Riossa Arevillo stood at the top of the stairs, looking small and pale beside the ornately dressed servant. Even across the ballroom Kiram could see that her skin was not powdered; nor was her hair. Her gown was simple and compared to the rich silks and brocades worn by the other women in the room, it looked like it belonged to a peasant. Most surprising was the absence of any escort. She stood on the stairs all alone with her small spectacles clenched in her hand.
Elezar and Javier exchanged a pained look.
"Mother will eat her alive," Elezar told Nestor flatly.
"She won't," Nestor replied. "I'll protect Riossa."
In response, Elezar gave a derisive snort.
"I'll do what I can to distract Lady Grunito," Javier offered. "But what were you thinking, Nestor? And why is she alone?"
"I don't know. Her sister was supposed to bring her." Concern finally registered on Nestor's face.
As the music quieted the servant on the stairs read from a card and announced, "Miss Riossa Arevillo, daughter of His Honor Judge Arevillo."
Lady Grunito's head came up like a hunting hound's. Javier strode across the room, intercepting her before she could reach Riossa while Nestor hurried to lead the girl onto the dance floor as the music once again filled the room. Lady Grunito danced with Javier, though her eyes remained fixed on Nestor and Riossa.
"This could get ugly," Elezar remarked.
"Is it really so bad that she came?" Kiram couldn't quite see why it should be. Riossa was obviously not as wealthy or titled as the other women attending the dance, but she hadn't come uninvited. Her situation reminded Kiram of his own.
Elezar gave Kiram a stern look. "An unwed girl, and she comes, alone, to see Nestor? Either she's an idiot or she's one hell of a conniving little bitch. What if her father demands her reputation and his name be honored?" Elezar scowled at Riossa with the same cold contempt that Lady Grunito shot at the girl. "Nestor's done for."
"What do you mean?" Suddenly icy dread flooded Kiram. "Will her father challenge Nestor to a duel?"
"What? Not likely," Elezar responded. "He'll demand that Nestor marry his daughter."
"Marry?" Kiram repeated, feeling stupid and yet unable to get past the idea. Nestor had only met Riossa this week. How could anyone expect them to wed?
Javier managed to delay Lady Grunito for the entire dance but once it ended she caught the young couple. Riossa looked frightened but Nestor seemed defiant. Kiram expected an argument like the ones he'd often heard ringing throughout his own house when his mother and sister clashed.
Instead, Lady Grunito spoke so softly that the words didn't carry over the music. Nestor's expression weakened as his mother continued to speak. Worry crept into his countenance. He and Riossa both bowed their heads to Lady Grunito and withdrew to a side room, still holding hands. Two of Lady Grunito's maids followed them like prison guards. Guests murmured among themselves. Some laughed, others shared scandalized glances, but couples still took to the floor to dance. As music washed over the hushed speculations, Javier returned to Kiram and Elezar.
"Your mother will do what she can. She's sending for the girl's father. Hopefully, he'll see that no harm has been done to his daughter but who knows? Even being a third son, Nestor's a good catch for a judge's daughter."
"Damn it," Elezar growled. "She came alone on purpose, didn't she?"
"Nestor can always refuse to have her. If it comes to a duel, I'd be happy to stand for him." Javier smiled in that cruel manner that seemed to cheer Elezar though Kiram found it a little disturbing.
"You and me both," Elezar agreed.
"Riossa didn't strike me as the scheming sort," Kiram argued. "She certainly had plenty of other, far better opportunities to be alone with Nestor if she'd been looking for them."
"Possibly," Javier allowed, but he seemed hesitant to give Riossa the benefit of the doubt. "Either way, we aren't likely to know anything more until we see Nestor tomorrow at chapel. And I'm getting bored watching all this prancing."
Elezar grinned. "Master Ignacio is in the card room. He said we ought to come see him when we tire of the ballroom's amusements."
Javier didn't respond directly, instead he just gave a nod. Elezar raised his right hand and flashed two fingers in the sign of the Hellions. Atreau, Morisio, and Genimo left their partners and came to Javier's side.
"Get Fedeles," Javier said told Genimo. Fedeles looked put out to be called from the dance floor but as he caught sight of Javier he grinned.
"Lunaluz," Fedeles murmured to Javier. Then he once again caught Kiram's hand in his own, whispering, "Be brave."
"Fedeles." Javier waved a hand to catch his cousin's attention. "Do you want to stay at the dance or do you want to come out with us and Master Ignacio?"
"Dancing." Fedeles rolled his eyes as if the answer was obvious. He pulled Kiram close. "We will dance all night."
"Don't embarrass Kiram," Javier said firmly. He glanced to Genimo. "Staying with your sisters?"
"I'm their chaperone," Genimo replied.
"Make sure Fedeles and Kiram both get back to my house." Javier gave the sweeping instruction easily.
"I'm to stay here? And what, watch everyone dance? I'd rather-"
"He's right, Javier," Atreau interrupted. "There's nothing for Kiram to do here and besides that, he's been blooded in battle now. He should come out with us." He gave Kiram a conspiratorial wink.
Javier's jaw clenched and Kiram could tell that he didn't want Kiram with them. At the same time, Kiram didn't wish to be stranded at a Cadeleonian celebration, where no one would speak to him much less dance with him.
"I'll return to the townhouse."
"Have a heart, Javier." Atreau spoke directly over Kiram's own words. "It will put Master Ignacio's fears to rest, I'm sure. And the more the merrier. Let Kiram come."
"Atreau makes a good point," Morisio added. "Master Ignacio would certainly go easier on Kiram if he knew he was man enough to ride a whore as well as a horse."
Elezar said nothing and looked none too pleased.
"Look there's no need for-" Kiram began again but Javier cut him of this time.
"Fine. You'll join us," Javier snapped, glowering at Kiram as though he had become some annoyance. "But don't make an ass of yourself over some twat the way Nestor has."
Kiram blanched at the remark but the other Hellions laughed. Atreau slapped Kiram on the back and assured him that the whores wouldn't mind the color of his skin so long as he had money. Morisio assured Kiram that the Goldenrod girls didn't mind anything, not even Elezar's filthy tastes.
They adjourned to the card room where Kiram was surprised to see four more Hellions lounging around Master Ignacio's table. They gathered around Javier, faces lit with excitement at the prospect of the bawdy victory celebration awaiting them. After only a few words to his fellow players, the war master gathered his winnings and escorted them all to the hulking, gilded chambers of the Goldenrod Inn.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Kiram had never been in a brothel and he did not want to be in one now.
Still, he stared around with anxious curiosity. Just past the dark narrow entry, the building opened into a large foyer. Throughout the room, small clusters of candles protruded from silver and brass plates hung on the walls. They added the scent of tallow to the thick perfume that hung in the air. Dark wisps of smoke rose from the dull yellow flames. Through the luminous haze, the gathered figures took on a soft glow.
Large-breasted Cadeleonian women lounged on dark red divans and sat around small, circular tables talking with the well-dressed Cadeleonian men. Some of the women wore outlandish gowns, cut far too short at the thighs or made only from strips of cloth and glittering beads. All of them wore their hair loose, though some had obviously powdered their tresses black.