for some gossip they can peddle to the scandal shows. Never mind whether it's true or not, as long as it makes a good story, that's their attitude. I do hope that camera of yours is not operating, young man. I take my privacy very seriously.'
'We won't record anything without your permission, Auntie,' Toby said quickly.
Grace sniffed again. 'You only call me Auntie when you want something, Tobias. What is it this time? Another loan?'
'Not this time, Auntie, thank you very much. I just happened to be visiting another house in this area, and I thought I might as well drop in and see how you were doing. You and Clarissa.'
'Oh, so that's where the wind lies, is it? Thought I saw a sparkle in your eye for her the last time you deigned to pay me a visit. She's doing very well, Tobias. What the poor thing endured would have broken a lesser type, but of course Clarissa has good old Shreck iron in her bones. She'll pull through. I'll send for her in a while. Now, nephew, you may kiss me on the cheek and come to the real purpose of your visit. You can't fool me, Tobias. You didn't come calling at this late hour of the evening just to inquire over my health and make eyes at Clarissa.'
Toby grinned, got out of his chair to kiss Grace chastely on her powdered cheek, and then sat down again. 'You always see through me, Auntie. I need your help for a piece I'm working on, about how the Families are rebuilding themselves under the new order. And it must be said, you've made a great deal of difference to the Clan's standing since you took control.'
Grace scowled. 'It's not like I had any choice in the matter. Gregor has been going mad for years, but as long as he maintained the Family prestige, no one would hear a word said against him. But when he finally fell apart and barricaded himself inside his Tower, it was clear someone had to replace him as head before the whole Clan fell apart. You weren't interested, and all the other senior members of the Family were too busy plotting against each other, so the burden fell on me. The only senior Shreck that everyone else could accept. It hasn't been easy, but I like to think I've made a difference.'
'You certainly have, Auntie,' said Toby carefully. 'Under you the Shrecks have moved back into the political mainstream in a big way. I wasn't aware you knew so much about current politics.'
'I do have a viewscreen, young man, and I have been known to watch something other than those dreadful, never ending soaps. And I have advisers. Lots of them. Would either of you care for a cup of tea?'
'That would be very pleasant, lady Shreck,' said Flynn.
Grace looked at him approvingly. 'I'm glad to see some young people still have good manners. Unlike some I could mention but won't. Do you want tea, Toby?'
'Actually, I could do with something a little stronger…'
'You'll have tea.'
'I'll have tea.'
Grace pulled a handy bell rope. 'It'll take them a while, I'm afraid. You can't rush a good cup of tea, though heaven knows they'd try if I let them. They will keep telling me about this instant nonsense, as though I cared. Some things just have to be done the right way, and that's all there is to it.'
'Have you been here very long, lady Shreck?' said Flynn. 'You seem very comfortable here.'
'Oh, I've been here since I was a young girl, for more years than I care to remember, young man. My brother Christian and his family joined me here for a while, and we had such a jolly time together. Till he disappeared.' Grace frowned. 'I was always sure Gregor had something to do with it, but I could never prove anything. And there was the Family name to consider. A scandal could have ruined us.'
'You never allowed anyone to even raise the subject before,' said Toby sharply.
'I was concerned that anyone showing too much interest in Christian's fate might disappear too,' said Grace just as sharply. 'Christian and Gregor never got along. That's no secret. They had a furious argument one day, right here in this room. Christian stormed out and was never seen again. Don't press me for any further details, Tobias, because I don't have any. I wasn't even in the house at the time. Your mother, Helga, went out looking for Christian, and also never came back. No trace was ever found of either of them. Sometimes I like to think they found each other and decided to stay hidden and safe. I like to think of them living happily together somewhere, safe in secret.'
'Then why did they never send for me?' said Toby.
'Gregor had you watched all the time,' Grace said gently. 'You were bait. I kept you close to me, protected you as best I could, till I could find you a safe place at a boarding school.'
'Maybe I should ask Gregor what happened,' said Toby. 'Get him alone and ask him very forcefully.'
'I wouldn't advise it, dear. He'd very likely just have you shot, in his present state of mind. Anyway, it's a bit late to be showing such emotion over your lost parents, isn't it? You're an investigative journalist; you could have started a search years ago if you'd really been interested.'
'They went off and left me,' said Toby, looking at the floor. 'They never came back for me. And like you, I never wanted proof they were dead. As long as they were still officially listed as missing, there was still the chance they might turn up again someday.' For a moment he looked rather lost and vulnerable. But the moment passed, and he was quickly his old self again. He looked up and fixed Grace with a steady gaze. 'Why was I never sent to Blue Block, like so many of my contemporaries?'
'Your father never approved of them, and Gregor still had a use for you. Not that he ever trusted them either. Gregor always suspected the worst of everyone, and in Blue Block's case it would appear he was right. The servant has become the master. Just another reason why I was forced into the political arena. The Family must be protected from all outside influences and pressures, whatever the source. Ah, tea!'
The door had opened silently, and Toby and Flynn looked up to see a servant bearing down on them, carrying a silver teapot and Fine china milk jug and cups on a silver tray. Right behind the servant came a young woman in a pretty dress, with a widely smiling face under shoulder-length golden curls. Toby rose quickly to his feet and went to meet her, also smiling widely, while the servant set out the tea things on a handy little table at Grace's side. Grace gave Toby and the young woman a knowing look, and busied herself with the tea things, nodding to the servant to withdraw. He did so, backing out all the way. Flynn watched Toby interestedly as he took the young woman's hand in his.
'Clarissa! You're looking very well. Very well!'
'And feeling much better, thanks to you, dear Toby. The surgeons are removing the implants Lionstone had put in me as fast as they can, but it's a long job. At least I have human eyes to see you with now.'
'And very pretty eyes they are too. The hair's new, isn't it?'
'It's just a wig while my own hair grows back. You've done so much for me, Toby. I don't know how to thank you.'
'Oh, I'm sure he'll think of something,' said Grace tartly. 'Now, that's enough mawkishness for the moment, dears. Any more and you'll oversweeten the tea. Come and sit down while I pour.'
Clarissa pulled up a chair right next to Toby's, and they sat down, still smiling at each other. Flynn coughed politely, and then smiled and nodded to Clarissa.
'Hello, Flynn,' she said, bathing him in her smile too. 'How are you?'
'Working overtime when I should be safe at home relaxing, thanks to my brute of a boss. Are you settling in happily here?'
'Hard to tell,' said Grace, looking firmly at the tea things. 'She spends most of her time in her room, and jumps every time she hears a loud noise. Only person she talks to is Tobias, and that only over the viewscreen.'
'She's been through a lot,' Toby said defensively. 'It's bound to take her some time to… readjust. You haven't been bullying her, have you?'
'Oh, no,' Clarissa said quickly. 'She's been very supportive. I just… don't feel like meeting anyone yet. Not till I'm all the way back to who I was, before Lionstone had me changed into one of her damned bodyguards. Then I'll think about mixing with people again.'
'Of course,' said Toby. 'Don't rush yourself. Take all the time you need.'
'I sometimes hear from other maids who were rescued,' said Clarissa, looking down at her hands, folded in her lap. 'Several of us have gone mad, and three have killed themselves rather than remember what they were, and what they did. I could never do that. It would be like giving Lionstone the final victory. But… I understand why they did it. I don't know what I'm going to do with my life now. Even after the surgeons have finished with me, I don't think I could go back to what I was before. I need to do something with my new life, something that matters.'
