“Because it is you, really,” she said to him, trembling. “You’re the one who’s been acting … dishonestly. I don’t know what you’re involved in. I’ve never known. You won’t tell me. You don’t tell me anything. You act as if I’m supposed to understand, as if it’s a given between us. But I don’t understand. Not really. I don’t understand what’s going on at all. How could I, Daddy? You don’t explain anything. Everything between us depends on all these … secrets. Everything revolves around what you don’t say, and what I’m not supposed to ask. It’s always been like that. It’s always …”

Weak and nauseated, she couldn’t finish. One hand clutched at the sofa again, one went around her stomach. Sir Michael’s powerful form was burned into silhouette by a lightning flash. The thunder was so loud this time it seemed to rumble through the flooring. The windows rattled with the wind.

And then the Great Man turned on her again. Turned where he was and looked across the room at his daughter with eyes that she could hardly recognize—they were so full of disdain for her, disgust and disdain.

“This is exactly the way it happened with your mother,” he said.

There was a footstep at the threshold behind her. Dazed, Sophia glanced back and saw Storm walk in.

12

“Get out of here,” Sir Michael said. “Get out of my house, you son of a bitch.”

The windows rattled again with another gust of wind, and the drapery stirred. And the old man seemed enormous and crackling with the tempest framing him. But Storm felt suddenly calm, suddenly clear and even in his mind.

She had done it. He could tell by the looks on their faces. Sophia had forced the issue out. The crisis had come.

He smiled, brushing the rain from his hair with one hand. Then he put his hands in the pockets of his slacks. He strolled slowly into the room.

“You know, I think you’ve got me all wrong,” he said. He came up next to Sophia and paused. Felt her trembling there beside him, felt the agitation coming off her in waves. “I think you’ve got me figured for one of Iago’s guys.”

Sir Michael sniffed. “I suppose you’re going to tell me you’re not.”