Master of the Game

"I’d like to see that list!"

Mrs. Collins handed it to Eve without a word. It was a long list. Eve studied it and noted that at least seven names were missing. She sat there, quietly thinking.

Finally she looked up and said imperiously, "This is obviously some kind of plot against my family. Someone is trying to embarrass my grandmother through me. Rather than let that happen, I will leave."

"A very wise decision," Mrs. Collins said dryly. "A car will drive you to the airport in the morning. I’ll cable your grandmother that you’re coming home. You’re dismissed." Eve turned and started for the door, then suddenly thought of something. "What about my sister?"

"Alexandra may remain here."

When Alexandra returned to the dormitory after her last class, she found Eve packing. "What are you doing?"

"I’m going home."

"Home? In the middle of the term?"

Eve turned to face her sister. "Alex, don’t you really have any idea what a waste this school is? We’re not learning anything here. We’re just killing time."

Alexandra was listening in surprise. "I had no idea you felt that way, Eve."

"I’ve felt like this every damn day for the whole bloody year. The only reason I stuck it out was because of you. You seemed to be enjoying it so much."

"I am, but – "

"I’m sorry, Alex. I just can’t take it any longer. I want to get back to New York. I want to go home where we belong."

"Have you told Mrs. Collins?"

"A few minutes ago."

"How did she take it?"

"How did you expect her to take it? She was miserable – afraid it would make her school look bad. She begged me to stay."

Alexandra sat down on the edge of the bed. "I don’t know what to say."

"You don’t have to say anything. This has nothing to do with you."

"Of course it has. If you’re that unhappy here – " She stopped. "You’re probably right. It is a bloody waste of time. Who needs to conjugate Latin verbs?"

"Right. Or who gives a fig about Hannibal or his bloody brother, Hasdrubal?"

Alexandra walked over to the closet, took out her suitcase and put it on the bed.

Eve smiled. "I wasn’t going to ask you to leave here, Alex, but I’m really glad we’re going home together."

Alexandra pressed her sister’s hand. "So am I."

Eve said casually, "Tell you what. While I finish packing, call Gran and tell her we’ll be on the plane home tomorrow. Tell her we can’t stand this place. Will you do that?"

"Yes." Alexandra hesitated. "I don’t think she’s going to like it."

"Don’t worry about the old lady," Eve said confidently. "I can handle her."

And Alexandra had no reason to doubt it. Eve was able to make Gran do pretty much what she wanted. But then, Alexandra thought, how could anyone refuse Eve anything?

She went to make the phone call.

Kate Blackwell had friends and enemies and business associates in high places, and for the last few months disturbing rumors had been coming to her ears. In the beginning she had ignored them as petty jealousies. But they persisted. Eve was seeing too much of the boys at a military school in Switzerland. Eve had an abortion. Eve was being treated for a social disease.

Thus, it was with a degree of relief that Kate learned that her granddaughters were coming home. She intended to get to the bottom of the vile rumors.

The day the girls arrived, Kate was at home waiting for them. She took Eve into the sitting room off her bedroom. "I’ve been hearing some distressing stories," she said. "I want to know why you were thrown out of school." Her eyes bored into those of her granddaughter.

"We weren’t thrown out," Eve replied. "Alex and I decided to leave."

"Because of some incidents with boys?"

Eve said, "Please, Grandmother. I’d rather not talk about it."

"I’m afraid you’re going to have to. What have you been doing?"

"I haven’t been doing anything. It is Alex who – " She broke off.

"Alex who what?" Kate was relentless.

"Please don’t blame her," Eve said quickly. "I’m sure she couldn’t help it. She likes to play this childish game of pretending to be me. I had no idea what she was up to until the girls started gossiping about it. It seems she was seeing a lot of – of boys – " Eve broke off in embarrassment.

"Pretending to be you?" Kate was stunned. "Why didn’t you put a stop to it?"

"I tried," Eve said miserably. "She threatened to kill herself. Oh, Gran, I think Alexandra is a bit" – she forced herself to say the word – "unstable. If you even discuss any of this with her, I’m afraid of what she might do." There was naked agony in the child’s tear-filled eyes.

Kate’s heart felt heavy at Eve’s deep unhappiness. "Eve, don’t. Don’t cry, darling. I won’t say anything to Alexandra. This will be just between the two of us."

"I – I didn’t want you to know. Oh, Gran," she sobbed, "I knew how much it would hurt you."

Later, over tea, Kate studied Alexandra. She’s beautiful outside and rotten inside, Kate thought. It was bad enough that Alexandra was involved in a series of sordid affairs, but to try to put the blame on her sister! Kate was appalled.

During the next two years, while Eve and Alexandra finished school at Miss Porter’s, Eve was very discreet. She had been frightened by the close call. Nothing must jeopardize the relationship with her grandmother. The old lady could not last much longer – she was seventy-nine! – and Eve intended to make sure that she was Gran’s heiress.