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.
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
'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
