The message was loud and clear—it was the wrong path.
“He was our brightest child,” her father said. “I thought he’d be an academic. Lobby the government.”
“Guess you were half right,” Alastair said amicably. “He worked for the government instead.”
There was silence around the table. Slowly, Alastair became aware that he’d said something wrong.
“We weren’t very pleased when Lake ran off and joined the army,” Joyce said. She put a hand on Eric’s arm—to console him or communicate with him, Rainne wasn’t sure. “He sold out to the very establishment we’re working hard to change.”
Rainne could see plainly that Alastair was more than a little confused, but he kept his mouth shut.
“Your brother needs help in London,” her father said, turning away from Alastair.
Rainne doubted he’d talk to Alastair again for the duration of the meal. She’d seen her father do this before. He’d decided that he had nothing to gain from a conversation with Alastair, therefore he wasn’t worth wasting time or attention on. Rainne felt herself burn with embarrassment.
“Did you hear me?” Eric asked.
“Joyce mentioned it,” she said.
“Are you going to help him, then?”
She stared at her food. Normally nothing could get between her and her favourite bean stew.
“I have a shop here,” she said.
“Yes, but this is important work. We need to get a message out at the next budget and River has been working hard on this. It’s a good idea. You need to get behind it and support him. Do something for the cause instead of something for yourself.”
Rainne heard the message loud and clear. She was being selfish with her life in Scotland.
“There must be more people who can help your brother?” Alastair said.
Before Rainne could answer, her mum spoke up.
“We work together in this family.” Her mother ran her hand over Rainne’s hair to smooth it. “We support each other. No one understands what we’re trying to achieve like Rainne does. She’s always supported family. Family is important to her. To all of us.”
Rainne bit her tongue. She wanted to remind them that Lake was family too.
“What would Rainbow do that’s so important down in London?” Alastair said.
His eyes had narrowed. It was obvious that he didn’t like her parents any more than they liked him.
“Help her brother,” Joyce said as though he was an idiot. “He needs a right-hand person for the campaign. Som
eone he trusts. Someone who knows everyone already and has a good eye for making sure that nothing is missed.”
“Basically, you want her to give up everything she has here and go down there to run around after her brother. Why can’t you guys do it?”
Joyce snapped back in her seat.
“We’ll be in Holland.”
Alastair forked at his food.
“Do you want to go to London, Rainbow?” he said softly.
“She can stay here if she wants,” her father said. “We don’t pressure people into doing things. But she has to ask herself what’s more important—selling underwear, or stopping an international catastrophe?”
“That’s no question.” Alastair looked her father in the eye. “That’s manipulation.”