page58 (1/2)
He thought about what a da her You’d think he could say it Such a si I love you, Gen You are the only woman for me
But he’d been a cheat and a liar—and not with Melinda No He’d cheated and lied in ways he didn’t kno to explain to her The truth had a lot of ugliness in it And he felt so bloody guilty about the way it had all turned out
And once he told her how ly truth of what had really happened the night Edward died was sure to follow That wouldn’t be fair Wouldn’t be right She shouldn’t have to know any of it It was all in the past and best left alone
He took Geoffrey back to the house, where Frances reported that Gen had gone for a walk around the lake and possibly to the castle She’d promised to return before dark
The lake and the castle? Before dark? What the hell?
He shouldn’t have left her on the terrace like that after the rotten things Brooke had said to her But there had been Geoffrey to deal with
It was all such a mess
And ood for her Frances said she had her phone So if she needed soone off to, she could simply call
He and Geoffrey went on up to Brooke’s room Granny was still with her
Brooke seeain
Granny said, “Brooke, dear Please”
Brooke pulled it together and asked with surprising calht?”
Geoffrey stood very straight “Mum, I’m sorry for what I said I love Aunt Genny very much, but I don’t wish she was my mum You’re ether and then added bleakly, “Most of the time”
Brooke drew a slow, careful breath “I ful,” she said, and see to find a way to bebetter than I have been I proy, I know that As for you, I only hope you can forgiveyou into a party you didn’t want, foryelling at you and crying and calling you ungrateful when I should have been trying to understand as bothering you”
Geoffrey looked down at his shoes and seemed not to knohat to say to that
Eloise caught Rafe’s eye He nodded She said, “Shall we leave you two alone, then?”
Brooke had eyes only for her son “Geoffrey? Do you o?”
He was still looking at his shoes But finally, he answered, “All right”
As soon as they were out the door and Eloise had shut it behind them, she asked, “Where is Genevra? How is she?”