Chapter 5
The Code of the Lancasters
The Cheshire Club
Mayfair District, Drake’s Landing
Albion Prime
In the basement of the Cheshire Club was a small but beautifully furnished private bar. The bar itself and the floors were polished wood, the liquor selection was outstanding, and the place was kept as clean as a hospital. Members would gather down there not just to drink, but to smoke cigars, listen to music, and socialize. There were two billiards tables, a dartboard, and quiz games every week. There was even an ongoing poker tournament which Eddy had already been knocked out of.
That night, though, Eddy wasn’t there for games, he was there to drink. It was still early and only a few other Cheshires were present at the moment. He sat down at the far end of the bar and signaled the bartender.
“What’ll it be, sir?” the bartender, Kim, asked. He was a short, lean man, with Asiatic features and a Van Dyke goatee. Befitting the Cheshire Club, he was dressed properly, sporting a bow tie, a black waistcoat, and a white apron. His head was as bare as a billiards ball, but he always wore a bowler derby. A gold Domestic Servants Guild pin was affixed to his left lapel.
“Vodka martini, neat,” Eddy said. “Strong, if you please.”
“Of course, sir,” Kim said, and began preparing the drink. It would have been less expensive and more efficient to have a robotic liquor dispensary installed, but efficiency wasn’t how the Cheshires did things. The sterile, automated contrivances of the modern world were kept to a bare minimum. The most sophisticated appliances in the whole building were the self-cleaning toilets. Kim set the drink down in front of Eddy. “Here you are.”
“Thank you,” Eddy said, quietly. He raised the glass to Kim. “Cheers.” He took a small sip. The drink was quite stiff, just as he’d hoped. He sat alone to nurse his martini and brood. This is a fine mess, he thought. Barely three days had passed since Uncle Jack had made his proposal to Eddy and his sister, and Effie had already gone and put in her notice at the University. She’s probably packing up her things right now.
Then there was the matter of Stephanie Stanley-Stark. Despite his original misgivings, Eddy very much wanted to see her again. In fact, she’d called the day before and suggested that he take her out to a nice dinner some evening! Just the two of them this time, without Mason acting as a chaperone. How was he going to tell her that he might be leaving for so long? How would she take it? Would she even believe him, or would she think it was a ridiculous lie? Eddy finished his martini and asked Kim for another.
Eddy was halfway through his second martini and deep into his ruminations when someone slapped him on the shoulder. Startled, he looked up to see Nigel Deering, Jason Darby, and Winston Fullbrook grinning at him. He’d been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t heard his friends come in. They sat down on either side of him and ordered drinks of their own.
“What’s gotten into you, Lankster?” Jason asked.
“Is everything all right?” Winston added.
“Yeah,” Nigel said, “why are you down here drinking by yourself?”
“Everything is fine!” Eddy said. “I’m just having a drink, is all!”
“I’m jUSt HAvIng A dRiNk iS aLL,” Jason repeated, mocking Eddy’s tone. “What’s gotten into you?”
“The club by-laws clearly state that we are expected to look after our fellow Cheshires,” Nigel said, “and something is clearly amiss. Will you tell us, or do we have to drag it out of you?”
“It’s best if you talk,” Winston said, gravely. “Else we’ll have to have Jason do the Dreadful Sound.”
Nigel gasped dramatically, holding a hand up to his mouth. “Not the Dreadful Sound!”
“I’ll do it!” Jason insisted.
Eddy held his hands up. “Gentlemen, I appreciate your concern, but I assure you that everything is fine. I merely have a few things on my mind. If you don’t mind I would very much like to—”
Before he could finish, Eddy was drowned out by the shrill, warbling screech coming from Jason Darby’s big mouth. It was god-awful, like a fire alarm or a siren. He stared at Eddy the whole time, eyes wide and unblinking, veins bulging in his head, as the Dreadful Sound filled the bar.
“He can do this all night!” Winston said, holding his hands over his ears. The other Cheshires in the bar were all staring at Jason with bemused looks on their faces. Kim went about his business and politely pretended he didn’t hear the racket.
“All right, all right!” Eddy cried, holding his hands up again. “I capitulate!”
Jason fell silent, breathing heavily. He dabbed his forehead with a handkerchief and took a sip of his drink. “There’s plenty more where that came from,” he warned.
“We’ve clocked him at nearly forty seconds,” said Nigel. “He’s improving.”
Eddy shook his head and looked at Jason. “Bloody hell, man, how do you do it?”
“Talent, chum, talent,” Jason replied, nonchalantly swirling his drink. “I’m a classically trained vocalist. I sing in my church choir.”
“You sing like that in church?” Eddy asked. “It’s a wonder you haven’t been excommunicated.” That got a laugh from the boys.
“He really is a talented singer,” Nigel said.
“I can inhale through my nose while holding a note,” Jason explained. “That’s the real secret of the Sound. Now are you going to tell us what the matter is, or do I have to do that again?”
“I would prefer that you didn’t, sir,” Kim said, droll as ever.
Jason grinned. “Well, that’s up to Lankster here.”
“Very well,” Eddy said. “For the sanity of Mr. Kim.” Having drank his second martini, he ordered a third and spent the next few minutes explaining the situation to his mates. He didn’t tell them the things his uncle had asked him to keep secret, of course, but he told them of the looming off-world expedition. He also told them about the lovely time he’d had with Stephanie Stanley-Stark.
“How do you keep ending up in these predicaments?” Nigel asked. “That bad business back in uni, now this.”
“You have no manner of luck at all,” Jason said.
“I don’t know about that,” Nigel said. “I think it sounds interesting.”
“You think so?” Winston asked.
“My grandfather was a career spacer,” Nigel explained. “Served in the Armada during the last war. I grew up hearing stories about it.” He looked at Eddy. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know yet,” Eddy said. “That’s why I’m down here.”
“Stephanie Stanley-Stark sounds nice,” Winston said.
“She’s positively marvelous,” Eddy replied. “But my uncle really wants me to go with him on this expedition. More than that, he wants to mentor me to take over the business when he retires.”
“Brilliant!” Jason exclaimed. “Congratulations!”
Eddy asked Kim for a glass of water before continuing. “That’s the thing, isn’t it? I don’t know that I want to take over his business.”
Nigel nodded. “I see. What do you want to do, then?”
Eddy was getting frustrated. “I don’t know! That’s why I came down here, to have a drink and think it over, but now I’ve got to explain everything to you muppets!”
Winston slapped Eddy on the back. “Come on, don’t be a wanker. We’re just trying to sort out the situation with you.”
“It is a lot to cogitate on,” Jason said.
Eddy felt a little embarrassed for getting cross with the lads. “My sister is dead-set on going. If she went and I didn’t, and something happened to her, I’d never be able to live with myself. Then there’s the matter with Steph: we’ve only been on one date, but I quite like her and want to see her again. If I up and leave now, I could miss my chance. I fear I may regret that.”
Nigel put a hand on Eddy’s shoulder. “It’s not so bad as that, is it? There are plenty of birds out there. Maybe you get back and meet the love of your life?”
“Perhaps, but you can see my predicament.”
“It is a sticky wicket,” Jason said. “What did the rest of your family say? Did you tell them?”
“I didn’t, but Effie did. I’ve been avoiding my codex for the past few hours, but I expect I’ll be inundated with messages when I next open it. Aunt Deidre is probably absolutely mental at the very thought of it.”
“Eddy?” It was Winston. “Why don’t you talk to your man Mason about this?”
“Yeah,” Nigel agreed. “He always seems to know what to do in these situations.”
“There are some things I’d like to run past him myself,” Jason said.
“He’s my valet, not my bloody nanny,” Eddy declared. “It’s not his job to listen to me chin-wag about all my problems. I don’t burden him with my personal dilemmas.”
“You don’t?” Jason asked. “I do. He’s a sharp bloke.”
“I do as well,” Winston admitted. “He gave me some pretty good advice for dealing with my father last year.”
Eddy threw up his hands. “Have you all been seeing my valet behind my back? Is that how it is?” He looked at Nigel, who was now studiously avoiding eye contact. “This is outrageous!” Eddy wasn’t really mad. Mason did give good advice, and taking the piss out of his mates lifted his spirits. “I shall have to speak to him about this!”
Jason rubbed his chin. “Hold on now…if you’re going off-world, would you mind if I hired Mason while you were gone?”
“What?”
Winston pointed a finger at Eddy. “You tell Mason I’ll beat whatever salary he offers.”
“Mason is not for hire! Vultures, all of you!” Carrion-eaters they may have been, but Eddy had to admit that they were giving him good advice. Mason always seemed to know what to do in these situations. Was he really too proud to ask for advice when faced with a potentially life-changing dilemma? No, he resolved, no he was not. “It pains me to concede a point to you lot, but in this case I must.” Eddy spun around on his bar stool and stood up, wobbling a little bit from the alcohol. Just how many martinis had he drunk?
Kim approached the quartet and addressed Eddy’s friends. “Gentlemen, Mr. Lancaster has had several stiff drinks. Would you kindly see to it that he gets home safely?”
“Of course we will!” Jason declared. “Come along, Lankster, let’s go upstairs and call you a car.”
Kim nodded at the group. “Thank you, gentlemen.” Eddy suspected he really just wanted them all out of the bar so he could have some peace and quiet.
The Berkeley Mansions
Mayfair District, Drake’s Landing
Albion Prime
Eddy woke up late the next morning and shuffled to the washroom to shower. He’d intended to talk to Mason about his predicament the night before but was so tired after his mates dropped him off that he ended up going straight to bed. He felt poorly and needed to eat something. After his shower, he dressed in proper clothes and made his way to the dining area, lured by the smell of eggs cooking.
Mason, up early as always, poured him a big cup of coffee as he sat down at the table. “Breakfast will be ready soon, sir, eggs benedict and toast. The food should help with the hangover.”
Eddy smiled, weakly. “Is it that obvious?”
“You do look a fright, sir. I can bring you dry toast if your stomach is upset.”
Eddy shook his head. “No, I think I need a proper meal. I only had three vodka martinis, I think. It seems I can’t hold my liquor anymore.”
“Temperance is a virtue,” Mason said.
“It’s not a virtue at the Cheshire Club.”
“Be that as it may, I couldn’t help but notice that your consumption of spirits and liquors has decreased considerably over the last few years. Do you require an analgesic?”
“No, no, I’m not that much of a lightweight, thank God. Coffee and breakfast should do the trick.”
“As you wish, sir.” Mason left Eddy with his coffee and disappeared into the kitchen. He returned a few minutes later, carrying Eddy’s breakfast on a silver platter. After serving the meal, Mason refilled Eddy’s coffee cup and left him to eat his breakfast.
He’d been dreading it, but there was no sense in putting it off any further. As he ate, Eddy retrieved his codex, popped the screen open, and went through his messages. To his surprise, there weren’t a dozen messages from his Aunt Deidre. There was only one, a brief text message imploring him to call her when he got a chance. He would, but he was determined to enjoy his fantastic breakfast and discuss matters with Mason before delving into more family drama.
Once his meal was finished, Mason appeared to clear the table and pour Eddy more coffee. “When you’re finished, there’s something I need to discuss with you,” Eddy said.
“Of course, sir. It’ll just be a moment.”
“Take your time,” Eddy said. “I’ll be in my study.”
Eddy was standing by the window, peering out over the city of Drake’s Landing, when Mason entered the study a few minutes later. “How may I be of assistance, sir?” the valet asked.
Eddy turned to face Mason. “I’m in a bit of a spot, my good man, and I want your opinion on the matter.”
“Am I correct in assuming that this has to do with the offer your uncle made you?”
“You are correct, as usual, and I’m afraid I don’t know what to do.”
Mason seemed hesitant, which was a rare thing. “Sir, while I endeavor to provide you with the best service possible, I don’t know that it’s proper for me, as your valet, to advise you in such matters. If I were to advise you on a course of action that did not, ultimately, go as planned, I fear it would jeopardize our working relationship.”
“You’ve been advising Jason, Nigel, and Winston.”
“They are not my employer, and the issues they asked my advice on were…how to put this…rather trivial in comparison to your current dilemma.”
“It seems that no matter how hard I try to avoid them, dilemmas that are anything but trivial keep falling into my lap.” Eddy took a breath, then looked Mason in the eye. “I’m not asking you as my valet, or my employee, or any of that. I’m asking you as a friend, man-to-man.”
Mason nodded. “Very well, sir, I shall do my best. It is, after all, a potentially life-altering decision.”
“It’s potentially life-ending,” Eddy said.
“That is a very real possibility,” Mason acknowledged. “Striking off into the unknown carries no small amount of risk. Even experienced spacers sometimes hesitate to travel to an unexplored system, especially in a situation where a previous expedition failed to return. I suspect the reason your uncle waited until Commander Vraz arrived on Albion Prime was because there aren’t many ships here that would be willing to undertake the journey.”
“I knew it!” Eddy said. “The whole thing is bonkers!”
“Perhaps not,” Mason said. “Arsenault Imports and Exports contracts with freighters to ship goods, for example, but a conventional freighter would be a poor choice a survey expedition.” He was quiet for a moment, as if trying to think of what to say next. “If your concern is that this endeavor is being thrown together recklessly, I would remind you that Monsieur Arsenault-Lancaster is very seasoned at this sort of thing and is not one to take unnecessary risks.”
“I know,” Eddy said. He sighed and averted his gaze. “I suppose the real issue is that this whole thing is daunting. More than daunting, it’s…” He trailed off, then looked his valet in the eye again. “It’s frightening; I’m afraid. There, I said it aloud. It’s pitiful, I know. Effie didn’t hesitate at all, but here I am, all twisted up over it. What if something happens to her and I’m not there? How can I even consider staying behind? I’m ashamed of myself, Mason. I’m a coward.”
It was hard for Eddy to say those words, but he felt a small sense of relief upon uttering them. It was like he’d gone to confession. There was some satisfaction in admitting the truth, but that satisfaction vanished when Eddy saw the expression on Mason’s face. It was barely perceptible behind his impeccable professional demeanor, but it was there all the same. Mason was angry. Eddy couldn’t bear to face him any longer and lowered his gaze.
“I have known cowards, sir,” Mason said, firmly, “and you are no coward.”
Eddy looked up at the valet. Mason’s demeanor softened, very slightly. “Being afraid does not make one a coward, Mr. Lancaster. Courage is not the absence of fear, but in the ways in which men carry on in spite of their fears. A coward doesn’t admit to being afraid; he makes excuses, he lies to himself and others. A coward doesn’t concern himself with those who will go into danger without him; his only concern is himself. You have demonstrated both physical and moral courage in the years I’ve been in your employ, sir, sometimes to your own detriment. I will thank you not to speak of yourself in such terms again. It is unbecoming of a gentleman and, in your case, wholly undeserved.”
Eddy didn’t know what he’d ever done to make Mason think so much of him. It was nearly enough to make him lose his composure and he found himself wishing for a stiff drink. “That’s…that’s damned decent of you to say. Thank you.”
Mason nodded. “Taking time to think through a major decision is a mark of introspection, not cowardice. Fools rush in, as they say.”
“Yes, well, I love my sister, but she certainly did some rushing. I wish I shared her enthusiasm.”
“Miss Ophelia has spent the better part of a year preparing herself, mentally, for precisely such an endeavor, and it has been a dream of hers for much longer than that. Pardon me for being presumptuous, but would it be fair to say you never even considered it until the other day?”
“That would be fair to say,” Eddy admitted. “Jack just dropped it all in my lap and told me to hurry up and decide. I daresay the old bugger blindsided me.”
“Just so,” Mason agreed. “Even then, I suspect the young miss is having some doubts of her own. This expedition is riskier than the one she had hoped the University would fund, and sooner or later she will realize it. I merely wish I could have given you some forewarning about this. Monsieur Arsenault-Lancaster’s proposal was as much a surprise to me as it was to you.”
“He must have really kept it under his hat, then,” Eddy mused.
“Sensible, given the circumstances.”
Eddy looked back out the window for a few moments, sighed, and faced Mason again. “I suppose I’ll have to go, then. I don’t know that I want to, but Effie needs someone to look after her, and Jack…Jack was always there for me, even in my darkest days. I can’t very well turn my back on him now.”
“As you say, sir. I know for a fact that your uncle has confidence in you. He’s not a reckless man and would not have made this offer lightly.”
That made Eddy smile. “I suppose I should tell Stephanie Stanley-Stark. Regrettable, that. I know it was only one date, but I’m quite taken with her. I daresay I love her. I fear I will long regret letter her get away.”
“Forgive me, sir,” Mason said, striking a slightly conciliatory tone, “for my role in burdening you with that particular dilemma.”
“There’s nothing to forgive, old boy,” Eddy said. “As you said, you were merely providing exemplary service, and she really is quite exemplary. Circumstances can’t be helped, and family duties come first. It is what it is, as we Lancasters like to say.” Eddy placed his hands on his hips and contemplated his valet for a moment. “That only leaves the matter of your employment.”
Mason raised an eyebrow. “My employment, sir?”
Eddy said, “I will, of course, give you a sterling letter of recommendation and the highest possible rating for the Guild.” He stepped forward and patted Mason on the shoulder. “You’ve been the finest valet a man could hope for. More than that, you’ve been a true friend. Thank you for all you’ve done for me and my family. You will always have friends amongst the Lancasters.”
“Am I being let go, sir?”
“What? Not out of any dissatisfaction on my part, that’s for sure. I expect I’ll be gone long enough to legally void my contract with you, and I certainly wouldn’t ask you to wait around for my return. I assume you will seek work elsewhere.”
“Begging your pardon, sir, but I am quite content with my current posting and would prefer to avoid having to find a new employer. Unless it is your intention to dismiss me, I will of course accompany you on the expedition.”
“Y-you would do that for me? My God, man, I don’t know what to say.”
Mason nodded. “Nothing needs to be said, sir. In any case, I rather enjoy traveling and it’s been far too long.”
“I’m glad you have experience in these matters,” Eddy said. “I don’t know what to bring, how to prepare, or even where to begin.”
“I’ve taken the liberty of compiling a recommended reading list for you. Shall I send it to your codex?”
“A reading list?” Eddy repeated. He grinned. “You would have homework drawn up for me in advance, wouldn’t you?”
Mason demurred. “I was thinking about it whilst you were at the club last night, sir. It helped pass the time.”
“One would think there are more interesting hobbies than anticipating and preparing for my every move, Mason.”
The valet smiled. “One would think.”
The Lancaster Estate
County Lancashire
Albion Prime
It had been months since Eddy had been to the family estate, and he wasn’t especially looking forward to the visit. When he’d gotten around to calling his Aunt Deidre, she insisted that both he and Effie come home to explain exactly what it was they were planning on doing. Eddy hadn’t informed anyone aside from Mason of his decision to go yet; when Effie asked, he simply told her that he was still considering some things. That wasn’t precisely a lie, as he was indeed considering many things.
The twins’ ancestral home was a large, L-shaped manor house that sat on a hundred hectares of fields and woodlands. Stately and dignified, it had every modern convenience but evoked the Victorian architecture style from ancient, pre-space Earth. That aesthetic was very much in vogue when the colony began to flourish, and buildings in this style could be found all over the planet.
Arriving in Eddy’s aerodyne, the twins, with Mason in tow, made their way into Lancaster Manor. Baxter, the family butler, was waiting for them as they entered the house. An older fellow with a bald head and a thin mustache, he was, from what Eddy understood, quite senior in the ranks of the Domestic Servants Guild. He’d started off as the personal valet of Eddy’s father and had stayed with the family after the accident. Eddy knew for a fact that his father had long before offered to sponsor Baxter’s elevation to the Peerage, but the Guild man had delayed accepting that honor so that he could remain in the service of the Lancaster Family.
“Welcome home, miss, sir,” he said, welcoming Effie and Eddy in turn.
“Hullo, Baxter,” Effie said, giving him a quick and unrequited hug.
“What ho, Baxter,” Eddy said.
Mason nodded politely. “Mr. Baxter, it’s good to see you again.”
“You as well, sir,” Baxter replied, before addressing the twins again. “Edwin, Ophelia, Madame Deidre is expecting you in the conservatory. Mr. Mason, your presence has been requested as well.”
“Seems we’re all in for it,” Eddy said. “Say, Baxter old man, is my brother in today?”
“Mr. and Mrs. Lancaster, and the children, went to the city today, but they should be returning home soon.”
“We should stay to say hullo,” Effie said. “I don’t remember the last time I saw Cedric in person.”
“It has been a while, hasn’t it?” Eddy asked. After her husband passed away, Deidre moved into Lancaster Manor so she wouldn’t be alone, and to help raise the twins. Cedric was the head of the household, and he made sure that his aunt was taken care of. “Ah, well, no sense in putting it off. Let’s go to the headmistress’ office for our scolding, shall we?”
“You lead the way,” Effie said.
“Why me? You’re her favorite!”
“I am not!” Effie insisted. “Mason, am I the favorite?”
Mason was exceedingly diplomatic in his answer. “I’m afraid I can’t say, miss.”
“You’re no help at all,” she said. “Come on, then, let’s go.”
The conservatory wasn’t attached to the house but was connected to the west wing by a short, enclosed walkway. The front entrance to Lancaster Manor was in the south wing, however, so it was quicker to cut through the gardens behind the manor to get there. They had been maintained for generations and were, in Eddy’s estimation, quite lovely. A winding cobblestone footpath wrapped around water features, benches, trees, and exquisitely landscaped garden plots. The flora, genetically adapted to thrive in Albion Prime’s environment, was well cared for. Cherry trees sprouted pink and white blossoms. Neatly trimmed shrubberies and topiaries decorated the area. Plots of pansies, dianthus, petunias, and snapdragons were in bloom.
The conservatory itself was constructed largely of aluminum oxynitride composite windows designed to allow maximum light transfer, but which were strong enough to survive the worst storms and heaviest snowfalls. Immediately upon entering one found an open sitting area, with couches and chairs for entertaining guests. From there, a wide walkway ran down the middle of the structure, lined on either side with hydroponic equipment.
It was warmer and much more humid inside, and the air smelled of flowers, water, and soil. Eddy couldn’t begin to identify all of the exotic and beautiful plants growing there. Some seemed vaguely familiar, like tropical flowers from Earth that couldn’t survive in the wild in Albion Prime’s cooler climate. There were others that he guessed had to be genetically engineered, but he wasn’t sure. Eddy wasn’t a botanist, after all.
Deidre Lancaster was a botanist, however, and they found her at the far end of the conservatory. Dressed in a white blouse, khaki trousers, and a pair of wellies, she was gazing at a large, orange, bioluminescent flower in a transparent display case mounted to the floor. The case, more like an oversized fish tank, was a cube nearly two meters on a side. The atmosphere inside was thick and foggy.
Mason stepped forward and politely cleared his throat. “Madame, I present Edwin and Ophelia, as requested.”
Deidre turned to look at them. “It’s about time,” she said. “I’ll be with you in a moment.” Her graying hair was pulled back into a tight bun, and she held something in her gloved hands.
“Is…is that a rat you’ve got there?” Eddy asked.
“Yes, it is, Edwin.” She turned back around to face the tank.
“What in the world do you have that for?” Effie asked.
Deidre didn’t answer. She set the dead rodent on a tray next to the tank and tapped at a control panel. A robotic arm, mounted to a table near the tank, came down, gently clutched the rat in its gripper, and picked it up. It carried the rodent over the top of the tank, where there was a small air lock, and lowered it inside. The outer hatch had a cutout for the robotic arm and sealed itself around it as it closed. The inner hatch opened; there was a loud hiss as the air pressure equalized. The arm then telescoped downward, dangling the expired rat above the strange flower.
Then the flower moved.
“What…what is that thing?” Eddy asked. The plant was unlike anything he had ever seen. The stem was a twisted braid of green and black vines that contracted and extended like muscle tissue. Branching off the stem were broad, rainbow-hued leaves nearly a meter long. They shimmered in the dim light like the feathers of a peacock.
At the top of the strange flora was a closed bud of orange flower petals that glowed, dimly, in the low light. As the robotic arm lowered the rat, the strange flower twisted, moved, and spread its petals wide. Fully opened, the flower had to be a meter across. In the center, four inner petals, dark green on the outside, bright pink on the inside, opened as the claw approached.
Eddy and Effie both watched, fascinated, as the robotic arm dropped the rat into the waiting petals of the strange flower. The inner petals caught the rodent and snapped shut. The luminescent orange outer petals slowly closed up around the inner ones. The plant writhed for a few moments and then was still. The petals dimmed until the bioluminescence was barely noticeable.
“That was amazing!” Effie exclaimed.
Eddy’s eye twitched. “My dear aunt, is that a meat-eating flower you have there?”
Deidre turned to face the twins, pulling off her gloves and setting them aside as she did so. “Yes, Edwin. It’s an Andalusian Snapping Dragon, native to Andalusia, a planet that orbits 82 Eridani. I would have rightfully taken first place in last year’s regional botanical competition, but Trudy Nottingham convinced the judges that it’s not technically a plant.”
“Well…uh…is it…technically…a plant?” Eddy asked.
“The delineation between flora and fauna isn’t as distinct on Andalusia as it is on Earth, dear. It does grow out of the soil, and it does utilize photosynthesis, though it’s primarily an ambush carnivore. Do you have any idea how difficult it was to get an Andalusian Snapping Dragon here? There are only three of them on the entire planet. It requires both supplemental infrared and ultraviolet lighting to survive, as well as an atmosphere condenser.”
“Did Uncle Jack get this for you?” Effie said.
Deidre sighed. “He did. Speaking of Jack…Ophelia, what’s this I hear about you going off-world with him?”
“I couldn’t possibly have said no,” Effie insisted, “not after my University expedition was declined! I’ve been studying for this my whole life and now I’ll finally get to do it!”
“You and I both know that one of Jack’s expeditions isn’t the same thing as a scientific survey mission. What’s he up to this time, another treasure hunt?” Effie hesitated to answer. Deidre put her hands on her hips. “Well? Spit it out, girl!”
It was rare to see Deidre this cross, Eddy thought. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she wasn’t really angry, though. No, the anger was a disguise; she was worried. He spoke up to draw some of her ire from his sister to himself. “I suppose if you were being particularly uncharitable you could call it a treasure hunt,” he said, “but that’s not why he asked Effie to go.”
“It’s an unexplored planet,” Effie explained. “An entire world full of previously undescribed life forms, including a sapient species! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”
“It’s all perfectly aboveboard,” Eddy said.
“Is it now? What’s your role in this, Edwin?”
Eddy’s mind was racing. He should have prepared for this, come up with something clever to tell her to reassure her. He should have asked Mason; he always came up with the best such ideas. There was nothing for it, though, so he just told her the truth. “Jack wants me to be his protégé, to learn how to run his business so I can take it over when he retires.”
Effie’s eyes went wide. “Really? Eddy, that’s brilliant!”
Deidre’s expression softened, if only a little. “I suppose you’ll be heading off on this fool’s errand with him, then?”
“Well…I mean…of course I’m going, Aunt Deidre. It wouldn’t very well be a fool’s errand without the fool, and if I’m going to learn the trade I need to go out and do it.”
“Eddy!” Effie cried, and the next thing he knew, her arms were wrapped around him. “I’m so glad you’re going.” She sounded relieved.
The twins fell silent when they realized that Deidre was crying. She stood there, shoulders slumped, and wept. Eddy and Effie both rushed to embrace her. “You don’t have to do this,” Deidre said. “Neither of you have to do this. I know you’re both under so much pressure, but hasn’t our family been through enough? Do you both have to leave? Edwin, what about Stephanie Stanley-Stark? She’s a nice girl and she’s quite taken with you.”
“Being honest I’m a bit smitten myself,” Eddy admitted, “but family comes first. That’s the code of the Lancasters.”
“Jack’s done this many times before,” Effie said.
“I know he has, damn him,” Deidre said, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. “I was afraid this would happen. He thinks so highly of you both.”
“I have to do this,” Effie said. “There are two things I’ve wanted in life and one of them I can’t have. I can’t turn down the chance to get the other, to do what I’ve spent so many years working for.”
Deidre looked up at Effie and gently caressed her cheek. “I understand, Ophelia, truly I do. I wanted children of my own, too. I wished, I dreamed, I prayed, and none of it changed a thing. Genetics can be cruel.”
“Genetics aren’t the only thing that are cruel,” Effie said, bitterly. “On other worlds there is technology that could have allowed both of us to have children, but this planet is so bloody backward that most of it is outlawed here.”
“I know, dear, I know. I went through all of this the same as you.”
Tears were rolling down Effie’s cheeks now, as well. “Then you understand why it’s so important to me to pursue my career. It’s all I have.”
“It’s not all you have,” Deidre insisted. “You have a family that loves you. But…you’re both so young. Believe it or not, I had big dreams once, too. I wasn’t always an aging widow, puttering around in her garden. David and I had plans to travel, to even go to Earth one day. Life doesn’t always turn out the way you hope or expect, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Losing David was hard, but raising both of you was the greatest joy of my life. I couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to either of you.”
For the love of God, Eddy thought, trying to will his sister to hear his thoughts somehow, do not tell her about the prior expedition that disappeared. Do not tell her that, Ophelia.
Effie took Aunt Deidre by the hand and, thankfully, didn’t mention their ill-fated predecessors. “If I pass up this opportunity, I’m going to regret it forever. Don’t you see? I have to go; I simply have to.”
Deidre wiped her eyes again. “I know you do, you silly girl. I didn’t summon you here under any delusions that I would change your mind. I just…I’m just frightened.” She sighed. “Look at me, fretting like an old woman. I sound just like my grandmother.”
“I’m nervous as well,” Eddy admitted. “I’m not too proud to say it. This is all overwhelming, but I can’t very well let my sister go gallivanting off into space without going along to look after her, can I?”
Deidre took Eddy’s hand. “You were always such a good boy, Edwin, and you’ve always looked out for your family. I’m proud of you. Your mother and father would be proud of you. I’m glad you’re going with her, I truly am.”
“Mason has volunteered to join us as well,” Eddy said.
Deidre’s eyes widened. “You have?”
“Indeed, madam,” Mason answered. “After all, without his gentleman, a gentleman’s gentleman is merely a gentleman, and I’d much rather undertake a long journey than undergo the process of selecting a new client.”
“Good,” Deidre said. “Very good. You’ll look after the twins, won’t you?”
“You have my solemn word,” Mason assured her.
That seemed to console Deidre enough that she put her handkerchief away. “You’ll stay for dinner, of course. Your brother will be home soon.”
“We’d love to, Aunt Deidre,” Effie said.
“Thank you,” she said. “I need to get cleaned up. I’m sure I look positively frightful. Mason, would you be so kind as to escort me back to the house? I’m afraid all this excitement has me feeling my years.”
“Of course, madam,” Mason said.
“You children go and visit your parents.” They were buried on the family plot beyond the gardens. “It’s been far too long. I’ll see you both at dinner.”
“Yes, Aunt Deidre,” the twins said, in unison.