Red Dog Conspiracy Sets

Chapter 13

The Boy

A far off door opened, and footsteps came down the hall.

Tony looked over his shoulder at the doorway; there stood Gardena and the little boy I’d seen months ago on Market Center.

Gardena said, “Say hello to your daddy.”

Gardena had Jonathan’s dark skin and eyes; as Jonathan came to stand behind his sister, their eyes were both rimmed in red.

Roland Anthony Spadros, a boy of four, held wildflowers, and peered at Tony, hesitant. Then he looked to his mother.

Tony appeared completely astonished. He didn’t rise; he turned round to face the boy, his voice full of emotion. “What a fine boy you are! Oh, my dear, dear son,” he said, “come to me.”

The boy ran to him, black ringlet curls bouncing. The happiness in Roland’s face as he hugged his father for the first time made everything worth it.

Tony said, “Are those flowers for me?”

Roland said quite seriously, “No, sir.” He presented them instead to me. “I’m sorry you’re not feeling well.”

I smiled at him, taking the flowers. “I’m feeling much better. Your uncle Jon has taken very good care of me.”

“Mama said you’re my Mama too.” He seemed confused.

“You may call me Jacqui.”

At that, he made the most adorable little bow. “Thank you, Miss Jacqui.” He ran back to Gardena, hiding his face in her skirts.

She knelt before him. “Would you like to go outside with your Daddy and Uncle Jon? I hear there are animals, like at home.”

His face made an “oh” as he jumped up and down in delight.

“Take hold of Uncle Jon’s hand, please,” she said, rising.

Roland grabbed Jon’s hand; Jon smiled back at me as he let himself be dragged away.

Tony went to Gardena. “Thank you.” Then he went round the corner and was gone.

Gardena stood in the doorway staring blankly for a moment, then wiped her eyes. “Oh, Jacqui, what have you done?”

“Come sit with me, Dena.”

She pulled a chair close and sat, not looking at me. “I’m so sorry. For everything. Most of all, how you learned of it.”

I let out a sigh, feeling discouraged. “You were afraid. He was afraid.” I couldn’t say what I most wanted to, that I tried to disappear so that they could be a family. “I don’t blame you any longer. I’m just glad my husband can see his son.”

Gardena gave a small smile as she gazed at my bed-sheets. “It was Jon’s doing. He told my father everything. Gods, Jacqui, I never knew what it’s been like for you all this time.”

This surprised me. “Jon never told you?”

“Not a word.”

“I told my husband the truth. But I don’t know what I should have done anymore.”

Gardena snorted. “Anthony was furious at first, because Jon knew everything yet never told him. Yet Jon’s only wish has been to offer support to you both.”

“Remember when you acted so silly in my garden? You said we’d have a sleep-over, do each other’s hair, tell each other’s secrets.” I regretted not taking her seriously. “Were you trying to tell me of Roland, even then?”

Gardena shrugged, head down.

She hadn’t yet once looked at me. “Dena, what’s wrong?”

Her eyes reddened. “I’ve done you such a great injustice. I was a stupid frightened girl trying to be a woman, whilst knowing nothing about what that meant. And I knew what I did was wrong.” She glanced at me, then away. “I knew Anthony wasn’t yet of age. I knew he’d never been with a woman. I knew you two were betrothed. I knew I exposed him to terrible danger, from both his father and mine.” She shook her head, her voice breaking. “Yet I did it anyway, for my own selfish gain.”

I shrugged. He was seventeen, old enough to refuse. She was only nineteen, and we’d never met. “And now you have a son.”

She smiled fondly at my bed-covers. “Yes. He’s the joy of my life.” Her smile faded. “But I’ve given him no future.” She let out a sigh. “At best, he’s a Spadros bastard in Diamond quadrant. At worst, he’s the son,” she said bitterly, “of a w***e —”

“Dena —”

“— who should by rights be in the Pot. What kind of life can he ever have?”

“Gardena, look at me.”

She turned red eyes to mine.

“You are not a whore.” I smiled, remembering the brash young women I admired so as a child. “Back home, that would be a mark of honor.”

Gardena’s eyes widened, horrified. “Really?”

I chuckled. “Really. And you have many options open to you.” I recalled the things Mrs. Clubb thought I was jealous of Gardena for. “You’re young, beautiful —”

Gardena blushed.

“— able to bear sons, healthy, and from a good Family. Why should you not marry who you choose?”

I wanted her to choose Tony. But I couldn’t say that. Not if I wanted to keep my bargain with the Clubbs. At this point, I needed every break I could get if I were to escape the gallows.

“No one will have me. My father has worked tirelessly on my behalf for years. Every man he approaches balks at the thought of marrying a ‘spoilt woman,’ taking on the care and responsibility of another man’s child. Everyone except Lance … and I … Jacqui, after what you said to me back at our luncheon —”

“Your son is an heir to Spadros and Diamond. All Lance needs to do is make Roland love him, and the Clubbs have three quadrants. The Harts could do nothing.”

“— I just don’t know.”

“My husband loves you desperately. I intended —”

“No, Jacqui! No! This is horrible! How could I bear it, knowing you tried to die so I might have your husband? It’s not worth it.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Her head drooped. Tears ran down her cheeks, dropped to the bed. “Then what did you mean?”

“You know what happened. I left him.”

“You left him … so he could marry me? That makes no sense!”

“I — I loved someone else.”

“Oh. Jon never told me that.”

that“But …” Grief came crushing down upon me. But I would not cry, not now. “Things don’t always work out the way you expect.”

She sat silent for several seconds. “I’m sorry.”

We sat there as the birds chirped outside, deep sadness filling my heart at the sound. My poor little bird.

“Jacqui, what should I do about Lance?”

I felt numb. “What do you want to do about Lance?”

want“I don’t know. If his parents are scheming to take Roland from me, if Lance only wants me for my son’s claim on Spadros Manor, then I won’t have anything to do with him.”

She left the unsaid dangling. But if he truly loves me …

But if he truly loves me …Lance might truly love her. I didn’t know. Gardena was almost 25, a spinster with a bastard son. Any moment, her situation might be revealed, putting them both in terrible danger. This could be her last chance at marriage and a secure future.

But if she married Lance, Tony might never see his son again. Little Roland, the potential heir to Spadros, Diamond, and Clubb, could become a pawn in some future Family struggle. Or be in danger from someone in the Clubb syndicate’s succession. Or even from Lance’s own men.

andWhy had Joe abandoned me? Tony and Gardena might be together now, naturally drawn closer in their search for me. There had to be some reason, something where this made sense.

I’d placed every hope in Joseph Kerr, and he’d failed me.

“Jacqui, what’s wrong?”

I shook my head, despondent. “All I ever wanted … I just want to make sure Roland is in my husband’s life! It gives him such pain to parted from his child.” And from you, I wanted to say. But I couldn’t say that. “I only fear that …”

And from you,“That Lance may not honor him as Roland’s true-born father.”

I nodded, unable to speak.

Gardena nodded slowly. “Then I will insist on it.”

But once married, would Lance have any reason to honor that?

“Roland keeps asking for Lance, Jacqui. Asking why we can’t visit. I don’t know what to tell him.”

I felt afraid for Tony. And for little Roland. “It’s your choice, Dena. Only you can trust whether he’ll remain true to his word.”

Gardena left, returning twenty minutes later to say goodbye.

Tony never returned. I lay listening to doors open and shut, to murmured conversation, the sounds of a carriage. Two carriages.

Then Jonathan appeared in the doorway.

“You have hay on your knee,” I said.

Jon chuckled, brushing off his trousers. “I hope you’re well?”

I considered the matter. “I am.” Emotion swelled at the memory of Roland’s little face. “I’m glad Tony got to see him.”

Jon nodded rapidly, lips pursed, not looking at me.

“Is something wrong? Come sit with me.”

Jonathan sat where Gardena had, eyes downcast. He took a deep breath. “I have to believe all will be well in that regard.”

“Why did you bring them here? I fear Roy may learn of it.”

Jon snorted, a small smile on his face. “He already knows.”

“How did he find out? I never told anyone, I swear —”

Jon took my hand. “Tony told Roy himself.”

“What? Why?”

“Tony told me he needed to start behaving like a man.”

This took me aback. “Really.”

Jon nodded, eyes unfocused. “Tony went to Roy and confessed it all.” Jon turned to me in disbelief. “He said Roy embraced him, wept at the news. Roy said he was proud of him.”

I never expected this. “This is incredible.” We sat in stunned silence. “Does Tony not fear for his son’s life?”

“He does. But he feared it’d be much worse should the news emerge some other way.” Jon peered at his hands. “Yet this is far from over. What Tony did infuriated my father.”

“Oh? Why?”

“Tony never asked leave to speak of it! If Roy had reacted with anger, tried to seize Roland, harm my sister —” Jon shook his head. “Our border guards were unprepared. Tony should’ve included us in the decision. Or at least given us notice.”

“What will your father do?”

“What can he do?” Jon sat silent a moment, then chuckled. “If I hadn’t pointed out that keeping the Spadros heir from his son could cause the very war he feared, we might not be having this discussion.”

That eased my mind on another matter. Would Lance Clubb risk war to keep Tony from Roland? Unlikely. But the thought of Roland growing up with Mrs. Clubb gave me pause. For years, the boy had lived apart from his father. She could speak any sort of lie in his ear, turning his fragile love for Tony into disdain. I gripped Jon’s hand. “Don’t let Roland become a Clubb discard.”

Jon nodded slowly, face thoughtful. “We’ve had many such discussions, before my father ever agreed to the courtship.”

“But these discussions must include Roland’s father! If the Clubbs know harming Roland turns half the city against them —”

Jon placed his hand on mine. “Tony has no firmer advocate in Diamond Manor.” Then he chuckled. “I’m sure my father rues the day he had me of all his sons appointed Keeper of the Court.” He gave me a wry grin. “You learn much listening to these trials.”

meI felt relieved. “What’s it like? Being Keeper of the Court.”

He shrugged. “Much paperwork and boredom. A few exciting moments when the lawyers spar with each other. Much of it is sad.” He straightened, let out a breath. “But it’s a noble office, one few younger sons of great houses get opportunity for. It suits me.”

“I’m glad it does. Who acts in your place now?”

Jon grinned. “I’m sure my father coerced someone into duty.”

“You don’t know?”

“I don’t even care. I told him I wouldn’t leave here until you were well, end of story.”

“My word,” I said. “I’m surprised you defied him so.”

“It’s of no consequence,” said Jon. “Until you’re well, the rest of Bridges can go hang.”