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Lucas finds a quiet corner on the way back to his rooms, and attempts to trump Flora.
The contact comes after a moment. Flora's voice asks, "Who is it?"
"C'est moi, Maman," Lucas replies.
He closes his eyes momentarily, drawing on his reserves of strength.
Then he opens his eyes and speak levelly.
"The children are safe but - Amber has been attacked."
And now - the words that he has vowed, over and over, that he would never utter.
"Maman - I need your help."
Flora's image has resolved as he speaks. She is standing on the deck of a sailing vessel of some sort. From the glimpse of her surroundings Lucas thinks the ship is at sea. "Of course you do, dear. What help do you find yourself in need of?"
Lucas is a little surprised by his mother's sang-froid, although he suspects he should have known her well enough to anticipate her reaction after all this time. No-one quite like Maman for drawing a line and moving on. Still, he would have expected at least a tepidly polite question about the nature of the attack on Amber.
Unless, of course, she already knows all about it.
Interesting. Who would have taken the time out to tell Flora? And would someone have trumped her with the news, or would she have been in contact with someone back in Amber? The latter is possible, certainly, but he would not have thought people would have been taking trumps quite so soon after the attack.
But none of these thoughts leach into his expression.
"I want to place the children under your protection, Maman." His dark eyebrows arch slightly. "But then - I was assuming you were already established as chatelaine of Paris."
"I have been to Paris, and am on my way outbound," Flora replies. "Dear Felicity will be handling the daily duties of court for me, together with the wife of one of Corwin's vassals. Between the two of them, they should have what little society there is now in Paris whipped into shape by the time I return. I'm en route to Karime to open relations with Paris, and Corwin has asked me to open a permanent path back to Paris from Karime once I'm done." She smiles dazzlingly at Lucas.
"But of course if the children are in danger in Amber I'll take them. You can't really expect Random, who has no idea how to treat his own children, to understand how important your children are to you. And it's not as if he's competent to keep Amber safe," she sniffs. "Will Solace come with them, or will there be a wet-nurse for Philippe?"
"Thank you, Maman," says Lucas. "Solace is in Xanadu at the moment - I believe she needs a locus of reality for her health. But yes, she'll be coming with the children. I hope to send Nanny Starch and a couple of the other staff as well - I don't want you to be put to the trouble of having to take care of day to day routine. I need to make a few arrangements - do you have a trump of yourself I could use? I'm borrowing Martin's at the moment, and I should return it."
"Not to hand. I'm afraid you'll have to put Martin out a little longer. You should apply to his father for a deck of your own, you know--if he hasn't lost them all." Flora makes a moue of distaste. "When should I expect your return call? I'll need to make arrangements here as well."
"If you can give me a time frame, I'll endeavour to meet it," says Lucas. "Although things are likely to be somewhat disturbed this end of the universe. I was hoping you could take a hotel* for us in Paris. Something like Pauline Bonaparte's old place on the rue du Faubourg St Honor? I have fond memories of the parties old Hookey held there. But that can wait on your convenience. Having the children safe is the key. And I'm happy to be guided by your arrangements - it will take me a day or so to have everyone gathered, I think."
[* French sense of the word.]
"A hotel will have to wait until I return to Paris. I'll probably be in Karime for some time, weeks or even months by local standards," Flora explains gently. "But if you don't mind them staying in Karime with me, a day or so local time will be enough to prepare the ship to receive them and some of your staff. In Karime they know me, or at least they used to, so the little eccentricity of having young children with me won't create any extra difficulty."
"Thank you, Maman," says Lucas. He smiles at her with real - and rare - gratitude. "As I said, it's your protection that I want for them. The bricks and mortar are immaterial compared to that."
Which is a pretty compliment, for Lucas knows that bricks and mortar around his Mama tend to have a habit of arranging themselves into aesthetically pleasing edifices.
"I shall call you in a day or two - how goes your time, compared with Amber time?"
"I'm in transit, dear. Timeflows are unpredictable," she reminds him. "I'll simply have them prepare everything as quickly as possible so it's ready when you call."
Having ascertained this, Lucas ends the trump connection with all the grace and style one would expect of Flora's son.
But once the call is completed, he takes a moment to lean back against the wall of the corridor, his eyes half-closed.
So. His children can be placed in greater safety - for them he would prefer a hub of reality, but he trusts his mother. And eventually, they will return to Paris, as he envisaged.
But Solace ...
Either she can stay in Xanadu, or join the children. Solace will undoubtedly want to be with the children. He had envisaged her in Paris, with the benefits such a real place would give to her health. An attractive town house, under the protection of his mother - but not too close. Able to build up a little court of her own, and pass the time pleasantly until her home in Xanadu should be ready.
He had not really envisaged his wife and his mother in the close confines of a small sailing vessel on a long voyage. The benefits to Solace's health will not be good.
The benefits to anyone's tempers ... are liable to be even worse.
Solace will not be unprotected, however. She will have the formidable Nanny Starch at her back ... and Gaston ...
Despite himself, Lucas' lips twitch.
Perhaps he should ask his belle mere whether she would like a sea voyage.
Although the image that conjures up is ... delightful (if one is contemplating it from a far distant Shadow), Lucas decides, with just the faintest pang of regret, that, at the moment, he probably needs allies more than he needs amusement. And that means keeping several Shadows between Lady Vesper and his mother.
Tant pis.
He straightens from the wall. His suite ... well, there will currently be a flurry of packing. He would prefer to avoid that - people might ask him to make decisions that they are perfectly capable of deciding for themselves. After all, what does one keep a staff for?
However, he has sent Pert with messages to the stables. His plans in this regard have, to some extent, been overtaken by events. But, nevertheless, he should pay the stables a visit before returning to see whether his services or skills will be needed in the service of Amber.
Accordingly, he heads there.
The stables are in a bit of a bustle. In addition to the business to which he has set Cheval, there are Royal Guards about. They don't appear to be requisitioning horses; perhaps they're there to guard the valuable military resources the stables contain. Donovan is speaking to one of the guards, but he excuses himself after a moment and presents himself to Lucas.
"Your lordship wanted to speak with me?" Donovan asks.
"Indeed," drawls Lucas, the bored, languid lord. "I trust the sounding of the alarm didn't disturb the stables too much?"
"Your lordship is kind to ask. The horses don't care for the tocsin, but they've had worse in their day. They're happier now that it's quiet. Is there anything I can do to help your boy's preparations? We're a bit short-handed, but I'm sure I can spare someone if Cheval needs help."
Donovan is properly deferential to a member of the royal family.
"There's been a slight change of plans," says Lucas. "I'll be continuing to stable our mounts here for the present. But my thanks for your consideration."
A smile accompanies his words - it is a polite dismissal, suggesting respect for a professional from a gentlemen.
"You're welcome, your lordship." Donovan replies, and goes back to his work.
Once Donovan has departed, Lucas turns his attention to Cheval, his own groom, a tactiturn man who sees and hears more than he says. A gesture from Lucas suggests they withdraw into the privacy of the stalls where the mounts belonging to Lucas' family are stabled, ranging from Hope's pretty little Shetland to Lucas' own black mare.
Once there, having checked to make sure they are not liable to be overheard, Lucas asks quietly, "Is Prince Benedict within the castle?"
Cheval shakes his head in the negative. "His horse hasn't come through the stables, sir. And it's not like we could miss that queer striped beast."
Lucas nods, and then gives some directions as to the care of Hope's pony while she will be away.
Then he leaves the stables, still relaxed and urbane. But inwardly, he revolves possibilities.
Benedict came to Amber last night on a trump. Lucas presumed it was to see one of his siblings - and there's no reason to doubt that now. It wouldn't be unexpected for someone like Caine or Fiona to keep that knowledge to themselves. But Benedict didn't ride out - either on his striped horse or on one borrowed from the stables - Cheval would have known. So either he has trumped away - or he is still here. But ... Martin has mentioned what other Elders are doing. If Benedict is still in the castle, he is keeping a surprisingly low profile.
This is, perhaps, knowledge to be shared with Martin. But it would be useful to make one more check first.
No matter what the dangers he might face of being lured into the appalling risk of Helping With The Packing, it behoves Lucas to make that check.
Besides, it's been a disgracefully long time since he had a change of clothes. Several hours, in fact. People will Start to Talk.
Lucas heads back to his suite.
The suite is in orderly disarray as Lucas' staff prepares for the departure of Philippe and Hope. Nanny Starch and the rest are moving through the suite like whirling dervishes, choosing what should go and what should stay. Hope is ensconced on the living room couch like a princess on a throne, and her brother, awake at last, in a playpen in the same room.
Gaston greets Lucas at the door. "M'sieur?"
Lucas does not reckon himself as being without a fundamental courage - but his sense of self-preservation is, he would calculate, somewhat stronger. Presented with the adage, "He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day", Lucas would gloss this as "Forget this ghastly fighting business - he who runs away lives to do infinitely more interesting things another day".
At the moment, his sense of self-preservation powerfully suggests that the news that Hope and Phillippe's destination is not the spacious bounds of a hotel in Paris, but the confined quarters of a sailing ship (and one that already contains his Maman and, sans doubte, her not inconsiderable Luggage) should be broken to Nanny Starch by another than himself. Therefore Lucas speaks first to Gaston.
"A change of plan. You will inform Nanny Starch that the children will be joining the Princess Florimel on a sea voyage. Their luggage should therefore contain the bare essentials. You and Nanny Starch will be escorting them - it is likely that Madame la Marquise will also be accompanying you. The remainder of the luggage will be sent to Paris, later. Gouter, who will remain here until Paris is arranged, will take care of that."
Gaston, who is undoubtedly aware of the fate that awaits him with Nanny Starch when he delivers the message, nods. When he speaks, his tone is unusually doleful. "Of course, M'sieur."
Lucas glances towards Hope and Phillippe, and then speaks to Gaston, before he moves towards his children.
"Do you know if Prince Benedict is within the castle?"
He presumes that if his arrival last night with Benedict was observed (and presumably it was, since they arrived in the same spot where Lucas arrived more recently - and Benedict waved to the guards), Gaston, who has his own information networks, will hopefully know about it.
Gaston shakes his head. "He was seen last night, but no one has seen him today. I am told that it was common for the Princes to come and go at whim before the late king's unfortunate demise, and that Prince Benedict was rarely in the castle for more than a few days at a time for many years before he was lately presumed dead."
Lucas nods his thanks, and then moves beyond Gaston to his children. He lifts Phillippe from his playpen, and indulges him with a few of the gentle tossing games that Phillippe enjoys, and that Solace lacks the strength to gratify. Once his son is content, he returns him to the playpen and invites Hope to help him choose his outfit, and watch him shave (one of Hope's greatest treats - as Lucas, who really doesn't need to shave a second time in the middle of the day, is well aware).
Soon they are installed in his bedroom, while he carefully applies the razor to his suds-ed cheeks, watching Hope watching him in his shaving mirror - when he can take attention away from the razor.
"You'll be going on a journey soon, ma petite," he says. "A sailing trip with Grandmere. And I think Maman will be coming too. You'll have to look after her, and see if the voyage can bring back the colour to her cheeks."
For some time he speaks like this, watching Hope carefully to gauge her reaction, preparing her for the adventure that lies ahead.
Hope is excited by the prospect of the journey, but wants Papa to come with her and Maman and Philippe.
"I shall see you when I can," says Lucas. "But who would get our new home ready if I were to be coming sea voyaging with you, ma chere? You know le pauvre Gaston has no taste at all. We would probably come home to find the predominant paint scheme was magnolia. To be safe. Now - what colours would you like in your new bedroom? And what colour shall we have for Mama's sitting room?"
OOC - Lucas isn't talking about the castle in Xanadu here, but about his long-term plan to build a town house for his family.
Then they choose his fresh clothing together, Lucas showing Hope how different materials feel, how colours can be combined. As ever, he is patient with her, guiding and explaining. It's a side of Lucas that sits oddly with his acerbic manner in general.
Finally Lucas is arrayed to their mutual satisfaction, in a dark green suit trimmed with pale cream piping - smart, but understated - the only touch of flamboyance being the polka dot handkerchief in his top pocket. He give Hope a farewell kiss, and sets out for the reception room.
Hope waves goodbye to him as he goes.
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XLVI: Facing up to Martin | Index | XLVIII: Counting Cards
