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elled of sweat and manure。
〃The stable…rat may have prattled some at me； m'Lord； but he was afraid of the bulls。 I can't simply cancel a bullfight because a child thinks the beasts are terrifying。〃 He snorted。 〃I took care of this pup； gave him every chance…〃
〃Yet you didn't listen to him when he warned you about the bulls； and now my father is dead；〃 Leto said； noting that Yresk suddenly seemed afraid。 〃Why would you do that？〃
〃Possible projection；〃 Hawat said。 〃Through the Lady Helena； Yresk has worked for House Richese all his life。 Richese has had ties to the Harkonnens in the past； as well as an adversarial relationship with Ix。 He may not even be aware of his part in the overall scheme or 〃
〃What？ This is absurd！〃 Yresk insisted。 He scratched his white hair。 〃I have nothing to do with the Harkonnens。〃 He flashed a glance at the Lady Helena； but she refused to meet his gaze。
〃Don't interrupt my Mentat；〃 Leto warned。
Thufir Hawat studied Lady Helena； whose icy stare was leveled at him。 Then his gaze slid to her son； where it remained as he continued to lay out his projection： 〃Summary： The marriage of Paulus Atreides to Helena of House Richese was dangerous； even at the time。 The Landsraad saw it as a way to weaken Richese/Harkonnen ties； while Count Ilban Richese accepted the marriage as a last…ditch effort to salvage some of his family fortune at the time they were losing Arrakis。 As for House Atreides； Duke Paulus received a formal CHOAM directorship and became a voting member of the Council something this family might never otherwise have achieved。
〃When the wedding party came here with Lady Helena； however； perhaps not all of her retainers granted their full loyalty to Atreides。 Contact could have been made between Harkonnen agents and Stablemaster Yresk。。。without Lady Helena's knowledge； of course。〃
〃That's wild conjecture； especially for a Mentat；〃 Yresk said。 He looked for support from anyone in the room； Leto noticed with the exception of Helena； whose eyes he now seemed to avoid。 On his thin throat； his Adam's apple bobbed up and down。
Leto stared at his mother sitting in silence beside him； at the set of her jaw。 A sharp cold sliced unbidden down his spine。 Through the carved wood of their closed bedroom door； Leto had heard her words concerning his father's Vernius policy。 You're the one who's made a choice here； Paulus。 And you've made the wrong one。 Now the words echoed in Leto's head。 That choice will cost you and our House dearly。
〃Uh； nobody really watches a stablemaster； Leto；〃 Rhombur pointed out in a low voice。
But Leto continued to observe his mother。 Stablemaster Yresk had e to Caladan as part of Helena's wedding entourage from Richese。 Could she have turned to him？ What sort of hold did she have on the man？
His throat went dry as all the pieces interlocked in his mind with a sudden realization that must have been similar to what a Mentat experienced。 She had done it！ Lady Helena Atreides herself had set the wheels in motion。 Oh； perhaps she'd had some outside assistance； possibly even from Harkonnens。。。and most certainly Yresk had been the one to carry out the actual details。
But she herself had made the decision to punish Paulus。 He knew it in the core of his soul。 With her fifteen…year…old son； she would now control Caladan and make the decisions she believed best。
Leto； my son； you are Duke Atreides now。 Those had been his mother's words only moments after her husband's death。 An odd reaction for a shocked and grief…stricken woman。
〃Please stop this；〃 Yresk said； wringing his hands。 〃M'Lord； I would never betray the House I serve。〃 He pointed at Duncan。 〃But you know this stable…rat must be a Harkonnen。 He came from Giedi Prime not that long ago。〃
Lady Helena sat rigidly； and when she finally spoke； her voice cracked； as if she hadn't used it much in recent days。 She leveled a challenging look at her son。 〃You've known Yresk since you were a child； Leto。 Would you accuse a member of my entourage？ Don't be ridiculous。〃
〃No accusations yet； Mother；〃 Leto said very carefully。 〃It's just discussion at this point。〃 As leader of House Atreides； he had to work hard to distance himself from his childhood； from when he had been an eager boy asking the white…haired stablemaster if he could see the bulls。 Yresk had taught him how to pet various animals； ride some of the older mounts； tie knots； and fix harnesses。
But the wide…eyed child Leto was the new Duke of House Atreides。
〃We must study the evidence before we draw any conclusions。〃
Emotions roiled across Yresk's face； and suddenly Leto was afraid of what the stablemaster might say。 Pressed into a corner and afraid for his life； would he implicate Helena？ The guards in the hall listened attentively。 Kailea watched； drinking in every detail。 Others would no doubt hear and repeat everything that was spoken here。 The scandal would rock Caladan； perhaps the Landsraad itself。
Even if his mother had arranged for the accident at the bullfight； even if Yresk had done it under orders or because he had been bribed or blackmailed somehow Leto did not dare let the man confess it here。 He required the truth； but in private。 If word got out that Lady Helena had been behind the Old Duke's death； it would tear House Atreides apart。 His own rule could be damaged beyond repair。。。and he would have no choice but to deal out the harshest possible justice to his own mother。
He shuddered as he thought of the play Agamemnon； and the curse of Atreus that had dogged his family since the dawn of history。 He drew a deep breath； knowing he must be strong。
〃Do what you must； lad；〃 his father had said。 〃No one can blame you for that； as long as you make the right decisions。〃
But what was the right decision now？
Helena stood up from her chair and spoke to Leto in a cool maternal tone。 〃The death of my husband was no treachery it was a punishment from God。〃 She gestured toward Rhombur and Kailea； who seemed stunned by the proceedings。 〃My beloved Duke was punished for his friendship with House Vernius； for allowing these children to live in our Castle。 Their family has broken the mandments； and Paulus still embraced them。 My husband's pride killed him not a lowly stablemaster。 It's as simple as that。〃
〃I've heard enough； Mother；〃 Leto said。
Helena gave him an indignant； withering glare； as if he were a child。 〃I am not finished speaking。 There is much to being a Duke that you couldn't possibly understand yet 〃
Leto remained seated； putting all the power he could muster into his voice and posure。 〃I am the Duke； Mother； and you will be silent； or I shall have the guards forcibly evict you from the hall and lock you in one of the towers。〃
Helena's skin paled； and her eyes went wild as she fought to contain her shock。 She couldn't believe her own son had spoken to her in this manner； but thought better of pressing him。 As usual； she struggled to maintain appearances。 She had seen similar expressions on the Old Duke's face and didn't dare bring the storm closer。
Though it would have been better for him to remain silent； Yresk shouted； 〃Leto； boy； you can't believe this fatherless stable…rat over me 〃