“Oh, this is beautiful!” Charlotte’s eyes widened at the swags of greenery, white twinkle lights, and enormous red bows that lined each side of the drive along with the occasional animatronic Santa Claus or reindeer constructed out of white lights. It was all professionally done and incredibly sophisticated, of course. The Morris estate would never settle for anything less.
“How long has it been since you talked to your mother?” Charlotte asked, not taking her eyes off the decorations.
“Since the day she called me to tell me my father died. August.”
“How long since you’ve seen her in person?”
“A year. I spent a couple of hours with her here last Christmas.”
He glanced over to see her watching him. She was stunning in the purple sequined dress and cashmere coat he’d bought her for the occasion. He’d never really appreciated women’s clothes before, but the woman at the department store had outdone herself with this number. Or maybe Charlotte was just the type of woman who could knock you dead wearing a potato sack.
He pulled around the fountain in the circle drive and put the car in park, tossing the keys to the valet before rounding the car to open her door and help her out. When he turned back around, his mother was on the porch, waiting for them.
Charlotte gazed at the woman who stood at the top of three short stairs in front of a sprawling building that reminded her of the homes in the Firedrake District of Paragon, and one word came to mind—formidable. This woman was no meek housewife or docile mother figure. She held herself like a queen. Fitting then that the house behind her was a type of castle. No wonder Liam had compared himself to a prince.
The Morris matriarch was as tall as her son and had a slender build, her beaded green jacket providing a sophisticated topper to a black silk jumpsuit and matching shoes sporting bright red soles. Her neck, ears, and fingers dripped with gold and emeralds that would have fit in easily in Paragon, and her pure white hair—as white as Marius’s—was cut short on the sides and spiky on top. Gray-blue eyes peered out from behind thick, circular black glasses. They were so different from Liam’s light brown eyes, but then Charlotte reminded herself that they weren’t related by blood.
“Isn’t this an unexpected treat,” she said through bright red lips. “When Ruby messaged me to say my son was here with a guest, I assumed you’d reunited with Victoria.”
Charlotte shifted uneasily, jealousy wrapping her in its prickly grip. Victoria must be the woman Liam mentioned he’d been engaged to previously. Was their relationship truly that serious that his mother would assume they’d be together again? Don’t be silly, she told herself. She’s simply the last woman Liam was known to be with.
She stepped forward and extended her hand in the way she’d seen other humans do. “Hello, I’m Charlotte… Tanglewood.”
The woman scowled and kept her own hands in her pockets. Charlotte glanced inquisitively toward Liam, her smile fading. Did she do it incorrectly?
“You’ll have to excuse me, dear. I don’t shake hands since the pandemic. Can’t be too careful about germs.”
Charlie stuck her hands in her coat pockets and gave her a nod.
“Charlotte, this is my mother, Anne,” Liam said when she didn’t introduce herself.
“But please call me Mrs. Morris until we get to know each other better.”
Charlotte tried to keep her expression neutral at the rude and unfriendly greeting. Mrs. Morris didn’t seem to care what she thought, however. She reached into her jacket and withdrew a gold case, removing a slim white cylinder from inside.
“A cigarette, Mom? Really? You’ve taken up smoking now?” Liam’s voice held a note of derision.
“At my age, dear, what does it matter?” She lit the end of the cigarette and drew the smoke deep into her lungs.
“I’ve always thought of the scent of my Uncle Nathaniel’s pipe quite fondly,” Charlie said, grasping for anything positive to say that might win the approval of this woman who clearly did not like her.
Mrs. Morris blew out a stream of smoke and stared down her nose at her. “Tanglewood, you say. Are you of the Connecticut Tanglewoods?”
She shook her head. “New Orleans.”
“Hmm.” She circled her cigarette in the air and sighed. “Please come in. Spencer and Kara are already here.” With that, she turned on her heel and strode into the house.
When Liam took her hand, she pulled him to her side. “I’m sure she’s just processing all the feelings she has, seeing you after all this time.”
Liam did a double take. “What do you mean?”
“Why she’s treating us so coolly.”
Chuckling under his breath, Liam’s eyes crinkled as he said, “That was her on her best behavior.”
“Very funny.”
“I’m serious, Charlotte,” he whispered without a hint of humor in his voice now. “That’s what she’s always been like.”
