Across the Face of the World Read Free Page B

if nowhere else, the Haufuth truly led his people.
    'Why, you should have said!' she replied with a flourish. 'I could make you a batch this week -
    in fact, I'll send Hal over with a basket tomorrow.'
    The Haufuth rubbed his hands together, then frowned. 'Merin put me on a diet yesterday,' he muttered pensively. He thought a moment, and his face brightened. 'She loves your baking.
    Maybe we could postpone this diet to next week. Yes, that's the answer!' he said, pleased with himself. 'She told me about those cakes. Crisp wheat. Honey centres! Tomorrow, you said?'
    'They'll be there,' Indrett said laughingly. 'Off with you now, before you promise me out of provisions.'

    I'll pay for the cakes,' the Haufuth protested.
    'Don't be ridiculous.'
    The large man laughed out loud: a heavy, laboured laugh. Then his round face grew more serious, and he hitched up the belt around his huge girth, a sure sign he was nervous. 'Look, Indrett, let me pay for the cakes. Some of us are concerned about you. You put on a brave face, but tell me, how are you going to make it through the winter? The council think that maybe if a few of the men of the village donated a day each—'
    'We'll make it!' the short woman snapped, her anger rising. 'My family made it through last winter on our own and we'll do it again, with no favours. And who's to say Mahnum won't be back before Midwinter?' Her face lifted proudly, daring the Haufuth to gainsay her.
    Wearily, the big man sighed and sat down. 'Look, I didn't want to start on this. We miss your husband in the fields, in the village, on the council. We need him - well, not as much as you do, to be sure,' he said cautiously, noting her icy expression, 'but ours is a small village and even the lack of one man is keenly felt. Your son, now—'
    'If it's hands you are short of, I have two to give! I won't have this family beholden to the village!'
    'You know that's not possible, Indrett. Women have their tasks, their place, and we need them there ...'
    All thought of not antagonising this man evaporated with those words. 'May all stubborn northerners perish in the snows along with their backward peasant ideas! If only you would think, really think, for just one minute! Mahnum is gone who knows where on some foolish errand for the dead King. Leith is not yet seventeen, and he isn't ready. Hal does the work of three men but no one ever notices. Just women's work, all a cripple's fit for. And all the while we're treated as though we don't exist! No say on the Village Council, a council made up of the leader of every house - if he's a man. People feel we've deliberately hurt them by depriving the village of manpower - as though Mahnum leaving was my fault -and they simply ignore me at the market. All we're good for is masks and cakes at Midwinter! Yet none of those who resent us refuse Hal's ministrations when Icewind fever strikes! Can't you see that if I and the other widows in the village were allowed to work with the men and sit on the council, we could hold our heads high? That no one would have to despise us? That we wouldn't have to be treated like beggars? Can't you see?'
    She paused, red-faced and out of breath, anger flickering danger¬ously in her dark eyes. The Haufuth leaned forward in his gently protesting chair, and softened his expression still further.
    'Indrett, we can't let this go on. Already you work yourself to exhaustion caring for your boys.
    1 watched you in the market the other day. Remember when that silly woman from Vapnatak tried to set up her sweetmeat stall in opposition to you? I was proud of how you stood up for yourself without becoming rude or offensive. Honestly, could you do more? Those villagers who scorn you, well, maybe they are scared and ignorant, fearing a foul winter and the loss of their own husbands. And maybe they might even help you, but for your proud independence.'
    Indrett shook her head, more to keep the tears from her eyes than to disagree.
    'Come to the next