A house elf answered the door and took their cloaks, ushering them into the study and then hobbling away. Their grandfather sat at the desk, glancing up when they entered, then folding the page down and rising to greet them. He gave Marek a long, hard look, a look that would make many a man squirm. "I instructed you to come alone," he told Melinda, her voice already dangerously low and slow. Melinda made a concerted effort not to flinch, but she didn't look up, either. She wanted to glance over her shoulder at Marek, ask him to answer, but she didn't dare.