“I really have no views on the system. I’m not remotely interested in politics. Iaminterested in making a substantial profit for my houder. I’m responsible for the health and well-being of every indentured servant we train. I don’t want the responsibility of having indies on my staff, too. I want my staff to be here because this is a job that interests them and they are good at it, not because my houder has bought their contract.”
“You’ll forgive me for finding that a somewhat contradictory position, given your status,” Alex muttered.
“I wouldn’t ask anything of my team that I’m not willing to do myself,” Gideon said sharply. “An indie might feel they didn’t have the freedom to refuse.”
“I see. So, this houder of yours…”
“Is exactly as I represented her to you. As I said, most of what I told you was the truth. I adore Miss Madeleine. Everything I do is for her. Belvedere is my gift to her – the shining jewel in her business empire.” His eyes glowed as he spoke. Gideon was clearly every bit as enchanted with his houder as Two had been.
“Why doesn’t she set you free and pay you a decent salary, then?” Alex asked in a deliberately crass tone.
Gideon’s expression darkened. “I would make no such demand on her. I’ve told her that my dearest wish is for her to own my contract until my dying day.”
Alex gave a low, facetious whistle. “She really is a good businesswoman. She’s probably made back whatever she paid for your contract and some, and she gets your labour for life. She never has to pay you a salary or fork out a lump sum at the end of your indenture. Are you sure you’re her indie and not her slave?” he asked viciously.
Gideon sat back with a wry smile. “C and I have discussed your tendency to revert to sarcasm and bad manners when you’re upset. I understand why you’re upset now, but I do hope we can continue to work on this failing of yours.”
“Why on earth should I co-operate with you on anything?” Alex raised an incredulous eyebrow.
“Why not?” Gideon shrugged. “What other options do you have?”
Alex had no answer to that. He took a bite of the sandwich and found it delicious.
“They’re good, aren’t they?” Gideon smiled. “Now, we’ve talked enough about me. You must have more pressing questions that relate to your own situation. Please, fire away. I’ll answer them all, as honestly as possible. You have my word.”
“Oh, I really don’t think your word is worth anything,” Alex said sullenly.
“Given the nature of the deception I perpetrated upon you, I can understand that. Nonetheless, I’m the only one who can enlighten you, so you might as well ask.”
He had a point, but still, Alex gazed at him mulishly.
“Come now. Why not ask me the question you most want the answer to? I can guess what it is, and I’m happy to answer it.” Gideon finished his scone and dabbed a speck of jam from his lips.
“Very well. Explain to me why Tyler sent me here. What did he expect from your services?”
“That’s not the question you most want the answer to, but I’m happy to answer it anyway, as I know this subject has been on your mind a great deal during your time with us.” Gideon put his plate down and leaned back on the sofa. “Mr Tyler contacted me very suddenly and asked if I’d take you immediately. He said only that you’d been very expensive, knew nothing, and weren’t prepared to learn. He wanted you broken in to being a good servant, and he expected me to send you back as precisely that. We do receive unusual requests from time to time and are equipped to provide specialised training to difficult personalities. I don’t usually accept a commission on such short notice, but he was prepared to pay ten times our usual fee, so I made an exception. We were lucky to be between courses with the Christmas break looming, so we were able to accommodate Mr Tyler’s request. Although…” Gideon paused, his lips pursed angrily.
“I was not expecting to receive an IS in such poor condition. That’s never happened before. You were a wreck when you arrived, both physically and mentally. C was very concerned about you. We all agreed that we’d do nothing with you until you’d recovered. I was very unhappy about proceeding at all. I even discussed it with my houder. She usually allows me to run Belvedere without her interference, but she counts Mr Tyler asa close personal friend, and it was she who recommended us to him, so she insisted we proceed.”
“I wonder if she’s really a ‘close personal friend’, or whether he has blackmail material on her, like he does on so many,” Alex prodded.
“I won’t question Miss Madeleine,” Gideon snapped. “She’s been nothing but kind and generous towards me.”
Alex was noticing a pattern here. Anytime he said something negative about Gideon’s houder, he reacted angrily, and leapt to her defence. He clearly placed her on a pedestal, worshipping her with an almost religious fervour.
“I note that you chose not to report my condition to the authorities, despite your so-called concern,” Alex said drily.
Gideon smiled; he seemed not to mind personal criticism, as long as his beloved houder wasn’t involved. “Of course not. Belvedere has a reputation for the utmost discretion. Nothing that happens here leaves these walls, and all the houders who approach me know that. I insist that my staff are known only by initials, and students only by numbers, to preserve their anonymity. Nobody should ever be compromised in any way by their association with Belvedere.”
“Except you. You gave me your name,” Alex said.
“I’m the one exception. Belvedere is my responsibility, but I won’t have anyone trying to track down either an indie or a member of staff they met here when their contract is over. It’s far better if nobody knows names. Even privately, I maintain the naming protocols. None of my staff knows anyone’s real name except mine.”
“So, you’re a control freak.”
“NowthatI will admit to.” Gideon inclined his head. “I’ve poured my life into this place to make it the shining success Miss Madeleine deserves. It’s my greatest achievement, my gift to her.”
“So, Tyler asked you to turn me into the perfect servant – but he didn’t explain any of our history, or why I was in such bad shape?”