captain； and when I wasn't sure your message to me was。。。 was quite true； about studying for exams； and I pressured George …〃
Ronnie flushed； but managed a smile。 〃Did he break down and tell you I had planned some mischief？ I'm sure he did。 Well … so I had； but I … I changed my mind。 And I did study for exams； but if I tell George that …〃
〃Ah。 I see。〃 Into Cecelia's mind came the faint glimmer of what Heris must have done。 How she had done it still remained a mystery。 But she understood this much of the psychology of the younger set。 〃You don't want George to know you changed your mind； or that you studied … you must have been awfully bored； Ronnie； to decide to study。〃 She hoped her voice didn't tremble with repressed laughter on that。。。 or would he think it was a senile tremor？
〃It was the only thing I could do in that room without … without letting George know … 〃 That was undoubtedly the truth； Cecelia thought。 What a jewel of a captain。 What a marvel。 She felt like grabbing Heris and dancing her along the passages。。。 and at the imagined look on Heris's face she could hardly contain her laughter。 Ronnie； she saw； was looking at her with some suspicion。
〃My dear； please； I'm just glad you're not sick； and that you didn't do something awful that Captain Serrano would have had to plain to me about； and that you thought better of it and made good use of your time。 I have to admit I find the need to placate George amusing。。。 but then I'm old； and no longer worry about the opinions of friends。 When I was your age； their opinions mattered much more。〃
〃Even you？ I thought you never cared about anyone。〃 The tone was more respectful than the words。
〃I didn't care about some members of the family … and I'm not bragging about it。 But I had friends … others who shared the same interests … and it mattered a great deal to me what they thought。 So I will conceal from George your careful study of whatever it was you studied； and pretend to know nothing … which is in fact just what I do know。〃
〃Thank you； Aunt Cecelia；〃 he said。 Something in his eyes made her think he was not entirely chastened； but overly polite was easier to live with than whining plaint。 〃I suppose；〃 he went on； 〃I should ask you to let me try your simulator。〃 His tone； again； was almost too bland； but she chose not to notice。
〃Of course。 Some of your friends … Bunny's children； and Raffaele … have been using it； I made up a schedule so that we don't interfere with each other。〃
〃And the captain；〃 he went on。 She noticed the tension in his jaw which he probably thought he'd concealed。 〃Is she ing along well？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 Cecelia said。 〃It's too bad she didn't start earlier； she'd have been petitive in the open circuit。 As it is； she'll be a reasonable member of the field once she's had some real experience。〃 She smiled at the look on his face； mingled of mistrust and envy。 〃You'd be good too； I'm sure； if you spent the time on it she has。 You're the right build。〃
〃But I'm not horse…struck；〃 Ronnie said。 〃Just as well； Mother would say you'd contaminated me。〃
〃Well； make a try at it。 You might like it better than you think。 The family brought you up to think it was ridiculous； and all because my parents wanted me to marry someone for a mercial alliance； and I wanted to ride professionally。 Whether I was right or wrong doesn't affect the nature of the sport。〃
〃All right。〃 He held up his hands； as if in defense； and Cecelia realized her voice had risen。 That old quarrel with her parents and her uncles could still make her angry。 If they had not been so ridiculously prejudiced； she would not have been that defiant： she would have quit in another year or so； certainly after losing Buccinator； and married someone。 If not Pierce…Konstantin； someone reasonable。 But they had tried to have her barred from petition； when she was leading for a yearly award； she had rebelled pletely。
It occurred to her that she had more in mon with Ronnie than she'd imagined。
Most major space stations followed one of three basic； utilitarian designs： the wheel； the cylinder； and the zeez…angle for situations requiring specific rotational effects。 When Heris called up the specs for Sirialis； which all her passengers called 〃Bunny's planet；〃 she felt she'd taken another giant step into irrationality。 A blunt…ended castle tumbling slowly in zero…gravity？ This time she didn't ponder it alone； she called her employer； and sent along a visual of the Station where Cecelia had said they would dock。
〃Is there an explanation； or do I just assume civilian…aristocratic insanity？〃
she asked。
〃Insanity isn't a bad guess；〃 Cecelia admitted。 From the tone； she was n