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"Like I wasn’t a black sheep enough before, now I’m the kid who stole their inheritance They can’t even look at me My aunts and my uncle… My own parents hate me"
"I’m sure they don’t hate you"
He shook his head as if she were the irl in the world "Of course they do"
It’s not about you, Kat started to say She wanted to tell hiht, then he was just a s her mouth to speak--the words were almost out--when a broad smile stretched across Hale’s face
"But do you want to know the crazy part, Kat?"
"What?"
"I don’t care" He laughed a little "There was only one person in my family I ever trusted Turns out, I’m the person she trusted, too"
And then Kat’s words disappeared They evaporated into the cold air that blew through the broken , and she couldn’t bring herself to tell hi randmother loved me, Kat" He smiled wider "She chose me"
There Kat was, in the center of her world, and she tried to iine what it would be like to never be respected, accepted Loved Kat had always belonged in Uncle Eddie’s kitchen, and she tried to wrap her mind around what it would be like to be the boy who had never been given a place at his family’s table
"I’?"
She did want to tell his But the words didn’t coht her hand to his face, and kissed him
"Why shouldn’t she choose you?" Kat forced a smile "I did"
After he’d closed the door and disappeared down the dark street, Kat was left alone in the sleeping house, wondering if she’d ht decision It wasn’t until she turned and started for the stairs that she realized that, no, she wasn’t alone after all
"Tell " Gabrielle crossed her ar, now"
Chapter 9
"Hello, Marianne," Kat said the following
The tiny yard ith dew and the sun was still low, the house shrouded in the shadows of the woods But as soon as the wo Marianne’s eyes were bright and clear as she regarded the two girls who stood on her stoop,them inside
"Marcus isn’t here," she told them
"That’s fine," Kat said "This is my cousin Gabrielle If it’s okay, we’d like to talk to you" But the woman didn’t speak or ht And we think maybe you’re not the only one as affected"
Kat watched her weigh the words, consider her options, then slowly push the door open and gesture for them to follow
Kat and Gabrielle sat on the floral sofa while Marianne went to the kitchen and ined that within those twelve hundred square feet, the brother and sister could pretend they’d never really left England
"I’m sorry I’m such a mess," Marianne said when she returned She placed the tray on a low table in the center of the roole hair out of place on the woman’s head, but Marianne patted at them just the same "I’ve worked every day since I was fourteen I’m not quite myself without a job to do"
Kat nodded "I know the feeling"
"Yes, miss," Marianne said "I don’t doubt it"
"Where is Marcus?" Gabrielle asked
"He’s back with young Mr Hale today Marcus offered to stay withMarcus now more than ever"
"So you know…" Kat said
"That young Mr Hale inherited the company?" the woman filled in "Yes I heard" She srandmother loved him so"
"Did that surprise you, Marianne?" Kat asked
"Oh, I suppose I had just assu her children, but…" She trailed off and brought a hand to her lips "I just don’t know He’s so young"
Kat nodded "There will have to be a trustee to oversee things until he turns twenty-five"
The woman furrowed her brow and asked, "Who?"
"Garrett The lawyer"
Try as she ht, Kat couldn’t quite decipher the look that crossed Marianne’s face There was so that a norht for a rifter
"What is it, Marianne?" Kat asked
"Nothing," she said, pulling her shawl htly around her shoulders
"Oh, I think there’s so," Gabrielle said, her voice cold
"Gab," Kat warned, but Gabrielle had her sights set on the woman
"Marianne, you worked for Hazel for half a century, and now you know so, don’t you?" Gabrielle asked But the woman didn’t answer
"Marianne?" Kat asked softly "What is it?"
Marianne recoiled and shook her head "It’s nothing A crazy notion You wouldn’t believe me if I told you"