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Someone lit a torch。 They pushed him inside。 Six of them came with him； faces hidden； not speaking save for the leader。 They took both his knives： the one in his belt and the one in his boot。 They bound his hands in front of him； and then someone hammered a stake into the packed earth floor of the hut and they forced him to lie down and pulled his bound hands up over his head and looped the thongs through the stake。 They pulled off his boots and tied his ankles together the same way。 Another stake was driven and the cord that bound his feet was looped across this。 He was unable to move； hands high over his head； legs bound together and pinned to the earth。
〃What do you think will happen；〃 Rodrigo said； breaking the silence； 〃when my pany es to this ranch tomorrow and learns I have not arrived？〃
The leader； standing by the doorway watching all that was being done； merely shook his head。 Then he gestured to the others。 The long torch was planted in the ground and they left him there in the hut； trussed like a sacrifice。
He heard footsteps receding； then the sound of horses ing up and then being ridden away。 Pinned helplessly to the earth on his own land； Rodrigo Belmonte lay in silence for a few moments； listening to the horsemen riding off。 And then； helplessly； but in an entirely different sense； he began to laugh。 It was difficult to catch his breath with his hands pulled up so high； he whooped； he gasped； tears streamed from his eyes。
〃The god burn you； Rodrigo！〃 said his wife； storming into the hut。 〃How did you know？〃
He went on laughing。 He couldn't stop。 Miranda carried； of all things； an arrow in one hand。 She was dressed in black； in the mannish clothing that was her custom on the ranch。 She glared at him in fury as he howled。 Then she stepped closer and stabbed him in the thigh with her arrow。
〃Ouch！〃 exclaimed the Captain of Valledo。 He looked down and saw blood welling through the rip in his trousers。
〃I hate when you laugh at me；〃 she said。 〃Now； how did you know？ Tell me； or I'll draw blood again。〃
〃I have no doubt；〃 Rodrigo said； struggling to regain his self…control。 He had not seen her in almost half a year。 She looked unfairly magnificent。 She was also； quite evidently； in a substantial rage。 He concentrated； for his own safety； on her question。
〃The boys did well； actually。 A few things。 Corrado heard other horses as we came up to the stream。 I didn't； their mounts were left far enough away to avoid that； but a war…horse can be trained to give warning。〃
〃What else？〃
〃Two men let their shadows show in the water。 With doubled moonlight one has to be careful。〃
〃Anything else？〃 Her voice had grown even colder。
He considered it； and decided that two things were enough。 He was still trussed up； and she still had an arrow。 The other matters could wait。
〃Nothing； Miranda。 I told you； they did very well。〃
She stabbed him again； hard； in the other leg。
〃Jad's light！〃 he gasped。 〃Miranda； will you…
〃Tell truth。 What else？〃
He drew a breath。 〃I recognized the whicker of Fernan's horse when they brought him up outside。 They knew too well where my boot knife was。 They were too gentle when they tied me。 And this whole affair was too precisely located along the stream to be an improvised ambush。 It had to be Diego seeing me and knowing which way I was ing。 Is that enough； Miranda？ May I get up now？ May I kiss you？〃
〃Yes； no； and possibly later；〃 said his wife。 〃Have you any idea how angry I am； Rodrigo？〃
Bound and bleeding on the earth； Rodrigo Belmonte was able to say； quite truthfully； 〃Some idea； yes。〃
His expression must have been diverting； because his wife； for the first time； showed an indication of being amused。
She suppressed it quickly。 〃Armed men came for us； you uncaring bastard。 You left me with children and range hands thirty years past their usefulness。〃
〃That isn't just；〃 he said。 〃I'm truly sorry you were frightened。 You know I am。 I didn't think even Garcia de Rada would do anything so stupid as an attack here； and I did think you and the boys were equal to whatever might e。 I told you that。〃
〃I told you that；〃 she mimicked。 〃How thoughtful of you。〃
〃If the boys are going to follow me；〃 he said levelly； 〃they will have to learn to handle matters of this sort； Miranda。 You know it。 They'll be marked as my sons the minute they join a pany…mine or anyone else's。 They'll be pushed； and challenged。 I can't do anything about that except help make them equal to those challenges when they e。 Unless you want them both to take vows and join the clerics？〃
〃Twenty…four horsemen attacked us； Rodrigo。 What if Diego hadn't seen them？〃
He said nothing。 The truth was； he'd been having nightmares about that since word of the raid had e to them in Esteren。 He didn't want to say it； but there must have been more in his expression than he thought； because Miranda abruptly tossed her arrow aside and knelt on the earth beside him。
〃I see；〃 she said quietly。 〃You were frightened； too。 All right。 Half a mistake； half testing the boys。 I can live with that。〃
〃I'm not sure if I can；〃 he said； after a moment。 〃If anything had happened 。。。 〃
〃That's why I shot him。 I know you wouldn't have done it。 I know it wasn't very honorable； but a man who would do what he did 。。。 He wouldn't have stopped； Rodrigo。 He would have e back。 Better I killed him than that you had to； after he'd done something to us。〃
He nodded his head。 It wasn't easy； bound as he was。 She made no movement to release him。
〃I'm sorry you had to kill someone。〃
She shrugged。 〃Given who it was； it was easier than I would have thought。 The boys had to kill men； too。〃
〃In the world they are growing into； that was bound to happen。〃
〃I would have preferred it not be so soon； Rodrigo。〃
He said nothing。 She settled back a little； looking at him； still making no move to untie his bonds。
〃The king called you a frail woman。〃
She smiled at that。 〃You didn't disagree？〃
〃I did； actually。 I asked them to pray for me because I had to go home and tell you what has happened。〃
〃We heard。 You sent the messenger so I'd have time to calm down； I suppose。〃
His mouth crooked。 〃It doesn't seem to have worked very well。 Untie me； Miranda。 I'm stiff and both my legs are bleeding。〃
She made no movement。 〃Two years' exile？ It could have been worse； I suppose。 Where will you go？〃
〃Is this the way to discuss such matters？〃
〃It will do well enough。 Where will you go； Rodrigo？〃
He sighed。 〃Not Jalona； obviously； and I still wouldn't be wele in Ruenda。 I could take the pany out of the peninsula to Ferrieres or Batiara but I won't。 Things might be starting to happen here； and I don't want us to be too far away。 South； then。 Al…Rassan again。〃
〃Where？〃 She was concentrating。 There seemed to be a rock under the small of his back。
〃Ragosa； I think。 King Badir can use us。 He's hard…pressed between Cartada and Jalona and outlaws raiding from the south。 There's money to be made。〃
〃Isn't Ragosa where your doctor went？〃
He blinked。 〃Good for you。 She isn't my doctor； but yes； it is where she went。 I still want to try to enlist her。〃
〃I'm sure。 She's very pretty； didn't you say？〃
〃I said nothing remotely resembling such a thing。 Am I a plete idiot？〃
〃Yes。 Is she？〃
〃What？〃
〃Is she pretty？〃
Rodrigo drew another careful breath； not easy given his position。 〃Miranda； I am married to the most beautiful woman I know。 I am not a man to fairly judge such things in others。 She's ely enough。 Blue eyes； rare for a Kindath。〃
〃I see。 You noticed them？〃
〃Miranda。〃
〃Well； you did。〃 Her expression was deceptively mild。 He had learned to mistrust that expression。 The rock under his back seemed； improbably； to have grown larger。
〃I am trained to notice things； Miranda。 About men and women。 If I had been better trained fifteen years ago I would have noticed you were a cruel and ungenerous woman。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 she said placidly。 〃Too late now。 Tell me； what do I always say when you go away？〃
〃Oh； Jad！ Don't start again。 I know what you always…
〃Say it。 Or I'll find my arrow again。 I promised myself I'd put an arrow in you the day I shot Garcia de Rada。 Two pinpricks hardly count。〃
〃Yes they do；〃 he said。 〃And those weren't pinpricks。〃 He stopped at what he read in her expression； then said quietly； 〃I know what you tell me。 That if I bed another woman you'll either bed another man or kill me。〃
She was smiling； as if encouraging a child's display of memory。 〃Good。 And since I don't want to bed another man 。。。 ？〃 she prompted。
Rodrigo sighed。 〃You'll kill me。 Miranda； I know this。 Will you let me up？〃
She seemed to be thinking about it at least； which was a positive development。
〃No；〃 she said； at length。 〃Not yet。 I think I like you this way。〃
〃What does that mean？〃 he asked； alarmed。
But she had shifted forward from where she was； beside him on her knees。 She looked appraisingly down at him a moment； then calmly tore open his shirt。 His eyes widened。 Her hands seemed to be busy with the points and drawstrings of his trousers。 It became difficult to breathe。
〃Miranda；〃 he said； 〃there's a rock under my back。〃
〃Oh well；〃 she murmured with exaggerated solicitude； 〃we can't have that； can we？〃 But she did reach under to remove what turned out to be a laughably small stone。
〃Untie me； love。 We'll do better if I'm free。〃
〃No； we won't；〃 said his joy； his torment； his wife； the fierce bright light of his days。 〃We'll do very well with you exactly as you are。〃
She had finished with his garments。 She began removing her own。
〃See what I mean？〃 she said； smiling down at his sex。 As she spoke； she slipped off her black tunic。 She was wearing nothing beneath。 Her small breasts were smooth and firm in the torchlight。
〃You see？〃 she said again。 He did； of course。
Eventually he closed his eyes； but not before an interval had passed during which a number of movements on her part took place； bringing him to a point where he couldn't have judged the passage of time； or anything else for that matter。
The torch had burned out by then； he knew that much。 There was nothing to see。 Only to feel。 Mouth and fingers。 Her teeth； in unexpected places。 The close； perfect shelter of her sex after so long。
〃Shall I let you go？〃 she asked eventually； a breath in his ear。
〃Never；〃 said Rodrigo； eyes still closed。
Still later； the white moon； descending； slanted through a wide chink in the wall boards and a beam of light fell upon them both。 He lay with Miranda upon him； her head on his chest； her dark hair loose； cloaking them both。 He felt the rise and fall of her breathing； and drew in the scent and the feel of her…intoxicating as unmixed wine。
〃Oh； well；〃 she murmured； as if continuing a dialogue。 〃I suppose we could use a good doctor。〃
〃I certainly could；〃 he said； with feeling。
That made her laugh。 At some point； though it was hard to mark the change； the laughter turned to tears。 He could feel them falling on his chest。
〃Two years is a long time；〃 she said。 〃Rodrigo； am I being unfair to you？〃
〃I don't expect to be two years without you；〃 he said。 〃One way or another。〃
She said nothing。 Her tears fell in silence。 He hesitated； then finally brought down his arms…he had worked free of the bonds in the first moments after being tied…and wrapped them around her。
〃Oh； burn you； Rodrigo；〃 she whispered； when she realized what he'd done； but she didn't say it severely this time。 A moment later； she murmured； dealing with the hardest sorrow of time passing； 〃They are so young。〃
He stroked her hair； down and down her back。
〃I know；〃 he whispered gently。 〃I know； my love。〃
He had killed his own first man when he was twelve。 He didn't tell her that。 Not now。
〃Are they still in the hut？〃 Fernan asked。
〃Uh…huh；〃 said Diego。
〃What do you think they're doing？〃
〃Now； now；〃 said Ibero the cleric hastily。 〃That isn't a proper question！〃
〃I couldn't answer it； anyhow；〃 said Diego； laughing。 〃Ibero； you look genuinely formidabl