“No.I think it is.But—”
“You think he couldn't do such a thing?”
Shestraightened up.Even in her crumpled LYB sweatshirt and leggings,she was a force to be reckoned with.“No.I grew up with him.I sawevery single thing that made him what he is.I think hecould.”
“Then...”
“Don't believeinit.Oh, Sasha—my poor prince!The LYB's up in Seattle.I flewdown as soon as I saw.”
She was still rigid.Huge tears had begun to force themselvesfrom her eyes, though, and the sight of them brought Sasha backfrom his refuge of shadows and dust.To think and feel again was araw agony.Swiftly he crossed the floor to her, opened his arms tomeet her onward rush halfway.“I'm sorry!”he rasped, lifting heroff her feet, whirling her once in a circle in an echo of theirold, laughingpas-de-deuxembrace after long separation.“Clara, sweetheart,what are you doing here?”
“Being adult and responsible.You'd better put medown.”
Heobeyed, although her grip around his neck suggested she'd ratherhave stayed up among childhood's clouds, the safe places Laurie andSasha had made for her.Steadying her back onto her feet, Sashaflinched at a scraping sound from the kitchen.“What'sthat?”
“I'm not sure.It may be my dragon.”
Sashaglanced over his shoulder.He could just see through into thekitchen from here.“Oh, God,” he whispered.Elena Dracinsky hadfound a broom from somewhere and was plying it across the tiledfloor, a vision from some blend of Cinderella and The Sorcerer'sApprentice.Gold wire and plastic shards gleamed as she worked.“She doesn't have to...Miss Dracinsky, you don't have to dothat.”
Shedidn't pause or look up.“I do.Miss Fitzroy’s feet.”
Clara’sfeet were clad in solid rubber soles, but Dracinsky had closed thefront door and taken herself to a discreet distance, and Sashaunderstood that she was giving him and Clara time.“Thankyou.”
“It is nothing.I will mention only that the security personswho watch your house are very inefficient.Now I will work whileyou and Miss Fitzroy discuss.”
“You saw them?How did you know they were—”
Claraknocked strands of hair out of her eyes, the gesture a perfect echoof her brother’s.“Never mind now.Like she said, we have todiscuss—which means you being quiet and listening tome.”
“Ah.I always did wonder whatdiscussmeant.”
“I haven’t seen this video, Sasha.I’m eleven years old—I’msupposed to go blind if I see anything between a boy’s waist andhis knees.But I know what happens in it.I know, allright?”
“Oh, Clara.”
“I’m not going to say a word to defend him, beyond what Ialready have.But I have to tell you something.When Laurie broughtyou out here—when he was so crazy about the idea of you coming,leaving England with him—it wasn’t just his ego.He didn’t justwant you along for the ride.”
Sashafolded his arms.He was lightheaded and sick with grief, or thedull-edged misery that followed in grief’s wake.“I know that.Hesaid...He said he couldn’t do without me.”
“And that’s true.You have no idea how much.He told mesomething at the wedding.It scared the shit out of me, and I actedlike a little girl.”
“Youarealittle girl.Mind your language.”
“Sorry.”She smiled suddenly.“Laurie would have said that too.You two are such good parents.I cried and ran away, and I got thedragon to take me home.I've come back now because—well, you know Inever could keep a secret.”
Sasharemembered.“Without you, I'd probably still be sneaking up theback stairs of the Mayfair house to see your brother.Is thisLaurie's secret?”
“Yes.”
“Clara, wait.Lovers don't have to know everything about eachother.If this was a confidence he placed in you—”
“He doesn't deserve me to keep it,” she interruptedpassionately.“It was a wrong thing for him or for me to keepsecret at all.He's told you to stay here, hasn't he?Set guards tomake sure you do?”
“He won't even admit they're there.Clara, what thef-...”
“Language.He's not just being a diva.I know he's done things, said things you don't understand.The onething that he's frightened of is losing you, and the truth is—thetruth is, Sash, that your father didn't go to prison.That niceInterpol man, John Kucharski...”Her voice wavered, but shesteadied herself and went on.“He was killed.Without him the caseagainst Stefan and his gang fell apart.Laurie thinks Stefan’s inLondon—that he’s hunting you, stalking you.That's why he took thepart in this film.So he could get you away, far away.”
Sasha stopped her with a gesture.The wordsStefanandprisonandLondonwere exploding inhis head, firecrackers trailing toxic smoke, but still his firstimpulse was to laugh.Clara was a sweetheart.She was brilliant,but her forte was the dance, and sometimes she got more everydaythings hopelessly mixed up.“That's not possible.”
