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Lila spooned her soup and tried not to look at Alex, for it might only set her temper off. Instead, she nodded to Senator Dubois, who had marked her presence with a smile. “You’re joining us this evening, senator. It’s a rare treat indeed.”
“I was just telling Jewel how we were making plans to ride soon.”
“Perhaps Jewel would like to join us,” Lila offered, feeling gracious under the brewing storm cloud. “We could rent another bike.”
“I have a bike now.” Jewel shrugged.
“Ah, but you’ve only ridden on a Firefly. We could rent something more rugged, more pedestrian. Perhaps an Amazon or a Barracuda.”
“Are they really all that different?”
“You could always check them out. If that doesn’t suit you, we could always attach a sidecar to your Firefly.” Lila intended it as a joke. She winked at Dubois, whose eyes bugged out at the thought of attaching a sidecar to such a fine motorbike.
That was when Lila realized her mistake. Jewel, ever the artist seeking new experiences, leaned back into her chair. “A sidecar?”
“Perhaps you could don a pair of goggles and a fetching scarf to complete the look. I’m sure it would add to the experience.”
Jewel’s face crumbled into annoyance. “Don’t mock me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Lila’s gaze slipped automatically to Alex.
In years past, they would have shared a secret grin over Jewel’s remarks. Perhaps even a little eye roll if her mother became particularly demanding and matronly over some frivolous event. But this time, Alex wouldn’t meet her eyes. She stared at the opposite wall like a good little slave, waiting to clear away the dishes and bring out the next course.
The chairwoman would not be so appeased. “I think that’s a lovely idea, Jewel. You need a break from the office. Perhaps you could turn it into a long weekend. I enjoy the idea of my daughters spending more time together.” She cut her eyes to Lila, a checkmate playing on loop. She knew how much it would annoy Lila to spend so much time with Jewel.
It wasn’t that Lila hated Jewel; she just didn’t get her. Jewel’s mind was composed of paint and canvas, of wax and wood, of blowtorches and metal. Lila, on the other hand, had never been creative. She bent code to her will, used it to peek into things she shouldn’t, to work mischief. She used bravado and lockpicks to poke and prod where she didn’t belong.
Lila only made an effort because Jewel had taken over as prime.
Her sister nodded. “That sounds lovely. Perhaps I will try a sidecar, though for a short afternoon trip rather than a long one. I might not enjoy it. Louis, you should go on a longer ride with Lila, if you can get away. You need to shake off the stress of the session.”
Jewel had learned. She’d satisfied her sister, her mother, and her lover in one suggestion. Perhaps she wouldn’t be such a useless matron after all. “That’s a fine idea,” Lila said.
“I do have them occasionally.”
“You seem to have them more and more often lately, President Randolph.”
Realizing what Lila meant, Jewel blushed. It was rare that Lila complimented anyone, and Jewel had always been particularly eager for her older sister’s approval.
The chairwoman frowned and spooned her soup, somewhat defeated by her daughters. “So, Lila, the High Council meeting is tonight. You’ll admit Ms. Park into the highborn?”
“Yes, madam.”
“Good. She’s the best candidate in all of New Bristol, and she owes us many favors already. The Randolphs have been instrumental in her family’s rise. She’ll make a find addition to the highborn and become an ally, rather than a rival.”
“I concur. She has enough capital to become a major player in New Bristol within the next generation if her daughter is her equal.”
“Agreed. The Parks are nothing like those disgraceful Wilsons. It was a bad decision for the High Council to admit them into the highborn. Your great-grandmother Ophelia was shrewd enough to vote against their inclusion, did you know that?”
“Yes, madam.”
“It’s a pity t
hat no one else listened.”
Alex kept her gaze on the wall.
The other diners shifted in discomfort.
