Rafe eyed him thoughtfully. He and Selby were less than a year apart in age but Selby had always been a little taller and more heavily built. His light brown hair was cut by an expensive stylist at one of the city's most exclusive salons. He had the pleasant, open, rugged features that characterized the males on the Culverthorpe side of the family.
Selby had the sort of face that made people want to trust him within five seconds of meeting him. Sometimes it seemed to Rafe that he and his grandfather were the only ones who ever noticed the razor-sharp glint of vengeful bitterness in Selby's eyes.
It was not the sort of observation one could make aloud to others, Rafe reflected. He knew exactly what would happen if he told the rest of the family or the Stonebraker Board that loyal, hardworking cousin Selby was bent on destroying the company. If he tried, Rafe knew that he would probably get a stern lecture warning him not to let his primitive strat-talent nature influence his common sense and family bonds. Selby, unlike certain other ungrateful members of the clan, had devoted his entire career to Stonebraker.
'Hello, Selby.'
Selby cast an ironic glance toward the terrace. 'Is Uncle Al terrorizing your date?'
'My date can take care of herself.'
Selby chuckled, but there was no amusement in his eyes. 'You must be picking tough ones these days.'
He had never liked Selby, Rafe reflected. Not even when they had been young playmates together. Selby was a tech-talent. He had been the kind of kid who could construct a miniature catapult with the new erector set he had received for Christmas before Rafe could figure out what insert part A into slot B meant. And then, after Rafe had finally succeeded in building a small, rather shaky fort with his own erector set, Selby had used his catapult to knock down the walls.
Things had not improved when they got to high school where Selby had always outshone Rafe in math and science. Underneath the uneven rivalry had been a simmering resentment on Selby's part. Rafe had not understood why his cousin disliked him so much until his parents told him what had happened to Selby's father. By then it was too late to mend the breach. In any event, Rafe had already made plans to head for the Western Islands. He and Selby had seen almost nothing of each other in the intervening years.
Selby swirled the vintage blue champagne in his glass and cast a speculative eye toward the door. 'You don't seem overly concerned about defending your companion.'
'When did you develop such a keen interest in my private life, Selby?'
'The whole family has an interest in your private life. Especially since you surprised everyone by showing up here tonight with an agency date in tow.'
Rafe did not bother to correct the small misunderstanding. He wanted everyone to believe that Orchid was from a marriage agency, not a focus agency. 'Why does that come as such a big surprise?'
Selby took a long swallow of champagne and then slowly lowered the glass. 'There are some who think you may have decided to play the prodigal grandson. They have a quaint vision of you returning to the fold to take control of Stonebraker.'
'Don't worry about it.'
'I won't.' Selby's mouth curved with cool certainty. 'It's too late to stop me, cousin. I've got everything in place. In two months I'll be the new C.E.O. of Stonebraker.'
'You sound very sure of yourself.'
'I am.'
Selby's conviction resonated on the metaphysical plane. Rafe had no trouble picking up traces of it. His cousin believed every word he was saying.
Selby's wife, Briana, appeared at her husband's side. She was an attractive blonde with a social polish refined by three generations of family money. She smiled politely at Rafe but he could see the troubled look in her eyes.
'Hello, Briana.' Rafe inclined his head. 'Nice to see you again.'
'How are you, Rafe?' Briana took Selby's arm in a gesture that was curiously protective. 'It was good of you to come tonight. I know your grandmother is very happy.'
'I'm glad someone is,' Rafe said.
Briana slanted a glance toward the terrace. 'Is this your first agency date with Miss Adams?'
'No,' Rafe said. 'We've gone out together several times this week. The agency thinks it's a good match. We've got a lot in common.'
Ten minutes later Rafe drifted past the open terrace doors a second time. The argument outside still raged, although the subject had shifted.
'Why in five hells should Stonebraker increase the size of its charitable endowment arm?' Alfred G. snarled.
'Companies the size of Stonebraker have obligations to the community,' Orchid said crisply. 'The Stonebraker Foundation is puny, given the size of Stonebraker Shipping.'
'Our only obligation is to stay profitable.'
'Nonsense. You are a part of the community. Your precious profits are made possible because of it and you, in turn, have responsibilities to it.'
'I'm not going to give away any more money than I already do.'
'Talk about your basic first generation values,' Orchid retorted. 'The Founders understood that if a society is to be successful there must be a harmonious, synergistic balance between corporate profits and civic philanthropy. Why they even went so far as to—'
Rafe started to slink off toward the buffet table. What was taking place out on the terrace was an accident waiting to happen. He did not want to be the first one on the scene.
'Rafe?' Alfred G. bellowed. 'Is that you? Come on out here. I'm having trouble talking sense into your agency date.'
Alfred G.'s booming command stopped Rafe in mid-slink. So much for trying to slip away unnoticed. He occasionally forgot that his grandfather was also a strat-talent, albeit not as strong as himself.
Reluctantly, he went through the doorway. He did not need the lantern glow to see the bright gleam in his grandfather's eyes. Alfred G. practically hummed with energy. He was enjoying himself.
Orchid smiled cheerfully. There was a sparkle in her eyes, too, Rafe noticed.
'Didn't want to interrupt your conversation,' Rafe said warily.
'What conversation?' Alfred G. snapped. 'We're arguing like a couple of cat-dogs. Where in blazes did you find her, Rafe?'
'I told you. An agency.'
'Which agency?' Alfred G. demanded.
'It's called Psynergy, Inc.,' Orchid murmured.
Rafe gave her a warning look. She shrugged one shoulder and munched another canape.
'Never heard of it,' Alfred G. said.
'That's hardly surprising,' Rafe said smoothly, 'given the fact that you've been married for over fifty years to grandmother. You haven't needed a matchmaking agency.'
'True.'
'Which reminds me, grandmother is looking for you. She said something about you having promised her a dance.'
'Don't remind me.' Alfred G.'s gaze slitted. 'What have you been up to while Orchid and I chatted out here?'
'Selby and I renewed our childhood acquaintance.'
'I'll bet seeing you here tonight gave the little twerp a jolt, eh? He must know now that you've come back to save Stonebraker from his confounded merger plans. Give him something to sweat about for the next few weeks.'
The fact that Alfred G. spoke so freely in front of Orchid gave Rafe considerable pause. He glanced quickly at her and saw that she was completely unfazed.
She probably did not realize the significance of what had just happened, he thought. Alfred G. had as good as announced aloud that he had accepted her as a suitable bride for Rafe.
Waves of energy the color of old blood slashed across the psychic plane, questing for a prism with the
