“I’mnottalking rubbish.” Eve sat up straighter in the bed.
“And I saw the way that young man was looking at you during dinner. His feelings for you are more than friendship.”
But if she couldn’t trust him, that didn’t change anything. Eve rubbed her chest. She reminded herself that she was too emotional to be making any decisions anyway. Her mother voiced that thought, and her grandfather gave it a rest.
A male cough sounded in the doorway, and they turned to find the doctor looking at them.
“Miss Stewart, I can release you, but not to return home to America just yet. You need rest before you put the stress of a long trip on your heart.” The doctor glanced at the others. “I understand she has family here locally.”
“Aye. She does.” Her grandfather pointed to himself. “I also have the staff to tend to her every need.”
“And wasn’t it at your house where she was poisoned?” her father asked.
“Dad, stop it.”
Her mother went to her father and took his arm. She looked lovingly into his face. “For Evie.”
He heaved out of breath and said, “For Evie.”
“Not if you two men keep her up to high doh with your arguing,” the doctor said.
“What?Usrile her up?” both men cried at the same time.
Eve laughed at the similarity between the two of them. No wonder they’d fought all those years ago.
“I’ll make sure they don’t upset her,” her mother said. She turned to her husband. “I hope Hunter can come for a visit to meet his grandfather now we’re not at war anymore.”
“Don’t you be counting on that,” her father muttered.
“Iamcounting on it.” Her mother put her hands on her hips and pinned him with a hard gaze.
“’Tis seems your father found his match,” her grandfather said softly, and Eve found he’d wheeled himself next to her bed.
“Yes, he did.”
“Is Hunter your brother?”
“Yes.”
“Is he like Bruce?”
“Oh, he’s much nicer.”
“Will you stay with me until you’re well enough to travel?” Her grandfather’s hand covered hers. “I need to make amends for what it appears that idiot grandson did to you.”
“And you.” Eve put her other hand on top of his.
“Aye.” Sadness filled his face.
If she were superstitious, she’d wonder if there was a Stewart curse. But that was ridiculous. Every person had free will. Her grandfather and father had determined to hold a grudge for nearly half a century, just as Graham had chosen to take that first drug. And Darius, for whatever reason, had decided to walk away from his wedding.
Now Eve had a choice. She could agree to see him again and listen to his explanation. Would it justify what he’d done to his fiancée?
22
“Are you getting tired of this jetting about?” Darius asked Joe a week later as they drove from the airport to Eve’s grandfather’s estate.
“It’s definitely been a more exciting job than I thought it would be, going on these bucket-list charity excursions. Did you happen to catch the news broadcast? They did a story on Sophia. Rafe’s assistant Cass has been inundated with requests to find out how people can submit the names of family members for future fulfillments.” Joe pulled out his phone and scrolled until he found it.
