[Dionessa]

Dionessa Bariton drifted into her family's flower shop, the dreamy look of
a newlywed still plain on her face.  Her sister, Lydia Manford, was
putting the finishing touches on some floral arrangements.  Hearing
Dionessa come in, she dropped everything and ran to embrace her.  "It's
about time you came back, Nessa," she said teasingly.

Dionessa stuck her tongue out at Lydia, then grinned.  Nessa's new
husband, Alexander Bariton, was a potter and sculptor of some repute.  A
rich merchant, impressed with Alex's work, had offered to let them use his
hunting lodge for their honeymoon.  The only time near their planned
marriage that it was free, however, was during the Festival.  She and Alex
hadn't minded, really--it was nice to get away from the crowds.  But it
had meant that her sister and mother had had to run the shop during that
busy time without her help.

"So where's Alex?" Lydia asked as she moved back to the floral
arrangements.

"In his workshop.  He got a couple ideas for some sculpture during our
days at the lodge."  She giggled at the look Lydia gave her.  "You can see
the sketches later, Dia.  They aren't risque...well, not *very.* He'll
join us for supper."  She looked around.  "Where's Mother?"

"Upstairs, resting," Lydia replied.  "I am glad you're back.  I'm worried
about her.  The Festival days were hard on her--she tired a lot more
easily than usual."

"Why didn't you send for me?" Dionessa asked, concerned.

"You know how she is--she kept insisting she was fine, and we shouldn't
disturb you.  But she didn't protest much when I insisted she rest today."

"Hmmm..." Nessa said, mulling it over.  "What about Corwin?"

"Actually, he was a great help.  I think he realized something was wrong,
too."

"That's good."  Nessa was relieved.  Corwin had complained much before
she'd left, thinking that working in a flower shop was beneath the manly
dignity of a fourteen-year-old.  "And speaking of which..." she said as
she heard the clomping of boots coming in the back door.

"Nessa!"  The tow-headed lad, who seemed to have grown just in the few
days she'd been gone, rushed around the counter and gave her a hug.
"'Bout time you showed up," he said with a mischievous grin.  "I've hardly
seen my friends for days now!"

"Sure you haven't," Nessa replied, also grinning.  "But you can't skip out
today, I'm afraid.  I need to get back up to speed here, and Mother really
needs to rest."  Corwin sighed, but nodded his acquiescence.  "Why don't
you go to her now and see if she needs you to do anything upstairs?  And
tomorrow, you can have fun with your friends all day."

"All right!"  Corwin skipped noisily up the stairs.

"I'll just go up and see Mother for a few minutes," Dionessa told Lydia.
"Then I'll be back down to help you open up."  She paused at the entrance
to the staircase, which led to the family rooms above.  "As wonderful as
that honeymoon was, it's nice to get things back to normal," she said
softly.

[Inleay and Avery]

The little bell above the door tinkled as Private Jereminah Inleay stepped
into The Flower Pot, but she held out a restraining arm before Private
Hollin Avery stepped in. "Wipe your boots," she hissed at him, "I don't
know what that green stuff was you stepped in...I _don't want to know_ but
it stinks like wet rat."

"I've smelled worse," he said, defensively.

"But this is no farm," she muttered back, "But a decent business." She
shot him a quick glare and said, "Wait there, this don't require both of
us to deliver the summons."

She left Hollin to go scrape his boots and let the door quietly close;
then she straightened her uniform and headed to the counter.

[Lydia]

'Early start today,' Lydia thought as she heard the door open.  She looked
up with a smile.  "Good morning.  May I--help you?"  The break in her rote
greeting came when she saw the uniform of the woman.  What would bring an
on-duty Guard in here so early?

[Inleay]

"I'm Private Inleay," Jereminah said, "Are you Mrs. Baritone?"

[Lydia/Dionessa]

Lydia bit back a grin.  She'd *told* Nessa that people would mispronounce
her new name like that, but Nessa just wouldn't listen.  So, instead of
correcting the Guard, she merely replied, "No, she's upstairs.  Just a
moment."  She walked to the staircase and called, "Nessa?  There's someone
down here who needs to see you."

"Be right there," came Dionessa's reply.  She stood up and bent over the
bed to give her mother a kiss.  "Now you just rest today, and let Corwin
be your man Friday," she said.

"All right, but you'd better be careful.  I could get used to this," was
her mother's teasing reply.

Nessa grinned as she went downstairs.  There didn't seem to be much wrong
with her mother that a little rest wouldn't cure.  Still, she'd keep a
close eye on her for a while.

Or so she thought, until she saw the Guard standing at the counter.  "You
wanted to speak to me?" she asked, puzzled.

[Jereminah Inleay]

"Mrs. Baritone," Jereminah said, "I'm Private Inleay, and I'm here to
issue you a jury summons."

[Dionessa]

"Bariton," Dionessa corrected absently, taking the summons from Private
Inleay.  She shot a glance at Lydia, who gave her an innocent smile.  She
turned her attention back to the summons, scanning its contents.  "I'll be
there," she said with a sigh.

[Jereminah]

"My apologies, Mrs. Bariton," Private Inleay said, "And have a good day."

[Dionessa]

"What's it about?" Lydia asked after the Guard left.

"That murder case.  It's coming to trial."

Dionessa showed the summons to everyone at dinner that evening.  "It
doesn't necessarily mean I'll be picked, Mother.  Just that I'm in the
pool of potential jurors."

"Still, you don't know much about the case.  That'll probably increase the
odds of your being chosen," Lydia said.

"Oh, I could tell you all about it," Corwin piped up.

"Not at the dinner table, Corwin," everyone else said in unison.

"Well, if you do get chosen, it'll leave the store short-handed again,"
Lydia said, then glared as Corwin groaned.

"I've a solution to that," Alex said.  "You can all give me a crash course
in flower-marketing, and I'll take your place.  I know how important this
is."  He leaned over and gave Nessa a kiss.

"I knew there was a reason we approved of you," Lydia teased, and the
dinner ended in laughter and a warm feeling of family.