'I wonder who they're loyal to in times like this?

'The most conservative families, trust me.

'You're probably right.

She cuddled up close. 'You're learning.

They ate lunch on the hortus, on a long stone table under an archway of flowering honeysuckle. Julan and Mirnatha joined them; the little girl was delighted to be able to pick her own food from the array of dishes the cooks had prepared the previous night, going back several time for slices of smoked hulfish and clotted cheese cream until her father told her no more. She sulked for a while before collecting her pudding of toffee banana cake.

It was a lazy, pleasant afternoon which followed. Kristabel talked with her father on redistributing their family members from the third floor. Edeard finally began to gain an appreciation of just how widespread their holdings were.

The whole agreeable family scene gave him an insight into what the next century might be like, with his children having a similar discussion in another thirty years as they took over the ninth floor and more third floor cousins prepared to leave. Such a thing gave him a sense of continuity, firming up the future from a few vague notions of trying to make life better; this was particulars, making solid plans for expansion and still better days. Like nothing he'd known before.

Captain Ron ark longtalked him in the middle of the afternoon, "lake a look who just showed up to vote in Lillylight.

Edeard obliged, focusing his farsight on the Opera House annexe where the Lillylight voting was conducted. Master Cherix was standing in front of a clerk who was running through the registry ledger. Edeard grinned at the lawyer's distinctive mental signature — no mistake, it was definitely him. When he checked by using the city's perception he saw Cherix was keeping his composure, waiting with apparent patience for the clerk to find his name. 'I wonder where he's been holed up? The constables had been unable to locate him on the day of banishment; since then Edeard had more pressing issues than tracking down the lawyer.

'What do you suggest we do? Ronark asked.

'Let him vote. He only ever had an exclusion warrant against him because it was useful to me. They've all served their purpose, I suppose we should cancel the outstanding ones. And persecuting Cherix now would make me seem petty.

'All right, I'll longtalk the Lillylight captain.

Edeard kept watch on the voting hall. After a couple of minutes the clerk suddenly found Cherix's entry in the ledger and handed over his ballot papers. Edeard thought the lawyer looked surprised when it happened. He definitely looked relieved as he walked to the privacy booth.

Was it deliberate? Was Owain trying to stir up a little sympathy, or was Cherix just wanting to know where he stood? Lady, I'm on edge.

'Are you all right? Kristabel asked.

'Yes, he smiled reassuringly. Actually, if that's the worst Owain can do today, I'm perfectly all right.

Edeard was back at the Jeavons public hall when the Grand Master of the Guild of Clerks stood on the Orchard Palace balcony again to announce the end of the voting. He watched the clerks sealing up the slots on the voting boxes, signed the dockets to say he'd seen it, and watched as two squads of constables carried them out.- Dinlay was assigned to accompany them to the Orchard Palace.

'Eighty per cent turnout, the Master of Clerks said as he picked up his own papers.

'High then, Edeard said.

'I've never known that many voters bother before; and this is my twenty-second election.

'A good sign, then?

The old Master gave him a dry smile. 'For someone.

There were a couple of hours between the time the voting officially ended and the counting began. Edeard took a gondola down to Sampalok. It was all right now voting was finished, there were no political consequences to his visiting.

The gondola dropped him off at the Mid Pool concourse, and he made his way along Zulmal Street. The families who lived along the street gave him a guarded welcome. As always his footsteps slowed as he passed the baker's where Boyd had been shot. Just about all the shops and businesses had re-opened, helped by money from the Diroal family's fortune. It was the same across the district, most of the damage from the riots had been repaired. Commerce was back on its usual uncompromising path.

When he finally reached the central square, the new hexagonal mansion was over twelve feet high, and the second storey was forming under the first that had grown up. According to his design, there were another six to come, each one larger than the previous, giving it a stepped outline. A conservative reckoning was another four months before it would be complete. Which meant the new Master and Mistress had set up their temporary home in the Bea's Bottle tavern on the south side of the square.

Edeard waved cheerfully to the tavern's landlord as he walked in. After the first couple of days the man had come to accept the situation, especially as it meant renting out every room he had to the clerks who were sorting out the Diroal family finances, and providing them with food and drink, along with everyone else who came visiting the new Master and Mistress — there were a great many.

Macsen and Kanseen had taken over seven rooms on the fourth floor. One had a balcony overlooking the square, where they could watch their now mansion rising. Edeard found them sitting there sharing a bottle of white wine. When they offered him a glass he took a look at the label. With Kristabel educating him he'd come to recognize quality. 'Nice, he said appreciatively, and took a sip. 'Definitely.

'Yes, Kanseen said, and stretched out on her chair. 'A girl could quite easily get corrupted by this life.

Edeard took a look at the boxes and bags piled up in the room behind the balcony. The shop names were from many districts, all frequented by the women of Grand Families as they commissioned their exclusive clothes. It wasn't just wines he was becoming familiar with these days. 'Nice to see you're rising above it.

Macsen chuckled, and raised a glass. 'There are certain expectations. District Masters must act the part.

'And dress for it, too.

'Yes, I was most careful with that; I made sure I used the same tailor Kristabel gets your uniforms from.

Edeard groaned and gave up, taking a larger sip of wine as he settled into a chair next to his friends. 'So how did the election go in Sampalok?

'Relatively honest, I think, Kanseen said. 'No fights at the district hall, anyway. The constables had to step in to stop a few heated disputes over residency, but nothing they couldn't handle.

'Any idea which Representative got elected? Edeard asked.

'Nope. You're going to have to wait along with the rest of the city.

'Lady! How do the candidates stand this?

Macsen eyed him lazily. 'Lady help us, what are you going to be like when you finally stand for Mayor?

'I never will. Not now I know what it's like.

'Ha! Macsen took a sip of wine.

'I heard our old friend Cherix had crawled back into tin-public domain, Kanseen said.

'Yes. Edeard eyed the wine in the glass. 'Life just wouldn't be the same without him.

'You need to watch that sentimental streak, she said. 'They'll exploit that.

'Who? Macsen said indignantly. 'There's nobody left to reinstate the gangs. Owain is going to lose. The families will accept Edeard and they'll adapt as they always do. For them very little will change, but for ordinary citizens things will get a whole lot better. And best of all, Bise will slowly lose his influence along with his so-called friends. Argian told me his old allies are growing tired of him already. This election should see the end of him.

'Lady, please let it be so, Edeard muttered. 'Did Bise manage to save anything?