to the family, and to the people who had known her all her life, minerva was still the same amusingly willful child she had always been. the fact that she had inherited the largest share of the gray family fortune on her eighteenth birthday had hardly changed anything.
but to the people employed in the branches of the gray empire, and by other people, such as lawyers, retained by the empire, there was nothing either childish or amusing about minerva. to them she was the dread “miss gray”, demanding, nasty, and scary.
so there was some expectation of fireworks, or at least unpleasantness, by the minions of simpson, simpson, and macarthur, when minerva showed up at their office, after the briefest of notice, and mr mansfield was not there to greet her.
but on this occasion minerva was gracious enough, or indifferent enough, and acknowledged to the young woman who had been waiting there to greet her that she, minerva, had indeed appeared on somewhat short notice.
“in that case,” said the young woman, “perhaps i can help you.”
minerva raised her eyebrows.
“my name is genevieve green, and i am a new junior partner at simpson simpson and macarthur. i just came on board this week.”
“so you’re a lawyer?”
“yes, i am.”
she must be the first woman lawyer at simpson simpson and macarthur, thought minerva. minerva neither approved nor disapproved, but was slightly intrigued.
“i have your file,” miss green went on. “and i have the file regarding roselle winfield, as mr mansfield’s note indicated - “
“yes, that’s all very well,” minerva interrupted her. “i am sure you can help me.” they were within the hearing of the receptionist, and minerva never liked to talk in front of servants.
“follow me, then,” miss green said, and she led minerva down a corridor to the firm’s main conference room, with which minerva was very familiar.
the curtains had been pulled back on the long window of the conference room, revealing the overcast day outside.
a couple of thick file folders lay on the long conference table.
minerva took the seat at the head of the table.
“would you like tea or coffee or anything else?” miss green asked.
“no thank you.”
miss green closed the door behind them.
a seagull landed on the ledge of the window and regarded miss green as she sat down in the chair close to the two file folders.
miss green had been told that minerva did not care for small talk, so she opened one of the folders and got down to business.
“i have been reading the file on roselle winfield,” miss green began, “and i must say - “ she looked directly at minerva - “it is certainly a singular story.”
“yes, it is,” minerva replied. “and mr mansfield is thoroughly familiar with it.” and well paid for being so, she thought, but did not say so aloud.
“would you mind, then,” miss green asked with a touch of hesitation, “if i just gave a quick - very quick precis of it - just so that we can be sure i know the background to what you have to tell me?”
“go right ahead,” minerva answered.
and minerva, and the seagull on the ledge, both regarded miss green impassively as she began.
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