well know.” She sent me a conspiratorial wink, but I hadn’t a clue what I was meant to be conspiring on.
“Why would you think I’d know about any of this? I’ve been in Dunwall—and we’ve hardly even discussed the campaign in almost two weeks. In fact, I came in here just now to apologize to you for Prince Malcolm’s canceling on us.”
“Why on earth would you apologize for that?”
Perhaps in light of the earthquake, she was seeing everything through the lens of perspective. Although now that we had not one, but two big names, there wasn’t much for her to be upset about, I supposed.
Grier continued, “Take credit for your work, Alice. We wouldn’t have a campaign at all if it weren’t for you. Oh! And the charity program! I could just kiss you!”
This was getting even more bizarre and I found I had to sit down in a chair before she said something that might actually knock me over.
Grier frowned at me. “What’s wrong? You don’t look well.”
I looked up at her, my eyebrows drawing together. “I don’t have a fucking clue what you’re talking about, Grier.”
The corner of her mouth quirked. “I believe that’s the first time you’ve cursed or used my name. Way to go for the gold.”
“Grier!” The desperation in my voice must have finally penetrated because after a chuckle she sat down in her chair, propping her elbows on her desk.
“You really don’t know about the campaign? I assumed Prince Malcolm and you had discussed it at some length.” When my expression didn’t change, she went on to enlighten me. “With the contract issues continuing, Prince Malcolm—although I’d honestly thought it was your idea—used his connections to persuade Val Rau and Phaedre Keene to co-sponsor the campaign. It’ll be lovely—like a playful romantic tone the public will eat up.”
A buzzing started in my ears. “Prince Malcolm? He did this?”
“Yeah. I can’t believe you didn’t know.” She tilted her head at me. “Have you been worried all this time?”
I’d thought that was obvious. “Yes!” And now I was not only cursing, but shouting. Perfect.
“You didn’t have much faith in him, did you?”
It was only a casual question, not any type of censure, yet I opened my mouth to refute it anyway. But I couldn’t—because Grier was right. I’d had very little faith in Malcolm when it came to him keeping his word on our deal, even when he’d assured me otherwise from the start. It was as if I were waiting for him to disappoint me, and when I thought he had, I ran away without a second glance back.
The notion was troubling, indeed, but now was not the time to do my brain in with examining it properly. There was so much work to be done, and I’d already taken us so far off track with my little episode here. I’d have to tuck it away for later when I was alone.
I forced my mind back to the job I’d been hired to do. “I hate to ask this, but can we afford to hire two spokespeople?”
Grier looked puzzled at first before smiling. “Oh, right! You wouldn’t know about that bit either. Both Val and Phaedre are waiving half their fees now that we’ve got permission to appropriate fifty percent of profits from Velocity sales to the children’s vision project.”
My mouth dropped open for the second time in the last ten minutes. “How in the world did you get corporate to agree with that?” They’d been utterly stingy when it came to our U.S. operations, as they essentially expected us to fail.
“I didn’t. Prince Malcolm did. People actually listen to your ideas when you’re a prince, it seems.”
This was going to take longer than I thought to settle in. I’d best clear my entire evening.
“You’re not going to believe this!” Ruby practically crashed through Carl’s front door, startling him awake from the nap he’d been taking in his reclining chair.
“Are you trying to kill me?” he grumbled, but Ruby ignored him, instead coming straight for me where I was preparing a pan of roasted vegetables in the kitchen.
I quickly wiped my hands on a dishcloth and prepared for whatever was coming my way. Ruby’s energy was so high, I half expected her to tackle me. Instead, I got a hug.
“I’ll admit I was kinda pissed at first, but I’m not anymore.” I didn’t have time to ask her to start at the beginning because she continued talking in the same breath, “Mal is putting his