Deathstalker Rebellion (20 page)

And so the weight she carried grew ever heavier, and she could not, would not, put it down. Poor Evangeline.

She jumped despite herself as her comm unit chimed politely, alerting her to an incoming call. She knew who it was, who it had to be, but she went to answer it anyway. She sat down before her dressing table, and the mirror cleared to become a viewscreen, showing her the fat smiling face of her father. A cold hand clutched at her heart. She had to fight to get her breath, and she clenched her teeth together to keep her mouth from trembling.

“Just called to let you know I’m on my way,” said Gregor Shreck. “Think loving thoughts till I get there, my precious. And wear the pink nightgown. The one I like. I won’t be long. And then we can have some fun, just you and I. Won’t that be nice?”

The fat smiling face disappeared, and the mirror returned, showing Evangeline her own face again. For a moment she didn’t recognize it. Her face was thinner than it had been, the pale skin stretched taut over the protruding cheekbones. Her eyes had a trapped, hunted, haunted look. She tried a smile, rehearsing for her father, but it looked more like a grimace. She had a feeling the Shreck preferred it that way. And then there was a knock at the door, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. She stared blankly at the door, her heart hammering in her chest. It couldn’t be him already. Had they come at last to drag her away, screaming and kicking, to the torture of the mind techs, where neither lover nor father nor Cause could save or succor her? She snatched up a heavy pair of scissors from the dressing table. Not as good as a knife, but close. She’d make them kill her. She’d be safe
then. Somehow she backed away from hysteria and got a grip on herself, precarious though it was She moved slowly to the door, still clutching the scissors. It seemed to take forever to get there. When she opened the door with a hand that hardly trembled at all, Adrienne Campbell was standing there waiting for her. Evangeline stared blankly at Finlay’s wife, and all she could think was
Oh, great. Another complication.

“Well?” said Adrienne. “Aren’t you going to invite me in? We have so much to talk about.”

“Oh, hell,” said Evangeline. “I haven’t got time for this.”

“We need to talk.”

“This isn’t a good time. I’m … expecting someone. Could you come back again?”

“I doubt it,” said Adrienne, smiling slightly. “Your security people didn’t want to let me in at all. I had to speak to them very firmly. Even so, they were still going to turn me away until I demanded a strip search. That slowed them down. I may have fallen from grace, but I am still a Campbell and noble born. Let them try to explain to their superiors that they’d strip-searched an aristocrat, and their next job would be delivering bad news to the Empress. I understand there are always vacancies. They were falling all over themselves to apologize as they let me in, poor bastards.”

“What do we have to say to each other?” said Evangeline.

“I don’t know,” said Adrienne. “But we do have at least one thing in common. Or rather, one person. Have you heard from Finlay lately?”

“Oh, hell. You’d better come in. But you can’t stay.”

She stepped back to open the door wide, and Adrienne Campbell strode in like she owned the place. She always did. It was practically a trademark. Evangeline realized she was still holding the scissors and tossed them onto a nearby chair. She didn’t want to be tempted. Adrienne looked around Evangeline’s apartment with a slightly arched eyebrow, implying with a glance that she’d seen much better, but was too well-bred to mention it. She picked out the most comfortable chair with infallible instinct, and sank into its embrace with a single graceful movement. She smiled graciously and waited patiently while Evangeline pulled up a chair and sat opposite her. There was something of the Empress visiting one of her lesser subjects in Adrienne’s manner, but Evangeline didn’t take it personally. That was just
Adrienne for you. She might have fallen from favor, but she hadn’t fallen far. Evangeline still felt like slapping her face, on general principles. A giggle almost escaped her, but she forced it back. She didn’t have the time for hysterics. She settled herself opposite Adrienne and met her gaze with a cool calm look.

“Finlay never loved you,” she said flatly. “You must know that.”

“Oh, of course. I never loved him. Our marriage was arranged for various business and Family reasons that no doubt seemed good at the time. We might have made a go of it, but we quarreled walking out of the church, and it all went downhill after that. He had his lovers, and I had mine, and we were both very civilized about it. You look shocked, dear. Surely, you didn’t think you were his first?”

“No. He never talked about his other women. But I knew. It didn’t matter. He never loved them. Not the way he loved me. I’m just surprised you admit to having lovers, too. I wouldn’t have thought love was your style.”

“Oh, I’ve had my moments, dear. You’d be surprised how many men have a secret yen for a good tongue-lashing. In more ways than one.”

“Why have you come here, Adrienne?”

“I … need to talk to you. About Finlay. Before the Wolfes declared vendetta and ambushed us at a Family meeting, I would have sworn Finlay cared no more for me than I did for him. But when I was injured and near to death, he put his own life at risk to save mine. He even brought me here, to you, to find the protection I needed. I just wondered … if you knew why.”

Evangeline nodded slowly. “He said you were very brave. That you were wounded fighting to protect the Clan. He admired that.”

“The Finlay I knew was a fop and a dandy,” said Adrienne. “He wore a sword, but I never once saw him draw it. He never took me to the Arena. Said the sight of blood made him feel faint. But when the Wolfes came howling into Tower Campbell, he tore into them with sword and gun like he’d been doing it all his life. To save me, he outran and outfought a dozen pursuers, all trained fighting men. And now I hear he’s on the run, after killing the notorious Lord St. John, despite all the Lord’s guards. I can’t help feeling there must be another Finlay, one I never knew.”

“You’re right. There was.”

“Can you tell me about him?”

“I don’t think it’s my secret to tell. You’d have to ask Finlay yourself. But I will say he was the bravest, finest man I ever knew. The fop and the dandy were just masks he wore, to keep people like you at bay. To keep you from seeing the real him.”

“Married all these years, and I never knew the real him.” Adrienne smiled briefly. “But, then, I never looked.”

“You never cared.”

“That, too. I care now.”

Evangeline looked at her steadily. “Why? What’s changed? What’s happened to bring you here, to me, asking questions about Finlay?”

For the first time Adrienne looked away, but her voice remained steady. “I need help, and there’s nowhere else to go. Do you really think I’d be here if I didn’t have to be? Robert was protecting me and the children, but he’s being sent offplanet. Your father helped arrange it. He’s been putting the pressure on. Threats to me, to my children. I can look after myself, but the children must be protected. I need help; some weapon I can use to defend me and mine. That I ended up here should give you some idea of how desperate I am. You loved Finlay, and I married him. He’s been a part of both our lives and put us both through a lot, one way and another. Perhaps we can find something in common. I’m sorry you had to hear about your father’s part in this. I know you and he are close, but …”

“No,” said Evangeline abruptly. “We’re not … close.”

Adrienne raised an eyebrow. There had been something in Evangeline’s voice … “In public and at Court, you’re always together. You certainly give the appearance …”

“Appearances can be deceptive. Please, you must go now. He’ll be here soon, and he mustn’t find you here. I want you to leave now.”

“Why? What’s so important about a father visiting his daughter?” Adrienne’s eyes narrowed. “There’s a secret here. I can smell it, like I can smell your fear. What is it? Has he been hurting you? The Shreck’s a bully and a bastard, like most men, but I never knew he was violent to his own Family,” Adrienne stopped, silenced for a moment by the sudden rush of misery suffusing Evangeline’s face. Tears
ran down her jerking cheeks as she gasped for breath. Adrienne leaned forward and took Evangeline’s hands in hers. “Now, now, don’t take on so, pet. Whatever it is, I’ll fix it. I’m good at fixing things. And there never was a man born that was worth tears like this. Is it your father? Has he been beating you? I can talk to some people at Court …”

“No. He’s not … violent. He …” Evangeline’s throat clamped shut suddenly, cutting off her words. She could feel the heat in her cheeks as her face flushed with shame. Her father’s words thundered in her head.
You can’t tell anyone. Even Or they’ll find out you’re a clone. And you know what they’ll do to you, then. And you know what I’ll do to you if you ever so much as hint to anyone else. They wouldn’t believe you, anyway. But if you ever do, I’ll hurt you, Evie, little Evie. I’ll hurt you till your throat goes raw from screaming. Don’t you ever dare tell!

She held Adrienne’s hands tightly, as though trying to draw strength from them. She was sitting with the one woman she’d hated the most, and was closer than ever before to telling her secret, the one thing she’d never told anyone, even Finlay. Because perhaps only a woman like Adrienne could hear it and not judge. Hear the pain and the horror and not the shame. And, surely, only a woman like Adrienne wouldn’t give a damn that she was only a clone …

“Tell me what it is, dear,” said Adrienne, keeping her voice calm and steady so that Evangeline wouldn’t realize how much her grip was hurting her hands. “We girls have to stick together. It’s a man’s Empire, even with an Empress on the Iron Throne, but we don’t have to take any shit from anyone. Men may have the power, but we’re smarter than they are. Whatever it is, I’ll find a way around it. He’s been locking you up here, hasn’t he? That’s why we only ever see you together, right? Take out an action against him. Divorce the bastard. Society would stand with you. They don’t have any time for that kind of petty bullying.”

“You don’t understand. He doesn’t … hurt me. Not like that.”

“What way, then? What has he done to you, to put you in such a state?” And then Adrienne stopped and looked at her. Evangeline braced herself for a look of pity, or even disgust, but instead she saw only shock, giving way to anger. “My God. He’s been bedding you, hasn’t he? Shitty little
bastard.
He’s been forcing you, hasn’t he? Don’t you worry, pet. Society will crucify him for this!”

“No!” said Evangeline sharply, fighting back the tears so she could speak clearly. “No one must ever know. If Finlay ever found out, it would kill him. Or he’d try to kill Daddy and be killed anyway. I’ve kept the secret this long. I can keep it a little longer. To keep Finlay safe. I can’t help you, Adrienne. I can’t even help myself.”

“Now, stop that,” Adrienne said briskly. “All right, we can’t go to society, but there are other ways. I never met a man yet who couldn’t be outthought and outmaneuvered by a woman who put her mind to it. Let me think for a moment. I’ll find a way out of this that won’t involve Finlay. You’re quite right. He mustn’t know. He’d only overreact. Men are like that, bless them.”

“And if you help me, I have to help you,” said Evangeline. “Is that the deal?”

“No deals,” said Adrienne. “Not this time. I’d help anyone in your situation. Now, let me have my hands back and dry your tears; then we’ll figure out how best to stick it to the Shreck.”

“Will you, my dear?” said Gregor Shreck, standing in the open door of the apartment. “How very intriguing.”

Both women looked around, startled. Evangeline jumped to her feet, her hands rising to her mouth. Her skin was white as a sheet, and her eyes were very wide. Adrienne took her time getting to her feet. She didn’t want the Shreck thinking he could fluster her. She gave Gregor her best icy glare.

“Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?”

“In my own home?” said the Shreck, smiling widely. “Now, why should I do that? The tower is mine, along with everything and everyone in it. I own them. Isn’t that right, Evangeline? Now, be a dear, and tell your new friend to run along. I have so much to say to you.”

“No,” mumbled Evangeline, staring at her shoes.

“What was that?” said Gregor. “I don’t think I can have heard you correctly, my dear.”

“No,” said Evangeline, lifting her head to stare at him defiantly. “I’m tired of being scared. You lied to me, Daddy. You swore to me you were protecting Adrienne and her children and all the other surviving Campbells. Now I find out
from Adrienne that you’ve been threatening them, to get at Finlay. You lied to me.”

“It’s politics, dear. Things change. I don’t expect you to understand. All you need to know is that I’m doing what’s best for the Family.”

“If your Clan found out that you’ve been screwing your daughter, they’d disown you,” said Adrienne calmly. “Such a tacky crime, Gregor. And backed up with a coward’s threats and lies. I’m disappointed in you, Gregor. I never thought you were much of a man, but I never suspected you had to bully women into your bed. Now, turn around and get out of here. You ever lay a hand on this poor dear again, and I’ll see everyone in your Family knows your dirty little secret. They’ll remove you as head and throw you out of the Clan. They can do that if enough of them agree, and I can’t see any of them disagreeing over a nasty little mess like this. Without a Clan, no one will talk to you, or politic with you, or do business with you. You’d be an outcast, just like me. Only I can handle it. You couldn’t. Don’t slam the door when you leave.”

“And you’d agree to this?” said the Shreck to his daughter. “You’d turn against your own father, who loves you so dearly?”

“What you do to me isn’t love, Daddy. And you lied to me. I’d like you to leave now, please. And don’t ever come in without knocking again.”

“Think you’re so clever, don’t you, both of you,” said the Shreck, his broad glistening face flushing red with rage. “Think you’re smarter than me. But you should know, dear Adrienne, that you don’t know everything. You see, Evie hasn’t told you her real secret. She wouldn’t dare. So you tell this Campbell bitch to leave, Evie, or I’ll tell her what you really are.”