“One date,” Vic groaned. “I can’t believe you went out on one date and found a lady suitable to become your Empress.”
“Well, that one date was with her sister, and it was more like a weekend-long date, getting to know both of them,” Matthieu pointed out. “And I probably read every resume twice, and some three times, before deciding on that first date.”
Silvery sprinkles of laughter from those very sisters rose and fell in the background. He peeked out of the study to try to hear what they were saying, but all he could hear were murmurs from the restroom.
He turned back to the vidphone. “Anyway, we agreed to go to the adjudicators’ state dinner, but we want a reason to avoid the salon afterward. Since the sweet Ruya ladies have never been to anything fun in the capital, nor have they met our friends, you have to do the right-hand-man thing and give us a good excuse to skip the salon.”
“Theo’s your right-hand-man, and it sounds like he’s already gotten his sweet reward,” Vic groused with a humorous look on his face. “I’m just the jester, and not a very good one at that,” he grumbled, looking a bit glum in truth.
“Why? What’s going on?” Matthieu looked him over; he did seem pretty subdued.
“Well, Michael dumped Regina for good and called Sandra Aaronburg for a date. She went out with him Friday when I had arranged for a date with her on Saturday.
“I only found out about it Saturday afternoon, when she called and cancelled on me. When she told me why, I just kind of gave up.” Vic brooded. “After all, how can I compete with an Heir? Not to mention one who can fight like he can. Not to mention the datanet sites.”
“Datanet sites?”
“Yeah, remember your father said we started our own reality show, and there were some sixteen datanet sites that were going to follow our activities? It’s more like a few hundred, now.
“They’ve had psychologists write up analyses of our segments. Mine was too negative, it seems, demonstrating poor self-esteem and a fear of life and half a dozen other bullshit things.”
“Hm. Sounds like we should go out to a club, then. Have you picked any other ladies to call yet?”
“Yeah, I just haven’t called them. I was going to talk to you about them at Fight Club this week, but you haven’t been going.”
“Let’s do this, then. Let’s call a bunch of single friends and a dozen or so of the closest ladies in the matrix, and we’ll go mob a Royal club. Kind of like a mini-singles-ball, only completely informal.
“We’ll dance with them all and show the Ruyas how partying is done in the capital, and it’ll be the perfect excuse for me to get out. After all, I have to introduce Vidya to my friends, or she’ll think I don’t have any,” Matthieu added with good cheer.
Vic snorted. “Okay, you call our friends and I’ll call the ladies. You say, a dozen? That sounds like a lot.”
“Well, just start calling them and keep track of the list. Tell them we’ll have them escorted to the club in Palace ground cars so they know they’ll get in. Tell Sentinel which club you pick, tell the manager to reserve tables for at least twenty of us, and stop calling ladies when you reach eight who say they’ll come. I’ll call seven men right now.
“This way you all have a selection of ladies, you all get to meet Vidya and Kimaya, and the gossipmongers can have a field day, trying to keep track of who talked to whom and who left with whom. How does that sound?”
“Like some friendly chaos. I like it. I’ll send that list to you tomorrow for Sentinel.” Vic seemed much happier, signing off with his thanks.
Matthieu had seven men lined up within an hour while Kimaya finished preparing Vidya for the day, settling themselves on Matthieu’s main sofa. Theo entered to say, “Well, we’ve all missed the family breakfast, so the servants will be here with breakfast soon. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
His gleeful grin made Kimaya burst out laughing as he settled himself next to her, kissing her forehead. Matthieu managed to squeeze onto the sofa and gather Vidya in his lap for extra room before telling them about Saturday’s plans. The servants arrived and they seated themselves for breakfast.
“Vidya, did you go to the Ruya Royal College?” Matthieu asked.
“I took some online courses,” she replied. “I always wished I could have taken a degree.”
“Well, Kimaya is going this summer. Have you thought about taking those two classes with her?” At Vidya’s gasp, he decided to encourage her.
“If you’ve always wanted a University education, there should be a way for you to get it. I would say I’m rather surprised the duke didn’t assign someone to escort you to do so, but it’s fairly obvious that even by then everyone in the entire ducal household needed your help and recognized your talents. I’m willing to bet they all conspired to keep you selfishly to themselves,” he rambled, fitting eggs and meats onto his toast for a breakfast sandwich.
Theo and Vidya began speaking about degree programs and the online courses she had taken for the past five years. Kimaya’s two introductory courses were both intermediate-level courses; she had tested out of six general requirements courses total and had taken four online courses with Vidya. They were, however, science courses with labs that couldn’t be taken online, nor were they courses Vidya was interested in.
Theo suggested having another guide to take Vidya to classes; she expressed interest, but neither lady could think of anyone in the ducal household who would be willing or able to do it.
By the time the foursome looked in on the Academy students, they were considering whether the Ruyas should apply to the Imperial University, at least for the fall semester. Matthieu was arguing that Sentinels could escort Vidya to classes, while Theo was arguing that Sentinels by law had to be prepared for immediate action and wouldn’t be fully attentive to the surroundings if Vidya had to hold one’s arm for guidance. They entered the Clan’s workshop in the middle of the discussion, and soon the Clan was helping them figure out how that could be accomplished.
“What’s with all these rocks?” Matthieu asked, looking around.
“These are raw, uncut, unpolished precious stones,” Domenic said. “Part of Roberta’s presentation yesterday was over investments. Uncle Josef had been collecting these for years, picking out the best ones for experimental purposes.
“We are going to learn about them, faceting and polishing them, and how to estimate their value when we’re done. We might even get a jeweler to teach us how to make settings.”
“Yes, but we need to have these sorted by the time the lapidary gets here this afternoon,” Bernard said. “You each have charts uploaded onto your palm pads, so let’s get to it.”
Grace immediately loaded a chart on Kimaya’s palm pad, since she was fascinated with the proceedings. “Mother studied materials science and had almost earned her doctorate before she decided to dedicate herself exclusively to the stargate program,” Grace explained, making an instant friend of Kimaya by drawing up an extra seat for her and tantalizing her with science.
As Theo wandered around to watch and learn from the youngsters, Matthieu and Vidya settled in seats at the end of the room to speak to Bernard and Rowena in-depth about the Imperial Protocol Academy.
“What a brilliant idea,” Vidya raved. “I can’t remember when I first heard about the Imperial Protocol Academy, but I remember wondering what it would be like. The amount of information you’ve covered is absolutely unbelievable. What an amazing education!”
“Well, it was all Matthieu’s idea,” Rowena said. “He started asking for summer seminars when he was twelve or so and set up the official Academy guidelines almost two years ago. It’s been an absolute honor to be involved.
“But the truth is that the sheer number of subjects are for two reasons. First, we’re trying to show them the variety of disciplines that contribute to their current lifestyle, for who knows what’ll draw their attention and influence their choice of career in the future? And second, how do you keep seventeen highly-guarded teens and pre-teens busy all summer long?” They all laughed heartily.
Kimaya and Grace came up to the adults. “We have an idea,” Kimaya said. “What if Grace were to come live in Ruya House as Vidya’s lady-in-waiting this summer? She could escort Vidya to any classes she would like to take, learn how to help her with her duties so she can understand household management, and she and her Sentinels can keep an eye out for anyone who tries to hassle her when they go about in public.”
Bernard and Rowena were astonished, but Matthieu stood to clap Grace on the shoulder. “I love it. I know you’ve tried to capture everyone’s attention with your curriculum, Bernard, but Grace is so intelligent, she’s probably bored with trying to pretend she’s at the same level as everyone else.
“This would get her in a new environment learning new things with new people, and since I’ll be nearby at my new assignment, we could be available to each other if we need help passing messages to the family or suchlike.” Grace caught his knowing grin and returned it.
“And it would be a blessing for me to know my lady is being cared for by an eminently trustworthy lady who could defend them both if necessary.” Rowena’s composure was close to cracking as Grace cackled over that.
He turned to Vidya. “Would you like that?”
Her face lit in a precious smile. “If Kimaya says Grace could take her place, then yes, I would love it.”
“Nevertheless, let’s get everyone’s permissions, first. Grandmother and Grandfather, Duke and Duchess Ruya, and Aunt Anne and Andrés,” Matthieu decided. “Let’s get this started.” Thanking Bernard and Rowena Bradley, he took Vidya’s arm and began instructing Grace in how to guide her as they left the room.
Grandmother gave her permission with a splendid smile; Grandfather could only spend five minutes with them between meetings, but he gave his approval, noting the enthusiasm of all three ladies and the pleading look from Matthieu.
“Why don’t we go over to the Stargate Compound to ask my parents in person? Father will likely be in his studio, and Mother wouldn’t mind an interruption, since it’s somewhat close to lunchtime.” Grace did have her Sentinels forewarn the Stargate Compound of their arrival.
The air car was full, with Matthieu’s two Sentinels flying and Grace’s Sentinels sitting with them in the back. Grace told the ladies about his ‘quantum landing’ almost two years ago, which impressed Kimaya immensely when she asked what constituted the quanta.
“One one-hundredth of a standard gravity.” Grace grinned at Matthieu. “I suppose it’s essential to land so delicately upon ships moving in orbit.”
“Yes, but I haven’t been flying much lately. My skills are getting rusty. Perhaps I should fly us back to the Imperial Palace.”
Grace first took them to Andrés Encino’s studio, where he greeted the Ruyas with great enthusiasm. “Would either of you be interested in a gown or two? I have some lovely designs. Five minutes in a scanner, and I could have some ready for you in 26 hours.”
Kimaya and Vidya were flattered. “It would be an honor to wear one of your gowns, Lord Andrés, but I was in an accident seven years ago that left me with considerable scarring. Kimaya always selects my gowns or veils to cover them. They range along my spine, across the back of one shoulder, and down one side.”
Andrés soothed her. “I understand, dear Vidya, for my own lovely wife still prefers to cover the grafts from burns she received in the Crandon Stargate Fleet space battle several years ago.” He kissed her hand. “I will take good care to pick appropriate designs, or even create a new one for you. What events do you plan to attend in the future?”
“The opera tomorrow night, and the state dinner with adjudicators Saturday,” Matthieu said. “Although we do plan to go to a club after the dinner so Vidya and Kimaya can meet a group of my friends, if you have a dress design that would be seemly for both.
“Be sure to include at least a hidden pocket for her palm pad and accessories. Oh, and I’m certain she would like an elegant gown for the upcoming Midsummer Birthday Bash. You will come to the Birthday Bash with me, won’t you, Vidya?”
She held her breath for a moment. “Of course I will. It’ll be on a Tuesday, no?” Andrés took her hand and led her to a separate room, asking her about her favorite fabrics.
“Your father is adorable,” Kimaya said. “What a lovely man.”
“Yes. He’s generous in every way,” Grace replied. “We won’t have any problems getting his approval. It’s Mother I worry about.”
“Why’s that?” Kimaya asked.
Grace looked her straight in the eye. “Remember that battle Father mentioned? Mother was responsible for killing three ships full of men with the Service’s secret weapon from the science vessel. She knew the necessity, but she greatly values life.
“Since I was responsible for killing a man near the end of March, she’s been very leery of me even residing at the Imperial Palace, as if I were mad or something. We don’t speak very much now because I’m tired of her tedious lectures, as if I were lying when I said I didn’t know my own strength, or that Matthieu’s talk with me about using violence for dangerous situations instead of merely offensive ones wasn’t quite enough instruction in the matter.”
“I see.” Kimaya looked her over. “You seem quite stable to me.”
“I am. I have psychiatric notes to prove it.” Grace gave her a lopsided smile. “They wouldn’t accept me back into school without them. Plus, with my training and Sentinels, it would be unlikely that anyone would harass us for any reason.”
“Well, Ruya House is filled with wonderful, loving people. The duke doesn’t allow harassment of any kind. It would only be if you escorted her out to some venue beyond the college, though I don’t know where she would go. She never asks to leave Ruya House.” Kimaya frowned as if she had just come to that realization.
“I would be more than happy to take her anywhere she would like to go,” Grace assured her. “I’ve rarely had the opportunity to, say, go shopping. We’re so self-sufficient here. And if Matthieu goes out with us, perhaps there are some gentlemen in Ruya House who would escort me?”
“Undoubtedly. But you aren’t sixteen, yet.”
“I’m not saying I plan to sleep with one.” Grace rolled her eyes and they laughed together.
Andrés returned with Vidya, asking Kimaya if she too would like a scan. Kimaya accepted and proceeded to tell him of their intent to have Grace come live with them for the summer.
Vidya clung to Matthieu’s hand. “He already told me it was fine on his behalf. We’re meeting your mother in twenty minutes, no?” she asked Grace as her other hand felt her palm pad in her vest pocket.
“Yes. Can you show me your palm pad? I’d like to see the adaptations.”
Grace was touching the palm pad’s screen while Vidya told her how to interpret the sensations she could feel in the photo she had drawn up, when Aunt Anne came into the room. Matthieu immediately told her why they had come by; Anne blanched a bit, but Matthieu said, “We can talk about it over lunch. I’m sure there will be no problems.
“Kimaya and Vidya will be an excellent influence on her, and she will love attending college two years early. And my next assignment is in Ruya Duchy; I’ll only be fifteen minutes away by air car.” Anne gave one short nod in acknowledgement.
Once everyone was together for lunch, Anne began grilling the Ruya sisters about what Grace’s daily schedule would be like. Although her questions were rather demanding at first, the joyful ease at which they answered her settled Matthieu’s aunt’s nerves considerably, especially since Grace asked questions of the sisters with a rarely-seen lightheartedness, eager to know all about the expected routines.
A Sentinel entered when they were having dessert. “Your Highness, Prince Josef asked if he could have a private consultation with you, since you are here,” he directed to Matthieu.
“Certainly. I should be along in ten minutes.” Matthieu turned to Anne. “Perhaps Grace can show the ladies some of your sculptures in the courtyard and the damascening in the ballroom?” They agreed to that, so he left them at the end of the meal and headed to Uncle Josef’s West Wing.
Josef and Stefan were in a small computer laboratory, going over the schematics of the SDC-19 on a huge video screen, but they greeted Matthieu with brief hugs. “We want you to know that we went over every bit of data from the grav-engines, and we’re sure we’ve figured out what the problems were.
“Still, would you be willing to give us any impressions about the performance of the ship that you noticed, or that gave you cause for concern? Evan is at our orbital platform now, going over every system one last time before we issue the new prototype to the Service, so now is the time to address problems.” Stefan immediately pulled up a notepad in the corner of the viewscreen.
“Well, I don’t know how much my impressions will help, since that was the only ship I had ever spent so much time upon.” Matthieu spoke about such things as the inadequate feel of the sonic shower-sprays, an odd hum he could hear behind the head of his bunk at night that he couldn’t pinpoint to any particular system, a vibration that could be felt in the corridor between cabins through his feet that wasn’t felt anywhere else, and a few other minor details. “I don’t know if any of those impressions matter.”
Stefan finished typing a note. “Nevertheless, we’ll look into them. Do you plan to take pilot duty again?”
“Not really. I’ve got my next year planned, and otherwise think I learned what I could from the assignment. Plus, I have a smoking hot lady I’m dating.”
They had a long chat about the Ruyas and Grace’s new assignment as Vidya’s lady-in-waiting before Uncle Stefan offered to walk him to the courtyard to look for the ladies. “Matthieu, sometimes I don’t know if I should say things I feel about people,” Stefan said obliquely.
Eyebrows climbing, Matthieu said, “Well, I will hold your words in absolute confidence, if that’s what you wish.”
“I’m sure you would.” Stefan stopped them between rooms, several meters from one door to the courtyard, and quite possibly as distant from any video feed as could be had in the open hall.
“I want you to watch out for Grace,” he whispered. “I know this sounds foolish, but I think she’s in love with you. To have her so close to your lady worries me.”
Matthieu was pierced to his soul. A thousand memories, both blatant and subtle, clamored for his attention. Grace’s declarations to him while they allegedly spoke of merengue birds, I swear I did it for you and Everything I do is for you, although she had qualified it with for the security of the Empire. Her fascination with Miriel. Setting Fidel up to kill Elliot Michelson. Her speculation that Fidel’s confession was what caused Miriel to go off the deep end.
He returned from thoughts too complex to analyze for the moment to see Stefan’s intently curious look. “What behavior have you seen to support that assertion?”
Stefan snorted. “Well-phrased question, as usual.” Shaking his head a bit, he admitted, “Mostly subconscious impressions that finally started to coalesce in my mind. How she raved about your first three classes at the Academy. Her joy that you used her girlish carry-case, and her chagrin that you were teased about it. The way her eyes always follow you. The fact that she started showing little interest in the Academy once you started dating Miriel. The fact that you inspire her like no one else.
“Anne said that the psychiatrist said your visit to bring her the flageolet was instrumental in turning Grace’s behavior completely around, cooperating with her therapy instead of giving everyone the silent treatment.” He shrugged. “I know the Clan is dedicated to you, heart, mind, and soul, but since she usually stands back to watch everyone else, it just seems… indicative.”
Matthieu nodded. “I’ll keep it in mind. Thank you for telling me.”
They went to the courtyard, found Vidya and Kimaya entranced inside one of the wind-resonance sculptures as Grace described the principles of harmonics and fluid dynamics, escorted them to the ballroom to let Vidya feel the etched and damascened panels representing every duchy, took them to the one for Ruya Duchy as they all helped Kimaya describe the symbols and products etched higher than Vidya could reach, and departed for the Imperial Palace. Grace behaved impeccably throughout.
◊ ◊ ◊
Matthieu and Vidya spent the entire night after dinner in his suite, most of it on the bed. After their first session of lovemaking, he had her roll over to anoint her back and scars with oils once more.
“I know we’ve planned this summer out as if we had already come to an understanding, but the truth is I never did ask you how comfortable you were with Renee and Grandmother yesterday afternoon. Did they review many of their duties with you?”
“Oh, yes. Renee even gave me a list.” Face mostly buried in a pillow, Vidya’s voice sounded smeary.
“A list?”
“Yes. The ‘apprentice Empress’ list. I’m sure I would need help for a few of the tasks, and I would certainly need to broaden my concerns to encompass four planets, but the regular management sounds fairly straightforward. I would have to think in terms of supervising two thousand people instead of just short of a hundred, but that’s what chamberlains and stewards are for.”
“And watchmen,” Matthieu reminded her.
“And Sentinels,” Vidya added. “Though that wouldn’t be too much of a hardship; I already live my life as if everyone can see everything I do and hear everything I say.”
“Good.” He was going to ask a question, but Vidya distracted him.
“That interview you did. I thought about those attributes you mentioned for a long time. Truth, trust, responsibility, and a love for our people. I’m truthful, I have to trust so many because of my disability, I’m responsible, and I do love people. I was ready to send my resume in at that moment, but the final attribute you mentioned was vision.”
She rolled over. “Although you explained what you meant by vision, just the word made me think how important sight is. We all take it for granted unless it’s taken from us. So I’ve spent this past month trying to visualize the Empire in my mind, just to understand.”
She felt along his arm to take his hand. “I think I can do that. I’m sure I can, especially since I wouldn’t have to learn to do it all at once. So I went back to the actual sense of vision. What are some of the things I would be unable to do?”
“Well, wander around alone, I suppose.”
“Yes, I get the feeling this place is huge, just from the echoes in the Western Courtyard, and the length of the walk from there to this suite. Still, I would be able to get around with my cane for the most common routes, and otherwise there are Sentinels everywhere. So, what else would I be unable to do?”
“The only thing that springs to mind is you’d be unable to judge people by their attire, which is a good thing to my mind. I know I’ve done so on occasions that now I wish I hadn’t. Mostly with ladies,” he admitted.
Vidya snorted. “Yes. You can tell so much by the sound of a person’s voice, though, too. Or even their movements. For example, I know you adore her, but how much do you really trust Grace?”
Matthieu’s heart froze. Setting aside the oils, he reclined beside her. “Well, I trust her a lot. More than I do most of the Clan, for she’s brilliant. Why? Did she say something unexpected to you?”
“Not so much that, but she’ll say things at times and hold her breath. It makes me feel like she’s checking my reaction to her statement.
“Frankly, people only tend to do that if they’re trying to see if you believe their lies, but everything she says seems truthful. I really don’t know what to make of it.” Vidya rolled into his arms. “Is there something I should know?”
“Just that she’s as intelligent as you, if not more so. Her mother is acknowledged the most intelligent person on the planet, and even she can’t figure Grace out sometimes,” he replied.
“I never noticed that about a person’s breathing before. I can remember times when she’s done that, now, because she also tends to give me a certain look. In truth, it’s usually because she’ll say something that may mean several things at once, the actual statement and then the levels of assumptions behind the statement, or some kind of clue she’s trying to give me. She’s very subtle in that way.
“When she does that, I would say, try to extrapolate as many meanings as possible from what she’s said. She could be warning you about a situation, for example.”
“Ah, okay. That makes sense.” Vidya snuggled in.
“I do have a rather important question for you. I think it’s one of the reasons why Miriel felt so inadequate to the task,” he warned. “Have you met many duchesses before?”
“Fifteen, I think. Why?”
Matthieu kissed her hand. “I’m certain Duchess Ruya only invited the most honorable ones to her House. There are quite a number of them who are scheming, backbiting, snide, presumptuous women, barely fit to be called ladies. I’m not sure you’ve had much of an opportunity to deal with people like them, but they turned Miriel’s stomach.
“Yet Renee deals with them with exquisite finesse, as does Grandmother, although Grandmother can get away with speaking her mind. Since the duchesses tend to be the skeleton of the Empire, holding up the men as the muscles, the movers, I don’t know what you would have to do to deal with them honorably, or even some of the dukes and heirs.”
Vidya was silent for a long time. “Yes. I can see how that would be a real problem.” She sighed. “I’ve only had to deal with the beautiful souls of the people of Ruya House for so long, but I remember the spitefulness of some people at school. I always wondered why my last two years of high school were so different.
“Was it because they would be ostracized if they harassed me? Did my disability somehow discount me in their minds, as if I were no longer competition?” She fell silent again.
“There is one more thing I think you should think about.” Since Vidya listened to such things as breathing, he took a deep breath and released it before continuing, to subtly warn her of the serious subject.
“Miriel grew up in Makov Duchy and lived for three years in Makov Manse here in the capital. The duke and his family have always been very secretive and paranoid, as you can well imagine. Miriel was raised in a tense political environment, and as such, she had to learn extreme discretion. You are such an open person that I don’t know if you know what I mean by that.”
“I’m very discreet.” She seemed slightly offended. “Have you heard me gossip about anyone?”
“No, that’s not what I mean. Let’s say that you go home this Sunday, and someone asks just exactly how romantic you got with me. What would you say to them?” He waited patiently.
“I see. Even one little word might make them take off on some ridiculous tangent of assumptions, just like the gossipmongers who wrote those dreadful things about your first date with Kimaya.”
Vidya thought about it some more. “Even if they asked me what the Imperial Palace was like, even though they would know I couldn’t give visual descriptions of everything here, if I even mention, for example, petting the rabbits, they would want to interrogate me about them to determine whether there might be some kind of hole in Imperial security they could exploit, true?”
“Precisely.” Matthieu kissed her. “I told an officer once that the people who gossip about the Imperial Family don’t know us or even work for us. You’ll have to watch your every word to see if people could extrapolate unintended meanings from it. Just like Grace does.”
He began stroking her hair. “Although we’ve put this about as a form of training for Grace, and she will undoubtedly learn more than you actually teach her, I would say, listen to her carefully, for she will teach you how to speak precisely, the way Grandmother does. She may be eight years younger than you, but her education in the Imperial Protocol Academy has honed her mentality into a perfect role model of Imperial discretion and perspective. After three months with her, you’ll have a good idea whether you want to live this way or not.”
With a final kiss, he reminded her, “And even if you don’t think you could handle being Empress, I’m certain we could find you a position in the Imperial household, if that’s what you wish. I adore you and I admire you immensely. I would have you find what makes you happy.”
Vidya’s hands began to wander. “Well, this makes me pretty happy. Ah, I see you like that thought,” she giggled. As Matthieu returned the favor, she gasped. “Let’s get happy together, shall we?”
“At your command, my sweet Vidya.”
◊ ◊ ◊
Matthieu took Vidya to Grandmother’s apartment for the entire day on Friday as he shadowed Grandfather. She was peaceful yet quiet during dinner and enjoyed the opera immensely. She was as loving as ever in bed that night, yet she didn’t have much to say.
Grace escorted Vidya as they shadowed Renee all day Saturday. Since there was a state dinner and a salon, Renee had a number of duties. The dinner went very well, and meeting his friends and several ladies at the club that night obviously made Vidya very happy.
On Sunday, Matthieu took her to walk through Grandfather’s formal gardens, and they ended up with Grandfather, Grandmother, Father, Renee, Phillip, Annette, and this time Brian and Denise in Grandfather’s Lotus Gazebo. Although the questioning wasn’t as severe as they had done with Miriel, Vidya could obviously tell she was being interviewed.
The ladies eventually settled themselves in a group, and Matthieu asked Brian if he would like to take a short walk, for Grandfather’s gardens were devoid of audio devices, though Sentinels still had video feeds.
“What’s on your mind?” Brian asked when they reached Grandfather’s secluded urn garden near the cliff, sporting arrays of everything from the large potted orange trees Grandmother was so famous for, to small pots of herbs and strawberries.
“I would like to speak hypothetically, if I may,” Matthieu said rather formally. “Imagine, if you would, an Imperial Family member who knew how to keep important secrets. Imagine if that person knew how to do amazing things on the computer.”
Brian snorted. “Grace told you about Fidel, did she?” Matthieu gaped. “Don’t worry, I watch what she does.
“Denise saw someone was using her account, but only to check up on which family members she was tracking. It had to be her, so I started tracking her myself last year, and she’s very good. Denise wants to teach her more, but I don’t think we can afford to let anyone know anything yet.
“We know what happened, and I spent a day tracking her research on Henry Lynx, though I can’t believe we haven’t found Elliot Michelson’s body yet. How Fidel escaped becoming a Sentinel I’ll never know. He probably faked out on some of his tests so we wouldn’t recruit him.”
“Ah, well, then, since I don’t have anything to say except I promised that person I would never speak of what I know, I guess this little conversation is over.” Matthieu smiled with relief. “Can I ask, though, does Grandfather know?”
Brian eyed him. “I’m not certain whether I should tell you that.”
“Okay, thanks. Shall we head back?” They meandered back to the Lotus Gazebo.
That evening, Matthieu escorted the Ruyas and Grace to the Sentinel Air Field. He gave Vidya a warm hug and kiss.
“I should be settled in the Biodefense Lab’s singles housing unit by Wednesday evening. I’ll message you first, but expect me to fly in to the duke’s air pad sometime Friday. I will let you arrange the weekend as you please.”
“I’m so excited! Grace already has me scheduled for two classes tomorrow, although they are summer classes, much longer and more intensive than a regular semester’s class.”
Vidya’s glorious smile made Matthieu’s heart rise in anticipation. With another kiss, he saw her into the car beside Kimaya.
Giving Grace a hug, he whispered, “Please take good care of my lady.”
“I will. If you get any messages from Sergeant José Rivera, they’re important,” she whispered back.
“Oh? Who’s that?”
“A retired Serviceman who lives in Baumgarten Run.” She grinned. “He just retired last year, and his Service account was miraculously never closed.”
Matthieu laughed. “I think you’re going to end up the power behind the throne someday.” He kissed her blushing cheek and saw her into the car, closing the door behind her.