Chapter 20
Dorothy was putting the finishing touches on her makeup when she heard the door to the suite open and close. Reaching for her handbag, she was about to pull out her gun when she heard the telephone ring and James' voice answering.
"Are you sure? Well, we didn't expect him to accept immediately. When the plan is on the table and the pen is in his hand, he'll do what he must."
After returning her makeup to a case, Dorothy left the bathroom and saw James hanging up the phone. "What was that about?"
"Majid Al-Jazar and I have come up with an acceptable agreement to ensure that there will be no war between our colonies. While I thought it rather barbaric, these people do have different customs from our own."
"What is this rather barbaric plan?" From the brief telephone conversation she had overheard, Dorothy concluded that Quatre had already learned of the plan and did not approve.
James looked away from her, so she knew she wouldn't like what she was going to hear. "Quatre Winner will marry Yaminah Al-Jazar and his wife will spend the next few years on L3 attending a university. In addition to ensuring her safety while she is on the colony, my government will fund rebuilding efforts on L4 in exchange for future favorable trade agreements."
"The wife of the president will be a hostage?" Dorothy couldn't believe such a plan was even considered.
James shrugged as he looked at her. "I think we both know why the agreement might be attractive to Quatre Winner. He objects to her youth, and when she finishes her education and returns to L4 she will be an attractive young woman. While she is gone, he is free to do as he pleases."
Dorothy was glad that James didn't embarrass her by pointing out what it meant for her. She had wanted to avoid the kind of life that was being laid out for her, but a part of her was glad that she would have the opportunity to be with Quatre.
"I know this puts you in a difficult position, Dorothy." She knew that James sensed her dilemma.
"He will belong to another woman," she remarked aloud. Only in her wildest dreams did she imagine that she could ever be the wife of Quatre Winner. Even if she stayed on L4 to be with him while his wife was away, she would one day have to leave.
James reached out to take her hand. "Whatever you decide to do, I will always be there for you. But I think you should follow your heart."
She managed to smile at him despite the turmoil she felt inside. "I did that once before James, and it didn't turn out well for anyone."
"You hardly had any control over that," he remarked.
For a long time she hadn't had control over any aspect of her life. First her parents, then her grandfather manipulated her, and when she didn't have them, she had behaved irrationally, first by becoming involved with the White Fang, then when she was drifting aimlessly, Quatre Winner stepped into her life. If she hadn't gone to Barbados, she wouldn't be contemplating ruining what was left of her respectability.
"You look quite lovely," James commented as he raised her hand to his lips before releasing it. "I'm looking forward to having lunch with you. Give me a few minutes to get ready."
He was headed to the bathroom when the phone rang again, so he made a detour and picked it up. "Yes, this is." For a moment he didn't say anything as he listened, then he responded, "Yes, Mr. Winner, I have been informed of your objections..." James frowned as he glanced at Dorothy. "I was planning to have lunch...Yes, I understand. I will be at your office in fifteen minutes." He hung up the phone and looked apologetically at Dorothy. "Our plans have changed. Quatre Winner demands my presence in his office in fifteen minutes."
The change in plans would give Dorothy time to think through her options without having to make idle conversation with James, so she wasn't disappointed to have their lunch date canceled. When she would have escorted him to the president's office, he refused to allow it, pointing out that he didn't believe there was any danger. Dorothy thought of the shadowy would-be assassin and wondered if he was making a mistake, but she had to respect his wishes. She could, however, follow him at a distance far away enough so that he wouldn't knew she was there, yet close enough to help if he were attacked.
But the way to the president's office was uneventful, so she stopped and turned to go back to her own room, when a door nearby opened and she didn't even get a chance to turn her head when a hand was clamped over her mouth and she was dragged inside. She reached for her gun and had it in her hand, but before she could draw it, a very sharp blade was pressed against her throat.
The door through which she had been dragged was kicked open and she was relieved to see Rashid holding a gun, and yet the blade against her throat tightened so that if she even breathed she would be cutting herself on the edge.
"Put your gun away," ordered a voice from across the room.
Dorothy shifted her gaze to see a woman standing by the window, watching the scene with her arms crossed, her brows raised. Dorothy had not met her, but she recognized her from the file she had studied about the current situation on L3. Looking back to Rashid, Dorothy saw that he was wearing a look of confusion.
"Miss Leila, what are you planning to do?" he asked, still holding the gun on the man holding Dorothy's life on the edge of his knife.
Leila nodded to the man who released Dorothy. "I believe that I have proven my point. You may go, Husam."
Rashid tucked his gun away after the assailant left without a backward glance although he was watching Leila Winner with distrust.
"We have not been formally introduced." Leila came forward and extended her hand, but Dorothy did not take it. "My husband is on my brother's council, and I know how well acquainted you are with my brother."
Dorothy deduced that she was Ahmed's wife. "Did you send someone to kill James Sheffield?"
Leila smiled. "No, I did not send anyone. I went to his room myself, but not to kill James Sheffield."
"You were trying to kill me?" Dorothy was amazed that the woman was brazen enough to admit it.
"I don't need to kill you to accomplish what I must. I simply meant to frighten someone."
"You would have to do more than that to frighten Miss Dorothy," remarked Rashid.
Leila glanced at him. "I didn't think I could frighten a woman like her. No, I meant to put some fear in my brother. His obsession with this woman is going to ruin him and this colony. I told him that she could never be safe here, and now I have proven it."
"This is a game to you?" asked Dorothy incredulously. "I could have shot Husam..."
"He didn't give you a chance to draw your weapon." She looked at Rashid. "I guessed that my brother would send you to watch over her after I pointed out how impractical it would be to keep her here. And yet you couldn't have gotten here in time to save her life. If Husam had been paid to kill her, or if he had been a fanatic out for revenge, you would have charged in her to find her with her throat cut gasping for her last breaths. I suggest that you report to my brother just exactly how easy it would have been to end her life."
Rashid looked at Dorothy. "I am sorry, Miss Dorothy."
"I wasn't hurt," she told him.
"You may leave us," Leila ordered Rashid.
Although he was reluctant to go, Rashid bowed and left the room. When he had gone, Dorothy looked at Quatre's sister. "I don't know why you felt these stunts were necessary."
"I don't want my brother to be hurt," she explained, her face softening. "I know how he feels about you, and I know he would be crushed if something happened to you. I have also noted the special bond that you have formed with Jamila, and I don't know how my niece could survive should another mother that she loves dearly meets a terrible end. Quatre needs to realize that for everyone concerned, it would be best if he let you go."
Despite her anger over what Leila had done, Dorothy was touched by her concern for Quatre and Jamila. "I'm sure that he will come to his senses now." Dorothy wasn't afraid for her own life, but if something were to happen to either Quatre or Jamila because of an attack on her, she couldn't live with it.
"I knew that you would understand how it must be."
There was nothing more to say, so Dorothy turned and left the room, but she was in turmoil deep down inside. That part of her that wanted to stay on L4 with Quatre was crushed by the realization that it could not work, and Dorothy knew that Leila was right. Despite the years that had passed since the occupation by OZ, there were still many on the colony like Hassan Barak and his daughter who had reason to want to see her dead.
Glancing at her watch, she saw that she had a couple of hours to wait for her tea party with Jamila, and since she was hungry, she decided to visit Relena to see if she could join her for lunch. Weston and Davis were relaxed at their post, but they straightened when they noticed her approaching.
"Is Heero Yuy inside?" she asked. If he were, she would probably go back to her room and call the kitchen to send a light meal to her. She certainly didn't want to interrupt anything.
"He hasn't returned yet," Weston told her.
"Where is he?" she asked, realizing that she hadn't spoken to Heero that morning at all.
"He is investigating the break-in in the ambassador's room last night," answered Davis.
Knowing Heero, he wouldn't rest until he discovered exactly what had happened, and if he weren't able to, she would tell him when he returned. "Is the Vice Foreign Minister in?" Relena could have been called to the same impromptu meeting that James had.
Weston nodded. "I believe that she is waiting to have lunch."
As long as Heero hadn't returned, Dorothy would have a chance to talk to Relena, and since she had already been thoroughly scolded for trying to cut her out of her personal life, this was the perfect opportunity to try to patch up their friendship. Besides, Relena might be able to give her an unbiased opinion because she could look at Dorothy's dilemma from another perspective.
Neither agent balked at opening the door when she requested it, and when Dorothy stepped in, she immediately regretted it because a small table placed by the window was set with a meal that had already arrived. A bouquet of red roses were on the table, and crossing the room, Dorothy saw that the card had already been opened and that the romantic lunch was a peace offering from Heero. Looking over the table, she noted the champagne chilling on ice, and lifting a cover she smothered a laugh when she saw the oysters on the half shell. He must have paid a fortune to have this kind of meal delivered to the room, especially with the deprivation on the colony.
"Are you back, Heero?" Relena was pacing in another room and she hadn't noticed that she was speaking to Dorothy. "I am waiting for an important call from the president of the Earth Sphere United Nation, and this is the only time the communication system has enough power to function."
Dorothy was about to alert her to her presence, but Relena continued talking as she paced out of view.
"I cannot believe the mess this trip has become! When I suggested that Dorothy be assigned to James Sheffield, I had something far different in mind! I just want to scream when I think about all of Dorothy's secrets. Why couldn't she just confide in me?"
At least Relena was going to be happy to have Dorothy confide in her about her present predicament.
"The president is going to chew off my head for this ridiculous arrangement between L3 and L4. I can't believe Sheffield agreed to it, but I guess he has had more experience in dealing with the culture on this colony. Do you really think Quatre is going to marry that child? What can he be thinking?"
Dorothy knew that Quatre had little choice in what he could do. She remembered his words to her not long ago in the garden when she questioned him about the plot. "I will do what I must to rebuild the homes and lives of my people." If that meant marrying Yaminah Al-Jazar and sending her to live on L3 as a hostage, then he would do it.
"What place does that leave for Dorothy Catalonia in his life? What kind of woman does he think she is? She is not a mindless concubine!"
Remembering how she had behaved the night before in Quatre's bed, she was glad that Relena didn't know exactly how mindless she could be with Quatre Winner. Yet if Relena could imagine such a thing, then Dorothy was right to be concerned about the complete loss of her reputation. The people of his colony would hardly have a favorable opinion of her if she chose to stay as his paramour.
Confiding in Relena was easier than Dorothy had imagined. She didn't have to say a word.
"How in the world is he going to tell her about Jamila now? You have no idea how difficult it was last night not telling her the truth. I don't think I can look her in the eye again."
Dorothy felt uneasy hearing about Jamila in the exasperated tone that Relena was using. She was going to ask her what she was talking about when her friend continued.
"When I think about what those vile people, the Huffmanns, and the despicable excuse for a doctor did to Dorothy, I just want to find someone to punish! I can't imagine how Dorothy is going to react when she finds out that Jamila is her child!"
The heart seemed to stop beating in Dorothy's chest and she found it impossible to draw a breath until the room started to spin around her and if she hadn't seized the edge of the table, she might have collapsed. Relena had lost her mind! What she had said could not be true!
"How much did Sadirah Barak pay those jackals for the child? I suppose money was no object to her when she was banking on marrying Quatre Winner!"
It was true! Dorothy didn't want to believe it, but what Relena was saying made sense! Dorothy realized that Heero must have discovered more than just the secret Dorothy was keeping when he had gone to Switzerland, and yet he did not tell her! And Relena had berated her for not confiding in her when all the while she was hiding something that important from her!
Having received her connection to Earth, Relena began discussing the terms of the peace treaty between L3 and L4 over the phone. Desperately struggling for her composure, Dorothy managed to leave the room without confronting Relena and shaking her by the shoulders until her teeth rattled.
Weston and Davis looked at her curiously, and Dorothy forced a smile to her lips although her insides were churning violently and her head was aching. "She was on the phone with the president. I'll talk to her later." She looked from one man to the other. "Between you and me, I think they have a private party planned, so don't spoil it by telling them I was here. What I had to tell them was unimportant." She needed time to herself and she knew that Heero would seek her out if he knew she had stopped by.
When they grinned and nodded, and Dorothy was reasonably assured that they do as she asked, she walked calmly to her room. But once she was inside, she leaned back against the closed door and pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes to stop the tears that threatened to overtake her. She felt betrayed by the only people she knew as friends, and worse, Quatre had known! Heero must have told him, and yet Quatre could be intimate with her and still not say a word! He stood in the garden only an hour ago, looking at her as he held their child and knowing the truth, and yet he had said nothing!
Sick to her stomach, her head still spinning, she stumbled to the bathroom and vomited until there was nothing left in her stomach, and then she hung over the toilet, heaving, desperately trying not to sob over the pathetic wreck her life had become. Her thoughts spun out of control as she tried to latch onto a logical reason for Quatre not to tell her the truth after the emotional confession she had told him, and she settled on the only one that made sense. She wasn't good enough for him, not to love, not to marry and certainly not good enough to raise his child! The only thing she was good enough for was a hot time between the sheets.
Furious and hurt, her first instinct was to confront the bastard, then take Jamila back to Earth with her. After the hell she had been put through the first years of her life under the thumb of Sadirah Barak, Jamila deserved better than a father who would marry a girl that he had no qualms about sending to a potential hostile enemy as a hostage for peace. But no matter how justified Dorothy felt in doing so, Dorothy realized how upsetting it would be to Jamila to be uprooted despite their close friendship. Dorothy guessed that Jamila didn't know the truth because the little girl wouldn't be able to keep such a secret. Her heart ached to imagine how Jamila would react to learning that her identity as she knew it was a lie. Deep down inside, Dorothy was afraid that Jamila would blame her for her suffering, and she couldn't bear to lose the trust she had established with her.
There was nothing Dorothy could do but leave, to get out of their lives. She wouldn't stay on L4 to be Quatre's lover while his wife was on L3, and she couldn't bear to stand by watching as another woman raised her daughter. Dorothy had to give Jamila a chance for a normal future free of the scandal that Dorothy would bring to her life.
Checking on any shuttle flights leaving the colony, she was fortunate to discover that a cargo shuttle was headed to L2 and leaving at four o'clock. Dorothy was torn between seeing Jamila one last time and getting away, and finding that no other shuttle was schedule to leave for another three days, her mind was made up for her. She couldn't live with the knowledge that those closest to her were betraying her. Using her credentials as a Preventer agent, she secured passage, and noting that she had less than thirty minutes to reach the shuttle port, she took nothing with her but her handbag. She glanced briefly at Weston and Davis when she passed them, and both men winked and smiled at her so she knew that Heero Yuy would be occupied for some time.
The palace attendant called a car for her when she claimed that she had business in the city, and during the ride to the shuttle port, Dorothy almost expected her car to be stopped, but she reached the port without incident and obtained a boarding pass after presenting her identification.
She didn't know what she would do or where she would eventually go, but she knew she couldn't go back to L4. And now that Quatre had taken on the responsibility of his colony, she wouldn't have to worry that he would follow her. Dorothy couldn't stay and face Quatre Winner without completely breaking down, and she certainly didn't want to cause any upheaval in Jamila's life.
As the shuttle blasted off, Dorothy wiped away her tears as she imagined how hurt Jamila would be when she didn't show up for tea.
Quatre paced anxiously as he waited for James Sheffield to reach his office. Leila and Ahmed had already arrived and both watched him in silent question, but neither dared to question the reason for his summons. Hadya sat on a bench by the window also nervously waiting for James Sheffield. Quatre regretted using his sister in his scheme, especially when Hadya wasn't sure how Sheffield would react. Quatre didn't know anything about the man except that he was an excellent diplomat. If Quatre's plan didn't work, then he was out of ideas.
A knock at the door stopped his pacing, but when it opened and the secretary announced Majid and Yaminah Al-Jazar, Quatre gritted his teeth in frustration. Yaminah couldn't even look at him as she blushed deeply and stuttered a greeting. Quatre's rushed reply made her giggle like a silly girl, and he noted Hadya rolling her eyes. Quatre wasn't amused.
The secretary had barely closed the door when he was opening it again and announcing the arrival of James Sheffield.
"Finally," muttered Hadya as she rose from her place by the window.
"This is a joyous day," remarked Majid as he went forward to shake Sheffield's hand. Quatre thought it bizarre that only a few days ago Majid was planning to gut the representative from L3 with a scimitar. "We will be signing a favorable treaty with your colony and putting this ugly business behind us all." He turned to Quatre. "You cannot know how proud I am this day."
Quatre noticed that Sheffield had already noted with interest the presence of his sister. At least his instincts about them had been good. Hadya confessed that she had been seeing Sheffield while living on L3 and thought they were becoming serious until the sudden reprisal of his relationship with Dorothy Catalonia during her absence. A quick investigation of his own turned up the fact that since becoming involved with Hadya, Sheffield had stayed close to L3. Quatre knew the reason. He had gone through the same transformation five years ago because of one woman.
Majid went to Quatre's desk and rolled out the ceremonial copies of the treaty, then laid a thick document on the desk that Quatre guessed was the marriage contract. Once he signed the contract, Yaminah would be his wife without any exchange of vows.
Sighing, Quatre picked up the document and began to page through it, barely looking at the words.
"*It is all in order," stated Leila.
He looked from her to Ahmed. "You considered my interests in this contract?"
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. It was customary on L4 for the bride's father to provide a dowry. Mahmad Al-Jazar was dead, leaving his daughter with nothing from the enormous amount of bribes he had taken. Yaminah had no dowry.
Majid cleared his throat. "A technicality that we thought you might overlook under the circumstances, considering the hardship she will be suffering."
"What hardship?" Quatre looked from him, to the blushing Yaminah, then to Sheffield. "Is she to be imprisoned while attending the university?"
Sheffield was obviously affronted. "Of course not! I have already arranged for her admission to the finest university on the colony, and she will have every comfort available to her."
Disgusted, Quatre tossed the contract on the desk, and ignoring everyone, he seized Yaminah's arm and led her across the room as far as he could away from his family.
"Is this arrangement acceptable to you?" he demanded, seizing her chin and forcing her to look at him.
She didn't struggle, and she lowered her eyes subserviently. "I have wanted to attend the university."
"And what will you study?"
"I wish to become a physician."
Quatre raised a brow. "And how did you plan to practice when you return to this colony and begin your life as my wife?"
Yaminah seemed confused by his question as she met his gaze with wide eyes.
"As my wife," he explained, "You will run my household, oversee my daughter's care, and spend most of your spare time working with charitable organizations. If I should travel, you will go with me, and you will remain at my side, your sole function to look pretty and speak intelligently. There will barely be enough time for your duties as the wife of the president let alone devote a reasonable amount of time to Jamila, and certainly no time for you to have the career you seem to want."
Yaminah stared at him incredulously.
Quatre didn't enjoy cruelly bursting her idealistic bubble, but she didn't seem to understand what she was getting into. "I don't love you, Yaminah, and I never will. There will be no children from our marriage. I love another woman, and if she will have me, I intend to spend my private moments with her. You will be my wife in name only."
Tears made her eyes glisten. "My uncle has already told me of this other woman. He said that once I return from L3, you would not shame me by continuing your liaison with her."
"Your uncle doesn't understand the depth of my feelings for her. Don't harbor any false hope in your heart, because I am in love with her and have been for a long time." Knowing that she wouldn't and couldn't refuse the match, Quatre returned to the desk, placed his hand on the contract and looked at Majid.
"I hope you will not be offended when I respectfully decline the offer of your niece in marriage."
Majid was speechless.
"Have you lost your mind?" demanded Leila angrily. "The agreement with L3 calls for your marriage to Yaminah Al-Jazar."
"She is right," pointed out Ahmed in a much calmer tone than his wife had used. "The treaty cannot proceed without taking this first step."
Quatre ignored them and looked at James Sheffield who was contemplating him with what appeared to be admiration. "While my family seems to have no moral problem with sending my bride to live with a potential enemy, I cannot be so callous. In addition, I have no desire to marry Yaminah Al-Jazar, and in my opinion, arranged marriages are a thing of the past."
"I understand and agree completely."
Quatre pulled open the drawer of his desk, and taking a hastily drawn up contract, he handed it to Sheffield. "As the head of my family, I am making an offer to you." He held out his hand and Hadya came to him. "My sister Hadya is well-educated, intelligent, beautiful and willing to enter into marriage with you."
"You have lost you mind," muttered Leila. She turned to her husband. "Talk some sense into him!"
Ahmed chuckled. "I don't think he needs my counsel at the moment."
Quatre was glad that Ahmed seemed to be on his side. Majid hadn't reacted yet, so Quatre couldn't guess how he was feeling.
Sheffield looked at the contract as if he were studying it, but the smile on his lips and the corresponding frown Hadya was giving him told Quatre that he was toying with her. Leila was whispering to Ahmed, Majid stood with his arm around his rejected niece and Sheffield seemed to be reading and re-reading the wording with excruciating thoroughness.
Finally, he looked at Quatre. "You considered my interests in this contract?"
Realizing that he was throwing his own words back at him, Quatre smiled, then said, "You will note your compensation on page eight."
Sheffield flipped to the page and Quatre saw his eyes widen. "This is a considerable sum."
"You are going to earn every penny," Hadya told him with a toss of her dark hair.
He raised a brow. "And if I don't?"
Hadya raised her chin. "The consequences of breaking the contract are on page ten, third paragraph."
He turned the pages, read the wording, and Quatre noticed the paling of his cheeks as he flinched. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Is that legal?"
"On this colony it is," Quatre said with a straight face. He doubted Hadya would exercise that clause, nor would she ever admit that it was not legal.
Reaching into his suit coat, Sheffield pulled out a pen. "This isn't quite what I envisioned for us, Hadya."
"I got tired of waiting for you to propose. Besides, that is how it is done here. Once you sign the contract, you belong to me."
Sheffield glanced at Quatre. "I thought it was the other way around."
"Once you sign, I have bought you for my sister," Quatre said with a chuckle.
"And paid far more than you are worth," she added.
"I'll have to prove you wrong." Moving to the desk, he placed the contract on it and signed his name. "I'm not sure how my government will perceive this in exchange for the original bargain."
"Yaminah Al-Jazar will still attend the university," Quatre said, "but not as my wife." He turned and his gaze swept over the assembled men and women. "I intend to leave L4 indefinitely once I am convinced of its stability."
As expected, his council demanded an immediate explanation, speaking at once. Sheffield didn't seem surprised, and since Hadya already knew his plan, she stood back with a pleased smile.
"I never wanted to be in this position," he told them when they finally quieted down. "Ignoring personal matters that needed resolving, I returned to L4 to help my people. But if remaining on this colony in a leadership role means that I have to give up the woman I love, then I would rather exile myself from the colony for which I was willing to give my life."
"Ridiculous!" snorted Leila.
But her husband reached out to take his hand. "I have always admired your zeal, Master Quatre, and I hope that you will be very happy with her."
Majid also took his hand and shook it vigorously, and Quatre did not detect any hard feelings on his part that he would not be marrying his niece. "Your contribution has meant much to this colony. I don't think the people would have trusted anybody else to lead them through the difficulties of this last year."
"As soon as the government on L3 agrees to the new treaty, I intend to announce elections." Quatre looked directly at Majid. "I hope that you will consider running for president because I trust you to pursue the goals that your brother claimed to espouse. In you I see the promise of a new future for this colony."
"You're making a mistake!" Leila exclaimed furiously. "You were meant to take our father's place, not to chase after that Romefeller harlot!"
Ahmed roughly seized her arm and shook her. "You will apologize to your brother! You have no right to speak to him like that!"
Leila glared at her husband, and the look he returned told Quatre that his sister was going to be severely disciplined unless he intervened. "Please forgive my sister. She believes that she knows what is best for me, and what I have just announced is quite a shock to her."
Although he seemed reluctant, Ahmed released her, and after one last, angry glare at Quatre, she turned on her heel and marched from the room.
"She was close to Sadirah," pointed out Hadya. "I think Leila blames Dorothy Catalonia for her death."
Quatre gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. It took all his willpower not to follow his sister and force her to hear the truth of every vile act that Sadirah had committed. But he couldn't tell anyone before he told Dorothy, and now that he had released himself from his responsibilities on L4, he would do just that.
Glancing at the clock, he noted that it was almost five, so he guessed that Dorothy was still having tea with Jamila. He politely excused himself from the discussion, which was taking place between Sheffield and Majid as they re-worked the terms of the new agreement. He wasn't sure how he would tell Dorothy the truth, but she had a right to know and he had to trust that she would do what was best for them all. Quatre knew in his heart that she loved him, so there was no reason for her to object to marriage. Jamila needed her mother as much as Quatre needed Dorothy in his life.
He went first to the salon in the private wing where he found a tea service set up and dolls set around the table, but neither Dorothy nor Jamila were there enjoying the tea and cakes provided. Quatre noticed that nothing seemed to have been touched. Puzzled, he went to Jamila's room, and at first he didn't notice her, but a movement in the corner of her room accompanied by a sniffle drew his attention. Jamila was sitting on the floor in the corner, her knees drawn up and her arms hugging them as she buried her face in her arms to muffle her sobs.
"Jamila!" He quickly crossed the room and pulled her up in his arms, and sitting on the bed, he held her close as she burst into tears.
"Miss Dorothy doesn't like me anymore!" she cried as she clutched the lapels of his jacket.
"That isn't true," he denied gently. Pulling out a handkerchief, he wiped away her hot tears as fast as they dribbled over her long, spiky lashes. "Why would you believe such a thing?"
"Miss Dorothy didn't come to tea! I waited and waited, and she didn't come to see me."
Quatre could not believe that Dorothy would forget Jamila's invitation or would she blatantly neglect to attend. "An emergency must have come up," said Quatre to explain her absence to Jamila.
Jamila looked at him with wide eyes. "You don't think Miss Dorothy has gotten hurt?"
Remembering his sister's warning and the attempted assault in James Sheffield's room, Quatre tried to remain calm in the face of his daughter's distress when he was becoming increasingly anxious about Dorothy's safety.
"Don't you worry about Miss Dorothy. I'm sure that she will come by later and tell you why she wasn't able to attend your tea party."
Jamila seemed to be relieved. "I wanted to show her that I practiced pouring tea and I can do it without spilling!"
Quatre smiled at her and chucked her under the chin. "You are becoming quite a big girl."
"Perhaps you can come to tea with us tomorrow," suggested Jamila.
"I will do that." Quatre lifted her from his lap and laid her back on her bed. "Why don't you take a nap, and when you wake up, Miss Dorothy might be here begging your forgiveness."
Jamila smiled as she closed her eyes. "I won't be angry with her."
Quatre waited a few moments, watching his daughter snuggle into her pillow, and when he was sure that she was resting, he quietly left the room. He went to his own room, and picking up his phone, he called Dorothy's room first, and getting no answer, he dialed Rashid's cell phone, but he wasn't surprised that he didn't get through. The signal towers functioned sporadically, so if Rashid had tried to reach him, he may not have been able. He paced his room for a few minutes, and when he could no longer take the scenarios his mind had conjured to explain her absence, he left the room and was followed to the wing where the guests were housed by his own guards. The Preventer agents watched him curiously as he moved past to knock on the door to Sheffield's room.
The door opened and he was disappointed to be facing his sister.
"Is she here?" he asked Hadya.
She stepped aside and Quatre entered. "I haven't seen her." He could hear Sheffield speaking on a telephone in another room, so he had to wait until he finished his conversation before he could question him.
"She missed her tea party with Jamila," he told his sister.
Hadya seemed surprised. "That doesn't sound like her. She adores Jamila."
Sheffield hung up the phone and stepped into the room. "Already checking up on my treatment of your sister?"
Quatre wasn't in the mood to joke. "I am looking for Dorothy Catalonia."
"I haven't seen her since you interrupted our plans for lunch." Sheffield looked at Hadya. "Which reminds me, I haven't eaten yet."
"I have other plans first."
"You don't seem too concerned about Miss Dorothy's disappearance," interrupted Quatre with annoyance.
Sheffield sighed as he reluctantly took his eyes from his new wife. "I think it is safe to tell you now that Dorothy and I are not involved. She accompanied me to this colony as my bodyguard, provided by the Earth Sphere United Nation. She is a Preventer agent."
Hadya glared at him. "You let me think..."
He shrugged. "My government didn't want to show any sign of weakness, and since Dorothy and I were once involved, it seemed the perfect cover. I'm sorry if the deception caused any hard feelings, but we felt it necessary."
"Miss Dorothy is a Preventer agent?" Quatre couldn't believe it.
"She is able to take care of herself. She has been carrying a gun since we arrived."
Quatre had been hurt that she arrived on L4 posing as Sheffield's lover, but he was more furious now to learn the truth, that she had put herself in danger to protect the man. "So you have no idea where she is?"
"No. In fact, I was hoping she would move out of the room so I can be alone with Hadya."
Since he was no help and was far too distracted by Hadya, Quatre left them without another word and headed to Relena Darlian's room. One of the agents knocked on the door for him, and this time Heero opened it.
Quatre didn't bother with a greeting. "Where is Dorothy Catalonia?"
"I haven't seen her today," Heero told him. "I've been busy investigating the attack on James Sheffield."
"What did you discover?"
"That the attack was probably not meant to harm nor meant for Sheffield."
Relena came to the door. "We were having a late lunch, Mr. Winner. Would you care to join us?"
"I am looking for Miss Dorothy. Have you seen her this afternoon?"
"Why don't you come in," Heero suggested with a glance at the Preventer agents.
"I don't have time. I'm worried about Dorothy."
One of the agents cleared his throat.
"What is it Weston?" asked Heero.
"Agent Catalonia stopped by a few hours ago."
Heero and Quatre turned to look at Relena.
Relena raised her brows. "I didn't see her."
"I let her into the room at approximately two-thirty," added Weston.
"I was on the phone to Earth," stated Relena. "She couldn't have been here. Besides, you would have seen her, Heero."
"I didn't come back to the room until an hour ago."
"But I heard you come in when I was waiting for my call to go through. We had a discussion."
Heero snorted. "Did I answer?"
"Well...I guess you didn't."
"Typical in our discussions. So what did we discuss?"
Relena opened her mouth, then color rose to her cheeks and she looked quickly to Quatre. "Oh my! I...I...I thought I was talking to Heero."
"You told her?" Heero asked incredulously.
"I didn't know she was in the room!"
Quatre didn't want to believe what he was hearing. "She...she didn't say anything?"
Relena looked from Quatre to Heero and back. "I...I'm so sorry! She'll never forgive any of us now."
"Where could she be?" asked Quatre.
"She has probably just gone some place to think it out," suggested Relena as Heero disappeared back in the room. "She'll be back after she has had a little time to come back to her senses."
Quatre's only consolation was that Rashid would be watching her as he instructed that morning after his discussion with Leila. At least Dorothy would be safe.
Heero returned to the hall. "I called the port. The only shuttle leaving was a cargo transport headed to L2. It doesn't carry passengers so there is no passenger manifest to check."
"You think she ran away?" Relena shook her head. "I can't believe she would do such a thing."
"She did it before," pointed out Quatre.
Although Relena clearly wanted to comfort him, Quatre returned to his room to wait for Rashid to return. Fortunately, Jamila was still sleeping, so he had more time to come up with some kind of explanation that his daughter would understand about Dorothy's disappearance. But Quatre was tired of the lies and the secrets. Jamila had just as much right to know the truth as Dorothy, and maybe if he told her, she might understand why Dorothy was upset.
Rashid finally returned at seven o'clock, and he confirmed what Quatre suspected was the truth. He began his account with the attack in the corridor and Leila's threats because Rashid suspected that Leila was behind Dorothy's sudden departure from L4. He had assumed her visit to the Vice Foreign Minister was to inform her that she was leaving, and taking seriously his duty to Quatre, Rashid had tried to obtain passage on the cargo shuttle to follow but was unable to do so. But he was certain that she was on the ship.
Quatre felt many emotions as he listened, but in the end, he decided that he was more furious than anything else. Angry that he hadn't followed his instincts and told her immediately when he discovered the truth, and angry that she had once again left him without hearing him out. Worse, she left Jamila disappointed and hurt. Leila didn't drive Dorothy away. There was probably no way he could earn her forgiveness, but he had to try, for all their sakes.
"What are you going to do, Master Quatre?" asked Rashid.
The door to his room opened and they both turned to see a bleary eyed Jamila standing in the doorway. "Papa, has Miss Dorothy come by to see me?"
Quatre went to her and lifted her. "I'm sorry, Jamila, but Miss Dorothy left the colony today."
Jamila's eyes filled with tears. "Did I do something to make her angry?"
Quatre sighed. "No, sweetheart, I did."
"What did you do, Papa?" Jamila seemed surprised that he could cause pain to anyone. Quatre regretted that she had to learn differently.
"It is a very long story, Jamila. Do you want to hear it?"
"Does it have a sad ending?" she asked fearfully.
"It doesn't have an ending yet, Jamila. We have to make it ourselves."
