in other, subtler ways as well. Jamie seemed quite determined to split up the
group, despite everything I've said, and everyone else just went along with it.
Which is rather unusual, considering this bunch can't normally agree on anything
without several minutes worth of arguments, insults, and recriminations. Perhaps
the freak influenced everyone to accept Jamie's idea, in order to make us easier
targets.'
Fisher looked at him thoughtfully, still holding her bare foot absently in her
hand. 'It's possible, I suppose. But how could we tell, one way or the other?
And besides, if they're all being influenced, why aren't we? If the freak was
controlling the way we think, then this idea wouldn't have occurred to us at
all. Would it?'
'That's a good question,' said Hawk. 'Wish I had a good answer.'
'Hell,' said Fisher. 'I'd settle for a bad one.'
Holly sat unhappily in her chair by the fire while Katrina Dorimant studied her
makeup in the dressing-table mirror. Looking good, thought Katrina contentedly.
Don't look a day over twenty-five. Not bad for an old broad past forty. Graham
never did appreciate me, rot his socks. She smiled. Graham might not have, but
there were those who had. Sometimes in Graham's own bed. He never was very
observant. She pouted at her reflection. It was all his fault anyway. If he
hadn't spent all his spare time and money on his silly politics, instead of
lavishing it on her, they might still be together.
She'd told him right from the start; she was prepared to put up with a lot of
things from him, but coming second wasn't one of them. She expected all his
attention all the time. She wasn't unreasonable; she realized he had
commitments. She just wanted him to be there when she needed him. What was so
unreasonable about that? Things had been different when they first met. He'd
been all over her then, bright and witty and attentive, always ready with a
smile or a compliment or an out-of-season flower. When he finally worked up the
nerve to ask her to marry him, long after she'd decided to accept, he'd promised
her faithfully that she'd always come first with him. Graham was always very big
with promises. She should have remembered that promises were a politician's
stock in trade.
He'd been so funny, then. She missed his sense of humor more than anything. He
could always make her laugh, no matter how dark the day.
Still, she hadn't done so badly for herself since she left him. She ran up the
bills and he paid them, just as always. And why not? That was what men were for.
Among other things. She smiled. Richard MacNeil was an unexpected bonus. Tall,
dark, handsome, and wonderfully innocent in the ways of the world. He all but
blushed every time she looked at him. She pulled the front of her dress down
another inch to show off more cleavage, and considered the effect in the mirror.
No, better not. She wanted to attract Richard's attention, not give him a
coronary. Besides, it would undoubtably scandalize Jamie, and she couldn't
afford to get on his wrong side at the moment. Dear Jamie; so young and already
so prudish. Never even had a girlfriend, as far as she knew. She'd have to do
something about that, once this nonsense was over and done with. In the meantime
she'd do better to concentrate on Richard. He needed… encouraging. She produced
a small silver makeup case from inside her sleeve, opened it, and pawed
thoughtfully through the contents.
'Aunt Katrina, what are you doing?'
Katrina glanced round at Holly. 'Ah, you've decided to come out of your snit at
last. I thought you were going to sulk all day because Jamie paired you off with
me instead of your precious David.'
'I was not sulking!'
'Of course not, dear; you were just thinking very hard, and that's what made you
frown. Now be a pet, and don't interrupt while Auntie fixes her face.'
Katrina removed a tiny black patch from the makeup case, balanced it on the tip
of her finger, and pressed it firmly onto the right side of her face, just above
the jaw. It was very slightly but quite definitely heart-shaped. Katrina turned
her face back and forth, studying the effect in the mirror.
'Aunt, what is that?'
'It's a beauty spot, dear. They're all the rage. And I do wish you'd call me
Katrina, especially when we're in company. 'Aunt' makes me feel positively
ancient.'
'A beauty spot,' said Holly, doubtfully. 'What's the point of it?'
'The point is to attract a young man's interest. Beauty spots are supposedly
there to cover some minor flaw or defect; this intrigues the young gentleman as
to what that flaw might be, and how he might get a look at it. Personally, I
just think they look pretty.'
Holly thought about it for a moment, and then shook her head. 'Not really my
style.'
'Yes, well, at your age you don't need such artifices. Gods, I'd kill for a
complexion like yours. Still, at least you're taking an interest in things
again. How are you feeling now, Holly dear?'
'Better, I suppose. I'm sorry I went all to pieces downstairs, but it all just
got too much for me. I've not been sleeping well recently. I'm sure I could cope
a lot better if I wasn't so tired all the time.'
Katrina sighed, and put away her makeup case. She turned to look at Holly
sternly. 'Have you been taking that potion the doctor prescribed?'
'Yes. It doesn't help. It doesn't stop me dreaming. That's why I don't sleep;
I'm afraid to. It's always the same dream. I'm lying in bed, in the dark, unable
to move, and there's something in the room with me. I can't see it, but I know
it's there. It comes slowly closer, creeping towards the foot of my bed. I can
hear its heavy footsteps, and its harsh breathing. And I know it wants to do
something to me; something horrible. I know I'm dreaming, and I try to wake
myself up, but I can't. It starts to heave itself up onto the end of my bed. I
can feel the mattress sink down around my feet, feel the creature's horrid
weight on my legs. I try to scream, but I can't make a sound; and that's when I
finally wake up. Only each night, the creature seems to get a little further
before I can wake myself up. That's why I'm so afraid to sleep, because I know
that one night I'm not going to wake up in time.'
'You poor dear!' Katrina got up and moved quickly over to kneel beside Holly.
'Why didn't you tell the doctor all this?'
'I did. He said it wasn't that unusual a dream for a girl my age, and advised
Jamie to get me married off as soon as possible. I wasn't supposed to hear that,
but I was listening outside the door. Jamie said he'd think about it. But my
dream is real. I know it. That's why I began praying for the Family Guardian to
come and save me. He's my only hope now.'
Katrina's eyes narrowed. 'Men! Now don't you worry, Holly, as soon as this
nonsense is over I'll see Jamie gets you the best doctors and specialists in
