In which the bakery goes forward.
I had forgotten that we already knew of a character called “Our Lady of Benevolence” until I was re-reading the earlier bakery stories in preparation for this new one. (Well, actually, the authors’ foreword gave it away, but if not for that it would have been re-reading “Fortune’s Favors” that did it.)
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Volmer
In which yos’Galan and Carresens begin an exchange.
The other thought I’d had about the people on the cover — in fact, the first thought I had on seeing it, and the only possibility I’d seriously entertained before Mar Tyn and Dyoli showed up — was that it was Padi accompanied by a new character we hadn’t met yet. I’d been becoming less confident about that possibility recently, as we got so far into the book without encountering any new character who fit the bill. I believe we have him now.
(I’ve commented before that I seem to have a tendency to ask questions and make guesses one chapter before the answer shows up. I consider that this says good things about how well paced the books are.)
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Day 308
Standard Year 1392
Blair Road
Surebleak
In which the people meet the new boss.
Following on from what I said last time, I note that when telling Ms Audrey about the Sinner’s Carpet Pat Rin is again selective with the details, and selects a different set than when talking to Jim Snyder.
On a subject I’ve been keeping track of: Ms Audrey’s guess is that Pat Rin’s preferred game is dice, rather than cards, but his reply is exquisitely uninformative.
Vandar
Winterfair
In which Sergeant Robertson plans the Snow Wind Trio’s assault on the trio competition.
I’m pretty sure that this is the first published mention in the series of hand-talk. It’s interesting that on this occasion it’s described as “Old Trade” hand-talk, and not a pilot thing. Among other things, it brings to mind the chapter in Crystal Soldier where Cantra exchanged hand-talk with a merchant, and I wondered whether they were using the same kind of hand-talk as pilot hand-talk. Partly because of that, and partly because both “Old” and “Trade” sound more like things Val Con would be taught than Miri, I suspect this is another thing Val Con has been teaching Miri along with the Low Liaden and the bows.
This chapter includes another set of minor characters who get in and out without any gender-specific pronouns: the two children Miri talks to at the brazier.
I wonder how Val Con would have finished the interrupted sentence that began by telling Miri she was wasted as a sergeant.