"You've learned to write," Professor de Lanz said to her.
"Badly," she admitted. "I do not understand capital letters so well. The period astounds me. The comma is like a tiny bug. It buzzes and flits around and I can never exactly grasp it."
"But your metaphors," he said.
"My metaphors are just fine. They are just fine."
"If heavy-handed."
"Are you grading me," the seamstress said. "Are you grading us?"
He uncorked his inkwell. "You are learning to bathe."
"Occasionally."
"How old are you again," he asked.
"Fourteen. I will be fifteen in several weeks. I will have cakes with Master Cherny and Mister Catch and
Menna Raia. It will be my fifth year since passing the
Odos. My fifth year with clothes. One day I will forget about all -- all of those old Jerno things."
"I take it you want a letter. I take it you wish to dictate."
She held out a folded parchment -- Glenn Burnie's letter to her, a thing she clasped between her fingertips with muted excitement. "To make a good first impression. I wish that you would label it to Lord Aubrey."
His guess was wild, wholly coincidental -- the scarce chance of finding a fortune in one's stocking at the dawn of Yule.
"
Lord Aubrey," de Lanz said. "He sounds like the kind of posh fellow who might eat two cucumber sandwiches in a single sitting."
She spoke. He wrote.
To One Esteemed Lord Aubrey, Coriolanus Helstone, Former Governor of Myrken Wood
"Omit that last part. A man is not often
former unless he has earned it."
"Should you wish that I start over," he said.
"No. Strike it. Mistakes mean I am more in need of his guidance."
To One Esteemed Lord Aubrey, Coriolanus Helstone, Former Governor of Myrken Wood
I returned to my Room this Evening at the Broken Dagger Inn to enjoy a Roll, a Tea, and some Rice, only to find the Attached Missive awaiting Me. I must say I do not know how to best initiate our Contact, but I will do so with Humility and Cooperation. I wish that you will forgive this First Dictation, for while my Following Letters will be of my own Hand, it is quite Best for your Good Sanity that I take more Time and Care with my Punctuation and Capitalisation before trusting My Own Letters.
It is true that I am currently schooling myself in the ways of Rhetoric and Public Speaking; I have gotten Fine Marks with a One Msr. Duquesne and attend his Lecture near Daily at Darkenhold. I have learnt the Virtue of speaking with Contractions and have begun eschewing my Occasional Stutter, a Result of my Lackluster Command of Standard. As a Barrister I imagine You recognize the Value of discontinuing such Poor Habits.
I submit to You this Recommendation. As a Loyal Myrkener and Former Jerno, I hold in High Esteem the Word of Authority, and if Governor Burnie believes I should further expand my Knowledge to Law and its Proper Articulation, I cannot help but to Submit Myself to You. You may find me Regrettably Uninformed, but I am a Keen Student, an Avid Reader, a Lover of Poetry, and I am trying very hard. I am also Stubborn, Hard-Headed, Wide-Hipped, and Otherwise Undesirable and have often got Bad Breath. Thus, Words are a Solace, and I wish to be better at Them, for Myself, and perhaps that I might repay my Gratitude through Them as a Servant of Myrken Wood, for all the Opportunity this City has provided Me.
I implore you to Correspond with me, and if you find I am a Worthy Quill-Friend, perhaps You may suggest to me some good Beginner's Books on understanding better quote-ORATION, DEBATE, AND ALL MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE LAW-unquote. I am sure Darkenhold will have what I require. Also I am an Accomplished Seamstress and will gladly mend Your Garments should you Need, and can provide Hand-Brocade and Embroidery.
Sincerely Yours,
Gloria (Glour'eya) Wynsee
The letter was sanded, sealed, and sent by courier to the information the governor provided. To him, a response was dictated, hand-delivered to the Meetinghouse on the following morning.
Dear Governor Burnie,
I am both Excited and Humbled to be referred to Lord Aubrey and cannot more appropriately express My Elation. Also I apologize for any Inadvertent Harm I may have nearly caused your Lady in the Desire to protect Her, for I recognize My Life less valuable than Hers and I may have been Reckless in my Want to guard her from the Black Man.
Please tell her I think that my Brooch is Lovely, I have showed it to my Friends, and I wished you no Ill Will with the Fear of Foolish Portents and Bad Dreams.
Yours,
Gloria (Glour'eya) Wynsee