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'Quite likely, with the lewd look he gave me.' Tenna was halfway to convincing
herself that she had at least hit someone who needed a put-down.
'Horon's a bit of a bully and nice girls won't have anything to do with him.
Especially at a Gather.'
Then Rosa giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. 'He was sure looking you
up and down. That's
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why we thought you'd hit him.'
Remembering the force of her punch, Tenna rubbed her sore knuckles.
'You may have done someone a favour,' Cleve said, grinning. 'That was some
punch.'
'My brothers taught me how,' Tenna said absently, watching the group across
the Square. She was a trifle relieved when Horon was helped to his feet. And
pleased that he staggered and needed assistance. Then, as the group around
Horon moved about, she saw Haligon's figure striding up to the station. 'Uh
oh. Why's he going to the station?'
'I wouldn't worry about that,' Rosa said, standing up. 'Torlo would love to
remind him of all the harm he's been doing runners.'
'Even if they weren't as pretty as you are,' Cleve said. 'Let's see about your
leathers.'
They took their empty glasses back to the refreshment stand. Tenna managed one
more look at the station but there was no sign of Haligon or Torlo, though
there was a lot of coming and going. There would be, on a Gather day. Would
she have to knock Haligon down, too? To satisfy runner honour? It wouldn't be
as easy, for he had been wary enough of her when he had caught up with her on
the dance floor.
After a second round of the Gather stalls, they all decided to find out what
prices were being asked. At the first Tanner's stall, Cleve did more of the
talking so that the real buyer was protected from the blandishments of the
Tanner journeyman, a man named Ligand.
'Blue for a Harper singer?' Ligand had begun, glancing at Tenna. 'Thought I
saw you eyeing the stall earlier.'
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'I'm Runner,' Tenna said.
'She just happens to look her best in blue,' Rosa said quickly in case Tenna
might be embarrassed to admit she wore a borrowed gown.
'She does indeed,' Ligand said. 'I'd never have guessed her for a runner.'
'Why not?' Rosa asked, bridling.
'Because she's wearing blue,' Ligand said deferentially. 'So what colour is
your delight this fine
Gather day?'
'I'd like a dark green,' and Tenna pointed to a stack of hides dyed various
shades of that colour in the shelves behind him.
'Good choice for a runner,' he said and, with a deft lift, transferred the
heavy stack of hides to the front counter. Then he moved off to the other end
of his stall where two holders were examining heavy belts.
'Not that trace moss leaves stains,' Rosa remarked as Tenna began flipping
through the pile, fingering the leather as she went along.
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'We go for the reddy-browns in Boll,' Cleve said. 'So much of the soil down in
Boll is that shade.
And trace moss doesn't do as well in the heat as it does in the north.'
'Does fine in Igen,' Tenna said, having run trace there.
'So it does,' Cleve said reflectively. 'I like that one,' he added, spreading
his hand over the hide before Tenna could flip to the next one. 'Good deep
emerald green.'
Tenna had also been considering it. 'Enough here for boots. I only need enough
for summer shoes. He wouldn't want to divide it.'
'Ah, and you've found one you like, huh? Good price on that.' And Ligand was
obviously aware of all that went on at his booth. He flipped up the hide to
see the markings on the underside. 'Give it to you for nine marks.'
Rosa gasped. 'At five it's robbery.' Then she looked chagrined to have
protested when Tenna was the prospective purchaser.
'I'd agree with that,' Tenna said, having only four to spend. She gave the
skin one more pat and, smiling courteously at Ligand, walked off, her
companions hastily following her.
'You won't find better quality anywhere,' Ligand called after them.
'It was good quality,' Tenna murmured as they walked away. 'But four marks is
my limit.'
'Oh, we should be able to find a smaller hide for that much, though maybe not
the same green,'
Rosa said airily.
However, by the time they had done a third circuit and seen all the green
hides available, they had not found either the same green or the same
beautifully softened hide.
'I just don't have five. Even if we could bargain him down to that price,'
Tenna said. 'That brown at the third stand would be all right. Shall we try
that?'
'Oho,' Rosa said, stopping in her tracks, her expression alarmed.
Cleve, too, stopped and Tenna couldn't see what caused their alarm when [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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