Page 83 of Redemption in Love
Would Catherine have to file anything with the court to be free of Jacob? Would she be entitled to anything?
Amandine hated the idea that Catherine might be left penniless. It would simply be too cruel after the loss and humiliation she’d suffered.
The trees and shrubs on the other side of the iron-wrought fence had lost their neatly tri
mmed look. As the driver pulled up to the entrance to the grounds, Amandine noticed a splatter of bird poo on one of the gates, and the lawn clearly needed to be mown. Had Catherine really fired all her staff?
The chauffeur stopped the car and rang the intercom. A few moments later, he said, “There’s no answer.”
Amandine frowned. “Try again.”
He did. “No luck, ma’am. Do you have the security code?”
“No.” They weren’t that close. No, that wasn’t quite true. They’d drifted apart after Catherine and Amandine’s respective marriages. “Give me a second.”
Amandine didn’t have to ask. Brooke pulled out a phone, dialed and handed it to her.
Amandine sat with the phone ringing in her ear. This was the house phone, and it was set up so that once it rang, you could hear it from anywhere in the house. Amandine frowned and tried Catherine’s cell phone. No answer.
“I can’t get ahold of her,” Amandine said.
“Maybe she moved out,” Brooke said. “Or moved back with her folks.”
“Doubtful.” Catherine had never gotten along with her mother, and with her father gone, there’d be nobody to act as a buffer between them. Olivia had always been of the opinion that Catherine should marry for money and pedigree. Someone “worthy of her”. She considered Jacob Lloyd’s blood not quite blue enough for her precious daughter.
The Fairchilds were a good family, southern aristocrats, while the Lloyds weren’t really southern and were nouveau riche to boot. The Lloyds had always been well-to-do, but it wasn’t until Gavin’s father and grandfather started The Lloyds Development that they’d gotten really wealthy. And that made them less than worthy in Olivia’s mind.
If Catherine went home now, she’d never hear the end of how stupid she’d been to choose Jacob Lloyd, who’d never been good enough for a Fairchild, and was a bigamist.
The driver was sitting patiently. Brooke said, “We can’t wait here forever.”
“I should’ve called first,” Amandine said. “I thought she’d be home.”
Gavin had said Catherine hadn’t answered calls or come to the company meeting. Knowing Catherine, Amandine had guessed the humiliation was too much for her to bear in public. But she might have been wrong to assume her cousin would confine herself to the mansion.
I should’ve at least called when I first heard about Jacob’s bigamy, instead of obsessing about what would happen between Catherine and Gavin.
Amandine stared at the wrought-iron gates, already rusting in the Texas humidity. Why had it taken this long for her to figure out Catherine might not be the problem after all? The true issue was Amandine’s uncertainty about her husband’s feelings, not her perfect cousin. Even if Catherine were to vanish this very moment, Amandine’s insecurity wouldn’t go away. She should’ve been kinder to her cousin, who had to be suffering.
“Isn’t there any way in?” Amandine asked.
Brooke squinted at her. “Yeah… It’s called breaking and entering.”
She let out a long sigh. “Let’s go home. I’ll try again later after I call her.”
The chauffeur pulled away.
* * *
Amandine tapped her fingers on her armrests as the jet made a slow descent in Los Angeles. Brooke had a glass of white wine and was concentrating on her tablet. The cabin was quiet except for the muted sound of the engines.
A flight attendant came by to collect Brooke’s drink to prepare for landing. Once they were alone again, Amandine asked, “What are you reading?”
“A book about twins impersonating each other.”
“Comedy?”
“Murder mystery. Gruesome…just the way I like it.” Brooke put the tablet away. “How are you feeling?”
