Straightening, I moved away from Milo and crossed to where Grandfather stood. I took a scoop of the dirt into a gloved hand and then glanced down at the urn inside the hole. It was such a small, ignominious end for a woman who had once burned so bright.
“Goodbye, Mother,” I murmured and let the dirt fall from my fingers.
Grandfather echoed my farewell by taking a handful and letting it fall from his fingers, rather than throwing it in. “Goodbye, Melissa. May you find the peace in the next life you never found in this one.”
He took my gloved hand in his and we stood there as they filled in the grave spot. The minister murmured some platitude and Grandfather nodded, but said nothing to answer him. It wasn’t long before he withdrew, leaving only our small party and Margareta Waldemar present.
She said nothing as we waited for the hole to be filled in, only when it was finished did she step forward and place a single, blood-red rose on the grave stone. Not the grave itself, but the stone.
That finished, she turned her attention to Grandfather and me. “Mrs. Waldemar,” I said, keeping my tone polite and even. “Thank you for coming.”
“Even if you weren’t invited.” Grandfather’s tone turned gruff as he moved a couple of steps away from the grave and she followed. The guys moved too, forming a semi-circle. Mrs. Waldemar’s bodyguard was present, but several feet away next to another tree.
I could admonish my grandfather about manners, but I didn’t disagree with him. “This was a private service for family only.”
“I understand,” Mrs. Waldemar said, her tone conciliatory. “I truly do. Burying one’s child is… an experience no parent should ever have to face.”
The words brought me right back to her charge that King had killed her son. I hadn’t forgotten about any of that, but Andrea’s disappearance on top of everything else just took precedence.
“I lost Melissa a long time ago.” The dismissive note might fool others, but I recognized the distraction for what it was. Grandfather felt vulnerable, no one enjoyed that sensation. “This just put a period on the end of a somewhat bleaker chapter in my life.”
“I can see that,” Mrs. Waldemar said as she tucked her small handbag under arm before clasping her hands together. While I couldn’t see her eyes beneath the sunglasses, I felt the weight of her gaze. “I can’t imagine closing the book feels any better no matter how much acrimony existed.”
“Perhaps,” Grandfather declined to finish the thought. “What can we do for you, Mrs. Waldemar?”
“I thought I would come to pay my respects and perhaps talk to you, Mr. Benedict as well as with Miss Lainey here.”
Really? I couldn’t quite fathom the subtext of her statement. Cryptic didn’t quite cover it. Frankly, I wasn’t sure I wanted her to include my grandfather in anything. The veneer of absolute civility that she wore like a lady’s crown was just that… a veneer. A position she occupied thanks to her wealth and privilege.
She was just as cold-blooded as the rest of us when it came to defending what was hers. Perhaps nearly as ruthless.
“Odd timing for a tête-à-tête,” Grandfather said as he offered me his arm and motioned for Mrs. Waldemar to walk. “And I believe I invited you to call me Leopold previously.”
“As I invited you to call me, Margareta, but since you went formal, I thought I should be as well.” The ease in her manner made me want to smile. As it was, she made grandfather chuckle. Very little else was breaking through his stern visage. He kept his grief very close and tucked away where he could worry at it in private.
“Very well, Margareta,” he said as though conceding the point. “We have a short walk back to the cars, and at the risk of becoming rude, I would prefer to finish any business here and not take it home.”
“Agreed,” she said and she fell into step putting me between them.
Bodhi and Ezra walked behind us but Adam and Milo ranged ahead. They were forming a perimeter guard. I supposed if I checked over my shoulder, Mrs. Waldemar’s bodyguard would also be on the move.
“I could play coy, but I would much prefer to address the issues directly without the softness of conversation.”
“Hence, bringing business to a funeral,” I interjected. My mother dying had only put an end to the idea of ever truly reconciling with her. The distance had been there for so long, the only thing her death did was relieve me of an obligation.
That felt a very cold amount of pragmatism to experience at a funeral. Then again, maybe I would be able to mourn her properly later.
“It is not my first choice of venues for such conversations, but there are a great many changes happening in our circles. Melissa’s death as well as Harper’s and that terrible fire at Harrow's Park.” She glanced over her shoulder, presumably at Ezra. “My condolences young man.”
I supposed he’d only nodded at her because he hadn’t said anything aloud, nor did she linger.
“These are the kinds of changes that threaten companies, control, and interests. I wanted to discuss with you the idea of uniting our assets to create a—more defensive position as the other families try to scavenge from the losses.”
“That presumes any of our families will experience losses,” Adam said, and the absolute chill licking each syllable reminded me of death. Eerily appropriate I guessed.
“This is also true, but I’ve learned that there are always losses of some kind during power shifts. Nature and business abhor a vacuum and there are many who would willingly step in to fill those shoes. Men like King, for example. I imagine he is already making moves.”
We were almost to the parking lot and Grandfather stopped to face her. To my surprise, she slid her sunglasses off.
“You’re an honorable man, Leopold. I trust your word, over and above a contract. Only a fool wouldn’t seek to take advantage of the situation as it is and I’m not a fool. That said, I believe working together we can achieve far more than working independently.”
“And you don’t want me for an enemy.” It was delivered in such an unironically flat tone as he stated the fact as though it were absolutely undisputed.
“You have grandchildren in the mix,” she told him. “So do I. You will fight for yours as I will fight for mine. However, if we work together, we can win for both.”
“Very pleasant fairy tale, Margareta. I appreciate your directness. I hope you won’t mind a little candor on my part.” Grandfather shifted his posture. Though my arm was still threaded through his, he positioned me a half-step back, as though he intended to step in front of me to keep Margareta away.
“I look forward to your candidness, it’s such a rare attitude in our world.”
“Maybe, or maybe too many of you enjoy verbal sparring along with keeping secrets like they should be worn as precious jewels. I have no time for fools, as you stated already. I have even less time for those who want to use subterfuge. Your interest in my granddaughter has not gone unnoticed.”
I didn’t dare breathe. For a moment, Margareta’s eyelids twitched. It was the faintest of tells from a woman who rarely displayed any in my experience. Grandfather had surprised her.
“Leopold, I am very fond of Lainey.”
“You can be fond from a distance. You can also stay away from these young men in her life. I’m not sure whether your interest in them is over their assets or hers, but understand… I will counter any move you make toward them.”
Lips pursing, Margareta studied him. “You are genuinely concerned about my interest.”
