“Cousin George, we are very glad you could stay with us, even for a short time,” Kenzie said, smiling at him. “I am happy, however, that you’ve been able to purchase another house. Especially now that you and Mrs. Andrews are planning to marry.”
Mrs. Andrews smiled up at George Lake. “I never figured to have a whirlwind romance and marry again, but George and I are well-suited. I think we’ll be quite happy together.”
“As do I, my dear.” George gave her a smile and a bow. “But for now, I must attend to business. I have meetings with the Ghirardelli people prior to my regular working hours.”
Once he’d gone, Mrs. Andrews got to her feet and began collecting their breakfast dishes. “I’m going to bake a cake for our dinner tonight. George told me he has a fondness for carrot cake. Apparently his mother used to make it.”
“Might I help you, Mrs. Andrews?” Victoria’s cousin asked in her sweet, charming way.
Victoria hated Judith more than she could say. It wasn’t just for appearing and upsetting the normalcy of Victoria’s life. Judith’s very demeanor irritated her. Judith was capable and strong, yet everyone loved her and befriended her. Victoria’s strength and abilities did exactly the opposite and always seemed to offend. It didn’t matter, however. She wasn’t going to change to suit the likes of Judith and her friends.
“I’d love to have your company, Judith,” Mrs. Andrews said. “Just give me a few minutes to deal with these dishes, and we’ll get it all planned out.”
Judith smiled and turned to Camri and Kenzie. “I hope Caleb had no trouble with Mr. Morgan. Caleb cares so much about you, Kenzie. I’m certain he will be able to help Arthur understand your feelings.”
“Maybe he can help me understand them too,” Kenzie said, getting to her feet. “I’m going to work on that inventory, Camri.”
“I’ll help you.” Caleb’s sister rose and gave Victoria a nod. “You can join us, if you like.”
“I’m not a laborer.” Victoria picked up her cup and sipped the tepid contents.
Camri merely shrugged and followed Kenzie from the room. That left Judith and Victoria to deal with one another. Victoria narrowed her eyes as she scrutinized her cousin. Judith was like a beautiful china doll, just as her twin sister Cora had been. Victoria had hated Cora too. Everyone always fussed over her and spoiled her. She had been Grandmother’s pet because of her circumstances. Victoria could still remember Grandmother explaining that someone had stolen away Cora’s twin sister when they were babies, so they needed to give Cora extra attention and care.
“Is there something you wish to say?” Judith asked.
Victoria considered her reply for a moment. “I don’t imagine anything I have to say will be of importance to you.”
Judith frowned. “I think it is. I’ve wanted to be your friend from the start, Victoria. I know you think I’m to blame for all your loss, but I’m not. I never desired to interfere in your life at all.”
“And yet you did, and now, when you have the chance to make things right, you won’t.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way. Grandmother told me you and the others would be unhappy with her decision, but she had her reasons. I think it’s important that you know them. Your father was apparently not a very good businessman, and while I do not like to speak ill of the dead, Grandmother said he wasted or lost most of the inheritance left to him by his father.”
Victoria shrugged. “That was no secret. Oh, I’m sure Grandmother and Father thought it was, but Bill told me the truth of it. Our father was a fool, and Grandmother had to rein him in and impose her way of doing things in order to assure that Bill and I had something to inherit. And before you tell me that she didn’t leave more to Bill because of his manipulation and conniving, I already know that as well. Bill took matters into his own hands.”
“Even to the point of murder,” Judith interjected.
“Yes, even so. Would that he had been better at it.” Victoria hoped her comment would get a rise out of Judith, but when it didn’t, she continued. “Grandmother was demanding and imposing. You have no idea what we went through, having to live under her rule. You only knew her a short time, and like Cora, you instantly became her pet.”
“She tried to impose her will on me, but I stood my ground,” Judith countered. “Maybe that’s the real reason you hate me. I didn’t care about the money, so her threats of disinheritance didn’t work on me.”
“That’s because you grew up without money. You had a miserable, impoverished existence, so losing what you never had wasn’t important to you. I, on the other hand, have never known want. Even though Grandmother was harsh, she was meticulous about seeing that proprieties were met. I had the finest—although rather childish—clothes, the best horses and carriages, the nicest furnishings. Now you intend to strip that away from me.”
“I have no such intentions,” Judith replied. “I have only the desire to see you properly protected and your reputation upheld. I was so relieved for you when Mr. Rosedale dissolved the engagement. However, if you go off and live a life of wanton pleasure, your reputation will be ruined, and you’ll never find a decent husband.”
Victoria laughed. “You know nothing. With my inheritance, I can buy any husband I like.”
“Wouldn’t you rather have one who loves you? I can speak from experience—the love of a good man is worth everything.”
“Ah yes, your ‘good man’ Caleb Coulter. Did it never dawn on you that he only wants you for what he can get? You weren’t engaged when I went away in April, yet just two months later, you are. Funny how that worked out. You became an heiress and then found yourself engaged almost in the same breath.”
Judith frowned. “Caleb and I love each other, and that is why we decided to marry. It has nothing to do with my inheritance.”
Victoria shook her head. “There’s no way to prove that. No way at all.” She got to her feet. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going for a walk. And before you chide me to be careful of my surroundings, I assure you that I won’t venture far. I wouldn’t be caught dead in the company of the ruffians who inhabit this neighborhood.”
She left Judith and made her way outside into the fresh salty air. There had to be a way to best Judith and Caleb Coulter. Victoria wasn’t used to people refusing her demands. Even Grandmother’s denials had often been sidestepped by Victoria appealing to her father.
“If only I could take everything away from her,” she murmured.
