by A. L. Tyler
“I’m sorry Lena. I really am. If the portal hadn’t been stolen so many years ago, this wouldn’t be happening, but it is, and there’s nothing we can do about it. Whoever had it probably got rid of it, but for a lot of people here there’s a fear and a hope that it’s out there waiting to be found. A lot of them are scared or wishful that it’s a lot closer than we all think.” She smiled and reached out to touch Lena’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go play with a baby—I promise it will make you feel better.”
Lena smiled. Playing with a baby could make anyone feel better—just as long as it wasn’t her baby.
Dinner that evening was a quiet affair. Howard had greatly hoped that Master Daray would have taken to eating upstairs while Hesper and Eric were visiting, but he hadn’t. Everyone sat at the table staring at each other uncomfortably, except for Maren, who was cooing contentedly in a carrier in the chair next to Eric. Her intelligent little eyes kept darting to Master Daray’s face, and she would smile at his almost comical level of displeasure. She was definitely taking after Hesper.
The next day Lena hid upstairs with her guests as Griffin settled his mother and brother into a room, and then they found themselves at yet another awkward dinner. Unfortunately, Hesper wasn’t going to be nearly as shy with Griffin as she was with Master Daray.
“So, Lena says you’ve been a real jerk lately.” She said, serenely lifting her fork. You really know what women want, don’t you?”
Lena flinched and gazed into her broccoli trying to think of something to say. When she looked up, she saw Griffin staring at her. He wasn’t smiling, but his eyes were very amused. He smirked and confidently looked back at Hesper. “Lena’s a Council member now, not a woman.”
“Uh huh. Sure. So why are you being a jerk lately?” It was evident that Hesper was trying to help, but Lena wished she would just stop. Fighting with Griffin never worked out well for either of them, because the stalemate enforced by the Council often resulted in drawn-out conflicts where they both tried to subtly sabotage the other without getting caught. And, much to Lena’s chagrin, when the adults in the household finally did realize that something was happening, they were much more apt to try and stop Lena. Griffin didn’t take orders from anyone but Master Daray.
Griffin kept cutting up his steak. When he had a bite ready on his fork, he looked back at Lena. “Lena? I’ll differ this question to you.”
Lena looked over at Howard, who was trying very hard to ignore the situation in hopes that it would go away, but Lena wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip since no one had yet told her to behave herself. She looked back at Griffin. “Maybe it’s because your lips are perpetually attached to someone’s ass, Griffin. I’d imagine that kind of behavior would make anyone a little cranky.”
Ava gasped and Howard almost choked on a mouthful of greens. Hesper tried not to laugh, Eric looked uncomfortable, and Master Daray had chosen not to honor her quip with a response of any kind. Griffin raised his eyebrows, but didn’t look phased—in fact, he was looking at her like she was an animal doing a trick. She wanted to wipe the smug look off his face by saying something low, but he beat her to the punch.
“How’s Australia, Hesper? I’m going to be spending some time in Cairns next week. After that I’m going to England to visit relatives, and then I’m going to a small political function in India. After that, if Master Daray can spare me for a week, I might take some time off in Greece.” He looked back over at Lena. “I’ll be sure to send you a postcard.”
Lena took a deep breath. She was going to say something really low, something about his mother being a crazy, incompetent, old widow with a swinging husband, but Howard intervened. Don’t. Just stop.
She looked back into her broccoli. Unfortunately, Griffin wasn’t ready to let it go. I really will send you a postcard. I mean it. He’s got me picking up some sort of artifact that someone dug up—cost him a load, too. It’s another book; we’ll read it together after I get back, but until then I’ll be enjoying my vacation on the beach.
Lena tried to hold back her tears with some success. She would be here, like she always was, sitting around reading or helping with the chores, or doing Howard’s paperwork, or trying on clothes so that Mrs. Ralston could send them back to get the next size up. Hesper reached over and grabbed her hand under the table, and the rest of the meal passed in silence.
Mrs. Corbett wasn’t seen at all over the next few days, and Lena got a shred of revenge one day when she caught Griffin taking food up to her ‘like a common servant.’ Apparently Mrs. Corbett had become so paranoid when Mrs. Ralston had arrived at her door the first day, she wouldn’t eat anything unless it was provided by Griffin. She kept her baby close, and no one had seen little Darius yet. Hesper was starting to worry that her mother would hurt the baby, and though Griffin wasn’t openly agreeing with her, he was getting very anxious about the situation. Lena wasn’t sure what was going to happen to Mrs. Corbett and her baby, but she was glad it wasn’t her decision to make.
When Lena woke up on one bright July morning, and saw a card pushed halfway under her bedroom door, she assumed it was because Griffin was going to miss her birthday due to the fact that he was living a life she was desperately jealous of. When she opened it, she was filled with a mixture of amused anger and outright disbelief. Since she had become a member of the Council, he hadn’t been able to push her around or tell her what do as much. As a result, he had become much more devious in his methods.
You’ll be caring for my mother and brother while I’m out of town. They’re staying in one of the larger bedroom suites on the east side of the fourth floor. I’ve attached a schedule—be prompt, as she gets very irritable when she’s kept waiting.
My plane left at six this morning, and if you’re waking at the typical hour, you’re already late for her breakfast. I suggest you run.
Griffin
Well, that’s just great. Lena checked the schedule on the next page, looked over at the clock on the nightstand, and saw that she was late by almost an hour. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed Griffin. He didn’t answer. Taking a deep breath, she grappled with her options.
She was the only one who knew. Mrs. Corbett wasn’t likely to trust any of the kitchen staff Waldgrave currently had, and judging from what Lena knew of the late Master Corbett, she probably wasn’t fond of Howard, either. Hesper and Eric weren’t on a favorable list either, even if Lena had had the heart to try to make them do it. Ava was just short of completely hopeless. That left Master Daray; there was a snow ball’s chance in hell that he would be providing services to anyone, even a mother in need.
Lena sighed, got dressed, and went down to the kitchen, where breakfast had already been prepared. She shoveled some eggs, bacon, and toast onto a plate, poured a glass of orange juice, and ignored Hesper’s funny look before making her way to the fourth floor. She knocked and waited at three different doors before Griffin’s inept directions led her to the right one.
Only two or three seconds after Lena had knocked, the door had opened just a crack, and a darkly outlined, clear blue eye had looked her over sharply. A moment later, Mrs. Corbett walked away from the door, leaving it slightly ajar. When she hadn’t come back after several minutes of waiting, Lena timidly pushed the door open.
“Mrs. Corbett?” She shifted the tray awkwardly in her hands, trying to be sure none of the juice sloshed.
“I’m waiting.” And indeed she was. Lena looked around the room and saw her seated at a small table, her hand resting on a cradle that was tucked closely next to her chair. She was a stern looking woman in a blue blouse, a semi-fitted black ankle-length skirt, and expensive, designer shoes. Her deep brown hair was done up in a perfect bun, and her makeup was flawless. For a woman who planned to stay in the same room all day, and for nine o’clock in the morning, she was looking better than Lena did on most formal occasions. Lena suddenly realized that Mrs. Corbett’s piercing blue eyes were still watching her. There was an annoyed, sour look on her f
ace.
Lena started to walk toward the table.
“Shut the door.” She snapped.
Lena kicked the door shut with her foot, which caused Mrs. Corbett to give her a disapproving glare, and continued on to the table. She set the tray of food down and turned to leave.
“You’ll stay and watch the baby while I eat, and then take the tray away with you. It lessens the intrusion of my needing to answer the door a second time.” She said all of this without looking at Lena, who paused, turned around, and looked into the cradle. He looked exactly like Griffin, except smaller, chubbier, and balder. She reminded herself that he wasn’t cute; he was the enemy. The enemy she wasn’t going to get attached to.
“He’s sleeping.” Lena said.
As Mrs. Corbett placed her napkin firmly in her lap she glared up at Lena again. “Then you’ll sit and wait in case if he wakes up.”
Lena looked around and saw a chair against the far wall, which she sat down in. She watched Mrs. Corbett eat her breakfast; her stomach growled, as she’d skipped her own breakfast to get Mrs. Corbett’s to her faster. When she finally brought her napkin to her lips—being careful not to smudge her sleek lipstick—and set it on her tray, Lena got up to fetch the plate and claim her freedom until lunch was due. When she reached out for the plate, though, Mrs. Corbett caught her arm.
“Not so quickly. Turn.”
Lena gave her a confused look. “What?”
“Turn. Turn around, so I can look at you.”
Lena hesitantly took a few steps back and turned around, keeping her eyes always on Mrs. Corbett. She made a mental note not to bring up a knife next time. Mrs. Corbett sighed and relaxed slightly into her chair. She crossed her legs.
“You’re a beauty, but those pants don’t suit you.” She said. “That—shirt—is a size too large and your hair needs a professional. You need makeup and your eyebrows need waxing, but you have potential.”
She looked at Lena a moment longer, and Lena wondered if she was waiting for a reply of some sort. She wasn’t going to get one. Then she started talking again.
“Everything was cold. I don’t eat bacon or eggs cooked in bacon grease, and the orange juice had pulp in it, which is already upsetting my stomach. It won’t happen again. I’ll have a turkey sandwich on wheat for lunch with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on one side of the bread. Keep it light. I want the crusts trimmed off but still on the plate, not touching the rest of the sandwich. One apple, cored, cut into small enough pieces that I won’t smudge my lipstick while eating it. A mug of hot water and a glass of cold water, no ice, and an unopened individually sealed tea bag. Is that clear?”
“Sure…” Lena said, not sure what else to say.
Lena turned and walked toward the door, beginning to see for the first time how possible it was that someone had become annoyed enough with the woman to want to kill her. She rolled her eyes. At least I have potential… She thought to herself.
“Sarcasm is not appealing.” Mrs. Corbett remarked sharply from behind her, and Lena flinched. “It won’t happen again.”
Without a word, Lena left the room. She had been exceedingly careful to keep that thought to herself, too. She went down to the living room and crashed on the couch with Eric and Hesper. They were watching a daytime game show and eating popcorn. When Lena sat down, Hesper looked over at her sympathetically.
“She’s a pill, isn’t she?”
“Not the word I was thinking of, but yeah, she is. Does everyone in your family have the ability to hear private thoughts?” Lena shot a pained look at Hesper. It was going to be a long few weeks until Griffin got back.
“Oh.” Hesper blushed. Behind her, Eric was nodding enthusiastically. “Well, yeah, I guess so. My mom’s the only one who abuses the advantage, though.”
Eric went from nodding to shaking his head. In one swift motion, Hesper swung her elbow back and nailed him in the gut. Eric threw a fistful of popcorn at his wife as Ava came running into the room carrying Maren at arm’s length in front of her.
“Take it! Take it!”
Eric stood up and took Maren. “What’s wrong?”
“She’s got that look again!”
Lena felt her stomach drop through the floor. She spun around and searched Maren’s eyes for disaster, but didn’t see anything wrong. While the Corbetts were apparently attuned mind readers, everyone in the Daray line had the ability to see death in the eyes of the soon to be deceased. Eric had forgone actually looking at Maren and had instead leaned in close and smelled her.
“Yep. I got it.” And he started for the stairs. Hesper smiled dreamily after him, then turned back to Lena.
“Just don’t take her crap.” Hesper shrugged easily as Ava wandered away again. “If you’re lucky, you might even end up like me and get to never talk to her again. How’s Darius?”
“He was sleeping when I was up there.” Lena said, fidgeting with the remote to turn up the volume on the television.
Hesper waited a moment to be sure that Lena wasn’t intending to add anything. “And?”
“And what? It’s a baby, they’re all the same, right?”
Hesper laughed, grabbing the remote and turning the television off. “No! Now tell me what he looks like, because I haven’t seen him. I probably won’t get to see him until he’s old enough to be out in public alone. He’s my brother, Lena.”
“Um, okay…” Lena thought back. It was a baby—bald and pudgy as they all were. She was trying not to focus on the fact that he was already showing a distinct resemblance to Griffin; it bothered her for some reason. “He’s bald and chubby.” She said simply
Hesper stared at her a moment longer. Then she gave a frustrated sigh and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and started to find the camera mode. “You’re going to take a picture. For me, because I want to know what my little brother looks like.”
An image of Mrs. Corbett attacking her at the mere suggestion of taking a picture flashed into Lena’s mind. “He looks like Griffin, okay?! Geez! Why’s that so important?!”
Highly amused, Hesper smiled. “Why does that bother you so much?”
“Because I am not getting attached to this baby, and I am not living out whatever sick fantasy Griffin has about my becoming the surrogate mother after yours gets committed!” Lena stood up and paced to the window. She turned and leaned against it, facing Hesper, who was still looking very amused at her friend’s frustration.
“I wish they’d just give him to me. I’d take him.” Hesper smiled. She closed her cell phone and put it away.
“Ha! Doubt it!”
“Well, who knows…I mean, they might vote to just dispose the Corbett house from the Council this year now that there aren’t really any of us left. God knows where our servants are, even. I’d be truly surprised if Griffin gets them to put a hold on it until the kid’s sixteen.”
It was true, but Lena gave the Corbett name a better chance than Hesper did. Griffin had mentioned something about Master Daray wanting to keep the Corbetts on the Council because they had always voted in his favor. And if he got to raise another child under this roof, it was ensuring yet another generation of protection for the Daray family. History had proven that Daray held enough sway on the Council to enforce his will when he needed to.
The clock on the wall caught her eye. She only had an hour and a half before Mrs. Corbett’s lunch was due, and she still hadn’t showered or eaten breakfast. Turkey on…something. Lena excused herself to go upstairs and shower, kicking herself for forgetting the order. When she came back down to the kitchen she made three sandwiches, hoping one of the guesses would be correct, and drudged back up to the fourth floor.
She knocked. Three minutes later, when no one had answered, she knocked again. Her second attempt went unrewarded. Slightly perturbed because the weight of the tray was starting to cut into her arm, she cracked the door and peered inside. Mrs. Corbett was seated at her table, with the baby in her arms, apparently unable to be bothered by get
ting up to answer the doors or even call a simple, ‘Enter!’
Lena walked in and set the tray on the table. Mrs. Corbett held the baby out towards her, and Lena froze. She didn’t want to hold him. Mrs. Corbett turned and glared at her.
“Don’t be unnatural, take the baby!”
Their eyes met, and Lena quickly looked away. She reached out and took the baby; he was heavier than she had expected, and never having held a baby for longer than a few minutes, she wasn’t quite sure what to do. Darius was heavier than Maren, and he wiggled far too much. She tried holding him the way she had seen Hesper hold Maren, but it didn’t work—he immediately started squirming and whining, arched his back, and Lena almost dropped him. Mrs. Corbett was on her feet immediately, grabbing the child back from her.
“Oh, for goodness sake! A girl your age should have more experience!” She glared at Lena as she swayed on her feet, clutching Darius close to her chest. “You’ve never held a baby before? Never?”
Annoyed and embarrassed, Lena lashed out. “Only your daughter’s! I’m sorry, but I’ve been too busy doing more important things to have done much more than that!”
“So you’ve made clear to the world.” Mrs. Corbett said disapprovingly. “Put your arms out.”
Lena gaped at her. “What? I don’t want to hold him!”
“This isn’t about what you want. This is about you being here to help me, and you’re going to hold him.” She once again held Darius out and away from her.
Lena gave an exasperated sigh, looked longingly at the door, and then put her arms out in front of her. Mrs. Corbett carefully handed Darius back to her.
“You’re going to have to hold him closer.” She directed. “There. Now, if he starts to fuss you need to move by walking or swaying.”
She sat back down and started eating a sandwich. Lena was terribly uncomfortable; he was heavy, and he kept looking at her like he knew she was a novice. He stared for a good ten minutes before he started turning his head to look around the rest of the room; his eyes landed on Mrs. Corbett and he arched his back again. Lena struggled to keep him from pitching himself at his mother, but he never cried, and the rest of the meal passed without incident.