Page 71 of The Beach Hut on Plum Island
“I still think I should find a way to go with you,” Finn told him.
“Don’t worry about me,” Liam assured Finn. “I’m going to be fine. I have one of Julie’s personal assistants accompanying me because the man can speak Greek.”
“He is also one of my security details who doubles as an assistant when I need a translator,” Julie told Finn. “The man is ex-military intelligence and speaks seven different languages.” She looked at Finn. “I believe you met him outside Harriet’s room; Sam?”
“Oh yes. That’s good,” Finn said, feeling a little better about sending his friend on a potentially dangerous mission to a country where he couldn’t speak the language.
“Besides, we need you here to play another role, Finn.” Julie smiled, lifting an eyebrow. “I’ve waited a long time to say this.” She drew in a breath. “It’s payback time.”
“What do you mean?” Finn’s eyes widened, and his heart jolted.Does she know about me and Harriet? No! How could she?His mother’s voice echoed through his head.A mother always knows Finn.He shook the feeling off.
“Before you get stuck into that, I’m going to get my life organized and drop Lila off with my aunt.” Liam gathered the documents and left.
Finn stood staring at Harriet’s mother. Tiny waves of warning washed over him.
“Please, sit, Finn. My neck is getting stiff staring up at you,” Julie said, pointing to a chair in front of the desk. “You and I have some work to do.”
Finn sat. “What payback are you after?”
“Oh, on Titus, but also, the Gladstone family who have been a thorn in my side for way too long,” Julie explained. “Gloria has done everything she can to undermine me and make me pay for marrying Pat.” She signed. “I fear everything that’s happening now all comes back to her hatred for me having rubbed off on her children.”
“That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think? Blaming Gloria for her kid’s actions,” Finn said. “How could she have possibly known what her son would do?” He shook his head. “From what Harriet told me, if Estelle did try to kidnap Harriet, Gloria knew nothing about it.”
“Explain,” Julie told him, sitting like a queen on a throne.
Uh-oh! Finn immediately realized his mistake. King Titus may not have told Julie about Estelle’s plot.Did we tell King Titus about Estelle’s plot?“Didn’t King Titus tell you about that?”
“Refresh my memory,” Julie said. “He may have. I’m old, you know. I may have forgotten.”
Finn stared at Julie for a few seconds in amazement.Wow! Harriet really was like her mother.“Even without having known your daughter for over a year, I know everything about what you just said is a trap.”
Julie smiled. “I can see why my daughter’s in love with you, Finn.” Something in her eyes let off warning bells that overrode the guilt of his and Harriet’s charade. “But now that you’ve started telling me, you may as well finish doing so, or I’ll just ask Harriet.”
“Nicely played,” Finn stated with a shake of his head.
He told Julie about Estelle’s visit to Harriet and how the woman was trying to blackmail Harriet to help her matchmake Titus and Gloria.
Julie listened aptly to him, and when he was finished, he was surprised to see sympathy in her eyes. “That poor girl.” She shook her head. “I know that we all have a choice to change things in our lives and not let the actions of our parents define who we are. But Estelle has been so mentally and emotionally scarred by that family.”
“What is wrong with you and Harriet?” Finn blew out a breath and shook his head. “Estelle is blackmailing your daughter in order to get your brother-in-law to marry Gloria and you both feel sorry for her?”
“That’s because we’ve known Estelle since her parents were killed, and she had no choice but to live with the Gladstones,” Julie told him. “She was a sweet kid up until then. Gloria always wanted a daughter.” She raised her eyebrows and shook her head. “Yet another reason the woman hates me.” She sighed again. “When Estelle came to live with them, Gloria insisted they adopt her and give her the Gladstone name. Gloria said it was to ensure Estelle’s place in life and her future security.”
“Wasn’t Leon Senior from a wealthy family?” Finn asked.
“Generations ago, maybe,” Julie said. “But Leon Senior’s family loves to overindulge in the good life but they don’t like to work too hard for it.”
“So they’re social leeches,” Finn said, looking for a nice name for gold diggers.
“Gold diggers, yes!” Julie, like Harriet, did not havenicefilters and told it like it was. “In a way, I feel sorry for Gloria, but even if I didn’t marry Pat, he was never going to marry her. He never liked her as she was a little intense, shall we say.” She gave a soft snort. “Pat may seem meek and soft-spoken, but trust me, he’s anything but. After all, he was raised to be a king.”
“I can believe that.” Finn nodded. “I’ve seen how your husband controls a room without even raising his voice, and he keeps King Titus in line.”
“It’s my husband’s superpower.” Julie laughed. “Gray, he’s a bright man and got the best of Pat and my qualities.” She rolled her eyes. “But our beautiful Harriet.” She raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips. “I had to pay her to keep clean when she was a child. She got all Pat’s strength, integrity, and courage,” she sighed again, “but my lack of social filters.”
“I wouldn’t say you didn’t have social filters,” Finn said.
“Oh, dear boy, you think Harriet’s bad.” Julie snorted. “I was ten times worse. When Pat and I first met, we knocked heads all the time. But when we were married, while he loved my free spirit, I knew I had to learn social graces.”
