Her hand slips from my elbow and moves to her brother's. "I was busy. I am the hostess after all."
"Maxim." I approach her father with a polite nod. "I am sorry we did not get a chance to speak at the wedding. My men told me you were unwell and had to leave."
Maxim looks up from his glass and gazes at me with a heavy expression. Such turmoil twists behind his eyes and he sucks in a deep, ragged breath before he speaks.
“Yes. Was unfortunate."
"Indeed. I want to thank you for entrusting your charming daughter into my care. If I had known what a delight she was, I would have offered more in exchange." No value can be placed on a woman like Rose, I know this now, but the feeling remains.
"It's fine," Maxin replies and he blinks slowly. As he shifts, he looks past me toward Rose, who frees herself from her brother's grip and approaches quickly.
"Dad!" To my surprise, Rose launches herself at her father and hugs him tightly, but he only pats her back in response with slow, sluggish movements.
Drugs?
Maxim doesn't seem to be all here, and even his smile at Rose is somewhat lackluster. "Look at you," he drawls. "My beautiful daughter."
"Is Mom here?" Rose's face brightens and she glances around. "Or Beatie?"
"No," Mathew replies curtly. "Beatie is unwell, so Mom stayed behind to care for her."
Something alarming passes over Rose's face, something I can't quite decipher but it leaves a sharp, unsettled feeling in my gut.
Before I can press the issue, Rose grabs her father's hand and tugs him away from the bar.
"Dad, I have something I want to show you. The gardens here are so beautiful!" As he follows her, Mathew also steps up with them but he only makes it a few inches before Rose locks eyes with me. "I won't be long. You should get to know Mathew better!"
Mathew freezes in place and grimaces ever so slightly while Rose and her father vanish into the crowd.
As an only child, I've never had much experience with family dynamics, but Rose wanting some alone time with her father doesn't strike me as odd.
Mathew's expression seems to disagree, though, as he clenches his teeth so sharply that his jawbone nearly breaks out of his skin.
"Walk with me," I say with a heavy tone, showing Mathew that he has no choice but to agree.
Mathew stares at the spot in the crowd where Rose and her father vanished, then he grunts and grabs his drink from the bar. "Some party," he says with a deep sigh.
"Your sister is extremely talented," I agree. "In all my years of throwing things like this, I don't think there's ever been an atmosphere quite like this. People are engaged and having fun, dancing and living. It makes my last gala look like a wake."
Mathew snorts. "I wouldn't give her that much credit."
"You would not?"
"No." Mathew sighs again and the sound irritates me. "She's not all that. It's cool and all that you would talk her up like that tome, but you don't need to. I grew up with her, remember? I know exactly what she's like.”
My brows crease at the utter lack of warmth in Mathew's voice. "You two did not get along?"
"Maybe it's because she's my sister, but I always found her incredibly irritating. Always complaining and crying." He smirks suddenly as if remembering something. "I was great at shutting her up though."
A strange chill crawls down my spine and I clear my throat. "I trust all installments have reached your family intact?"
"Installments?" For a brief second, Mathew almost looks confused. "Oh right, the money. "
"Yes, the money."
"Yeah we got it."
"And it remains sufficient?"
