The group in the room sat in silence with an air of stiff expectation.

The members of the family knew they were not assembled to pay respect to the memory of the woman who had just been buried.

Her husband had regarded her as a drag upon him, and did not consider her removal an occasion for the display of hypocritical grief.

Rather was it to be regarded as an act of timely intervention on the part of Death, who for once had not acted as marplot in human affairs.
They were there to listen to the story of the triumph of the head of the family, Robert Turold.

Most families have some common source of interest and pride.