coffee table, Maisie turned her laserlike attention on Ali. “I’m so sorry. What was your name again?”
“Ali. Short for Alison.”
“Is this your daughter, then?” Maisie asked Leland.
Despite Maisie’s earlier reference to Leland’s tarnished past, it seemed that she had failed to get the memo about his supposedly being gay. If the secret of Leland’s homosexuality had been kept for all these years, Ali saw no point in arming Maisie with any added ammunition. Ali answered the question without giving Leland an opportunity to speak. “We’re just good friends,” she said with a smile.
“I understand we owe a debt of gratitude to Jeffrey for bringing you back into the family fold,” Maisie said to Leland.
The words were bland enough, but the underlying hint of disapproval in their delivery suggested that Maisie felt Leland’s “cousin” had any number of things to answer for.
“Yes,” Leland said smoothly. “He was the one who initiated the contact. The original idea was for me to come for the family reunion he’s planning for next summer. This opportunity came up, so I decided to drop in somewhat sooner than that.”
The server came to take their order, high tea all around.
“We won’t be going to the reunion, of course,” Maisie said when the waitress went on her way. “Summer is our busy season. Daisy and I run a B and B out of what was once our family home,” she explained for Ali’s benefit. “It’s rather posh—Jordan’s-by-the-Sea. You certainly would have been welcome to stay with us rather than coming here. But as I said, we can’t afford to go gallivanting all over the place during the summers. That’s when someone needs to be here keeping a sharp eye on the business. I’m sure several of the grands will be going. They love the kinds of parties Jeffrey and that partner of his know how to throw. I suppose you know about all that,” she added with a sniff, “about his partner, I mean.”
“We had dinner with Jeffrey and Charlie just last night,” Ali replied with a bright smile. “What a delightful couple.”
A spot of color suddenly appeared through the thick layer of white powder on Maisie’s pale cheek. “Oh yes,” she huffed. “The two of them live together quite openly, but they’re in London, of course. That kind of behavior isn’t as easily overlooked or as easily tolerated here as it is there.”
In a matter of a few minutes, it had become clear that the prejudices that had sent Leland fleeing his homeland years earlier hadn’t disappeared. In fact, they were alive and well, as least as far as these particular members of his family were concerned.
Maisie took a delicate sip of tea and made a determined effort to change the subject. “It would appear you’ve done quite well for yourself, Lee,” she said. “Exactly what kind of work did you do? I assume you’re retired now, of course.”
“He’s a property manager,” Ali answered in Leland’s place. “And no, he’s not retired. You love what you do, don’t you?” She was tempted togive him a wink. Afraid that one of the twins might intercept it, she refrained.
“Quite right,” Leland agreed smoothly. “I don’t ever see myself retiring. I expect I’ll be more like one of those old dray horses and die in the traces.”
“Do you have children? Grandchildren?” Maisie persisted. “You must have photos. Please show us.”
“Yes, do,” added Daisy. “By all means.”
“I lost the love of my life several years ago,” Leland answered quietly. “We were never able to have any children.”
“Your wife is deceased, then?” Maisie asked.
“It’s all too painful and I’d rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind.” Leland’s deft reply left Maisie free to draw her own conclusions. “What about the two of you?” he added. “What all have you been up to while I’ve been gone?”
For the next twenty minutes, Maisie delivered a monologue with a detailed rundown of how the
“Ali. Short for Alison.”
“Is this your daughter, then?” Maisie asked Leland.
Despite Maisie’s earlier reference to Leland’s tarnished past, it seemed that she had failed to get the memo about his supposedly being gay. If the secret of Leland’s homosexuality had been kept for all these years, Ali saw no point in arming Maisie with any added ammunition. Ali answered the question without giving Leland an opportunity to speak. “We’re just good friends,” she said with a smile.
“I understand we owe a debt of gratitude to Jeffrey for bringing you back into the family fold,” Maisie said to Leland.
The words were bland enough, but the underlying hint of disapproval in their delivery suggested that Maisie felt Leland’s “cousin” had any number of things to answer for.
“Yes,” Leland said smoothly. “He was the one who initiated the contact. The original idea was for me to come for the family reunion he’s planning for next summer. This opportunity came up, so I decided to drop in somewhat sooner than that.”
The server came to take their order, high tea all around.
“We won’t be going to the reunion, of course,” Maisie said when the waitress went on her way. “Summer is our busy season. Daisy and I run a B and B out of what was once our family home,” she explained for Ali’s benefit. “It’s rather posh—Jordan’s-by-the-Sea. You certainly would have been welcome to stay with us rather than coming here. But as I said, we can’t afford to go gallivanting all over the place during the summers. That’s when someone needs to be here keeping a sharp eye on the business. I’m sure several of the grands will be going. They love the kinds of parties Jeffrey and that partner of his know how to throw. I suppose you know about all that,” she added with a sniff, “about his partner, I mean.”
“We had dinner with Jeffrey and Charlie just last night,” Ali replied with a bright smile. “What a delightful couple.”
A spot of color suddenly appeared through the thick layer of white powder on Maisie’s pale cheek. “Oh yes,” she huffed. “The two of them live together quite openly, but they’re in London, of course. That kind of behavior isn’t as easily overlooked or as easily tolerated here as it is there.”
In a matter of a few minutes, it had become clear that the prejudices that had sent Leland fleeing his homeland years earlier hadn’t disappeared. In fact, they were alive and well, as least as far as these particular members of his family were concerned.
Maisie took a delicate sip of tea and made a determined effort to change the subject. “It would appear you’ve done quite well for yourself, Lee,” she said. “Exactly what kind of work did you do? I assume you’re retired now, of course.”
“He’s a property manager,” Ali answered in Leland’s place. “And no, he’s not retired. You love what you do, don’t you?” She was tempted togive him a wink. Afraid that one of the twins might intercept it, she refrained.
“Quite right,” Leland agreed smoothly. “I don’t ever see myself retiring. I expect I’ll be more like one of those old dray horses and die in the traces.”
“Do you have children? Grandchildren?” Maisie persisted. “You must have photos. Please show us.”
“Yes, do,” added Daisy. “By all means.”
“I lost the love of my life several years ago,” Leland answered quietly. “We were never able to have any children.”
“Your wife is deceased, then?” Maisie asked.
“It’s all too painful and I’d rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind.” Leland’s deft reply left Maisie free to draw her own conclusions. “What about the two of you?” he added. “What all have you been up to while I’ve been gone?”
For the next twenty minutes, Maisie delivered a monologue with a detailed rundown of how the
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