Guilt Edged Ivory

by Doris Egan

I met Kylla's eyes. She shrugged and said, "It's over now. Why dwell on it?"

  Why indeed? It was over and Kylla had won. Her life was safeguarded for the time being, and after all, how many times did a man outside the nobility, even one in Lysand-er's position, get asked to a marriage-alliance with the Six Families? I felt that my sister-in-law was quite up to handling any future approaches from commoner Houses.

  I was drawn back to focus on Eliana, now turning to smile at her escort… a little tiredly? Did she have the illusion she was free and happy, or was she all too well aware of her cage? I could hear her grandmother's voice: It takes the endurance of a warrior on the inside to make a fragile flower on the outside.

  Gods! I turned back to see Kylla contentedly digging into a sweet and sour ko-pocket. The same society, stirred only slightly differently—how can some people make a good and satisfied life within the confines of their cultural boundaries, and others end up smashed against the walls?

  Of course, Eliana had a tyrannical father, while Kylla's father was safely dead… to the relief of his dependents, I sometimes suspected. But even if Lord Porath died tonight, it would only mean her custody would transfer to Coalis. And what alliances would her twisty brother have in mind? Stereth would no doubt have input into that. Everybody would but her, if she weren't extremely careful.

  "A disappointing end to a disappointing summer," I said, cutting my soggy other-than-cheeseburger into neat squares.

  "In what way disappointing?" asked Ran.

  "This business with Kade. When I heard about foreign involvement from the ambassador, I guess I was half-hoping for some kind of political motivation—intrigue,

  scandal… ideals. And now to find that it's only money…"

  "Only money?" asked Ran, as Kylla's boat, now on the river to our left, finally caught fire. "Is this a Cormallon talking?"

  I laughed and he covered my hand where it rested on the tablecloth. "I guess I don't know what I was expecting," I said.

  Kylla's boat capsized, dousing the flames, and the other boats streamed on in a prism of colors. We finished the meal, leaving Eliana and her problems behind. When we got home, much later, we found Lysander asleep on our doorstep, his head propped against the front door. Kylla chuckled, knelt and kissed him tenderly, and took him away with her.

  It was after midnight when I awoke. I lay there in bed, straining my ears; there was only silence, the deep, vibrating silence of the darkest part of the night. The very house seemed to be in coma, and what had brought me up through the waves? Sim was finishing his holiday at an inn closer to the center of town—the more freely to play and carouse, without the inhibiting presence of the First of Cormallon to observe him. The only other person here was in bed on my left. What had awakened me?

  Had anything awakened me? I'd been having some kind of confused dream, some oddball thing about waiting in line for a manicurist in a body salon on Athena. Kylla had been sitting in the waiting room with me, but I knew that the people who went into the nail salon came out changed in some awful way—brainwashed or zombied or with some indefinable horror perpetrated on them. I tried to warn Ky, but she said, "Really, Theo, it's just a nail salon." Then I thought, maybe I should leave her here and save myself. But no, that would be wrong—I'd just have to try harder. I ended up hauling Ky down a set of stairs and out to the street, while she stared a look at me that said, Theo, you should be institutionalized, but if it means that much to you I'll come along, all right?

  I lay there in bed, trying to review my little paranoic nightmare even as it faded. I frowned. Had that been Kylla in the dream or Eliana Porath? What was my subconscious trying to tell me? Did I believe Eliana was in some kind of danger?

  Really, I wished if my subconscious had messages to send it would just use the Net terminal—

  I froze. How had Loden known that Stereth sent me a Net message about Moros' hut?

  Coalis had known. He'd told me about it, while he was hiding in the jinevra bushes.

  I got out of bed and, taking my pack of cards, padded out to the upstairs office.

  Three minutes later Ran's voice said, "I thought you weren't going to do this anymore."

  I looked up to see him standing in the doorway. "I wasn't going to try anything experimental. Just a straight card-reading."

  "Is there some reason we need a straight card-reading?" Aside from my curiosity? I sought around for an answer. "Well, do you want to still be held responsible for Kade's death?"

  "Jusik's let the matter drop. He's satisfied of Loden's guilt."

  "Is he really satisfied of Loden's guilt, or does he just want to close the book and get on with his other problems? An open matter of blood would be a great disincentive to any other potential bridegrooms they try to rope into the family."

  He walked over and sat down, cross-legged, above the deck. "All right, granted, he probably still thinks I did it and that I gave him Loden the way people on a lifeboat toss over somebody to satisfy the predators. We will live down the reputation eventually, you know. And meanwhile, my beloved tymon, if you end up sprawled on the floor due to your nighttime rambles—in a most unbecoming position, I might add—"

  "I said I wasn't going to do anything risky!"

  "Then you won't mind if I stay and watch." I hesitated. "You're not going to try and stop me?"

  "You and the weather, tymon, I leave alone." I dealt out a simple business configuration. "The Man of Substance"—satisfied, fat, and well-dressed—had to be Jusik Porath. There was no card to denote membership in the Six Families, and this was as close as we were likely to get. Beneath him, in a legitimate blood relationship, was The Daredevil, walking a tightrope between two poles as he balanced his way with a stick. And to the right of that, The Fool. I stared down at the Fool and back at Ran. "Guess who," I said.

  "It's on the right side of the configuration."

  Meaning a legitimate relationship of some kind. I hesitated. "You don't mind if I check," I said. "I'll keep it to the normal paths."

  He made a half-bow, as though to say, after you.

  I touched my index finger to The Daredevil and waited.

  Then I grinned at Ran. "Bingo," I said, in Standard.

  The emerald lizard stuck its skinny tongue out at me as I climbed up the step to the porch. I was feeling brave, and was about to stoop to scratch it behind the ears when I noticed its meter was a little high.

  "They ought to milk that thing." I said to Ran.

  He glanced at the half-filled poison sac. "It's very tame," he pointed out.

  "Yeah, that's what they always tell the neighbors the morning after the bodies are found."

  Ran tapped the hilt of his dress-knife against the front door. It was pulled open almost immediately; the steward must have been told to expect us.

  "Sir Cormallon," he bowed. "Gracious lady. Lord Porath has asked if you will accompany me to the library."

  And so we did. The steward took us to a cheerful room, not really what I'd expected of Jusik, full of books and papers, overlooking the back courtyard for privacy, and decorated with pictures that reflected a personal taste not at all subordinate to the current rules of aesthetics. There was an actual wooden door, not just a hanging, to enforce his voluntary solitude. When we entered, Jusik was sitting on an old pillow of royal blue, evidently a favorite, beside a low writing table with an ornate brush-pen that gave every appearance of being an heirloom. Eliana, Coalis, and Leel Canerol sat a short distance away. They all looked up when we came in.

  Ran's stride faltered. "I thought this was to be a private meeting," he said, addressing Lord Porath.

  Jusik touched the edge of his heirloom pen and said, "I would prefer it this way."

  Ran looked at me. I gave him my best right-back-at-you look; he would know better than I would if pursuing the matter would be politically correct in these circumstances.

  He sighed, took a few steps forward, bowed, and spoke firmly. "Lord Porath, your judgment is of course the only proper one. At th
e same time, I feel obligated to point out that what is not said in front of witnesses, may be later agreed upon not to have been said. I mention this only to give you the option that rightfully belongs to you."

  Jusik rolled the pen back and forth on the table. As he switched from his right hand to his left, I saw that the new hand was shaking. His voice was clear and direct, though; he said, "We may consider you've given me that option, like a gentleman, sir; now let's sit and talk, all of us."

  I was already sorry we'd come. At the same time I had a conflicting desire to see everything out in the open, to see what people would say about it; an Athenan desire.

  An Athenan desire with Ivoran consequences. Next time think about it a little longer, Theodora.

  We sat. There was a knock at the door.

  "Enter," said Jusik.

  It wasn't the steward. It was Auntie Jace, white-faced, and she scurried in as though she feared someone would stop her. She knelt and bowed to Jusik with an alacrity I could envy even at my age. "Lord Porath, I hope my service has been satisfactory—I've been with your family for sixteen years now—I've never thought of anyone else, never lived for anything else—"

  "Yes; yes." He softened his tone slightly. "Nobody has any complaint about you, Auntie. This matter doesn't concern you at all."

  "No, yes, I know—that is to say, I beg to be allowed to stay. Please, noble sir. I've never asked any personal favors before."

  Lord Porath looked as though he might debate that, but after a slight hesitation, he said, "Why not? Everyone else is here. Why pretend you can get the wine back in the bottle after it's been spilled? Sit down, Auntie, find yourself a seat."

  She took a place at once, at the far perimeter of the cushions, as though if she weren't noticed she couldn't be thrown out. Her bright, birdlike eyes went back and forth, taking us all in.

  "And now, gracious sir," said Jusik, turning to my husband, "perhaps you will enlarge on that topic we discussed during your Net call. The topic of my family's involvement in the death of my son."

  Eliana, Coalis, Leel Canerol, and Auntie Jace—four heads swiveled as one to stare at Ran.

  He cleared his throat. "Loden Broca, the actual agent who paid a hired sorcerer to dispose of Kade, is dead. But before he died, he went through the sorcerer's house in a search for incriminating evidence. Now, not many people knew where the sorcerer lived, or knew that the Cormal-lons had just been informed of the address. But Loden knew." He hesitated. "Coalis also knew."

  Coalis froze. But his father did not rise up, grab a whip, and beat him to death. Jusik merely raised an eyebrow. "Is this an accusation? A case of treason within my House is a serious charge, far more serious than murder."

  "Uh, not quite. You see, Eliana would also have known. At least, your two children seem fairly well informed of each other's activities." Those activities you are so carefully not included in, Lord Porath.

  Eliana went as white as her robe. "Father," she began, horrified.

  "Shush, Eli. Let's allow the gentleman to finish."

  Ran inclined his head to acknowledge this courtesy. "The lady Eliana could very well have overheard Coalis' talk with… whoever informed him about the address."

  Jusik's gaze went to spear Coalis. His son said, "Stereth Tar'krim mentioned it to me."

  "I thought I told you not to keep company with that lowlife—" began his father. Jusik cut himself off. "But we'll discuss that later. I hope it will not be eclipsed by any worse matters you may be involved in."

  Coalis swallowed hard, but said nothing.

  I'd have felt a lot better if these things were being presented to a court of law on Athena rather than to the tender mercies of their natural parent.

  Ran said, "Theodora, perhaps you should take over here. You noted the relevant points for us."

  No, no, no… that's your job, Ran. The gazes all swung to me.

  "Uh," I said. My mind went totally blank.

  I felt Ran's hand touch mine beneath the folds of our outerrobes. "The IOUs," he prompted.

  "Yes. The IOUs." I swallowed. "I overheard Loden and his friend say that it was Loden's girlfriend who sent him to sweep up the evidence. Loden told me straight-out earlier that he'd had a fight with his girlfriend—at the time I thought he meant the tootsie in his lap, but—uh, in any case, from the timing, the argument could have been on that very matter. The IOUs. She was probably having trouble getting him to do the intelligent thing. Uh, she's probably somewhat brighter than Loden was." Like the majority of people in the capital. "But as soon as she got the address, she called him and told him to get out to the hut and burn the IOUs. And then she called and invited me to tah and cards so I'd be occupied for most of the day." The invitation didn't come till that morning, after Stereth's message.

  "Father," said Eliana.

  He held up his hand. "Continue, gracious lady."

  "Well, we don't have any hard evidence." And this isn't a court of law.

  He said, "Are you saying my daughter would profit by her brother's death? Frankly, I can't even see how Broca would come out ahead."

  I looked at Coalis, who went blank. What a family. Evidently Jusik still didn't know about Kade's profession. I said, slowly, "I believe Kade was good enough to lend Loden some money."

  Jusik snorted. "I fail to see where he got it from, if he did. Look around you; you see how we live."

  Coalis spoke up, in self-defense. "Father, Kade did mention something to me about loaning some money to a security guard."

  Jusik looked at him in surprise. He didn't ask why Kade had shared this information with his brother, and not his father; apparently he was used to being left out of his family's information loop. He scared them too much. "Very well, son, I take your word for it. But this still doesn't give Eliana any motive." He smiled at his daughter. "Her life is as pleasant as those who love her can make it. She would not profit by alteration."

  Right. I said nothing. Jusik waited, then said, "Gracious lady? You see my point. I prefer to believe that you and your husband have simply not thought this through logically, rather than that you harbor some grudge against my House. Although there are those who might feel that, after half-destroying my family through one death, you seek to put the survivors in disarray—"

  "We think they were lovers," I said.

  He pulled up short. "I beg your pardon?"

  "Loden and Eliana. In bed. Lovers." —What word didn't you understand? —Shut up. Jusik was turning a fascinating shade of violet.

  "First of all," he began, forcing the words past some obstruction in his throat, "my daughter is constantly chaperoned, by not one but two respectable women. She would have no opportunity for the kind of behavior you describe. Though considering the sort of society you must be accustomed to, I suppose it's understandable you would not grasp that."

  "Noble sir… it's been brought forcefully home to me, very recently, that elegant young ladies with constant chap-erones can find opportunities for gaining worldly experience should they wish to. At least, the intelligent and discreet among them can; and I think Eliana is fairly intelligent, and fairly discreet." Her dark eyes were fastened on me. I forced myself to look at Jusik, so I could continue talking normally. "In the case of your daughter, the connivance of at least one of her chaperones is all that would be necessary. All we really need is the opportunity for the two to meet and get to know each other. Loden was here often enough, your House employed the Mercia group before— and I have reason to believe that Loden was very… well-equipped when it came to attracting women. I'm sure the options presented by an alliance with a young lady of the Six Families wouldn't escape even him. He would have gone out of his way with your daughter."

  He would have, too. The more I thought about it, the more I couldn't imagine him not going out of his way. It seemed so obvious, in hindsight. Self-interest was the only thing that got Loden's intellect racing.

  Jusik's neck was still the color of a summer sunset. He growled, "Meeting and exchanging a
few words, as youngsters will, is hardly the same thing as being lovers. The only door in this house is on the entrance to this very room; the opportunity simply did not exist."

  "Oh, I'm sure there were a number of chances. The very night I had the honor of staying with you in this house," I'd almost called it "The Night of Cats."

  "I spent the early morning hours asleep on the chaise on your central porch. Auntie Jace was very unhappy to see me there. At the time, I thought she was overly touchy, but I realize now that she didn't want me to be so close to the entrance when she returned from having collected Eliana from the gatehouse. Where she had most likely spent the night with Loden Broca."

  Auntie cried, "A disgusting lie! And only what one could expect from a barbarian! Lord Porath, you're too generous with these people, letting them into your house—"

  "Auntie, please. I take it you deny these charges."

  "I certainly do! I wasn't even near the gatehouse!" I said, "I saw you well down the length of the garden, heading that way. What else is in that direction?"

  "I don't recall going there, but if I did it was only to offer a cup of tah to whoever was on duty!"

  "You weren't carrying any tah with you."

  "I would have sent a kitchenmaid! Lord Porath, won't you protect me from this slander?"

  He looked thoughtful. Her sudden change of course in mid-story had not been to her benefit. But he merely said, "Lady Theodora, you saw my daughter return to the house that morning?"

  "No. I was asleep by then."

  "Then you have no proof of this fantasy."

  "Perhaps not. But it would be interesting to use your influence to get a look at the Mercian group's log for that night. I'll bet Loden Broca was in the gatehouse."

  A silence descended on the group with that suggestion. Finally Lord Porath said, "I will do so. Eliana, have you anything to say?"

  Her face lifted, paler than the creamy color young ladies who aspire to fragile flowerdom generally paint there. "I rely on your protection, Father."

  He glanced at Leel Canerol, who said slowly, "While your daughter was with me, she did nothing that you would find inappropriate."