"Then why did you notstate your views before?"
"You're a rare andsplendid woman, and I had no desire to hurt you." He met her gazedirectly. "But, if you continue on this course you've set, I will neverlet you hide again. Build a wall and I'll tear it down. Tell me a half-truthand I'll probe and rip until the entire truth is laid bare. No more comfort. Nomore haven."
She had never felt morevulnerable or frightened. She smiled with great effort. "Life should befaced head-on. I'm a woman grown and need no havens. You're wrong about me,Kartauk."
"And you're willing torisk learning I'm right?"
"Since it's not true,there is no risk." She took a step closer to the table and looked down atthe frieze. "Now tell me what the markings on this dabble are supposed torepresent."
He did not immediately answer,and she looked up to see him watching her, smiling faintly. "You will nolonger refer to my work as 'dabbles,' madam."
"Margaret," shecorrected him. "And I will speak my mind as I see fit."
"No, from this dayforward you will speak only the truth. You have a great appreciation for mywork, for all beauty. Perhaps a greater appreciation than anyone have everknown."
"Why do you saythat?" she asked warily.
"I have seen you look ata sunset." He added softly, "And I have seen you look at my'dabbles.' "
She felt a tiny flicker ofalarm. She had realized how insightful he could be, but he had never indicatedhe had seen this deeply. "Why should I pretend not to admire somethingwhen I do?"
"Perhaps because beautycan hurt as well as please. Perhaps because you consider such a love of beautya softness that would get in the way of your revered duty."
"That is not—" Shestopped, feeling more helpless and unsure than she had since she was a smallchild.
"No haven, madam."He added softly, "And no mercy."
"I have asked forneither." She glanced away from him. "You did not answer me. Will Ineed one of those leather aprons you wear?"
"By all means." Hissmile contained an element of sadness as he reached in the cabinet beneath histable, drew out an apron, and handed it to her. "We must not have yousoiling yourself. You clearly have an impulsive nature that leads to suchdisasters."
Screams... thunder…
Jarred from sleep, Jane jerkedupright on her cot.
The scream came again and wasfollowed immediately by the thunder.
"Come!" Li Sungburst into her tent. "Hurry. The tracks."
Li Sung, who was never armed,was carrying a rifle. She threw the covers aside and quickly thrust her feetinto her boots. "What's happening? What is it?"
"Elephant."
The scream came again, wild,angry, demonic. "That couldn't be an elephant. It doesn't sound likeanything we've heard before." She jumped to her feet and ran toward thetent opening.
"Dilam says it's arogue."
She caught sight of Dilamrunning down the rows of sleeping workers, torch in hand, rousing them."Forget that," she called. "Come with us. We may need you."
Dilam nodded, and the nextmoment she was beside her. They ran down the tracks in the direction from whichthe screaming was coming with Li Sung limping as quickly as he could behind.
"What the devil is arogue?" she asked tersely.
"An elephant that hasbeen cast out from the herd," Dilam said. "Sometimes he goes mad withloneliness. Very dangerous."
The scream came again. Closer.
Then a grinding metallic noisefrightened her more than the enraged trumpeting. "Dammit, he's tearing upmy tracks!"
