Farnham’s Freehold By Robert A. Heinlein

“I don’t see why not. I’ve employed three times that many and never missed a payroll-and I once bossed two thousand skilled trades in the Seabees. But, Joe, I came up here with something on my mind.”

“Uh, all right, spill it. Then I want to show you the plans.”

“Joe, you know about Duke?”

“What about Duke?”

“Tempered. Didn’t you know?”

“Oh. Yes, I knew. Happened just about as I left. He’s not hurt, is he? Complications?”

“’Hurt?’ Joe, he was tempered. You act as if he had merely had a tooth pulled. You knew? Didn’t you try to stop it?”

“In the name of God, why not?”

“Let me finish, can’t you? I don’t recall that you tried to stop it, either.”

“I never had the chance. I never knew.”

“Neither did I. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, but you keep jumping down my throat. I learned about it after it happened.”

“Oh. Sorry. I thought you meant you just stood by and let it happen.”

“Well, I didn’t. Don’t know what I could have done if I had known. Maybe asked Ponse to call you in first, I suppose. Wouldn’t have done any good, so I guess we were both better off not having to fret about it. Maybe all for the best. Now about our plans- If you’ll look at this schematic layout, you’ll see-”

“Joe!”

“Huh?”

“Can’t you see that I’m in no shape to talk about playingcard factories? Duke is my son.”

Joe folded up his plans. “I’m sorry, Hugh. Let’s talk, if it will make you feel better. Get it off your chest-I suppose you do feel bad about it. Looking at it from one angle.”

Joe listened, Hugh talked. Presently Joe shook his head. “Hugh, I can set your mind at rest on one point. Duke never did see the Lord Protector. So your advice to Duke-good advice, I think-could not have had anything to do with his being tempered.”

“I hope you’re right. I’d feel like cutting my throat if I knew it was my fault.”

“It’s not, so quit fretting.”

“I’ll try. Joe, whatever possessed Ponse to do it? He knew how we felt about it, from that time it almost happened through a misunderstanding. So why would he? I thought he was my friend.”

Joe looked embarrassed. “You really want to know?”

“I’ve got to know.”

“Well.. . you’re bound to find out. Grace did it.”

“What? Joe, you must be mistaken. Sure, Grace has her faults. But she wouldn’t have that done-to her own son.”

“Well, no, not exactly. I doubt if she knew what it was until after it was done. But just the same, she set it off. She’s been wheedling Ponse almost from the day we got here that she wanted her Dukie with her. She was lonesome. ‘Ponsie, I’m lonesome. Ponsie, you’re being mean to Gracie. Ponsie, I’m going to tickle you until you say Yes. Ponsie, why won’t you?’-all in that baby whine she uses. Hugh, I guess you didn’t see much of it-”

“None of it.”

“I would have wrung her neck. Ponse just ignored her, except when she tickled him. Then he would laugh and they would roll on the floor and he would tell her to shut up, and make her sit quiet for a while. Treated her just like one of the cats. Honest, I don’t think he ever- I mean, it doesn’t seem likely, from what I saw, that he was interested in her as a-”

“And I’m not interested. Didn’t anybody tell Grace what it would entail, for her to have her son with her?”

“Hugh, I don’t think so. It would never occur to Ponse that explanation was required . . . and certainly I never discussed it with her. She doesn’t like me, I take up too much of her Ponsie’s time.” Joe wrinkled his nose. “So I doubt if she knew. Of course she should have figured it out; anybody else would have. But, excuse me, since she’s your wife, but I’m not sure she’s bright enough.”

“And hopped up on Happiness, too-every time I caught sight of her. No, she’s not bright. But she’s not my wife, either. Barbara is my wife.”