Gladia smiled faintly. "What do you suspect, Elijah?"
Baley said, "Don't fence with me - I don't want to suspect. I want to know."
"Has Dr. Fastolfe mentioned Fanya?"
"Yes, he has."
"Have you asked him whether Fanya is his wife or merely his companion? Whether he has children?"
Baley stirred uneasily. He might have asked such questions, of course. In the close quarters of crowded Earth, however, privacy was cherished, precisely because it had all but perished. It was virtually impossible on Earth not to know all the facts about the family arrangements of others, so one never asked and pretended ignorance. It was a universally maintained fraud.
Here on Aurora, of course, the Earth ways would not hold, yet Baley automatically held with them. Stupid!
He said, "I have not yet asked. Tell me."
Gladia said, "Fanya is his wife. He has been married a number of times, consecutively of course, though simultaneous marriage for either or both sexes is not entirely unheard of on Aurora." The bit of mild distaste with which she said that brought an equally mild defense. "It is unheard of on Solaria.
"However, Dr. Fastolfe's current marriage will probably soon be dissolved. Both will then be free to make new attachments, though often either or both parties do not wait for dissolution to do that. - I don't say I understand this casual way of treating the matter, Elijah, but it is how Aurorans build their relationships. Dr. Fastolfe, to my knowledge, is rather straitlaced. He always maintains one marriage or another and seeks nothing outside of it. On Aurora, that is considered old-fashioned and rather silly - "
Baley nodded. "I've gathered something of this in my reading. Marriage takes place when there's the intention to have children, I understand."
"In theory, that is so, but I'm told hardly anyone takes that seriously these days. Dr. Fastolfe already has two children and can't have any more, but he still marries and applies for a third. He gets turned down, of course, and knows he will. Some people don't even bother to apply."
"Then why bother marrying?"
"There are social advantages to it. It's rather complicated and, not being an Auroran, I'm not sure I understand it."
"Well, never mind. Tell me about Dr. Fastolfe's children."
"He has two daughters by two different mothers. Neither of the mothers was Fanya, of course. He has no sons. Each daughter was incubated in the mother's womb, as is the fashion on Aurora. Both daughters are adults now and have their own establishments."
"Is he close with his daughters?"
"I don't know. He never talks about them. One is a roboticist and I suppose he must keep in touch with her work. I believe the other is running for office on the council of one of the cities or that she is actually in possession of the office. I don't really know."
"Do you know if there are family strains?"
"None that I am aware of, which may not go for much, Elijah. As far as I know, he is on civil terms with all his past wives. None of the dissolutions were carried through in anger. For one thing, Dr. Fastolfe is not that kind of person. I can't imagine him greeting anything in life with anything more extreme than a good-natured sigh of resignation. He'll joke on his deathbed."
That, at least, rang true, Baley thought. He said, "And Dr. Fastolfe's relationship to you. The truth, please. We are not in a position to dodge the truth in order to avoid embarrassment."
She looked up and met his eyes levelly. She said, "There is no embarrassment to avoid. Dr. Han Fastolfe is ray friend, my very good friend."
"How good, Gladia?"
"As I said - very good."
"Are you waiting for the dissolution of his marriage so that you may be his next wife?"
"No." She said it very calmly.
"Are you lovers, then?"
"No."
"Have you been?"
"No. - Are you surprised?"
"I merely need information," said Baley.
"Then let me answer your questions connectedly, Elijah, and don't bark them at me as though you expected to surprise me into telling you something I would otherwise keep secret." She said it without noticeable anger. It was almost as though she were amused.
Baley, flushing slightly, was about to say that this was not at all his intention, but, of course, it was and he would gain nothing by denying it. He said in a soft growl, "Well, then, go ahead."
The remains of the tea littered the table between them. Baley wondered if, under ordinary conditions, she would not have lifted her arm and bent it just so - and if the robot, Borgraf, would not have then entered silently and cleared the table.
Did the fact that the litter remained upset Gladia - and would it make her less self-controlled in her response? If so, it had better remain - but Baley did not really hope for much, for he could see no signs of Gladia being disturbed over the mess or even of her being aware of it.
Gladia's eyes had fallen to her lap again and her face seemed to sink lower and to become a touch harsh, as though she were reaching into a past she would much rather obliterate.
She said, "You caught a glimpse of my life on Solaria. It was not a happy one, but I knew no other. It was not until I experienced a touch of happiness that I suddenly knew exactly to what an extent - and how intensively - my earlier life was not happy. The first hint came through you, Elijah."
"Through me?" Baley was caught by surprise.
"Yes, Elijah. Our last meeting on Solaria - I hope you remember it, Elijah - taught me something. I touched you! I removed my glove, one that was similar to the glove I am wearing now, and I touched your cheek. The contact did not last long. I don't know what it meant to you - no, don't tell me, it's not important - but it meant a great deal to me."