“If you really don’t mind staying and watching Henry, I’m supposed to go up to Sea Island Sunday afternoon to meet with Gabe Wynant.”
“Really?” Marie arched an eyebrow.
“It’s about Josephine Warrick. I’m going to take her case on, after all. But I don’t know the first thing about condemnation law. So I called Gabe, and he’s agreed to meet with me and try to walk me through it.”
“That’s awfully nice of him,” Marie said. “It’s just a shame about poor Sunny. You’d think it might be a kind of relief, after all he went through with her, but I hear he’s really quite bereft.”
“Bereft? Did something happen to Sunny Wynant?”
“You didn’t know? She died.”
“No! I had no idea. What happened?”
“Liver cancer. She drank herself to death. I guess it’s been over a year ago now. Maybe two? I used to know her from altar guild, before she started drinking. She used to be so much fun. She had a really wicked sense of humor.” Marie shook her head. “Such a waste.”
“That’s terrible,” Brooke said. “But I’m glad you told me before I see him.”
“You say you decided to work for Josephine, after all?” Marie asked. “What changed your mind?”
“Josephine did. She just wouldn’t take no for an answer. And maybe, just maybe, I’m ready for a challenge.”
Brooke remembered the last conversation she’d had with the old lady.
“Mom? Did you know Granny was engaged to somebody else? Before Grandpop?”
“Hmm? Who told you that?”
“Josephine did. Her family threw an engagement party at Shellhaven for Granny and this man, but something awful happened, and the wedding got canceled.”
“Really? This is the first I’ve heard of such a thing. It’s hard for me to picture my mother with another man. She was so devoted to Pops. Did Josephine give you any more details than that?”
“No. She said the man, whoever he was, wasn’t a good person.”
“I’d definitely be interested in hearing more about this mystery man,” Marie said.
“You can ask Josephine all about it when you and the other two women meet with her over on Talisa.”
“You think she’s really serious? About leaving the island to the three of us?”
“She’s dead serious,” Brooke assured her.
18
October 1941
Josephine tapped loudly on the guest room door. “Millie? Are you all right?”
The muffled reply came a minute later. “I’m all right.” In another moment, the door opened slightly to reveal Millie, looking pale and exhausted, still wrapped in a bathrobe.
“It’s nearly noon!” Josephine exclaimed. “Your mother and grandmother just left on the boat for St. Ann’s.” She peered at Millie’s face. “You look terrible. Are you sick?”
“Maybe a little hungover. I don’t think champagne agrees with me.”
“Come down to lunch,” Josephine said. “Mrs. Dorris will fix you something nice and light. Some soup or something.”
“Ugh. Food. I’ll come down, but I think I’ll just stick to coffee. What about the others? Has everybody gone already?”
“A lot of people needed to get to Jacksonville to catch the train at two,” Josephine said. “Ruth’s still here, of course, and I think some of the men were planning an early-morning fishing trip.”
