Chapter 1 — Rout

VOLUME 8 AN ICY WIND

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*****

~ 1 ~ Within the bulging, ancient leather valise toted by Fr. Sigurd to every scholarly event which he attended, was—along with many scholarly papers, articles and books—a certain draft manuscript. It was his German translation of Frederick Knox's Great Maze journal. The valise accompanied Fr. Sigurd to Dr. Kane’s office in the Turret when the two men met to discuss the Preamble and the Lost Histories. Fr. Sigurd, always happy to meet in Kane’s office, with its pleasing view of the mountains and the campus, had dutifully informed Rhoda about the meeting, which took place just before the opening of Dr. Steuben’s War and Peace Conference.

The two men decided to take a break from sitting in Kane’s office, and Fr. Sigurd left his valise behind while they walked together through the Keep’s public museum and out to the eucalyptus grove, where they sat on a shaded bench and continued their conversation.

During the men’s absence, Esther and Gabrielle thoroughly searched the valise’s contents, and Gabrielle immediately recognized the importance of Sigurd’s German translation of the Great Maze’s scheme. She made a copy of it while Esther delayed the men.

On the next day, Herbert Schooner began to read the copy made by Gabrielle, which he found to be of such great interest that he kept it on his desk in his office, in order to read it whenever he had time.

~ ~ ~

In Herbert’s office, Het and Esther often conferred with him before their day’s Maker lesson from Rhoda Knox, and Het, who habitually noted his peers’ reading habits, one day noticed that a fat typed manuscript had migrated to the bottom of what he had taken to be Herbert’s “done” pile on his desk. Esther and Herbert had already left Herbert’s office ahead of him, so Het lifted the pile to expose the manuscript on the bottom. He read, “A translation by Fr. Sigurd Benedict Krull of Frederick Knox’s Journal on the Design of the Great Maze”, in German. Through the open doorway he saw Esther and Herbert far down the hall, so he slipped the manuscript into his case and followed them out.

Their way led past Het’s own Keep office, where he worked for a few days each week on issues of modern research which were of interest to Dr. Kane. Het, Herbert and several others of Kane’s staff shared the same secretary, at whose desk Het stopped, giving her directions to make a copy and return the original to its place on Herbert’s desk.

“Certainly, and after I’ve made your copy, Dr. Kerrigan, I’ll file the original manuscript and all the rest of that tall pile. Those are the items Dr. Schooner has finished reading, and it’s about time for me for me to file them.”

Het, catching up with Esther and Herbert, heard Esther asking, “Was that manuscript which Gabrielle purloined from Fr. Sigurd’s bag, as important as she thought it might be?”

“Not really,” was Herbert’s answer. “It was just an addendum to the Clan’s Touchstone—nothing special.”

Het said to them, “Fr. Sigurd? I met him at the Son’s House hearing in England, and he seemed like a bit of a bungler. He and Ricardo seemed to know each other fairly well.”

Herbert Schooner, having seen Fr. Sigurd several times without ever speaking with him, was pleased to learn a few more things about the man by questioning Het. He did not mention to Het that his first sight of Fr. Sigurd had been at the Schroeder Flight Works before the War.

~ ~ ~

Later that day, while Het was intently reading his copy of the manuscript in his New University campus office, Esmeralda dropped by.

“German?”

Startled, Het looked up. “Oh! It’s you!”

“You look guilty, dear. Did you steal this from one of your colleagues up the hill?” Esmeralda picked up the manuscript and turned back to the cover page. “What does it say? ‘The Labyrinth of Frederick Knox’s journal?’ My German’s not good. Something about Rhoda’s family?”

"'A translation by Fr. Sigurd Benedict Krull of Frederick Knox’s Journal on the Design of the Great Maze.’ You remember Fr. Sigurd in England.”

“Sure; he’s the bumbler whose letter to Mortimer got lost in the monks’ mail.”

“Well, he recently visited with Mort in the Turret and got fleeced by Katerina—Mort’s ‘Gabrielle’—for this treasure.”

“Treasure?”

“I think it might be. Herbert pretended it was nothing, but I think maybe it’s something the Clan very much doesn’t want Arch to know about.”

“No wonder you jumped. You have stolen it.”

“Yes. Right from Herbert’s desk.”

“Won’t he miss it?”

“No. He was done with it, and it was ready to be filed.”

Esther appeared in the doorway to Het’s office, then— almost simultaneously with her brief knock. “Het, I need to talk with you for a minute!”

Esmeralda, holding the manuscript, turned her back while Het went with Esther into the hall, from which their words were unintelligible to her. She copied, on Het’s small copy machine, the first few pages of Fr. Sigurd’s translation, then hid the manuscript under a recent issue of Nature on Hets's desk, and left with the copies.

~ 2 ~ "Alberto, darling. Tell me you love the way I look in my new dress. You can lie. I trust you, you know." Esmeralda had just entered Alberto's office. She closed the door.

"EZ, you look so young and beautiful in anything you wear, I confess I didn't even notice your dress. What's your secret?"

“It is a secret, Alberto. Now compare me to Esther; be frank."

"I can't do that unless I can see you both in the same light, EZ, which I can’t do because you’re always so proper and businesslike with me.”

"Okay. I'm here on business, Alberto—our business. I have some information that might be a nugget for your Knox Aviation story. But I don’t know everything you have on that story, dear, and I’d very much like to.”

"How big is your nugget?"

She lifted her hands so that they just touched her breasts. "This big, Alberto."

Alberto had never personally experienced Esmeralda’s charms. “I’m willing to trade,” he said, “but if you want to know everything that’s in my Knox file, it will take a couple of days for me to translate it.”

“Let me see; I’m good at reading people’s handwriting.”

Alberto grinned. Holding his reporter’s journal in both hands, he presented it to her ceremoniously.

Esmeralda’s eager look quickly became perplexity as she began to examine the journal.

Alberto’s grin broadened as the perplexity became a scowl. He said, “My father and my uncle are the only other people who can read it, EZ. You’d need me to give you a page-by-page translation, and the file is in seven journals like this one.”

Simulating a pout, she said, “My nugget is much smaller in size than that, but it may be solid gold, and I stole it just for you. Drop by my place tonight with the first journal, and I’ll share my nugget with you.”

~ ~ ~

"Miss Knox, may I join you for a moment?”

"Please do, Alberto. I’m expecting Alice Cunningham to be here in a few minutes. She tells me that she’s enjoyed your Rag columns about her Eyrie. Shall I use your camera to photograph you talking with her? Then you can at last reveal your true identity, in the presence of glamour, in the Rag."

"I would appreciate that, Miss Knox, but I want to confess to you—although you may already know this—that I've been doing some investigating on what I call the Knox Aviation story. I began working on it on the day that I saw you and your Nigerian friend Yohanna casting a spell on Fr. Aden Haldane, with whom I used to talk here in the Student Union. I’ve got several notebooks on the story already, but I still don't know what's going on, and I don't suppose you’ll tell me."

Rhoda waited for him to continue.

"I may know something that’s highly valuable to you,” he said. “If it is, will you agree to give me the first interview when this affair is no longer a secret that I can’t hack?”

Rhoda stared at him. She seemed to be looking through him into his future. After a long time she finally said, “Alberto, when you are no longer able to hack the ‘Knox Aviation story’, I will do what I can to see that you’re informed about what you do not know. However, it’s most likely that I will not be in a position to give you an interview when that day comes.”

"Thank you. Why is that, Miss Knox?"

“Because the outcome for me in this affair is highly uncertain. Now, what is your information?"

Alberto set out before Rhoda, third-generation copies of the first three pages of Fr. Sigurd's Great Maze translation. "I understand that these copies were made from a document 'borrowed' from the valise of a man known as Fr. Sigurd, who was meeting with Dr. Kane. Kane and company are in possession of a copy of the full document, which I understand may of 'strategic value' to all parties in this affair."

After studying the pages in silence, Rhoda asked, "Alberto, what is your motive for informing me of this?”

Pay dirt! "I've interviewed Dr. Kane. Whatever the affair is about, I'd prefer that he do no better than draw even. As a reporter, I shouldn't say this, but he is an evil man."

Rhoda smiled. "We have a deal, Alberto.”

Her eyes and her facial expression reminded Alberto of his younger sister. Esmeralda doesn’t have that look.

“Here, keep these for your file.” Rhoda returned the copies to him. “I have no further need of them."

At Alice’s request, Rhoda’s photograph of Alice and Alberto together was taken outside, with only the mountains as their backdrop. Alice had said, "Your clientele won't believe that I breakfast in the Student Union here, and I'd rather they not know."

Alberto asked, "Off the record, why do you either of you eat here?"

Rhoda smiled at him. "One of my family's companies has the kitchen concession. I appreciate good food."

"It suits me, too," said Alice.

~ 3 ~ With the conclusion of the War and Peace Conference, Alberto had regained considerable time for journalism. He donned his Panama hat and prepared to head out on a fishing expedition, interviewing Victor about his desert research project. After failing to find in his notes any allusion to Frederick Knox and the Great Maze, Alberto had realized that, although he had once encountered Esther in Victor’s office, he had never interviewed Victor. He thought that he might get from Victor an interesting story for the New City Review, and maybe some Knox Aviation tidbit. He had surmised that Victor was somehow on the outskirts of the Knox Aviation story. Rhoda’s reaction had told him that the Great Maze papers were important, but they had made the affair more unfathomable to him. In spite of his new relationship with Esmeralda, he had decided to follow an old lead after finding her more interested in him than in his journal. Her interest flattered his male vanity, but it also aroused in him a suspicion that he was being used somehow by Esmeralda.

He was on the point of departing from his office when Esmeralda paid him her second visit of the week. “You’re heading out, Alberto? I need only a moment, dear. I had a little chat with Het, and he warned me not to leak what he had told me about the Great Maze papers; he's unaware of my having photocopied the first pages for you."

Alberto retrieved the copies from his files. "Here's the evidence back, EZ. I'll just keep my ears open for 'Great Maze’. Do you know where this Fr. Sigurd is stationed?"

“When I was in England, I learned that he's at Home Ranch."

"That place is a fortress, EZ, especially against the press.” She was playing with me for her own amusement, and she went too far. How good it was of Rhoda Knox to give the papers back to me.

Esmeralda carefully folded up the Great Maze papers.

“EZ, I've already forgotten that you gave those to me."

"Thank you, Alberto. You’re a dear.”

~ ~ ~

Alberto discovered that the office was no longer Victor’s. It was empty, and Victor was gone.

Esmeralda went straight home and burned the Great Maze copies. She drank alone that evening. In her ‘little chat’ with Het, she had read in him a determination and a fear which were new to her. Het was capable of doing her violence; she was aware, for the first time, that her death was a possible outcome of this strange affair. She poured herself another drink.

When Esmeralda drove into her carport on the next evening, she noticed Het’s car on the street. Het had been sitting on her front porch waiting for her, and he strode up to her. "EZ, apologies are not in my line, but I admit that I was pretty brutish the other night. I want to know where people stand and what their motivations are. I guess you do, too."

"You were a regular asshole, dear. And accepting apologizes is not in my line." The apprehension which he had provoked in her faded away. "But, if you want to make an exception, I will, too. Tell me, why were you so bent out of shape.” She unlocked her side door.

"I’ll get the Chinese takeout I left on your porch; then I’ll tell you why." Het went out through the front door and returned with a full paper bag. He set the food in the oven to warm, leaving the oven door ajar.

"Basically, I had just…,” Het turned from the oven and found the kitchen empty. Apology accepted. He took a can of beer from Esmeralda’s refrigerator and sat down with it to wait.

~ ~ ~

“…so Mort has a rival in the Keep, Het. I had heard of Marge Hemming, and I had thought that she was only his lieutenant, like Herbert. Have you met her?"

"Yes. She's like you, EZ, getting younger by using the same treatment from Thersa. Nobody’s told me about that in so many words, but I've been putting things together."

"That gives me a chill. Like I'm a rat in an experiment. So they’re using you, too, in some way?"

"Exactly. I’ve read the Great Maze paper in detail now."

"Don't bore me with the details; what’s the point? Are you happy with my wine? It's more of a lady's wine, don't you think?"

"Yes, it is. But, EZ, now I know that my spook is real. The Friend is not a human being. Kane and Marge, and maybe Herbert, are his operatives. He plays them off against each other."

"Really? What does he want?"

"Power. How much and over what, I don't know, but the others are maneuvering for a cut, or even to cut him out."

"But this is all your guesswork, right?"

"Yes, but they're good guesses. That's why I was over the top the other day about this Great Maze business. That was the last piece of the puzzle for me, and I didn’t like it. I was so unreasonable with you because I’d figured out that the Great Maze is top secret for them, and that it’ll be lethal for me if they find out that I know."

"You made me scared for my life!"

“Because I was scared! But now I'm more concerned than scared. I've been deceived, but it’s not time for payback; it’s time to play dumb to cut the risk.“

"Someone in whom you had confidence has turned out to be dangerous?"

"Esther."

Esmeralda smiled to herself. “Oh? They say her father is king of corruption.”

“I haven’t met him.”

“Maybe he’s the Friend. It’s easy to believe some people on the East Coast aren’t human.”

Het gave her a look. ”I think Esther is angling to come out number one when the Friend makes his move—cutting out Marge, and maybe even Kane.”

“If she wins, maybe she'll call you back to be her consort. What would be so bad about that, for you?” Esmeralda finished off her glass of wine.

"Crap, EZ! You’re talking like she does. It doesn't matter which one of them wins, because you and I are so much entangled with them that we'll get screwed one way or another."

EZ fetched another bottle of wine and a corkscrew. "Here, Het, uncork this for yourself. I know you like Merlot better than Liebfraumilch."

He opened the bottle in silence and poured himself a very full glass. "I used be happy drinking Pisano."

"To each his own.” Esmeralda raised her glass with little ceremony, looking thoughtfully at it, rather than at Het. "Do you think they could all fail?"

"One of them has to win, to get the Friend's reward. I guess if they all fail, he fails, or at least he doesn’t pay up. That's the way it's worked before."

"How do you know that?"

"I've been reading something else about the Clan by this same Fr. Sigurd. It's called the Touchstone. Believe it or not, there's a copy in the library of Steuben's Institute—put there by Ricardo."

"That’s great, my dear. Tomorrow you can start thinking about getting them all to stumble."

~ ~ ~

"Your coffee's not bad, EZ. How did you learn to run that god-awful machine? It looks like it belongs in a restaurant."

"It’s European. Where there's a will, there's a way to learn. Het, in the shower this morning, I was thinking of some of the things Mort has said about the Clan. I think he was saying that they’re like Boy Scouts out to do a good deed, whether you need it or not. That’s what I didn't like about your Miss Knox when she took me for a spin in her weird jet plane. She’s a smart-ass showoff, but she's a Girl Scout underneath, eager to help and eager to give good advice that you’ve long ago rejected."

Het smiled over his coffee. "She’s getting under my skin the same way, in these Maker lessons she’s been giving us. I'd say she's limiting what she teaches us; there are things she doesn’t want us to know."

"It looks to me like she’s keeping from you the things you need to know if we want to make them all fail. And I think what we were saying last night is true: The best outcome for us is for no one to win, whatever the gold ring really is."

"I'd have to bring Scott into it, to work out a scheme like that. This 'Goth physics' is pretty tricky.”

"What's the problem with Scott? My impression is that he's like us in just wanting his own island to be safe. And that's what Steuben wants, too. He’s running the University in ways that protect his precious Institute from the ravages of his peers."

“EZ, the problem with Scott is that I’d have to make him fear that his work with me has put him in as much danger as we’re in. And when Scott sees trouble coming, he starts making exit plans, so I’d have to convince him that he’s in danger no matter where he goes."

"Well, if I were you, Het, I’d start by talking about 'your theory' with him, not 'my theory'. That sort of thing helps. I use it all the time, like with Professor Bolt."

"That would be hard for me to do."

"It will be hard, too, to get all of your wizard friends to fall down before they get to the finish line…which would be cooking up desire that’s not satisfied… That’s one of my favorite dishes, so maybe I can help somehow.”

Looking thoughtfully at Esmeralda, Het said, "I've heard that before about you, EZ, and now that I know you a little better, I know it's true."

"It's an old vice, my dear. I don't envy anyone their youth these days, but if Thersa's treatment wears off, I may go back to my old ways with a vengeance."

"You know, I can get started on Scott soon. We've got a paper on 'his theory' that we’re about to submit, so I'll list his name first under author(s). You're right: No pain, no gain."

Nodding in approval, Esmeralda suggested, "Het, instead of going to Rhoda, you ought to go to Ricardo and talk shop. Ask him about ways to become a better Maker, and say something like, ‘I’m worried about Arch’s influence."

"Why should I talk to Ricardo?"

"Because as a man, you can do a better job of feeling out the true motives of another man. Het, dear, you need to know what the game truly is between Arch and the Clan. Things might be worse for us if the Clan wins. What do we really know?”

"Okay. I could follow up with Ricardo on the mobile Devices lecture he gave me at Aden's hearing."

Esmeralda sighed in pleasure. "A new day, a new intrigue. How refreshing! …Het, where did you hear about my delight in active schadenfreude?"

"I was waiting for you to ask who told me. It was your former understudy, Bridget."

Esmeralda slowly nodded her head. After a silent moment she said, "She disappeared after she jilted Alberto and left him with her sample of the Friend's Elixir. I may not have told you about that. Has she joined Rhoda's Girl Scouts?"

“I think so. I was at a party a while ago, thrown for the biologists by Victor and Hans. I’m sure you know that Hans is Yohanna’s boyfriend. Victor keeps a low profile, so you might not know him; he’s a biologist who used to be Esther’s boyfriend.”

“Before you, dear?”

“Actually, Esther and I carried on behind his back. Victor used to be away a lot.”

“Nice.”

“Now Victor is married to Bridget. She was at the party, and I heard that she’s your former understudy.”

“Was Miss Knox at this party?”

“Yes.”

“And her Mr. Wonderful?”

“No; he’s not a biologist.”

“Then why was Bridget there?”

“The party was at their house, which is located in the shadow of Ricardo’s Cliff Rancho. That’s why I think she might be one of Rhoda’s Girl Scouts.”

“Miss Knox must live in the Rancho, if Bridget’s her understudy now.”

“I don’t think Rhoda lives there, or that Bridget is Rhoda’s understudy. If anyone’s the understudy, it’s probably Lisa Su. Anyway, I was the last one to leave the party, and I saw Rhoda and Yohanna drive off down the hill together. Hans lives with Ricardo.”

“That could be more scandalous than Rhoda living with him.”

“I don’t know. Hans says the Rancho is inset into the cliff and the rooms are cut into the rock of the cliff.”

“Like the Keep, Het?”

“Yes, but it’s supposed to be several hundreds of years old, from the first decades after the Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs. I think the Clan built it.”

"Well, Het, I’ll leave those shark-infested waters to you. The waters in which I’ll look for failure points will be those of my lady peers. Miss Knox? Miss Rosen? Miss Marge Hemming? With whom should I start?”

"What about Miss Okubo? She’s in that mix."

"I'm a little wary of her. Frankly, Het, I’m afraid of her. She's too charming. Remember her mirror? She’s not a likely failure point. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Miss Knox is her minion.”

"Yohanna is Oscar's best guess for Clan Sorceress."

"Yes; I think your dear mother mentioned that to me."

It pleased Esmeralda to see that Het was annoyed by her talking casually about Winthy. She said, “Then, Miss Okubo is a shark in your waters. Be careful, Het. I think Mort’s very attractive second secretary, Katerina—whom he calls ‘Gabrielle’—swims in those waters, too. She’s so good-looking, so unaware of it and so retiring as she goes about her duties, that it makes me suspicious. Have you been to bed with her?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact.”

“Was she easy to persuade?”

In a passable imitation of Gabrielle’s secretarial voice, Het said, "'The door is open; push hard if you dare.’”

“My, my. …The only thing Mort says about her is that Gabrielle’s very efficient. He acts like that’s her only virtue, as far as he’s concerned. She must be a Shade. I’ve heard that sexual pleasure between Shades is mediocre at best, but between a Shade and a normal person like you or me, it’s greatly enhanced.”

“You’re normal?”

“Oh, yes. Thersa said so. And Mort comes back for more, although he has slacked off since he’s been consorting with Esther.”

“Thanks for that tip, EZ. I’ll try again with Katerina, talking shop with her a little. Maybe I can find an Arch failure point in bed with her.”

“That’s fine with me, Het. I do find her a little difficult to talk with. I think I’ll drop in on Marge Hemming, and see if she’s my cup of tea.” What brave talk! Do either of us believe it?

~ 4 ~ "I'm told that you’re the wickedest woman in the world, the Friend’s only confidante—someone I can admire.

"Who told you that?” Marge Hemming was annoyed by Esmeralda’s intrusion into her office.

"Mort. He talks in bed, you know—or has it been so long, that you've forgotten?"

“How did you get in here, Esmeralda?”

“I'm pleased that you know my name, Miss Hemming. The answer is that I’ve learned tricks from my lady friends. I've been flying with Miss Knox, who’s so very much a Girl Scout; don’t you think so? Thersa's much more my type—and so charming. But, let's face it, dear: You and I owe our charms to her. She's above us both, I fear. And what about Alice and Giselle? Where do they fit in? My witchdoctor friend Yohanna gave me my magic mirror, which—to answer your question—was my key to your room." Esmeralda held the mirror before Marge's face. Marge snatched it from her hand, glanced into it, and recoiled in horror. She thrust it back at Esmeralda, who took it and looked approvingly at her own face, smoothing the hair on the back of her head. "Miss Hemming, you may not know Winthy Kerrigan; she says that Dr. Kerrigan's father, Oscar—whom I believe you know—says Yohanna is the Sorceress."

Coldly, Marge demanded, "Who else has looked into your mirror?"

"Well, dear Bauda, my predecessor in Mort's affections—Gabrielle—seemed to be very much startled by her own image. Miss Knox just smiled back at hers. I think Miss Okubo has Rhoda Knox on a string. What do you think? What does your big Friend think? He talks to you, I understand, but he doesn’t talk to little ol' me.”

Marge smiled. "The Friend says that you are more charming in this conversation with me than you are in your secret conversations with him."

Oh! No! My Voice is the Friend! Esmeralda had correctly guessed her way with Marge up to this point, but now her sure instinct for doing mischief fled as she was struck by the Friend’s cunning. She bluffed: “How sweet of him to let me know.”

"Our Friend asks, 'What did Miss Knox say when she looked into your mirror?’"

Esmeralda remembered clearly. "She said, ‘It’s a fine mirror, is it not, Esmeralda?’”

Marge’s slight nod suggested that she had just then understood an order from her Voice. "You may go now, Esmeralda,” she said.

For an instant, Esmeralda saw a huge spider staring at her through Bauda's eyes. She fled the Keep.

~ ~ ~

"Mr. Featherstone, thank you for graciously meeting with me. I am sure that you anticipate no pleasure from any matter which I may bring to you."

"Miss Montgomery, what can I do for you? Truly, without disputes there would be no need for my trade."

Esmeralda dropped her eyes. "I suppose, Mr. Featherstone, that since the hearing you’ve seen me as a 'gold digger', as we Americans say."

"Frankly, I have considered you to be an adventuress."

"Well, be that as it may. I‘ve come to you bearing an object made of gold, for you to return to the Son's House. The identity of the object’s owner is, I’m sure, within your competence to determine. Here is the item and its conveyance.”

Esmeralda placed an unaddressed envelope and a soft leather bag on his desk. It is done. I am free of it. She sat back.

Mr. Featherstone immediately opened the envelope and began to read the document.

Esmeralda sat in silence. In order to avoid studying his facial expressions, she turned her attention away from him, enjoying the pleasant view of the village from his office window.

After reading the document, Featherstone opened the bag, looked at its contents and quickly closed the bag.

He said, "Only recently has Aden explained to me the matter of the Aztec relics which were hidden in the Son's House, and his, er, rather dubious association with a certain party represented, as far as I can tell, by Dr. Kane, yourself and your associate, Dr. Kerrigan. I did not anticipate the return of any item which Aden had dispersed, and the particular piece which you have returned is, perhaps, the most valuable of all of the relics."

"I am asking for no compensation, Mr. Featherstone.”

"I see. I am sure that my client will be most grateful. Yet, it might be of service to him for me to understand the motives for your generous action.” Featherstone was asking out of personal curiosity, not from legal concern for Aden or the Foundation. Has this leopard truly changed her spots?

“Mr. Featherstone, I am hardly convinced of the existence of God, but my association with the 'certain party' mentioned by you has convinced me of the existence of the devil.” Esmeralda said no more, as if this were sufficient answer.

Mr. Featherstone drummed his fingers. "So," he concluded, "The existence of the devil makes the existence of God at least plausible, and you are adjusting your account, so to speak, in accord with this contingency?"

"That is a fair summary of my motives, Mr. Featherstone."

A feeling of immense satisfaction welled up in his lawyer's heart. In this unexpected conversation, he was enjoying himself more than he had at any other time since he had successfully courted his wife. He asked, "Miss Montgomery, as it is nearly lunchtime, will you consent to take lunch with me?”

~ 5~ “Het, I’m washing my hands of the whole thing. Come knocking at my door only after you have done so, too.”

Het blinked. “Okay, EZ. Whatever you say.” She was gone at once. Staring at the doorway of his campus office through which she had vanished, he remembered their bold liquor talk about finding some way to bring down the whole Arch business—whatever it truly was. Was she communicating to him a way of doing that? But the desire to engage in the soul-searching to which he was being called, was overcome by his fascination with the practical opportunity to develop the modern science of meta time which his work with Herbert and Esther opened to him.