CHAPTER 46

The staff were the first to drift away, with nearly all of them working, and many of the guests followed. Maddy and Myra got up, but Mark remained in his seat, wanting to stay and witness the burial, but his sisters reminded him they had lots of guests and that he couldn't stay there all day.

On the walk back up to the house Mark got many compliments on his speech, of the courage it took to get up there, and of how it reminded them of Benjamin Moore himself in the way it was delivered. The last part came as a surprise to Mark.

The next half hour of mingling back at the house was a repeat of the same conversation. Really great speech, emotional, reminded me of him, but it passed quickly and it was time to walk many of the guests back to the boat or the helicopters that were waiting to take them back to the world.

By the time they bade them farewell and got back to the house, Mark was feeling pretty drained and excuse