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“Do you like it?”
“I do.”
“What do you like about it?”
All the other questions had been simply worded, simply answered, but this one required more thought and a longer reply. “I like the possibilities,” he said. “I like the thought that any day I might learn something that I didn’t know before. Something that matters.”
“So it’s not the crowds and the fancy restaurants and the cultural delights that appeal to you. It’s not theplace.It’s how the place might help you defineyourself.”
“I—yes. I suppose so,” he said, unnerved again. Never would it have occurred to him to describe his reaction that way, but she was absolutely right.
“Have youseenmany of the attractions?” she asked. Her voice was warm and interested, with the barest edge of laughter. It didn’t feel like mockery, but Brandon could hardly tell. “Or have you spent all your time in soldierly pursuits?”
He could feel a grin shape his mouth. “Mostly the soldierly pursuits.”
“And now you’re stuck here for the next six months. Not much chance of visiting the sights while you’re guarding me.”
“I have a night off now and then. I can head down to the Quatrefoil.” As soon as he said it, he wished he hadn’t, since she wasn’t allowed any such privileges.
“I recommend the museums of art and history. You learn so much in a short period of time.”
“Maybe,” he said doubtfully.
Now she laughed softly, but the tone still didn’t sound unkind. “You’re not much of one for artistic or intellectual amusements? You prefer physical action and tangible gains?”
“Rather build something than look at something someone else built,” he explained.
“Now that’s very interesting,” she said. “Whathaveyou built?”
“I helped two of my brothers build their houses. Worked on boats my whole life with my father and my uncles. Gathered the stones and built a water garden for my mother. Things like that.”
“A water garden!” she exclaimed. “I wonder if you could create such a thing here. What are the requirements?”
“Well, water, of course.”
She laughed again. “Yes, of course! Would it use the same kind of pumping system as my fountains?”
“Probably.”
“Then that’s easily taken care of. What else?”
“And then you’d need to decide how big you want it to be, and what kinds of flowers you want, and whether you want to keep fish in it—”
“Fish! Of course. I must have fish.”
“I built a little bridge for my mother’s. It doesn’t go anywhere, it just crosses over the water. But she can stand on it and look down and see the fish swimming by.”
“I am entranced! I must have such a treat! When can you start construction?”
Brandon pulled himself up short.How did she do that?he wondered, ever so slightly dizzy.How did she that quickly get me to talk about something I love? How did she get me to forget who I was even talking to?
“I don’t think I would be permitted to build such a thing for you,” he said stiffly. “That’s not how my time is supposed to be spent.”
“Well, I don’t see why not,” she said. “If all you’re supposed to be doing is keeping me from running away, and I’m not trying to run away, you may as well work on some projects. Otherwise you might die of boredom.”
“So far I haven’t been bored,” he said.
He heard the scraping sound again and her face moved out of the candlelight; he thought she had probably leaned back in her chair and was surveying him. “So what terrible things have they told you about me?” she asked abruptly.
