Conclusions-ClaudioAndPavloThe night after Helena and Pavlo parted, a note was delivered to House Barimen, addressed to Claudio. As it happened, the demon who brought it found the youngest son of the House in one of the more secluded corners of the family Ways, in private conversation with his elder brother Pavlo. It had been evident to Claudio all through dinner that Pavlo's mood was somber. He tried to cover it up with animated conversation, but though the act might fool Count Barimen and their eldest brother Enriko, Claudio could tell that neither their mother nor their sisters were deceived. When the Countess, Madalin and Jonmari withdrew after dinner, Claudio figured he'd better get Pavlo alone before it was time for the gentlemen to rejoin the ladies. Otherwise he could foresee an entirely well-meant inquisition starting up that would drive Pavlo mad. It was simple enough to get Pavlo to himself. All he had to do was start up a highly technical discussion of Sword Dancing, of which he and Pavlo were devotees. The senior Barimens' interest in the sport being tepid at best, Alfonso and Enriko soon excused themselves on some pretext, leaving the younger men free to abscond from the dining room as well. Not long after that, the brothers were sharing a glass of wine in a seven-sided bay window, hung with dark green velvet curtains, that looked out on a wind-tossed forest, and Pavlo had recounted the abrupt ending of his affair with Helena. Claudio listened with sympathetic attention, then asked, "Are you going to do anything?" Pavlo sighed. "No. Helena asked me not to. If there was trouble between the Houses, she'd be caught in the middle, and..." He turned a hand palm up. Claudio nodded and said, "Probably wise. Do you want me to--?" At that moment a house demon arrived with the note on an antique silver tray. Claudio looked up in surprise, but took the folded parchment without comment and broke the seal. The note read, "The Lady Fiona regrets that circumstances prevent her continuing with M. Claudio Barimen's lessons at this time." It was written in the neat and precise hand of an anonymous demon and signed with a familiar F. For a moment Claudio could only stare uncomprehendingly at the crisp words, feeling he'd missed a step going down a staircase and now found himself falling into a bottomless pit. At Pavlo's sharp "What?" he looked up and mutely extended the parchment, in lieu of an explanation he could not voice. Pavlo read the note and cursed. "It's bad enough for Torren Ishtar to tear Helena and me apart. There's no reason to strike at you, too, Claudio. I call that a calculated insult to our House. I ought to--" "Don't be silly, Pavlo," Claudio retorted, his brother's anger breaking through his numb sense of shock with an apprehension of danger. "If this was only about you and Helena, it would begin and end with you and Helena. I'm beginning to think there's something else behind this, only I don't know what it is." "What do you mean?" asked Pavlo. "I'm not sure what I mean. All I know is that nothing to do with the Lady Fiona is ever as straightforward as it looks," said Claudio. He looked back up at Pavlo. "Or even half as harmless. If I've learned anything in a year of lessons, I've learned that." His voice lowered and unconsciously he echoed Helena as he said, "Let it go, Pavlo, please." Pavlo let out a long breath. "All right. All right. It's the same as Helena said, isn't it? It would only hurt, not help..." Claudio nodded and said softly, "As it is, you have the memories. And I have the knowledge, to use... judiciously." And the Trumps, the thought came to his mind, as he took a sip from his glass and looked out on the dark, tossing trees. Those, too, he would keep, and use judiciously. |
