Successio by Alison Morton Page B

were a bit robust with some tourists who kept trying to get inside the palace perimeter last night. The guards moved them along. One tourist apologised, so they sent her on her way, but the other one wouldn’t let it go, so they chucked her in a cell in the guardroom for the night. Unfortunately, she turned out to be a foreign investigative journalist and was screaming police brutality. They tried to explain they weren’t custodes , but according to the guard commander that wound her up more and she started on about military dictatorships.’ He shrugged. ‘In the end, I rousted Silvia’s protocol chief out to smooth it over.’ He sighed. ‘You’ll never guess who the new one is.’
    I shook my head. I’d dropped so far behind on reading routine appointments circulars.
    ‘You remember Favonius Cotta?’
    ‘You’re kidding me?’
    ‘He was as deeply thrilled to see me as I him, but he can do the job, I have to admit. He used just the right balance of serious attention and condescension. Very slick.’
    And just as oily, would be my guess. Conrad looked like he had a bad smell under his nose. Favonius Cotta had been the senior diplomat we’d had a run-in with fifteen years ago when I’d sought asylum in the legation in Washington.
    ‘Well, never mind that. I have to talk to you about something much more important. Nicola.’
    I jumped at the name, and at his raising the subject. He’d told me so firmly to butt out before.
    ‘I’ve been in two minds about her.’ He set his elbows on his desk and tapped the fingertips of each hand against their opposite numbers. ‘I can ignore her and hope she’ll go away. Rarely a good option. These kinds of problems always come back, usually well-fermented. The other option is to see if we can’t negotiate some kind of arrangement with her.’
    He was discussing her like a theoretical case or an exercise scenario. His voice was dispassionate, disinterested even. Had he gotten over the emotional crisis Nonna referred to? He’d been so much happier yesterday, like he’d come to some conclusion. Obviously, her letter had caused a huge upset, but now he’d be able to resolve it, thank the gods.
    I nodded and was about to suggest making an appointment with Sertorius to draw up an opening offer. Sertorius was so tough and slippery he could negotiate the palm off Victory, and she was a gold statue. We’d be rid of Nicola within a few weeks.
    Conrad said nothing. After a few moments, he smiled to himself. ‘She seems to have done well in the military, though. Something to be said for the genes.’
    Oh, Juno, he actually admired her. He bubbled with pride in his children and this visceral emotion was stretching to include Nicola. Not good. Not at all good.
    He glanced toward me from across his desk. ‘I know this may come as a bit of a shock, but I’m going to invite her over here.’
    Speechless didn’t describe my state even halfway. I stared at him as if I hadn’t heard correctly. I swallowed hard as if it could stop my mind seeing images of collapsing buildings.
    ‘Why do that? Can’t the lawyers handle it?’ I managed. ‘I mean, by letter or mail?’
    ‘It was Michael Browning’s news that brought it home to me. She must have been so miserable to have gone to such lengths.’
    No, Conrad, she’s a conniving little madam.
    ‘I feel I have to do this,’ he ploughed on. ‘She can stay with Uncle Quintus. He’s sharp enough to contain her. Perhaps she’ll come to see she doesn’t need to fight against everything so desperately.’
    I bit into one of the sandwiches that Rusonia had ordered, but it tasted like dry cardboard and rubber.
    He picked up an el-pad stylus and played with it, but didn’t touch the food.
    ‘Um, not wishing to put a damper on it,’ I tried, ‘but do you have proof she is your daughter?’
    ‘Always the careful one, aren’t you?’
    ‘C’mon, Conrad, you wouldn’t be the first one to get caught.’
    ‘You’re assuming she’s