It was a shame that the gentleman in the kitchen hadn't thought of plucking some pretty flowers from the garden he seemed to like so much to make up for his slightly late arrival. It was true that a five minute delay was rather trivial. However, anyone who knew Grace, and she trusted this one knew her well enough, should know that she didn't quite like being kept waiting. Though, it wasn't she who greeted him in the kitchen anyway.<br/><br/>Upon seeing him, Audrey checked her watch. Her gaze fell back on Karl. In a way, the two had similar jobs. Compared to her however, he assisted Grace with more questionable tasks. Tasks that required more cunning, and of course, more muscle. It could be argued that he was too good-looking to play the bad guy. However, his services had been quite satisfactory so far.<br/><br/>"Got what, Mr Wahl?" Taking a few steps, Audrey leaned back against the counter. Playing naïve was something she did well. Like her boss, so to speak, she too found him to be a charming man, though she was less vocal about it. "She wants you to be, subtle." Grace didn't want her beloved guests to feel abundantly comfortable at the mansion. Rather, she would enjoy it a lot more if they felt like sitting on a spike throughout the meeting. Less cheerful, and more nervous. Or threatened perhaps. Some imposed uneasiness should do the job, she trusted. A little bit of intimidation if necessary, achieved through subtle implications for the most part. In a way, he was supposed to play Grace's overprotective big brother. Or her stern boyfriend, if that sounded better. And not necessarily a crude thug.<br/><br/>Such services, of course, demanded extra payments. On top of his monthly salary. "Your payment will be up in the bedroom." Audrey suggested, offering him some kind of motivation. "In an envelope, of course." A smile slightly widened her lips. Haphazard appearance of a third face grabbed her attention though. However, Abby was quick to leave the kitchen. "Maybe you can start with this one." Audrey faced her colleague again. "Can tell her what happens to unknowing ladies who snoop about the wrong place."<br/><br/>***<br/><br/>It soon became clear that the fact that her brother had chosen to isolate himself in the library didn't mean he had nothing to say about the situation. On the contrary, it seemed Greg had a lot to say. As he spoke his mind, Grace couldn't help but squeeze in her own thoughts. "You were a fool." Unlike her assistant, she wasn't quite a good listener. Slowly taken steps brought her closer to her brother. "Oh no. That wasn't what warped him." Grace argued. "It was fire, you see." A disturbing image flashed into her mind. "They called me to identify him, you know." In fact, it was an image that made her develop a new phobia. At the time, it was impossible for her to know that she would suffer the same fate as her father.<br/><br/>A book that was slightly sticking out on one of the bookshelves got on her nerves. So, she sharply pushed it in. "Yeah, friends." Letting out a snort, she mocked the term. "Can't wait to become acquainted with his little friends." Striding towards the door, she squeezed the door handle, quite firmly. "Enjoy yourself." Grace got out, slamming the door shut behind her. With that, the book she had meddled with pushed itself out, falling to the floor in a soft thud.<br/><br/>Upon exiting, Grace managed to catch a glimpse of someone walking past the library, and towards the kitchen. The short-lived conversation she held with her brother had apparently caused her to miss some of her guests' arrival. They were already wandering around. In the meantime, Rikkie was leading another one into the parlour. It was also where Grace opted to head to. Since she used to work with her father at some point, she had seen Lucia at work. It seemed she too belonged on the list of people who had won her father's affection. The same list she herself was sadly omitted from. To a limited extent, it was a familiar face. Though she had trouble remembering which name accompanied said face. "Lucy, was it?" Grace tried to recall. "I must say I'm rather puzzled to have you here." It had been an unpleasant experience, but she had already read the old man's will. Thus, she already knew who would be attending. "I like your hair."