Hevlaska hadn't seen Rennie Epstein in a decade, and she was astonished by the change. The young woman with subdued make-up who hid her bosom under loose sweatshirts and lab coats was long gone, replaced by sleek, sexy and sophisticated. America had either done wonders for her or had been a catastrophe, Hevlaska wasn't sure which.
"Hello, Rennie," she said. "Please come in.
"Thanks," Rennie said, setting down her bags. "How have you been, Hevlaska?"
"As well as can be expected." Insofar as one could call that well.
"But not well enough to go to China, if I understand correctly?" Rennie said as she handed her coat to Hevlaska's housekeeper. "I'd be happy to make the rest of the trip with you."
"Thank you, Rennie, but there's no need," Hevlaska said. "I've spoken to Bak already, to give him my condolences, but Zhu and I said our goodbyes a long time ago."
"I'm so sorry, Hevlaska," Rennie said. "It must be so difficult for you."
"Thank you," Hevlaska said, blinking back tears, but her entire generation was passing away, and she sometimes felt very alone.
"Is Malcolm coming?" Rennie asked.
"He's in the dining room," Hevlaska said, embarrassed on the younger woman's behalf. The least her brother could have done was come out to greet their visitor.
"Oh," Rennie said. "I'm sorry to have held up dinner."
"You didn't," Hevlaska assured her as they walked. "I'm well aware of the fact that airplane arrival times aren't engraved in stone, so I kept it simple. I hope you don't mind."
"Of course not," Rennie said. "Whatever it is, it will be better than room service. Hi, Malcolm," she added as they entered the dining room.
"Hello, Rennie," Malcolm at least did their visitor the courtesy of rising as she came in. "How was your flight?"
Rennie shrugged. "I slept through as much of it as I could. How have you been?"
"Fine, fine," Malcolm said as they took their places at Hevlaska's small table.
"So I understand that Marian Cross had a student?" Rennie said. "How on earth did that happen?"
"I have no idea," Malcolm said, "but he turned Allen over to us last fall."
"Allen?" Rennie leaned back to make room for the housekeeper to serve her soup.
"Allen Walker is the boy's name," Hevlaska said.
"Is he any good?" Rennie asked.
"He shows some promise," Malcolm said. "I'm still working on how best to motivate him."
"Everyone has a weakness," Rennie said with a smile.
"Indeed," Malcolm said. "It's just a question of figuring out where to apply pressure. The cardinal had a few ideas I intend to try out."
"Why not ask Marian?" Rennie asked.
"Because he's acting like an ungrateful child," Malcolm said.
Rennie laughed. "At least he's consistent! Where did the boy come from?"
"England," Malcolm said. "He's been a ward of the state since infancy. I still don't know how Marian got wind of him, but he trained him well and sent him to us just in time."
"That's right, it's a War year," Rennie said. "How's it going?"
"The Earl won the first round, but Marian won in China," Malcolm said, "and I think things will really turn around in Paris."
"Really?" Hevlaska asked. From where she sat, things were looking about the same.
"Didn't you see the video?" Malcolm said.
"I saw Allen and Kanda still trailing, and Lenalee's foot is broken," Hevlaska said.
"Kanda can win, he just needed a little extra motivation," Malcolm said. "I think we'll see better from him in Paris. As for Allen, I'll find out what makes him tick. A little push, and he'll beat Rhoda."
"He's that good?" Rennie asked.
"He could be," Malcolm said. "He just needs encouragement."
By which Malcolm meant terror, for Allen's life or for the life of someone he cared about. "That still leaves couples," Hevlaska said. "You know Fou and Alistair can't place."
"I never intended them to. We'll reshuffle next time, once I'm sure Alistair has learned his lesson, and perhaps it might be time to disqualify the twins."
Hevlaska said nothing, but her brother would never believed that the twins' lead was down to them being better matched and more consistently trained rather than biology. Under the mismatched clothes, hair and make-up, Jasdero and David were formed form the same cluster of cells, and to Hevlaska's brothers, one single chromosome they shared made all the difference.
"Will Lenalee dance again?" Rennie asked.
"According to her doctors, she could," Malcolm said, "but I'm going to retire her anyway. She's still clinging to ballet, and ballerinas are a dime a dozen."
Naturally, Malcolm didn't care that Hevlaska was in the room.
"What are you planning for her?" Rennie asked.
"I was thinking of marrying her," Malcolm said.
Rennie, Hevlaska thought, did an excellent job of schooling her expression, but there was nothing she could do about the blood that drained from her face.
Hevlaska didn't bother concealing anything. "You can't be serious!" she said.
"Why not? There's reparative surgery now. In the time it takes me to have it done and see if it worked, she can get back on her feet and finish school."
"Komui will never allow it," Hevlaska said.
"I have Komui right where I want him," Malcolm said.
"She's young enough to be your granddaughter," Hevlaska said.
"All the better if I'm to have children at my age," Malcolm said. "What's the matter, Hevlaska? Jealous?"
"Of whom? The girl being sold into marriage or the deluded old coot who thinks he's doing the buying?" Hevlaska said. "I don't see anything here worth being jealous of."
"Oh come now, Hevlaska," Malcolm said. "People have been doing this kind of thing for centuries. Why should it be so shocking now?"
"Because it's abhorrent," Hevlaska said. "That's why people have stopped doing it. Dear Lord, you're actually serious!"
"It was the cardinal's idea," Malcolm said.
Of course it was. The cardinal was still living in the Middle Ages. "And you didn't see a problem with it?"
"Why should I?" Malcolm asked.
"Oh, right. You get a license to legally rape a teenager. Why should you have a problem with it?"
"Don't you think that's too strong a word?" Malcolm asked, looking amused.
"No. I think it's exactly right."
"Since when do you have any right to moral superiority in that area?" Malcolm asked.
"Since I stuck with consenting adults," Hevlaska said.
"I'll wait until she grows up," Malcolm said with the air of someone granting a favor.
"Like that's going to help," Hevlaska said. "You saw how well it worked out for the Earl."
Malcolm waved a hand in front of his nose. "Psh! The Earl is too soft-hearted."
"You really think Adam Campbell is soft-hearted?" From what Hevlaska could tell, the Earl Campbell had a heart so hard it was amazing it still beat.
"Obviously," Malcolm said, "although it's true that Emi had a difficult background."
"So does Lenalee."
"Komui has done a splendid job of keeping Lenalee in hand. Really, Hevlaska, I think you're jealous."
"I think you're insane," Hevlaska said. "What you're suggesting isn't even legal."
"That only matters if someone complains, and no one will."
"Excuse me," Rennie said, and it was to her credit, Hevlaska thought, that she managed to not run from the room.
"What's wrong with her?" Malcolm asked.
"I don't believe it," Hevlaska said, exasperated. "You've been tormenting people for so long that you do it unconsciously now. You can't help it."
"How was I tormenting her."
"She once expected to marry you. I don't think she'd given up hope."
"She should. She's thirty."
"So? That means she's less than half your age. Is that age gap insufficient for you?"
"Thirty is getting a little too old to have children. Women really need to be more careful about that," Malcolm said. "Put it off for too long, and you risk not having them at all."
"There are worse fates," Hevlaska said, "like being forced to bear children to a man who utterly disgusts you. Do you really think Lenalee will tolerate it?"
"I think she'll do as she's told," Malcolm said.
"Or you'll what?" Hevlaska asked. "Destroy her brother? Malcolm, this is illegal. Maybe this is news to you, but you're not above the law."
"My God, have you learned nothing?" Malcolm said. "Illegal only counts of people report it, and people don't report things if they know it will cause more problems than it will solve. Lenalee understands her place and will do as she's told. She had a rough start, but she's behaved herself since, and I see no reason why she'll stop now."
"I do. Malcolm, can't you see this is getting completely out of hand? First Kanda, now this. How much longer can it go on?"
"Indefinitely. Unlike you, most people figure out very quickly which side their bread is buttered on. Or are you completely unaware of how complicit you are in this? You're the one who handed the Lees over to us."
It was true. She had. That was the price she payed for what scraps of power they were willing to give her. "I always thought that one of the few benefits of age was wisdom."
"Wisdom?" Malcolm asked. "Or cowardice?"
"You're right," Hevlaska said, shaking her head in disgust. "Wisdom has nothing to do with age. You're living proof that there's no fool like an old fool."
"I don't think I'm being foolish at all. Look at Rennie. After all this time, she leaves the room like a lovestruck girl when I mention marrying someone else. Lenalee will need time, but once she adjusts, there won't be any problems."
Of course. His engagement to Rennie had begun in a similar way, with two families trying to cement ties and continue a dynasty. Naturally, he thought that if Rennie came to love him, Lenalee would, too. The idea that Rennie and Lenalee might be two very different people hadn't crossed his mind. "I think it's time for you to leave."
"Why?" Malcolm said.
There were many good reasons, none of which he would recognize. "Because it's my home and I'm telling you to."
"And you're wondering why we don't listen to you," Malcolm said as he rose. "Listen to yourself, throwing a tantrum as if you were four and chasing me out of your room! Very well. I'm tired of this myself. Have you given our brother Allen's files?"
"No."
"And yet you claim there's nothing in them. How childish of you!"
There wasn't anything explicit in them, but if Hevlaska could figure it out, so could they. "Maybe I'm tired of doing your dirty work."
"Isn't it a little late for that?"
"Better late than never," Hevlaska said, hoping it was true.
"I suggest you reconsider," Malcolm said. "You won't like how things turn out if you don't."
"I don't like how things are now," Hevlaska said. "It won't make for much of a change."
"Don't be so foolish," Malcolm said. "He's very displeased with you, and you know what he's like."
"I know that better than you," Hevlaska said. "I'll risk it."
"Over an orphan? Why now?"
The real question, Hevlaska thought, was why it had taken so long.
"Or is this one somehow special to you?" He smiled. "Is that it? Is this one special? Think of it this way," he went on. "With us, he gets an excellent education and an opportunity to dance as his true level. Otherwise, it's back to foster care and those silly school assemblies, maybe a fifth-rate teacher somewhere if his foster parents can be bothered. The Order offers him so much more."
Hevlaska cringed inside, but that was exactly what she'd told herself for a very long time.