Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Daisy
Iwalk slowly up the steps of the Novelle house with Shade at my back. My heart is racing, even though I'm telling myself I’m fine in my head on repeat.
Everything is okay.
John is dead. Joe is dead. Joseph is dead. But still I swallow hard as the door opens and a man I don't recognize ushers me into the house.
He doesn't say a word, and the fact that Stevens isn't at the door is a stark reminder that my friend and ally no longer works here.
The house looks exactly the same other than the difference in butler, and we're led into John's old office at the back of the house overlooking the tiered gardens and the hedges. In the office, the metronome is still on the shelf, but without John here to fuck with me, it’s still and silent.
Andrew sits at the desk looking like a young John Novelle, his light hair slicked back and suit crisp. When the butler announces our entrance, he looks up and flashes me an award-winning smile.
'Oh, you're here. Thanks for coming.'
He stands up and nods at Shade.
'Jack.'
Shade nods back. 'Andy.'
Andrew sighs. 'Look, I'm sorry about all that lawyer stuff, but the way Pop wanted it is the way Pop wanted it. I have to accede to his wishes. You understand.'
'I understand,' Shade says somewhat tightly, 'but what I don't understand is why you pulled funding from Maverick Shaw's project at the Novelle Center at Richmond U.'
'That's just business,' Andrew says lightly. 'I'm going through the numbers, and I'm shuffling the expenses off that don't align with the Novelle goals.'
'Which are?' Shade probes.
Andrew just gives us both a tight smile.
'You'll see soon enough,' he says cryptically. 'But to be honest, brother, it's not really any of your concern, is it? You never wanted this. You should be happy I’m prepared to take the reins… I literally went to school for this, after all.'
Shade snorts.
I'm just about to go and sit down, even though I don't really want to, when the door opens behind me again and the butler, who looks sort of like Lurch from The Addams Family now that I really look at him with his thin, tall build and vacant expression, stands in the doorway.
'Dinner is served, sir,' he drones in what I’m almost sure is a fake English accent.
He bows a little bit and my eyes narrow at him. I miss Stevens' real British lilt.
'Why did you fire Stevens?' I ask, my voice sharper than I intended as my eyes find Andrew once more.
He’s now moving out from behind his desk slowly. My anger doesn’t seem to bother him.
'Because the man couldn't do his job. His leg was practically shattered. It was going to be weeks. Besides, this is my house now and I never liked him much anyway.'
I don't say anything. There’s no point in trying to argue. Stevens is out and Lurch is in. Andrew offers his arm to me to lead me to the dining room. I glance back at Shade. I wish I could refuse it, but this is all part of the game. I need to find out… We need to find out why he's called me here.
His arm links with mine, and we stroll through the house to the main dining room.
I'm struck by the fact that the last time I was in this room was when I was told I was marrying Joe Banderville.
I wonder if this dinner is going to be any worse than that one.
Without Stevens to warn me, I have no idea what to expect and that puts me even more on edge.
I steel myself to the fact that it's likely going to be something I hate and am pleasantly surprised when we sit down and the first dish is a small brioche bread roll with stuffed mushrooms, which aren't half bad. The second course is roast turkey breast with beans and potatoes and gravy, and the dessert is a wedge of chocolate torte. It’s delicious.
If I could get away with licking the plate, I would.
Did Andy choose the menu? Does he remember what foods I hate? Is this an olive branch, or am I reading something into nothing?
I don’t speak during dinner. I never did here. John didn’t like the children talking unless he asked a direct question. When Shade and Andy also spend the entire meal barely saying two words to each other, I realize we’re all still stuck in the way things were when we all lived here together.
I keep an eye on Andrew, but he mostly seems lost in his own world. Maybe, like me, he can’t help but reminisce.
When the final dishes are cleared away, Shade puts his hands on the table and leans forward toward his brother, but I ask the question before he can.
I’m the one he wanted to see. It’s not up to Shade. Daisy the Destroyer fights her own battles!
'What are we doing here?' I ask Andy directly. ‘Why did you want to see me?’
'We’re having dinner,' Andy says with a smirk.
I roll my eyes. 'You know what I mean. We haven't spoken since the funeral. You didn’t invite us here for family time.’
Andrew sits back and steeples his fingers, a move that's very John and immediately has my body tensing and my fingers splaying out under the table.
'Very well. I wanted to let you know, Marguerite, that as with all of my father's other assets, you are now under my guardianship.'
The way he says it. An asset. Like the house, like the businesses. It’s a shock to my system. It takes me a moment for his words to sink in consciously, though my stomach bottoms out instantly, and I think I might throw up everything I just ate.
'What?' I ask faintly.
'I'm your guardian.'
Logically, I know that this shouldn't be a surprise, but I guess I hoped that he wouldn’t bother with me unless he had to, that I could show him that I can stand on my own two feet.
'I don't need a guardian,' I say, standing up. 'I was hoping to speak with you about this. I want you to begin the process of my emancipation.’
Andrew’s chuckle has my jaw locking and my fists clenching at my sides. When he speaks, he sounds a lot like Stoke.
'Well, no offense, Marguerite, but you're not really cut out for life out there on your own. Of course you're going to say that you don’t need a guardian. However, there's tons of evidence to suggest you do.'
'I don't want you to be my guardian!' I snarl.
He laughs. ‘Well, sorry, but I’m all there is.’
He stands as well and puts his hands up as if to calm me, as if I need to be calmed.
'I just wanted you to come here to let you know that I have great news. I’ve spoken to the Bandervilles and Marcus says they'll still have you.'
I blink at him, stomach twisting. He can’t be saying what I think he is…
'Excuse me?'
'Marcus. Joe Banderville's brother,’ he says slowly and loudly. ‘He's willing to marry you in his brother's place.'
'What the fuck?' Shade rises fast and the chair falls out behind him with a clatter. 'What the fuck is this, Andy? You can't just give her to them. She’s a person, not a business deal.'
'Yes, I can, and I will. The contract still stands.
To back out now… Well, I know you don't understand how business really works, little brother, but if an agreement has been made by two families like ours, it can’t just disappear.
Marguerite, you will be marrying Marcus as soon as it can be arranged.
Martha Banderville is ecstatic. You'll be a Banderville as my father and Joseph agreed. '
My mouth feels dry, my stomach uncomfortably full.
I don't say another word. I just stagger out of the room and make my way to the front of the house. I yank open the front door, angry that Lurch isn’t here to open it because Stevens would have been.
I make my way down the steps to Shade's car and find it unlocked, so I pull myself into the seat and sit in silence until Shade comes.
He gets in without a word, and turns on the ignition. The tires screech loudly as he throws the car into drive and slams his foot down on the accelerator.
'Fuck,' he says. ‘How can he do this?'
‘Easily,’ I mutter. ‘He’s John’s son, after all, and the law is on his side.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘It’s not your fault,’ I say quietly. 'But I think we need to go and see those lawyers in New York. Mav said that Blake told him there was nothing on their servers and we need information.'
‘I agree. In person, we might get some answers.’
We make our way to Sauvage's hotel and park in the underground lot beneath the building. I go straight up to the penthouse, where I find the other two guys. I’m still angry with Blake, so I don’t speak to him directly when we fill them in on what Andy has said.
'What the fuck is going on with your family?' Blake snarls, and I'm taken aback by his vehemence.
I wonder if he really cares, or if he’s just going through the motions, saying what he thinks he’s supposed to.
Shade is grim and silent.
'It's not just about the contract,’ Mav says. ‘It could be broken if he wanted it to be. Why are the Novelles and the Bandervilles so obsessed with this alliance?'
‘Money,’ Shade mutters. ‘It’s always about money with them. We need to go see those lawyers, Fussell & Meyer.'
'But they wouldn't speak to you,’ Blake grinds out, throwing himself down on the couch hard.
Shade gets up, pacing around as usual while he thinks. 'Maybe they'll speak to Daisy.'
'But she's under guardianship,’ he argues.
'It’s the only plan we’ve got,’ I say in a clipped tone, annoyed by his naysaying. ‘They might give us something. If I can prove who I am and their letters to John have been about me, they surely have to tell me.'
'That's even assuming it is about you. This could be some business deal, some merger. It may have nothing to do with you at all.'
I look away from him, suddenly angry at his attitude, and his lies the other day all over again.