Family Man

his responsibilities. I've got to get downstairs right away. I'll give you a full report when I get back. I knew he'd do it. I just knew it.”
    “What do you mean, you knew it? I thought this guy was pond scum.” Fraser made a face. “Lower than a snake. Callous and cruel.”
    “Obviously he's educable.” Katy was at the door. She whipped it open and hurried into the outer office. “Hold my calls, Liz. I'll be back in a little while.”
    “Got it.” Liz gave her a strange look. “You really think everything is going to be all right now that the Bastard is here?”
    “Everything's going to be perfect,” Katy said over her shoulder as she sailed out the door. “And we'd better stop calling him the Bastard.”
    “Going to be a tough habit to break. I'm a sucker for tradition,” Liz called after her.
    Katy raced along the south wing corridor and dashed down the stairs. She was panting for breath by the time she knocked on the door of Justine's private suite.
    Mrs. Igorson responded to the knock. A woman of indeterminate years and dour countenance, the housekeeper was built along stout and sturdy lines. She had worked for Justine for nearly two decades.
    Katy privately thought Mrs. Igorson was perfectly suited to work in the Gilchrist household. There was something appropriately forbidding about her. It was all Katy could do to resist addressing the poor woman as “Igor.”
    “About time you got here,” Mrs. Igorson muttered. “The Bastard is with her now. I don't like this. I don't like it one bit. I know Mrs. Gilchrist wanted him here, but I have a feeling he's going to be nothing but trouble.”
    “You've got it backward, Mrs. Igorson. We've already got trouble. The Bastard—I mean Mr. Gilchrist—is going to fix it. By the way, as he is going to be the boss around here, we should probably stop referring to him as the Bastard.”
    “I'm not so sure about that. If you want my opinion, he looks like a real mean son of a bitch.”
    “Gilchrists often come across that way. You should know that.” Katy stepped into the hall with a reassuring smile. “He's probably just a little tense. This must be a very emotional occasion for him, after all.”
    “I wouldn't put money on it. Those two didn't exactly throw themselves into each other's arms when he walked through the door.”
    “Well, what did you expect? This is a traumatic moment for them both.”
    Katy went briskly down the tiled hall. She was feeling triumphant—euphoric, in fact. The crisis had been resolved. She would soon be a free woman. She could bow gracefully out of the picture, secure in the knowledge that Gilchrist, Inc. was in good hands.
    Katy could hardly wait to tell her brother the good news. Free at last .
    Wearing a wide smile, Katy swung around the corner into Justine's glass-walled living room. She was prepared to be gracious to the Bastard. After all, he had seen the light and come home to do his duty to the family. She had won, and she could afford to be magnanimous in victory.
    The tension in the beautiful, formal living room hit her like a wall of solid ice. Katy nearly stumbled in shock. She hesitated in the entrance and took in the scene in a single glance.
    Justine was still seated in her wingback chair. She appeared as regally composed as ever, but her eyes betrayed a deep unease. There was a stiffness about her that immediately put Katy on full alert.
    Katy turned to Luke. The fine hairs on the nape of her neck stirred.
    He was standing in front of the bank of windows, a dark figure in his black sweater, black jeans, and low black boots. His gaze was on the fog-shrouded landscape. She knew he was aware of her presence, but he did not turn around.
    He stood in what appeared to be a relaxed stance, but Katy sensed the casualness was superficial. He looked coiled and ready to strike.
    “Katy, my dear.” Justine was clearly relieved to see her. “I'm so glad you're here. My grandson has made a momentous decision.”
    In spite of the ominous atmosphere in the room, Katy decided to accentuate the positive. After all, Luke was here; that was the main thing.
    She turned up the voltage on her smile and laid on all the graciousness she could muster. “I'm delighted to see you made the right decision, Mr. Gilchrist. I know you won't regret it.”
    Luke turned slowly to face her. His emerald eyes glittered unnervingly. “My decision has not been finalized. I've just explained to Justine that I will take on the job of