“No more stories,” he said again. “I have charges to meet and taxes.”
She put her hands to her face. (Lalette thought: her only device; I hope I shall not grow like that.) Ruald said; “But I do not wish to be hard, no, and I know you have no money just now. So I will be fair, and if you render me a small service, why then, it is not beyond me to forgive the whole four months’ arrears.”
Dame Leonalda took down her hands again and said; “What is the service?” (Her voice had something like a tinge of dread.)
Ruald sniffed again, darted a glance at Lalette, another at the door, and stepped close. “I have heard that you belong to one of the families of the Blue Star.”
“Who told you that?”
“It does not matter. Is it true?”
The dame’s lips worked. “And what if it is?”
“Why this, dame: it will not peril your soul to place a small witchery—”
“No, no, I couldn’t do such a thing. You have no right to ask me.”
The man’s face sneered. “I have a right to ask you for my money, though.”