Why not? Why did she deserve a happy ending after dealing so much death?
Remorse.
Compensation.
She had to pay, and the gods had given her just enough time with Tristan to make it hurt.
“Surely there are treatments for the senator,” Lila said, somber, calm, and confused by the detour the morning had taken. She’d thought she be exiled, but now—
Now she was being promoted.
And punished.
Both at the same time.
“Be serious, child. There are few treatments for men in his condition. It’s never been all that important when a man can
not conceive. Perhaps in twenty years, Grace Medical might discover some treatment for his case if we put all our resources into it, but it will be far too late for Jewel and Senator Dubois.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I asked!” the chairwoman snapped. “Do you really think I want both of my children to be unhappy?”
Lila crossed her arms over her chest, stilling her impulsive answer. “Jewel isn’t barren. She can easily keep the senator around while she takes other men on the side. Let her bed the whole damn High House one man at a time. She doesn’t have to live with any of them.”
“She only wants Senator Dubois.”
“So let her marry the senator, then. Declaring eyre-cleue would completely absolve her of any charge of adultery or duty to compensate Senator Dubois while she—”
“Elizabeth Victoria Lemaire-Randolph, I said no. I have rescinded your abdication, and your contract is void. You are once again prime. You might have dodged your duty if your baby sister had been able to produce an heir, but we both know that she would have been incapable to run things after I’m gone. She’s not woman enough to lead. You are. You would have had to take over, anyway. It’s just sooner rather than later.”
Lila peered through the glass-paneled wall. “I have no interest—”
“I don’t really care what you have an interest in. You had your fun. Count yourself lucky to have had the last ten years and adapt quickly to the change.”
“I would rather—”
“Yes, you’d rather gallivant around in the middle of the night stealing data from Bullstow, putting this entire family at risk.”
“I’m handling it. You told me that I’d have two weeks to find—”
“I’m trying to protect you, you little—” Her mother broke off and took a long sip of wine. “You’ve had nearly two weeks to fix your mess, Elizabeth. Two weeks. It’s my turn now. I need to know what Bullstow will find if your blackmailer forwards the story.”
“I scrubbed the logs. Bullstow won’t see me there, not even if they know what they’re looking for. At best they’ll find shadows.” Lila cleared her throat, hoping she’d finished the job completely. “I’m not that worried about Bullstow, madam. I’m worried about what proof this blackmailer might have against me. I broke into Bullstow for the hack. If this blackmailer copied the logs before I took care of them, then my identity and intentions will be clear. Things could get complicated.”
“Our lawyers can spin all sorts of confusion, Elizabeth, and I can pay them to weave the best. Any company that consults with Bullstow on your case is sure to have connections to our rivals, and our lawyers can highlight that. As for a trespassing charge, you’ve been sneaking into Bullstow to visit your father and Shiloh since you were a child; they can hardly complain about it now. All we need is doubt and enough votes on the senate disciplinary committee. I can make it all go away with enough money and favors.”
“You’d ask Shiloh to lie for me?”
“No, you’ll ask him to lie for you. Without proof, this story is nothing but tabloid twaddle. Is there anything they’ll find? Did you profit from this hack?”
“Gods no.”
“They can audit your accounts? Even the ones outside the country?”
“If they can find them.”
“That’s what I thought. It’s the only reason why I gave you two weeks, you know. I should have summoned Commander Sutton to escort you out that night. It’s what your great-great-grandmother would have done.”