Makenzie affairs. Though Duncan admitted that it made good sense, he could also detect an underlying note of satisfaction. For a moment he had an unflattering image of his older twins moving in like a pair of vultures, scenting a kill…. At the same time, he was wryly amused to see that Colin had drafted the
Telex in a great hurry; it contained half a dozen superfluous words, most offensive to the economical maxims of the clan. Why, there were even “and’s” and “the’s” .. .
Perhaps, after all, he was not suited for politics. He felt a growing disenchantment with these machinations. There were, despite genetics, subtle differences between the Makenzies, and it might well be that he was not as tough–or as ambitious-as his precursors.
In any event, his first step was obvious, especially as all his advisers had suggested it. The second move could be decided later.
It was no surprise when Calindy failed to appear on the screen of his
Comsole, and he soon had proof that the social convention was justified.
Unless there was some excellent reason, it was indeed bad manners to switch off one’s viddy circuit. Duncan felt both frustrated and at a serious disadvantage, knowing that Calindy could see him but that he could not see her. The voice alone did not convey all the shades of emotion. There was so many times when the expression of the eyes could contradict the spoken word.
“Why, what’s the matter, Calindy?” said Duncan in feigned astonishment. He would feel genuine sympathy if she were indeed hurt; but he intended to reserve judgment.
Her voice was-could it be imagination on his part?-not quite under control.
She appeared surprised to see him, perhaps disconcerted.
“I’m terribly sorry, Duncan-I’d rather not show my face at the moment. I fell and hurt my eye-it looks ghastly. But there’s nothing to worry about-it will be all right in a few days.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I won’t bother you if you feet unwell.”
He waited, hoping that Calindy could read the concern that he had carefully imprinted on his face.
“Oh, that’s no problem. Otherwise it’s business as usual-I’ve just cut out my weekly trip to the office, and now do everything by Comsole.”
“Well, that’s a relief. Now I’ve got a piece of news for you. Karl is on
Earth.”
There was a long silence before Calindy replied. When she finally answered,
Duncan realized, with amused mortification, that he was not really in
her league He could not hope to outwit her for very long. “Duncan,” she said, in a resigned tone of voice, 4tyou really didn’t know that he was staying with me?”
Duncan did his best to exhibit incredulity, shock, and umbrage-in that order.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he cried.
“Because he asked me not to. That put me in a difficult position, but what was I to do? He said you were no longer on good terms and his business was highly confidential.”
Duncan guessed that Calindy was telling the simple truth, if indeed the truth was simple. Some, but not all, of his pique evaporated.
“Well, I’m upset and disappointed. I should have thought you’d have trusted me. Anyway, there’s no further need for-subterfuge-now that I know He’s here. I’ve an urgent message for him-where can I locate him?”
There was another long pause; then Calindy answered: “I don’t know where he is. He left suddenly, and never told me where he was going. He might even have returned to Titan.”
“Without saying good-bye? Hardly! And there are no ships to Titan for a month.”
“Then I suppose he’s still on Earth, or no farther away than the Moon. I simply don’t know.”
Oddly enough, Duncan believed her. Her voice still had the ring of truth, though he did not delude himself about her power to deceive him if she wished.
“In that case, IT have to trace him in some other way. It’s imperative that we meet.”
“I wouldn’t advise that, Duncan.”
“Why ever not?”
“He’s-very angry with you.”
“I can’t imaoi e the reason,” retorted Duncan, in swiftly imagining several. Calindy’s voice sounded such a genuine note of alarm that he felt himself responding strongly to her concern.
However, it seemed that this avenue was closed, at least for the time being. He knew better than to argue with Calindy. With a mixture of
emotions, he expressed hopes for her continued improvement, and broke the circuit. He hoped that she would interpret his attitude as one of both sorrow and anger, and feel correspondingly contrite.
A minute later, he was looking-with some relief -at a screen that was no longer empty, and could reveal the other party’s reactions.
“Did you know,” he asked Ambassador Farrell, “that Karl Helmer is on
Earth?”
His Excellency blinked.
“I certainly did not. He never contacted me-I’ll see if the Chancery knows anything.”
He punched a few buttons, and it was obvious that nothing happened. The ambassador glanced at Duncan with annoyance.
“I wish we could afford a new intercom system,” he said accusingly. “They cost a very small fraction of the Titan Gross National Product.”
