Part 23 (1/2)

”I had a young boy's crush on you,” he corrected good-naturedly.

”Ha!”

”I think I'll take that drink after all,” Jarrod said, getting to his feet. He felt more in control standing. The fluttering feeling had subsided, but he wasn't entirely back to normal. He poured himself some wine and went and leaned on the mantelpiece. Marianna swiveled to face him.

”I am, as I said, enormously flattered, but if Joscelyn has turned out to be Talented, despite the fact that nei- ther you, nor your former husband are, surely a child

120 fathered by me would have an even greater chance of being Talented.”

The feline smile returned. ”Exactly the same chance.”

she said, ”and I'm prepared to take that risk.”

”Why not find some beautiful, young aristocrat and seduce him?” Jarrod asked. ”You can have almost any man you want, you know you can.”

”That's true.” Marianna looked pleased with herself.

”And I have given the matter a great deal of thought, but you see, I like my son.” She emphasized the like.

”I think he's bright, he's considerate, he's got a quick sense of humor, he's not afraid of hard work and he's going to be very handsome. I would be perfectly happy with another son or daughter just like him.” She took another sip and watched him over the rim of her gla.s.s.

Jarrod mulled over what she had said. trying to find the thread of logic that linked it to him. A thought intruded, a memory of the Island at the Center. His mouth opened and he stared at her. ”You didn't,” he said accusingly.

”Oh but I did. Joscelyn is the proof.”

”With my double? You wouldn't. I don't believe you.” He pushed himself away from the mantelpiece and began to pace.

”You must have noticed the resemblance,” she said reasonably.

”I certainly have not.” he retorted. He was upset. His insides were churning and he wasn't entirely sure why.

Jealousy? Disappointment? A streak of prudery he hadn't known he possessed?

”I must say that surprises me,” she said as if she were having a perfectly ordinary discussion. ”Even my father has made some halfhearted attempts to comment on the matter.”

”And what did you tell him9”

She smiled, seemingly relaxed. ”Oh, that was simple.

121.

I said that it was only because Joscelyn was tall and, because you were his idol, he tried to walk like you, copy the way you use your hands. Daddy was only too happy to believe me.”

Jarrod stopped pacing and went and sat down op- posite her. He took a deep breath. ”You're right, of course, now that I come to think about it. He's got your hair, but his eyes are blue. It never occurred to me.”

He looked across at her. ”After all, I knew I wasn't the father.”

He took a drink of wine. ”Tell me,” he said when he was sure that his voice wouldn't betray him, ”when did this momentous event occur?”

”After you left the Island at the Center. You remem- ber that I stayed behind to help your double adjust to getting all your memories. Well, it was a lot more work than I thought it would be.” She smiled at him mis- chievously. ”I know a great deal about you, Jarrod Courtak.”

He didn't smile back at her.

”I had to put it all in context for him,” she contin- ued. ”We have so many a.s.sumptions about the world ^ around us that don't register as specific memories. Any- ^ way, I had to spend a lot of time with him and, to make a long tale short, he fell in love.”