For Darkness Shows the Stars

Where was the judgment on Elliot in this note? Where was the frustration?
    Even her words to Elliot in the barn loft that day had been suspiciously void of emotion. With Tatiana, that was almost as good as approval.
    The baroness had been one of the few to attend the Boatwright’s funeral. “He deserved more honor than that,” she explained to Elliot, as they sat in the parlor of the Boatwright house and enjoyed the lemony light of the winter morning. On the wall, the rubbed bronze of her grandfather’s compass glowed dimly in the glare, its wheel, as always, spinning gently.
    “But I chose not to add insult to injury by ignoring him. A shoddy piece of work. The North star cavern is beautiful, of course, but it’s not the Boatwright way.”
    Elliot had closed her eyes to keep from weeping. At least, she thought, her grandfather had been laid to rest beside her mother.
    “Also,” the baroness went on, “I went to keep my relationship with your family strong. I hope to invite the North heir to visit me in the Channel. I think it would be a most productive trip for all of us.”
    Elliot nodded in understanding. In Channel City, the baroness’s word was law. If she wished to hold Benedict North accountable for his actions as “Ben”—she must do it on her land.
    “Why this?” Elliot asked. “For years I’ve heard of the dangers in the enclaves down in Channel City. What makes you motivated to stop this?”
    Beneath her veil, the baroness smiled sadly. “I have been remiss, I suppose. For the longest time, the activities in the enclaves seemed to be something separate from me, from the society I presided over in the main part of the city. The Posts who lived there were not my Posts. They were not my problem. But every year there were more of them, and recently it’s become clear to me that I have no right to take advantage of their fashions, technology, and even friendship if I abandon responsibility over the more unsavory elements of their situation. If the enclaves are my domain, then so are the illegal activities taking place there.”
    Elliot stiffened. Did the baroness know that her “friends” the Innovations were also engaging in illegal activities? “What will happen to him?” Elliot asked.
    The baroness shrugged. “Very little, to be honest, Elliot. The tribunal has no punishment in place for a Luddite lord who mistreats someone from the lower caste. But if your father wishes, he might be able to use the scandal to leverage a challenge to his brother’s will. After all, Benedict did abandon the estate for nearly a decade. If he truly wanted his inheritance, he could have claimed it years ago. Your father, for all appearances, has been running it since. His claim is likely to be a valid one, especially since the tribunal would be loath to hand an entire estate to a man who has been known to abuse the people in his care.” She folded her hands. “I know that doesn’t help your situation with the North workers much, but your father will drop the challenge to your grandfather’s will once he sees how much easier the battle will be to win the North estate.”
    Elliot looked out the window. One step at a time. The trick with Benedict would be treading lightly. He’d written her once, asking both to visit her and for an answer to his proposal. Her first instinct had been to ignore his letter, but she feared raising his suspicions. And she certainly didn’t want him visiting the Boatwright house. After a long consideration, she responded:
    Dear Benedict,
    Thank you for your letter. Rest assured, I am doing quite well here, and my only concern is for the welfare of the North laborers. I am sure you agree with me that it is important to remain cautious and impartial for the time being, lest we raise my father’s anger.
    Your cousin,
    Elliot North
    Chancellor Boatwright
    The note satisfied the standard of truthfulness that Elliot’s conscience required without betraying her real feelings toward its recipient.
    Though she had been tempted to drag it through the floor of the Boatwright chicken house.
    Now the baroness stood. “That’s all the hope I can give you now, Miss Elliot.”
    “It’s enough to go on.” Elliot rose, too, and shook the woman’s hand. “Thank you, on behalf of myself and the workers on the North estate. And Andromeda, too. She may not admit it, but she’ll relish any punishment Benedict gets.”
    “She’d prefer to see him dead, I think,” the baroness