In which the nature of Scouts is a cause for discussion.
There are some remarkable instances of short-sightedness in this mealtime conversation.
One of them is Voni, buying in to the idea that a dress that was a runaway success when worn by one person will necessarily work the same magic whoever wears it. The fact that she defends it from the charge of wantonness by saying it’s a knock-off of a design created for Lady yos’Galan underscores the point for anyone who remembers that in Local Custom at least one person did describe the dress created for Anne as “entirely wanton”, while the more nuanced view was that it would have been unacceptably forward on a Liaden but got away with being charmingly daring because it was Anne wearing it.
The other is Birin Caylon, who comes in on a scene she accurately describes as “Ran Eld the insatiable cat about to eat the unfortunate mouse, portrayed by Aelliana” — and completely fails to grasp, as she apparently always has when it comes to Ran Eld and Aelliana, how serious it is.
Have I mentioned how much I like Sinit?
Well, Voni is obviously interested only in being at the height of fashion. I’m surprised that she isn’t also complaining of there being 2 or 3 other people also wearing knock-offs. This is how high fashion usually works.
Birin Caylon seems unbelievable only to those who have never known about this kind of dysfunctional family. I happen to work closely with a woman who was also her brother’s punching bag for years—childhood till young adult. Just as in the Caylon family, the mom knew but turned a blind eye because she needed her son’s support (both financial and emotional). This went on until the brother married and moved out of the home. Several times, over the years following, my coworker tried to tell her mom what had gone on, but it was as if she spoke another language. I am sorry for her sake there was never at least an acknowledgement from the mom that she had wronged her daughter. (Just FYI, this particular situation was in a different country and culture from the US.)
I just cannot get used to this idea of contracted marriages, at least, I understand the idea but I have trouble accounting for the fact that some women (Birin in this instance) can have a child and not want to at the least know where the father is and what he’s doing. And…from the other side…that a father is willing to be a mere “sperm donor” and nothing more, even when a partner (and her family) are as unpleasant as Win Ton’s. I suppose if one can then go to the Healers and have one’s memory wiped, then maybe, but still . . .