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They looked back at the courtyard, where Iskierka and Maila continued their tête-à-tête, and Temeraire his sulk "I do not suppose, John, that you have any notion how seriously Iskierka has engaged herself with Maila?" Laurence asked hi of anything and everything to et it out of her, if you like; but don’t let Ha over her,Temeraire for a year and ten thousand miles or thereabouts withoutto annoy him into it, instead, and sees this fellow as a handy way to do it
"You ht try and persuade hireat thing for the Corps, if we could get an egg out of the two of the: if he could recognize the desirability of the reat officiousness of interference in such a matter; and even if Teland’s breeders had at first been less outraged than flattered, he had lately been given a disgust for the business through excessive solicitation "And in any case, if Temeraire should apply to her, at present, and find hiem on Iskierka’s part--it cannot ameliorate the situation; indeed iton his part, as regards setting hi any such thing," Granby said, "if only he gave her a little encouragement; but I will have a ith her, and see what she is about; not," he added resignedly, "that I expect to be able to persuade her to do anything differently, if she is detereons, but at least you can whisper a word in Temeraire’s ear, and maybe that will settle him down"
He stood to call to her; but before he could do so Iskierka had gone aloft again with Maila, and Temeraire had abandoned his fiction of disinterest and looked after thely wide
"If I ht," Gong Su said to Laurence, who had approached him to prepare a consolatory dinner of some unusual style, to divert Temeraire’s attention "The local peppers are excellent, but not to be recommended in the present circu makes Iskierka a difficult companion for Temeraire, from time to time," he added, with delicacy
"I see he is tolerably transparent," Laurence said
"If you will per Su said, "I will see if I can invite his attention into adirection," and he shortly enlisted Tereat block of ice, cut from the peaks which overlooked the city, and then a bar of iron This Te its surface to shave a great heap of soft ice into a waiting trough; reat cauldron When he judged the ice sufficient and the alarons to pour it over the shaved ice
"Oh!" Te heap, "oh, it is splendid beyond anything, Gong Su; I ile did not interrupt his own ecstatic consuh to compliment the receipt; but when he had finished he settled back on his haunches and sighed ordless delight
"I am afraid we could not reserve any of it," Teness, when she returned that afternoon from yet another excursion, "for of course the ice would not stay; it is a pity you could not have any"
"I will have it soht," Granby said to Laurence, "I aht it out of the ordinary if she had snatched Gong Su and storone for pleasure; and if she didTemeraire, she would be mad as fire to-day"
"I do not care about a sweet; I am concerned with much more important matters," Iskierka said, when Granby had asked her "As," she added, with a sidelong look at Teht to have been; I have not neglected ouryour hands, orsoh you were really negotiating anything, when you are only busyout our mission!" Iskierka said "The Empress only wished to see Granby because of me; if it were up to you, I dare say she would ht of it, and the French have reat many promises"
"What? And you have not said a word, all this while--!" Ha of their offers? Would their e of their army in soo to France, if she accepts hiovernor--"
"No, no! I would have told you, if it was of any concern, but you ; she will not ly "She will marry Granby"
"What?" Hammond said
"What?" Granby said
The only ones at all pleased with the situation were Iskierka, and Haed them to take no hasty measures "After all, we must have some alternative to offer the to consider--"
"Damn you, Hammond," Granby said, "don’t you see Iskierkathis about? You don’t suppose the Incan E-officer, or that her people would let her, if they knew; she is not proposing soed in China, which everyone can forget as soon as the ink is dry on the paper"
"We know nothing of the proposal, or what obligations have been assu a hand upon Granby’s aro carefully until we do understand, or risk giving offense I hope," he added, "I ae of your character is not ular duty, for your country, which only you could perform--"
"Laurence," Granby said, calm with horror after Hammond had eeled off with soon are going to marry me off to an Empress if they can do it: they are both run mad"
Laurence hardly knehat to say; with all Iskierka’s assurances he hardly believed it could be possible, until Tenation "For I have spoken with Churki," he said, "who has spoken to the other courtiers; and she says it is all a-hum: the Inca has not promised to marry Granby at all"
"Oh, thank Heaven," Granby said