Before Angela had a chance to respond, Jude walked in, and something inside her relaxed. He met her gaze for a moment, then took a seat not far from Duncan.
Kiara shifted slightly, and Angela's hand found hers, squeezing gently. Over the next few minutes, she answered questions from Duncan about her past and their life in Briar Hollow. She would have thought he already had all that information from Jude, but she went ahead and gave him the details he asked her for.
Through all of it, the other members of the Burke family and Jude remained silent. It made Angela shift in her seat, wondering if there were wrong answers. Could she say something that might make them change their minds about her and Kiara being there?
Or could it be that they were asking her to tell her story again in order to see if she would give the same details?
Neither option sat well with her, and her nervousness increased. She glanced at Kiara, then at Jude. When their gazes met, he gave her a slight smile and a nod of his head as if to offer encouragement. She stared at him for a long moment, then took a little breath before looking back at Duncan.
All she could do was be honest and hope that they would understand that she wasn’t there to take advantage of them.
Throughout the conversation, Annie didn’t show much emotion, leaving Angela to wonder how she was feeling about everything. She’d had the benefit of knowing she had a twin, unlike Angela, who was still in shock over the revelation.
Still, she wanted to get to know Annie. Kiara would always be her sister. The one who’d endured the same challenges growing up. But there was always room for another sister. If they could find some common ground.
Annie had grown up in the lap of luxury, while Angela had lived a life of hardship. She bet that her sister didn’t have calluses on her hands the way Angela did. She’d probably never had to spend hours hoeing a garden until her hands had weeping blisters.
But even though they didn’t appear to have much in common, Angela found that she wanted to find some point of connection. So she figured the best place to start was with asking if Annie would be willing to show her around the estate.
"Annie?"
Annie glanced around. She apparently hadn’t been paying attention to the conversation.
"I'm sorry." Annie smoothed a hand over her sweater. "What was the question?"
"Angela was asking if you'd show her around the grounds later," Duncan said.
"Oh. Of course." Annie smiled, but Angela could see that it didn't quite reach her eyes.
Angela studied her, head tilted slightly. "We don't have to if you're not comfortable."
Annie’s eyes widened briefly, then she said, "No, it’s fine."
An awkward silence filled the room until Elizabeth gracefully intervened. "Perhaps some refreshments first? Our cook prepared quite a spread."
When the platter loaded with delicacies reached her, Angela looked them over carefully before choosing a lemon tart.
“So you work in a bakery?" Julian asked, speaking for the first time since they’d all sat down in the living room.
Angela nodded, relaxing slightly at the change of topic. "For a couple of years now. I love it."
"She's being modest," Kiara interjected. "She practically runs the place. Her cinnamon rolls are famous in three counties."
Heat filled Angela's cheeks. "Baking is just something I enjoy."
They talked a bit more about her and Kiara’s jobs as they ate the pastries they’d each selected, then Duncan set down his coffee cup. "Angela, I hope you understand that we never stopped looking for you. Not for a single day."
The raw emotion in his voice silenced the room.
"Jude explained some of what happened," she said softly, her gaze flicking to him briefly. "It's still hard to process. All these years thinking I was someone else…"
"You're still you," Kiara said firmly. "Nothing changes who you are."
Angela gave her sister an affectionate and appreciative smile. Kiara had been there for her when no one else had, and Angela hoped they’d always have that bond. They might not share blood, but they shared a deep, deep bond.
Over the next little while, the others asked her questions, and through it all, Jude remained a silent, steady presence.
"Would you tell us more about your life?" Elizabeth asked gently. "Whatever you're comfortable sharing."
