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She turned to her hostess, who had not bothered to stand. “It was good to see you again, Heloise. Thank you for thinking of me.”
“Of course,” Heloise said, echoing her son. “I am glad you were free.”
Madeleine’s eyes fell on a drop of red perfectly centered on the empty seat nearest the serving table. “Oh no! Heloise! It looks like I have bled all over one of your beautiful chairs!”
Heloise flicked a dismissive glance in that direction and shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. It is easily repaired or replaced.”
“I’m so sorry.”
Heloise fixed her with those dark, unreadable eyes. “My dear,” she said, “it’s a piece of furniture. Nothing is more important than your blood.”
Chapter Sixteen:
Madeleine
In the morning, Reese arrived bearing a bouquet of roses in an astonishing array of hues. “I had the florist pick out all the wildest colors in the shop,” he informed Madeleine as she buried her nose in the velvety petals. “Because that’s always what I think of when I think of you.”
“Reese. That’s so sweet,” she said. She snapped off a dark red bloom veined with streaks of orange, because it perfectly matched the scarf she had draped over her shoulders. “Let me just pin this in place.”
She struggled with the clasp of her brooch; it was a clumsy task to attempt with one thumb in a bulky bandage.
“Do you need help?”
“No, no, I’ve got it. Thank you!”
He came closer. “What did you do to your hand?”
She didn’t want to relate that story. “Cut it accidentally on a knife.”
“Every time I see you, you’ve been wounded!” he said. “Last time I was here, you had a gash on your hand from a broken decanter. Maybe it’s not just street assassins who are trying to harm you.”
“This really was an accident,” she assured him. “And I am determined that nothing terrible will befall me today.”
“No,” he said. “I’ve made certain of that.”
She gave him an inquiring look. “And where are you taking me?”
He smiled and held out his hand. “You’ll see.”
She was amused to find that he was still driving his mother’s gridcar. She wondered if it was because his own was still being repaired or because he remembered that Madeleine liked it. She suspected the latter, but didn’t remark on it one way or the other, just settled onto the thickly padded bench. Reese waited until Jayla had climbed in before he took his own seat and put the car in motion, turning carefully onto the street.
She was intrigued when he passed the road that would take them to the Quatrefoil with its multitude of attractions, and not long after, she guessed their destination.
“We’re going to the lake!” she exclaimed. “What a splendid idea! The weather is perfect.”
“I thought you might be uncomfortable in the plaza with all those people around,” he explained. “So I rented a small excursion boat for the afternoon, and brought in all my own staff. No one can approach us on the water without being seen—and no one on board will mean you any harm.”
It was so thoughtful that she wanted to start crying—something it seemed she was ready to do at a moment’s notice these days. “Reese. That’s so kind. I don’t know what to say.”
He glanced over at her. “You don’t have to say anything. Just enjoy yourself.”
She already knew she would.
Chrission Lake was at the northwestern edge of the city in a small cup of a plateau where the mountain first began its jagged ascent. The power lines for the gridway didn’t run that far, but a few enterprising souls operated a stable yard at the foot of the mountain, renting out horses, carts, and drivers to take visitors to their destination. The day was so fine that the stable master was doing a bustling business—but Reese had made advance reservations, so their party had only a five-minute wait before they were enjoying a rather bumpy ride up the mountainside.
The discomfort of the journey paled to insignificance as they topped the rise and caught their first glimpse of the lake. It was small enough that visitors could see its entire perimeter, but big enough to not seem crowded by the twenty or so boats that floated lazily across its dappled surface. Two more boats were tied up at a long dock, awaiting new arrivals. On the rocky, slanted surface of the nearest bank, groups of visitors had spread out festive blankets where they could recline to watch the play of sunlight over water.
“Reese,” Madeleine said. “Whata marvelous idea this was.”
