Beyond Eden

Galvain patted her hand, unable to keep himself from making this bit of human contact with her. He wasn’t particularly surprised when she jerked away. Poor girl, he thought, poor girl. “You rest now, mademoiselle, and you get yourself strong again. All this will fade, you will see.” He prayed it would be true, but he doubted it. Fade, yes, but she would never forget, never. He wondered what she would be like in five years, in ten. He added, “Your father has hired two guards to keep the paparazzi away from you, those vultures, and the other media people as well. They will lose interest soon enough. I will talk to you again. Rest, petite.”

Royce Foxe’s voice was heavy with fatigue, his eyes rheumy and burning with grit as he opened the suite door. He stared at the same inspector who’d been in Lindsay’s room at the hospital. “What the hell do you want? Is it the damned prince again? I thought you said he was improving by the hour?” Royce hadn’t slept much during the past three days. Even now he knew there was much to do. And now this French police inspector was here again, at Royce’s suite, this calm little man Royce was beginning to reassess. Perhaps the little man wasn’t quite so insignificant after all. But nonetheless, he didn’t stand a chance with him, with Judge Royce Foxe. “I’ve been assured that my daughter won’t be charged with attempted murder. She won’t be charged with anything. She acted in defense of her sister. I’m an attorney and an American federal judge, and surely you must know that you can’t prey on my ignorance, because I don’t have any.”

“Yes, I know you are a judge, monsieur.”

“The bastard will live. So what do you want now?”

“It is a relief,” Galvain said, looking around. “No, your daughter won’t be charged with attempted murder. That has never been an issue. That is not why I’m here, monsieur. I want to know if the young mademoiselle Lindsay Foxe will be pressing charges against the man. The hospital told me you’d brought her here yesterday.”

“What did you say?”

The inspector remained calm and still and patient, saying, “The Prince di Contini raped her. He brutalized her. Is your daughter here, monsieur? I must speak with her.”

“No, you won’t speak to her, there’s no need. Do you think I’m mad? There will be no charges against the prince. Good day, Inspector.”

“I must hear this from mademoiselle.”

Royce didn’t know what to do. Damned little man with the power of the police behind him. Royce hadn’t, quite simply, thought through the consequences. “I will have my daughter get in touch with you tomorrow, Inspector. I thought you were so concerned about her health. Well, prove it, and go away. She is resting now.”

“No, I’m awake.” Lindsay came slowly into the living room, wearing a nightgown and bathrobe, her feet in soft flat slippers. Her curly hair was tangled around her face, thick and wavy. She looked sixteen years old, except when one noticed the fading bruises and the weary eyes that held too much knowledge for a young girl of her age.

“Go back to bed, Lindsay,” Royce said. “Now. You’re not needed here.”

Inspector Galvain was pleased when she turned to him, ignoring her father. “Hello, Inspector. Is everything all right? Sydney isn’t in trouble, is she?”

“No, there is nothing to worry about with your sister.”

“Her concern for her sister comes a little late, I should say.”

Galvain watched the girl shrink away at the blast of her father’s words. The damned bastard, as cold and brutal as the prince had been. Words or fists, it didn’t matter. The soul was still shattered. Inspector Galvain wished he could take her home with him, to his wife, Lisse, who would smother her with love and reassure her that she hadn’t been to blame.

He said to her now, formality deepening his voice, “I must ask you a question, mademoiselle. I must know if you will press charges against the prince.”

Her face went slack.

“I told you, Inspector, she won’t!”

“Mademoiselle?” Even as he looked at her, his expression as neutral as he could make it, he knew it was impossible for her. But he wanted to try. He wanted to see what the girl was made of. If only he could get her father out of the room, but then, the man would still have a chance at her, to batter her even more than the prince had, only his abuse would be emotional, and the good Lord knew that he’d had years upon years to build weapons for his arsenal.

Lindsay didn’t look at her father. Suddenly she looked very old and immeasurably tired. To Galvain’s surprise, she said in a very calm voice, “If I press charges, Inspector, what exactly would happen?”

He waved his hand to keep her father silent and said gently, “I am proud that you don’t immediately dismiss the idea of bringing this man to justice. You are a smart girl.”

“I would like to press charges against him. He hurt me badly. He raped me. He isn’t normal. I wish I could be sure that other girls who are fool enough to fall for his charm and good looks won’t be hurt. He should be forced, at the very least, to have treatment.”

“Excellent, mademoiselle. I applaud what you say. It is exactly right.”

“It makes no difference,” Royce yelled. “She won’t press charges, damn you.”

Galvain ignored Royce Foxe. “As I said, mademoiselle, you are a smart girl. You show courage.” He hadn’t expected this much from her, he really hadn’t. But now he had to put a stop to it. He couldn’t let her go through with it. Perhaps, just perhaps, her bastard of a father had learned something about his daughter. But he doubted it. He said to her, his voice very gentle, “You wanted to know exactly what would happen. I will tell you the truth that is unvarnished. A trial would mean an international scandal. Your family is well-known in America and the prince’s family is equally well-known in Europe. You would be butchered by the press and in the courtroom. Your family would be harassed and hounded to a most painful extent. Your sister would possibly be charged with attempted murder if the rape charge failed to stand in court. Do you understand me, mademoiselle?”

She stared at him. He hated to see the brief flash of spirit disappear from her face. He hated to see the dullness return to her eyes.

“Please don’t misunderstand me. It would be right to press charges. I am very pleased that you want to consider it. But I also must be very honest with you. By the end of it, you would be destroyed. Your sister would be destroyed. I am truly sorry, but I cannot lie to you. It is what would happen. There is no mercy for a young girl who is unfortunate enough to find herself raped, particularly by a member of her family. Justice doesn’t serve us in these cases, unfortunately. I am very sorry for it.”

“I would have told her all that.”

Lindsay said nothing for a very long time. She looked at the floor at her feet. Finally, her face and voice expressionless, she said, “Thank you, Inspector. You’ve been kind to me. You told me the truth. I guess I should also thank you for making me face up to what he did to me even though I know if I hadn’t been so silly about him it never would have happened. I had thought only I would be attacked if I pressed charges against him, not my entire family. I had thought about it, before you came, because the prince is a horrible man, but now, now that I understand—” She stopped, shaking her head.

She walked slowly from the room, her last words hanging sadly in the air, the belt of her robe dragging on the floor. Galvain stared after her, feeling such pain he doubted he would ever forget.

Royce was pleased. He smiled after his daughter, then turned to smile his triumph at the inspector. “Are you now quite through with us?”

“Oh, yes, quite. But the paparazzi will be very busy. They are like the rutting little pigs, are they not? You have already read the papers and seen the television. I would recommend that you take your daughters and leave Paris as soon as possible. Flee the arena, as it were.”

“I would agree. However, the prince’s family is here, in seclusion now, of course. They’ve had the prince moved to a private hospital outside Paris, and the place is guarded like a fort. But I can’t be sure they’ll keep their mouths closed. His mother has informed me, the patronizing bitch, that she is displeased with Sydney. Imagine, she’s blaming Sydney! I must remain and guard my daughter’s reputation, her interests, see that they don’t try to harm her through the press.” Royce raked his fingers through his hair, and for a moment he looked vulnerable and overwhelmed. “Tell me, Inspector, what am I to do about the damned bastard?”