I put a hand on Noah’s arm, as though to keep him from steppingbetween me and Edward Barbanel. “What happened to the necklace, Mr. Barbanel?”
He shifted in his seat, and his voice came out faster than usual. “It’s gone.”
“Gone where?” My stomach plummeted. “You sold it?”
“Noah.”
Noah hesitated, then nodded. He turned to me. “We should go.”
“ButNoah—”
“Look at him,” he whispered harshly. “He’s upset. We have to let it go.”
I drew back. “Why can’t I get a straight answer?”
“Come on.” Noah placed his hand above my elbow and directed me out of my chair, steering me toward the door.
I twisted out of his grasp and faced Edward Barbanel. His face was still painfully contorted, visible even as he leaned it into one hand. The fight drained out of me.We were so young,he’d said, and yet I couldn’t imagine it. I slipped out of the study.
My irritation at Noah didn’t fade as easily. “Really, Noah?”
“Abigail, calm down.” He followed me down the hall, and we paused, caught in between two walls of cream paint and surrounded by paintings of the sea.
“You tried to physically force me out of the room.”
“It wasn’t worth a fight.”
“Whatisworth a fight, then? I don’t get you. You act like you’re on my side and ready to confront the family or whatever, but whenever they snap, you jump.”
“He’s my grandfather.” Noah’s calm cracked for a moment. “What am I supposed to do?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t understand why I can’t get an answer.”
“He’s an old man. It was a long time ago. It doesn’t matter.”
“It mattered to my grandmother!”
“Did it? Because she had a lifetime to follow up and sounds like she never did.”
“We haveno ideawhat she did or didn’t do.”
“You’re so convinced your grandmother was in the right, but how do you know? How do you know the details we’re missing are in her favor?”
I glared at him. He glared right back.
I shook my head. “I should go home.”
“Seriously?” If anything, he looked even angrier. “You can’t storm away every time you get pissed off.”
“Why not? It’s a pretty good strategy for preventing blow-out fights.”
“We don’t have to fight, we could have a discussion—”
“And what are we going to discuss? How you’re always going to be a shield for your family?”
“They’re myfamily! What do you want me to do?”
“I don’t know! Nothing! Protect them, I guess! But it just means we’re on different sides, which isfine, but it doesn’t mean I like it.”
