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‘Ah, but it was a masterpiece,’ said Arthur. ‘Was it not?’
‘Indeed it was, and I have to say it came in very handy.’
Arthur blanched. ‘You didn’t.’
‘Oh, but I did,’ said Madeline with an amused smile, and sashayed through the sliding glass doors.
Sparing a searching glance for the shell-shocked doorman, Luke followed her into the gallery and played the part of companion and helped Madeline remove her lightweight wrap.
‘I take it William’s currently resting in the funeral vase,’ he murmured.
‘He was very fond of it,’ said Madeline. ‘It seemed the least I could do.’
‘You didn’t …?’ Luke knew a little something of Chinese funeral vases—most of it gleaned from his sister. He shook his head. ‘Never mind.’
‘Never mind what?’
‘Nothing. Except …’
Madeline waited expectantly for him to finish.
‘How did William die?’
‘It was very strange,’ she said. ‘He stepped out onto the road unexpectedly and got run over by a truck.’
Luke stepped back and handed Madeline her wrap. They made their way towards the first painting, a white circle on a black background, with a smaller black blob dead centre of the white circle, and bright red squiggles radiating from its centre. It looked like a drunkard’s eyeball and Luke would definitely not want to wake up to it every morning.
The price tag made him grin.
He tilted his head and studied the painting some more. No, not a drunkard’s eyeball. A dead man’s eyeball. ‘A truck, you say?’
‘Mmm.’ Madeline moved on to the next picture. More blobs, different colours, with a fork sticking out of the centre. ‘I’m really not seeing the symbolism,’ she murmured.
‘That’s okay.’ Luke was seeing more than enough symbolism for both of them. ‘So … William buys a funeral vase—’
‘Actually, I bought the funeral vase, even though William chose it. It was a birthday gift.’
Luke shuddered. ‘So you buy William a funeral vase … and then he gets run over by a truck and dies.’
Madeline turned to stare at him, amused incredulity writ plain on her face. ‘Luke Bennett, are you superstitious?’
‘No,’ he muttered darkly as a tiny, dark-haired matron dressed in sleek dove grey approached them. ‘Not precisely.’
‘Elena,’ said Madeline with a smile. ‘Always a pleasure.’
‘When Bruce told me he’d seen you out and about I rejoiced for you,’ said Elena, with what sounded like sincerity. ‘Six years is too long a time for a young widow to cloister herself away from society.’ The woman turned to Luke, her eyes sharp and assessing. ‘And you must be Luke.’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
‘Jianne said yours was the most beautiful family of warriors she’d ever seen. I’ve never met Jacob, but if he’s anything like you I think she must have spoken true.’ Elena’s gaze cut back to Madeline. ‘Is it true?’
‘I’ve only ever met Jacob and Luke,’ said Madeline. ‘So far it’s true.’
Elena sighed. Bruce Yi materialised beside his wife and greeted Madeline and Luke with warm cordiality. ‘What do you make of the paintings?’ he said.
‘We’ve only just begun to look at them,’ said Madeline smoothly.
‘Who knew an art show could be so enlightening?’ added Luke.
‘Bruce, why don’t you introduce Madeline to those project managers you wanted her to meet?’ said Elena. ‘Luke can stay here with me for a time.’
Divide and conquer. Luke knew the ploy well. He wasn’t the middle child of five for nothing. Madeline shot him a questioning glance. Luke gave a tiny nod of assent. Go, he told her silently. Go do business.
‘I tried to persuade Jianne to attend the reception this evening,’ said Elena as they strolled slowly towards the next painting. ‘She’s over from Shanghai and visiting with us at the moment. Alas, she had a prior engagement.’
Luke said nothing, just watched Madeline move off, with an innate elegance and dignity about her that he doubted she even knew she had.
‘She does send you her fondest regards,’ said the little raven.
‘She has mine,’ said Luke.
‘It could be that Jianne will choose to reside in Singapore permanently, soon.’
Now there was a comment to capture his attention. He wrenched his gaze away from Madeline and focused on what Elena Yi had to say. ‘Ji has business here?’ More to the point, would Singapore be big enough for both Jake and Ji?
‘Not exactly,’ said Elena as they moved on to view the next painting. ‘I rather suspect she’s moving away from something unpleasant, as opposed to actively moving towards something good.’
Luke smiled wryly. ‘She does that.’
Auntie’s eyes flashed. Luke didn’t give a damn.
‘My brother,’ said the little raven, ‘Jianne’s father, wishes to see his daughter remarried.’
‘To who?’ said Luke.
‘The only son of a business associate.’
‘So it’s a business merger?’
Elena nodded. ‘A very profitable one for both families.’
‘Are you asking Jake for a divorce on Jianne’s behalf?’
‘No,’ said Elena quietly as they stared at yet another painting. Two sets of circles within circles this time. Demon’s eyes. ‘I want him to save her from that monster.’
‘Mr Yi, before you introduce me to these people I need you to know something,’ said Madeline, knowing her next move for business suicide but knowing too that she’d made up her mind and would not relax until she’d spoken.
Bruce Yi looked at her but kept right on walking.
‘I have no influence over Luke Bennett or his brother so whatever you want from them, I can’t help you get it. Even if I could influence them to your advantage, I wouldn’t.’
‘Why not?’
Madeline smiled ruefully. ‘Because Jacob Bennett’s a friend. He’s also one of the finest men I know, and I’m sorry but I won’t let you use me to get to him.’
‘Not even to grow Delacourte?’
‘I’ll find another way to grow Delacourte. I like big business, Mr Yi. I’m usually quite good at it.’ Tonight, of course, being the exception.
This time Bruce Yi stopped. Madeline stopped too, and squared up to him, eye to eye. ‘I can’t help you,’ she said quietly.
‘Then why are you here?’
‘Because Luke wants to find out what you want. What Ji wants. From Jacob.’
‘Rest assured, Madeline. He will.’
Madeline glanced back at Luke and Elena, who looked deep in conversation, but even as Madeline looked away Luke glanced at her, those golden eyes dark and guarded.
‘My wife has more finesse in these matters than I do,’ said Bruce Yi. ‘Women generally have more patience with such things, although you certainly don’t seem to. You should have waited, Madeline. You should have waited to see whether Jacob Bennett’s needs coincided with those of the house of Yi.’
Yes, well. Too late now.
‘Honour is a rare and admirable quality in this world of changing values,’ continued Bruce Yi, he of the thin-lipped smile and the sharp, sharp eyes. ‘But I’ve always found it best when served with patience. Come.’ Bruce waylaid a passing waiter and moments later Madeline found herself with a champagne in hand. ‘I would have you meet my business partners. It will save time should we ever decide to do business together.’
Reprimanded and outmanoeuvred in one smooth stroke, Madeline sipped at her champagne. She learned fast when it came to the machinations of big business, but there was no denying that the head of the house of Yi had at least a thirty-year head start.
Time to lift her game.
Squaring her shoulders and summoning a smile, Madeline turned her mind to business.
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