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While Jason would live, as wealthy, comfortable, and influential as ever . . . Dana wasn't able to appreciate either the crisp autumn weather or the functional beauty of Alanna's clanhome when the plane landed and her guards, their weapons drawn, escorted her into the warriors' hall.
"But now we're all good friends again, aren't we, mother?" said Alanna's buoyant little voice. Her mother tipped her face up and kissed her. "You're a good friend, that I know, Alanna!" said she. "You look glorious. What's the special programme you've laid out for this morning, Sue?" said Susanna's husband, coming upon her in her rose garden early on a certain perfect October morning.
"Leras agrees that Alanna's clanswoman Dana should wear black. Leras also concurs and will cooperate with Alanna in other respects; Jason is currently in Leras territory, and as an off-worlder, we must give him time to leave. But his property will be destroyed, and should he remain here after one standard day, he will be delivered to Alanna for Chief's Right." "Shona concurs and will cooperate."
They were all hungry, clean, and good-natured, and Alanna's voice led the other voices, even as her feet, in twinkling patent leather, led their feet. Following the children came their mother, fastening the rich silk and lace at her wrists as she came.
Dana could understand only an occasional word of that variant of Classical Russian, though she could read and write it fluently; all she could gather was that the w'woman was asking for the Alanna. A few moments later, a man wearing the arms of Alanna's chief appeared on the screen, introducing himself as Killian.
Some clans had theirs ornamented, to varying degrees, but Alanna's was plain: glossy jet-wood, the only color on it the arms of Alanna's chief. Dana's heart sank as she realized that Killian was clad in leather as black as his Bench, again relieved only by his arms, rather than the usual warrior-drab.
"Is the boy still serving Mass at St. Mary's, Dan?" she said then. "Sure," said Jim. For Dan was absorbed in the task of restoring Alanna's ruffled feelings by inserting a lighted match into his mouth. "Well, that's good," pursued their mother. "You bring him home to breakfast after Mass any day this week, Jim. And, Tess, you must bring the little girl in after school.
Alanna was delighted to have at last attracted her mother's whole attention, after some ten minutes of unregarded whispering in her ear. She settled her thin little person with the conscious pleasure of a petted cat. "What do you know about that, Dad?" said Mrs. Costello, absently, as she stiffened the big bow over Alanna's temple into a more erect position.
"Why, here's Alanna's heart broken!" said he, cheerfully, encircling her little figure with a big arm. Alanna shrank back suddenly against him, and put her wet cheek on his shoulder. "Now, whatever is it, darlin'?" wondered her mother, sympathetically, but without concern. "You've not got a pain, have you, dear?" "She wants to help the Children of Mary!" said her father, tenderly.
"An' the pretty things you got!" went on the cheering matron. "You'll clear eight hundred if you'll clear a cent. And now put me down for a chance or two; don't be scared, Mary Riordan; four or five! I'm goin' to bring Mr. Costeller over here to-night, and don't you let him off too easy." Every one laughed joyously. "Did you hear of Alanna's luck?" said Mrs. Costello.
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