"So I will merely advise you that a mistress, in the sense I am addressing, is a woman who consents to signal the stork with a man who is not her husband." Godiva frowned, and Jenny could see that this was no pleasant matter for her. "My husband indulged himself with several of these women, and the stork, being blind to propriety, brought sons to two of them. These are known as illegitimate offspring, and their place in our society is secondary. But in the absence of a legitimate heir to the chiefship, the older boy would become eligible."

Jenny began to get a glimmer. "You mean, if Gwendolyn wasn't—?"

"If Gwendolyn did not qualify, she would be dispatched, and the boy would assume the chiefship after Gouty."

"Dispatched?"

"The tribe will need a chief. If the leading candidate is not qualified, she must be eliminated so that a better candidate can be considered."

"Eliminated?" Jenny was still missing something.

"Killed."

Jenny gazed at the woman in horror. The way of goblins was abruptly coming clear. "And if she can't see well—"

Godiva nodded grimly. "A lame chief might be tolerated; after all, Gouty does not walk well. But a blind one would be out of the question. Unless she compensated so well that it made no difference. Spectacles could compensate, but that would not be allowed."

"And a centaur companion would compensate," Jenny said, seeing it. "But why a winged one?"

"That was coincidental. Most centaurs are in Centaur Isle, and there is no hope of getting one from there. They hardly deign to associate with non-isle centaurs or with human beings, and have no truck at all with goblins. Most remaining centaurs live in villages and guard their premises diligently. Che was alone. He was the only one we could reach who was young enough to be trained. The fact that when he matures he will be able to fly is a bonus; Gwendolyn could achieve real success among goblins with such a steed. That can certainly be presented as a rationale for his presence. But the real reason is to compensate for Gwendolyn's sight. With such a creature at her side, no matter how young, she can participate actively in goblin affairs and demonstrate her competence. That will not only enable her to become chief, it will save her life."

Jenny now saw why Godiva had made such a great effort to abduct the foal. Her daughter's life and fate were at stake! Still, she wanted to be quite sure she understood, because she would have to tell Che about this and her own judgment had to be sure. "If one of those other goblins becomes chief, will it make the tribe more like—like—?"