‘It’s little Mitsuko!’ he exclaimed. ‘I remember when you were no bigger than this.’ His hand came up level with his crotch. It was possible that he meant to lift it higher, but his belly intervened. Either way, Nava was presented with a mental image she really did not need. ‘It’s so nice to see you.’ His face was level with Mitsuko’s chest and his eyes stayed firmly fixed on her pasty-covered nipples as he spoke.
‘Hello, Uncle Spencer,’ Mitsuko said. You could barely tell that her joviality was forced. ‘I’ve been taller than that for quite some time.’
‘Yes, you’re a big girl now. Who’s your friend? Is she married?’ His head turned toward Nava, overshot, came back, registered that he was seeing eyes and angled down by a few degrees. He was nothing if not consistently lecherous.
‘This is my friend from school, currently acting as my escort and bodyguard. She’s neither married nor intending to be.’
‘Bodyguard, eh? What do you need a bodyguard for? What’s her name?’
Nava saw Mitsuko’s face shift briefly into a grimace and steeled herself for whatever was about to happen. There was something else about Uncle Spencer which Mitsuko did not like and Mitsuko thought Nava was not going to like it either. ‘There’s been a little trouble at school, Uncle, so I need someone watching my back. Her name is Nava Ward.’
Spencer’s head snapped back around and this time he was looking up at Mitsuko’s face. ‘You need a bodyguard, so you got some clanless whore to do the job? What were you–’
Mitsuko’s face went flat and her jovial tone vanished. ‘Uncle, I know you’ve been drinking, but don’t you dare insult my friend like that.’
‘Like what? She’s a–’
‘Nava Ward will not take insult from anything you say, Spencer Trenton, which is a good thing since finding a coffin large enough for you would be difficult. However, Nava is my friend and here as a guest of my parents. If you insult her, you insult us. If my father doesn’t take the opportunity to rid the Trentons of the embarrassment you’ve become, I will. Apologise.’
Spencer’s eyes flashed. Well, they would have if they were capable of focusing properly. However, the tone of Mitsuko’s voice seemed to get through even if he could not really see the murderous calm on her face. ‘I apologise if I’ve caused you offence, Mitsuko,’ he said. ‘Please forgive me.’
‘No, but if you stay out of my sight for the rest of the evening, I won’t be tempted to challenge you anyway. Go and sober up.’ Not waiting for a response, Mitsuko turned and headed for one of the room’s doors. It had a number of them. The entire wing seemed to be built like a maze. Nava wondered how many guests were only found days after gatherings like this, surviving on hoarded party snacks while they searched for the exit. She was thinking about that rather than Spencer because the foolish man had been largely expunged from her mind as soon as he was no longer a potential – if virtually non-existent – threat. The same, it seemed, was not the case with Mitsuko.
‘His first wife, Glory, was born clanless,’ Mitsuko said, a little morosely. ‘It was a whirlwind romance. She was working as a table dancer in a club in Alliance City when he met her and they were married within a month. Everyone thought she was a gold-digger, but she became more or less the perfect wife. Gave him a son and a daughter. Then she absolutely skinned him in the divorce settlement and he’s hated anyone without a clan since. Blames that on what happened rather than his drinking and bedding any woman stupid enough to let him.’
‘Your Uncle Spencer?’ Nava responded. ‘I forgot about him as soon as he was out of sight.’
‘Of course you did.’ Mitsuko’s smile was still a bit strained.
‘What happened to Glory and the children?’
‘Oh, they’re doing fine. She might have been here tonight, but if she knew Spencer was coming, she would have declined. She’s still very popular with most of the family and he’s…’
‘Tolerated?’
‘Less and less.’
Nava gave a brief nod. ‘But he’s still part of the family and he won’t be ejected just for being a lecherous loudmouth.’
Mitsuko sighed. ‘Probably not, but I think he’s getting worse. I think there’s an even chance of him really messing up and getting disowned or winding up dead in a duel.’
‘Well, don’t let him spoil the party for you. I really don’t care what he thinks or says about me.’
‘I know. And that just demonstrates how much more evolved you are than he is.’
~~~
‘Ah, there you are,’ Ruben said as he appeared beside Mitsuko as though teleported in. Teleportation was not an impossibility, but relatively unlikely. ‘Follow me.’ Nava was wondering both what this was about and what she would find to do while Mitsuko was busy when Ruben added, ‘Both of you. Father needs to see you.’
‘Did Spencer complain?’ Mitsuko asked, her expression turning down in an instant.
‘What? Not as far as I know. Father had a couple of the servants put him to bed twenty minutes ago. I swear he’s getting worse.’
‘Mitsuko said something similar,’ Nava commented. What she was going to do had been sorted out, but now she was left with wondering why Zackery Trenton needed to see her. It was useless to speculate, but she found herself unable to avoid it as Ruben led the way through the house toward the more private areas.
She had been feeling easier
