The witching hour - By Anne Rice Page 0,463

or her own fashion tried to disguise it.

And Rowan realized; this is the brains behind the firm, this woman, Lauren. And all the time, Rowan had thought it was Ryan. Silently she acknowledged her mistake, wondering if the woman could possibly perceive what she was thinking. We have been wrong about each other …

But one could read anything into such an impassive face and such a graceful slow manner.

“May I ask you a question,” the woman asked, still looking directly at Rowan. “It’s a purely business question, you understand.”

“Of course.”

“Can you take being rich? I mean really, really rich? Can you handle it?”

Rowan was tempted to smile. It was such a refreshing question, and again, so patronizing and so insulting. Any number of replies came to her lips. But she settled for the simplest.

“Yes,” she said. “And I want to build hospitals.”

Silence.

Lauren nodded. She folded her arms on the table, her eyes taking in the entire assembly. “Well, I don’t see any problem with that,” she said calmly. “Seems like an interesting idea. And we’re here to do what you want, of course.”

Yes, she was the brains behind the firm. And she had allowed Ryan and Randall to do the talking. But she was the one who would be the teacher and eventually the obstacle.

No matter.

Rowan had what she wanted. The legacy was as real as the house was real, as real as the family was real. And the dream was going to be realized. In fact, she knew: it could be done.

“I think we can talk about the immediate problems now, don’t you?” Rowan asked. “You’ll need to make an inventory of the possessions at the house? I believe someone mentioned this. Also, Carlotta’s things. Is there anyone who wants to remove them?”

“Yes, and regarding the house,” said Ryan. “Have you come to any decision?”

“I want to restore it. I want to live in it. I’ll be marrying Michael Curry soon. Probably before the end of the year. We’ll make our home there.”

It was as if a bright light had snapped on, bathing each one of them in its warmth and illumination.

“Oh, that’s splendid,” said Ryan.

“So glad to hear it,” said Anne Marie.

“You don’t know what the house means to us,” said Pierce.

“I wonder if you know,” said Lauren, “how very happy everyone will be to hear of this.”

Only Randall was quiet, Randall with his droopy lids, and his fleshy hands, and then even he said almost sadly, “Yes, that would be very simply wonderful.”

“But can someone come and take the old woman’s things away?” Rowan asked. “I don’t want to go in until that’s done.”

“Absolutely,” said Ryan. “We’ll begin the inventory tomorrow. And Gerald Mayfair will call at once for Carlotta’s things.”

“And a cleaning team, I need a professional team to scrub down a room on the third floor and to remove all the mattresses.”

“Those jars,” said Ryan, with a look of distaste. “Those disgusting jars.”

“I emptied all of them.”

“Whatever was in them?” asked Pierce.

Randall was studying her with his heavy sagging eyes half mast.

“It was all rotted. If they can get the stench out, and take away the mattresses, we can begin the restoration. All the mattresses, I think … ”

“Start fresh, yes. I’ll take care of it. Pierce can go up there now.”

“No, I’ll go myself,” she said.

“Nonsense, Rowan, let me handle it,” said Pierce. He was already on his feet. “Do you want replacements for the mattresses? They’re doubles, aren’t they, those antique beds? Let me see, there are four. I can have them delivered and installed this afternoon.”

“That’s splendid,” said Rowan. “The maid’s room needn’t be touched, and Julien’s old bed can be dismantled and stored.”

“Got it. What else can I do for you?”

“That’s more than enough. Michael will take care of the rest. Michael will handle the renovation himself.”

“Yes, he is quite successful at that, isn’t he?” said Lauren quietly. Instantly she realized the slip she had made. She lowered her eyes, then looked up at Rowan, attempting to mask her slight confusion.

They had already investigated him, hadn’t they? Had they found out about his hands?

“We’d love to keep you awhile longer,” said Ryan quickly. “Just a few papers we have to show you, in connection with the estate, and perhaps some basic documents pertaining to the legacy … ”

“Yes, of course, let’s get to work. I’d like nothing better.”

“Then it’s settled. And we’ll take you to lunch afterwards. We wanted to take you to Galatoire’s, if you have no other plans.”

“Sounds wonderful.”

And