Dune_ House Atreides - Brian Herbert [218]
“Oh,” Rhombur said, his voice trailing off in embarrassment. “Sorry.” He folded the cape and stuffed it back into the box.
Shaking his head, Leto took a deep breath. He’d known they would encounter many such memory land mines, and he would just have to endure them. “My father didn’t choose to die and leave me in this position, Rhombur. My mother made her own choices. She could have been a valued advisor to me. Under other circumstances I would have welcomed her assistance and wise counsel. But instead . . .” He sighed and looked bitterly over at Kailea. “As I said, she made her own choices.”
Only Leto and the warrior Mentat knew the truth about Helena’s complicity in the murder, and it was a secret Leto vowed to carry with him to his grave. With the death of the stablemaster during interrogation, Duke Leto Atreides had fresh, bright blood on his hands—his first, but certainly not his last. Not even Rhombur or Kailea suspected the truth.
He had sent his mother out of Castle Caladan with two of her servants, chosen by him. For her “rest and well-being,” Lady Helena had been taken to the Eastern Continent where she would live under primitive conditions with the Sisters in Isolation, a retrogressive religious commune. Haughtily, but without bothering to demand explanations for her son’s behavior, Helena had accepted her banishment.
Though he put up a strong front, Leto privately mourned the loss of his mother, and was astounded to find himself without both parents in the space of a few months. But Helena had committed the most abhorrent act of betrayal against her own family, her own House, and he knew he could never forgive her, could never see her again. Killing her was out of the question; the thought had barely crossed his mind. She was, after all, his mother, and he was not like her. Besides, getting her out of his sight was a practical matter, for he’d been left with vast holdings to manage, and the welfare of the citizens of Caladan had priority. He needed to get down to the business of running House Atreides.
From a chest of items, Rhombur brought out a set of old-fashioned handmade playing cards and some of the Old Duke’s awards, including military badges of honor, a chipped knife, and a small bloodstained banner. Leto discovered seashells, a colored scarf, an unsigned love poem, a lock of auburn hair (not Helena’s color), then a lock of blonde hair, and enameled brass armbands designed for a woman, but he had no idea how to explain the items.
He knew his father had taken mistresses, though Paulus had brought none of them into the Castle as bound concubines. He’d merely enjoyed himself, and had no doubt showered the women with trinkets or fabrics or sweetmeats.
Leto ignored those items and closed the heavy lid of the box. Duke Paulus was entitled to his own memories, his past, and his secrets. None of these mementos had any bearing on the fortunes of House Atreides. He needed to concern himself with politics and business. Thufir Hawat, other Court advisors, and even Prince Rhombur were doing their best to guide him, but Leto felt like a newborn, having to learn everything from scratch.
As the rain continued outside, Kailea poured a mug of the mulled wine and handed it to Leto, then drew two more for herself and her brother. Thoughtfully the Duke sipped it, savoring the spicy flavor. Warmth seeped into his bones, and he smiled when he thanked her.
She looked down at the odd paraphernalia and adjusted one of the gold combs in her deep copper hair. Leto noticed that her lower lip was trembling. “What is it, Kailea?”
She took a deep breath and looked at her brother, then at Leto. “I’ll never have a chance to go through my mother’s things like this. Not from the Grand Palais, not even the few precious items she took with her when we fled.”
Rhombur came forward and held his sister, but she continued to look at Leto. “My mother had keepsakes from the Emperor himself, treasures he gave her when she left