Page 30 of Beloved Sacrifice

“Very well, thank you. Your grandmother is sitting down to tea. Sir Masoor Lee is in a meeting, and Mr. Caradoc Jones is in the back garden.”

It made Marek smile to hear his grandfathers being referred to so formally.

“I don’t want to interrupt Grandmother’s tea, or Tadcu’s gardening.” His grandfather Caradoc was as Welsh as the day was long, and out of respect, he used the southern Welsh word for “grandfather.”

“Excuse me a mom—”

There was the sound of fumbling, a distant conversation punctuated by exclamations, and then his grandmother came on the phone.

“Who is this?” Her voice was shaky with age, but there was still power in those words.

Marek smiled. “Hello, Grandmother.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m actually in Sussex.”

“Sussex? Nasty place.”

“Don’t you say that about all the counties?”

“All nasty. Don’t trust country folk.” A pause. “Don’t tell Caradoc I said that.”

“Of course not.” He hoped she couldn’t hear he was smiling.

“Well, Masoor is off trying to manipulate everyone. Caradoc is grubbing in the dirt, and my own grandson waits a whole day to call his only grandmother and tell her he’s home.”

Darn it.

“I’m sorry, Grandmother. I’m working.”

“You’re always working. All of you. I’ll just sit here and crochet curtains.”

“I’m sure that if you chose to do that, they would be the most beautiful curtains in England.”

“Humph.”

“In the world.”

“Better.”

Marek couldn’t hold it in anymore. He chuckled. “It’s nice to talk to you.”

“So, what dragon are you out to slay now? Who called for a knight in shining armor?” Her tone was both proud and grumpy. “Can’t believe a grandson of mine is such a goody-goody.”

“Just doing my part, Grandmother.”

She sighed dramatically. Jane Dell had until only twenty years ago served as one of England’s most valuable intelligence assets. It was both amusing and frustrating to watch James Bond movies with her—she liked to yell at the screen and tell 007 what a terrible agent he was.

“I was actually hoping you might be able to help me, Grandmother.”

“Ah ha. You only call me because you want something.”

“Not at all. I’m calling because I love to speak with you.”

“And you want something.”

“And because I face an impossible task, and you might be the only person in all of England who could help me.”

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