meeting had done what Bey hoped it might do. The Empress, clawing and snarling at Sondra, was less imperial. Trudy had lost at least a little of her absolute control.
When the two turned away from each other and apparently decided to speak no more, Bey at once headed back into the room.
"I'm sorry." He shrugged at Sondra. "I don't have anything in the house that would fit you." A perfectly true statement, as it happened. There were no women's clothes in his house at all.
Sondra glanced at Trudy Melford before she answered. "You know me, Bey. One of your old shirts will do just fine. But I have to dry myself before I freeze."
"Of course. Help yourself to anything you find in the guest suite." He gestured along the hallway. Sondra squelched away, turning only once to look back.
"An interesting young lady." Trudy arched her slanting eyebrows. "Your assistant?"
She was fishing. Bey ignored the bait. "You said earlier that you couldn't explain what you wanted me to do until I saw something for myself. You obviously don't have that something with you. Is it on Mars?"
"Of course."
"A new form?"
"That, and much more." Trudy Melford leaned forward. "Will you help me? This is more important than I can say. It's not a question of money, but if you do help you will find me . . . more than generous."
The Melford reputation was of a woman remote and quite untouchable. It was hard to accept that idea as warm hands enveloped Bey's and aquamarine eyes, deep and knowing as the sea, transfixed him. "Will you help me, Bey Wolf?"
"How long will it take?"
"On Mars? Just one day. If that is not enough to interest and persuade you, a longer stay cannot help. Will you do it?"
"I'm not sure. I'll let you know."
"When?"
"Within one week."
"But you have nothing to—" She stopped and took a deep breath. Bey could see the angry response being bottled up. An Empress must be accustomed to instant gratification.
"If you're hoping I'll say yes," he added, "you'd better keep Jarvis Dommer out of my hair. I don't want him pestering me for an answer."
"He is loyal and hard-working." Trudy was still holding Bey's hands. "Why do you despise him so?"
"My Persian ancestors had a saying: 'A stupid man is one who is willing to die for a cause that he does not understand.' "
"That could also be a definition of a loyal employee. You are not like that?"
"I guess not."
"Ah. A pity. Very well. One week, and if I have not heard from you I will call you myself." Trudy finally released Bey and stood up. She took her grey bag, opened it, and handed him a silver card. "To reach me at any time, use this on your message center. It will give you direct access, wherever I am. It will also cover any travel expense in reaching Mars. Do you wish to discuss other compensation?"
"No."
"I thought that's what you would say." Trudy managed to smile, a rueful lop-sided quirk of the mouth that Bey found highly attractive. "What a pity. It is much easier, don't you think, to deal with people who are motivated by money?"
Bey found himself walking with her toward the entrance. "Easier, and in my experience less productive. What you don't pay for is usually more valuable than what you do."
"And certainly more enjoyable." She waited as he slid open the door and held it. The wind howled in and around them, molding her robe to her body. The storm had become more violent than ever.
"Do you think it's safe to travel while its like this?" He had to shout to be sure that she could hear him.
"Given the right staff and the right equipment, it's perfectly safe." Trudy gestured toward the beach. Bey saw, shining in the gloom, the pale violet outline of a mobile link entry point.
"I have to be back on Old Mars in half an hour." Trudy was leaning close. She patted Bey's arm in a proprietary way. "Goodbye. Next time we meet, I hope it will be there."
Bey watched as she bent low to face the wind and headed toward the beach. It was like a conjuring trick. Trudy reached and entered
When the two turned away from each other and apparently decided to speak no more, Bey at once headed back into the room.
"I'm sorry." He shrugged at Sondra. "I don't have anything in the house that would fit you." A perfectly true statement, as it happened. There were no women's clothes in his house at all.
Sondra glanced at Trudy Melford before she answered. "You know me, Bey. One of your old shirts will do just fine. But I have to dry myself before I freeze."
"Of course. Help yourself to anything you find in the guest suite." He gestured along the hallway. Sondra squelched away, turning only once to look back.
"An interesting young lady." Trudy arched her slanting eyebrows. "Your assistant?"
She was fishing. Bey ignored the bait. "You said earlier that you couldn't explain what you wanted me to do until I saw something for myself. You obviously don't have that something with you. Is it on Mars?"
"Of course."
"A new form?"
"That, and much more." Trudy Melford leaned forward. "Will you help me? This is more important than I can say. It's not a question of money, but if you do help you will find me . . . more than generous."
The Melford reputation was of a woman remote and quite untouchable. It was hard to accept that idea as warm hands enveloped Bey's and aquamarine eyes, deep and knowing as the sea, transfixed him. "Will you help me, Bey Wolf?"
"How long will it take?"
"On Mars? Just one day. If that is not enough to interest and persuade you, a longer stay cannot help. Will you do it?"
"I'm not sure. I'll let you know."
"When?"
"Within one week."
"But you have nothing to—" She stopped and took a deep breath. Bey could see the angry response being bottled up. An Empress must be accustomed to instant gratification.
"If you're hoping I'll say yes," he added, "you'd better keep Jarvis Dommer out of my hair. I don't want him pestering me for an answer."
"He is loyal and hard-working." Trudy was still holding Bey's hands. "Why do you despise him so?"
"My Persian ancestors had a saying: 'A stupid man is one who is willing to die for a cause that he does not understand.' "
"That could also be a definition of a loyal employee. You are not like that?"
"I guess not."
"Ah. A pity. Very well. One week, and if I have not heard from you I will call you myself." Trudy finally released Bey and stood up. She took her grey bag, opened it, and handed him a silver card. "To reach me at any time, use this on your message center. It will give you direct access, wherever I am. It will also cover any travel expense in reaching Mars. Do you wish to discuss other compensation?"
"No."
"I thought that's what you would say." Trudy managed to smile, a rueful lop-sided quirk of the mouth that Bey found highly attractive. "What a pity. It is much easier, don't you think, to deal with people who are motivated by money?"
Bey found himself walking with her toward the entrance. "Easier, and in my experience less productive. What you don't pay for is usually more valuable than what you do."
"And certainly more enjoyable." She waited as he slid open the door and held it. The wind howled in and around them, molding her robe to her body. The storm had become more violent than ever.
"Do you think it's safe to travel while its like this?" He had to shout to be sure that she could hear him.
"Given the right staff and the right equipment, it's perfectly safe." Trudy gestured toward the beach. Bey saw, shining in the gloom, the pale violet outline of a mobile link entry point.
"I have to be back on Old Mars in half an hour." Trudy was leaning close. She patted Bey's arm in a proprietary way. "Goodbye. Next time we meet, I hope it will be there."
Bey watched as she bent low to face the wind and headed toward the beach. It was like a conjuring trick. Trudy reached and entered
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