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"I’ve read about it," replied Mo

The happiness in her voice moved him, and he wondered, not for the first time, hoas that the book that had told hiiants said so little about the Adderhead’s daughter To Fenoglio, Violante had been only amore Perhaps you could learn from her how small parts can be made into major roles if you play theotten that he was standing beside her Indeed, she see, even that she had co at the castle as if she hoped to see her mother appear on the battlements at any moment But at last she turned abruptly

"Four of you stay by the watchtowers!" she ordered her soldiers "The rest come with me But ride slowly if you don’t want the sound of your horses’ hooves to entice the fishes My mother used to tell e"

An uneasyher soldiers They really were little more than children

But Violante took no notice She picked up her skirts, black like everything Mo had ever seen her wear, and let Brianna help her

Up onto her horse "You’ll see," she said "I know this castle better than if I’d lived here I’ve studied all the books there are about it I know its ground plan and all its secrets"

"Has your father ever been here?" Dustfinger asked the question just as it had formed in Mo’s mind, too

Violante picked up her reins "Only once," she said, without looking at Dustfinger

"When he was courting o All the same, he’s sure to remember that no one can take this castle"

She turned her horse "Coe But her horse shied back when it saw the stone path across the water Without a word, Dustfinger brought his mount to Violante’s side, took the reins froe behind his The sound of their hooves echoed over the water as Violante’s men followed hie Suddenly, the whole world seemed to be made of water Mist drifted into his face, and the castle swam on the lake before hies, oriels, less walls with the wind and the water eating at theate to which it led looked out of reach, but at last it began to grow larger with every step his horse took The towers and wails filled the sky like a h the water, like watchdogs picking up the scent of their co

"What did the castle look like, Mo?" he heard Meggie asking "Describe it!"

What would he say? He looked up at the towers, as rew every year, at the ateway "It didn’t look like a happy ending, Meggie," he heard himself reply "It looked like a place from which no one ever comes back"

CHAPTER 47

THE ROLE OF WOMEN