At the library, Gene finally finished the lower volume of Visions of the Twilight Kingdom. The result was pitiful compared with the effort he had made. The chapter called “Earthly Paradise,” the very reason he had sought the book so desperately, had been torn out.
Wondering whether Luke had done this too, perhaps using it as a pot holder, Gene came back to the House of the Hawk thoroughly angry, ready to question him.
But as he entered, the men’s expressions were unlike their usual ones. More than a few were grinning for no particular reason. Ashabel ran over to greet him and said, “Captain. Something surprising happened today.”
“Then what’s that look for?”
“Go upstairs and you’ll see.”
As Gene reached the second floor, Rosa was just coming out of her own room. Meeting her, he too widened his eyes.
“What’s happened to your hair?”
Gone was the uncombed hair that usually floated in a disheveled mass around her head. Like a lady in society, she had brushed it smoothly up into an elegant arrangement, even tying it with a satin ribbon. Without the hair covering her neck, Rosa’s pale nape and beautiful eyes were far more striking. Only her cold expression remained unchanged.
“What do you think? It’s pinned up.”
“I mean, why did you suddenly do that?”
“Is it bad?”
Gene laughed in disbelief.
“I’m just surprised because you’ve changed. Why? Does my opinion matter?”
“It does.”
Saying no more, Rosa went toward the stairs. For an instant, Gene was so flustered that he lost the power of speech. As she went down, he heard the men making noise on the first floor.
“Where’d you throw the dress?”
“I only realized you were a woman once you put it on. Why take it off? Keep wearing it.”
“You looked so pretty earlier. Do you have to get us all worked up and slip away?”
“You’ve got a slender figure too, from what I saw. Why’ve you been hiding it?”
Glancing up at Gene on the second floor, Ashabel shouted, “Rosa, the captain hasn’t seen it! Put it on again, just once!”
Coming to his senses, Gene frowned. Rosa had said she was going to buy clothes. Apparently, a moment ago, she had come back wearing something feminine, and the aftermath was turning the men’s remarks into outright harassment. Perhaps it was a difference in perception between men who had lived only in the back alleys and Gene, who had not. In any case, what he heard grated on him.
He also thought that sooner or later this would have been inevitable. If the present balance was to last, he had to make things clear now.
“You lot.”
Gene descended a few steps and looked down at the men.
“If you want women, find them somewhere else. There are no women in the House of the Hawk. Everyone who comes into this house is a Brother of the Hawk. Anyone who isn’t will be sent out.”
They immediately noticed the change in Gene’s voice. They seldom heard it, but when he confronted enemies, warned them, or delivered an ultimatum, his voice grew low and sharp like that. Their bearing changed at once. Their expressions stiffened.
“I’ll say it once more. There are no women in the House of the ShadowHawk. Understood?”
“Yes!”
Gene turned and went upstairs again. Rosa went into the kitchen. Only after Gene’s door closed did the men look at each other. All were plainly tense.
“The captain’s angry.”
“I thought he was about to draw his sword. That’s the voice he uses then.”
“You said something odd earlier, didn’t you?”
“What did I say? It was only a compliment.”
“Hey, didn’t you know the captain hates people bothering women?”
Back in his room, Gene unbuckled his sword, set it down, and took off his clothes. As he washed his face in the basin his men had filled with water, he thought.
It certainly was not especially safe for a woman to enter a house inhabited only by men. His warning today would keep things quiet for a while, but any of the men who had not been there could cause trouble again. They were not like Gene. Restraint or respect for a woman was not something that would occur to them.
He should have realized sooner that although his men respected him, they did not think as he did. If Rosa said she meant to leave, he would have no choice but to let her go.
Even if she stayed, things needed to change from how they had been. Having spoken as he had just now, Gene himself would have to keep a boundary with Rosa. From now on, his behavior would be the men’s standard.
As he finished washing, Gene suddenly remembered Luke’s nonsense from the previous night. Repeating the words about the men being good with knives but short of culture, he wondered: Could it be done?
No one was born with good manners. Had Gene himself remained in the place he had lived as a child, he would be no different from them. He did not know where to start, but perhaps some of the men had other talents. This was Delphinad, home to the world’s greatest library and outstanding teachers from across the continent. Could he help them learn something, instead of growing old after a life of swinging swords in the back alleys?
He was drying himself when a knock sounded. Gene replied, “Come in.”
It was Rosa. She had already taken down her hair and tied it neatly behind her. As she began closing the door, Gene spoke.
“Just leave it open.”
Leaving the door open, Rosa came to stand about three paces away. Gene sat on the bed.
“What is it?”
“I came to apologize.”
“Forget earlier. I’m the one who should apologize. I didn’t keep my men properly in hand.”
“No. It was my fault. I knew it would happen.”
“You knew?”
The rigid expression he had deliberately maintained truly hardened. When Rosa nodded, Gene shut his eyes tightly, opened them, and looked at her.
“You knew, and did it anyway? Why?”
“I needed an assessment. I had to know whether men would like it.”
The more he heard, the less he understood. It was nothing he had ever expected Rosa to say. Confusion spread over Gene’s face.
“Why would you need to know that?”
“There was someone I wanted to look pretty for. Anyway, I’m sorry. I caused the disturbance. If you’d rather I left the house now, I will.”
As she spoke, Rosa kept touching her bound hair, as though it were uncomfortable. At last she loosened it. Gene stared up at her, lost for words. Perhaps she was teasing him. Perhaps she was spinning some strange story because of what had happened earlier. Either seemed more plausible than her speaking sincerely.
Finally, Gene said, “Stop talking nonsense. Do you expect me to believe a story like that? And…”
He had to answer her offer to leave. He had thought that, if she said she wanted to go, he could not stop her. But didn’t what she had just said mean that she wanted to stay, unless Gene told her to leave?
“I won’t reverse a decision I’ve made because of one incident. Let’s decide in five days. See how those fellows behave until then. If you still want to leave, tell me again.”
“All right.”
As Rosa turned, Gene spoke.
“Oh, and I’m going away somewhere for two days tomorrow. Take care while I’m gone.”
“Don’t worry.”
Rosa closed the door as she left. Alone, Gene stared at the corner of the bed, lost in thought. He had said he did not believe her absurd words, but they had not left his mind either.
Someone she wanted to look pretty for?
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