gravel. A car was coming up the driveway.
Quickly, Alexa ducked all the way down, flattening herself against the cold stone floor, hoping the sweep of headlights would be low enough not to shine on her and give her away.
It was after midnight! Who would be coming here now? Slowly, she crawled toward the front of the balcony and took refuge behind a giant marble column, hidden in the shadows and hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever was coming up the drive.
By the time they reached her grandmother’s estate, Jo had been lulled by the rhythm of the road into a quiet numbness, a sort of grim stupor except for the knot of nerves in the pit of her stomach. As they pulled through the gate and down the long, winding driveway, she felt the knot in her stomach loosen just a bit.
Maybe, for the time being at least, she would be safe.
The limo followed the curve of the driveway, finally pulling to a stop where it looped in front of the house. Even at night, the place was stunning, a stately rambling stone-and-marble structure that simply screamed elegance and old money. Above the front door was a big curved window that revealed a magnificent chandelier. Outside, strategically placed lights beamed up from behind neatly landscaped bushes and plants, illuminating the front of the house and giving the whole area a warm, safe glow. Jo knew there was nothing warm about her grandmother, but Bradford had said she was safe, and that’s what was important right now.
Fernando opened the door for Jo, took her things, and then offered her his arm. Jo liked to think of herself as a very independent person, strong and brave, but tonight she had reached her limit. She needed someone to lean on.
Slowly, she took his arm and held on, allowing him to support her as they walked up the steps and through the massive front double doors into her grandmother’s foyer.
The car that came up the drive had been the old lady’s limo. Alexa couldn’t see very well for fear of being spotted herself, but it looked like the person was a woman with blond hair. Fernando had to help her out of the car and up the steps, as though maybe she was sick or hurt or something.
Alexa sat back again behind the column and considered her options. She was so ready to get out of there. But she didn’t want to make a costly mistake.
She decided to give it half an hour, keep an eye on the upstairs hallway, and see what happened next. Since she had been living there, a number of guests had used that room, most of them relatives of the old lady, a few of them business associates. It was so late. Maybe this particular guest would go to bed soon, the house would settle down, and Alexa could leave after all.
Quietly, she crept back to her own window, sat against the wall, and waited. Lucky for her it was a warm night, because the coldness of the stone floor was seeping into her bones.
Jo’s grandmother was waiting for her in the study, sitting in a high-back armchair in a silk robe, reading. She pulled off her glasses and put the book down as they entered, dismissed the driver with a wave of her hand, and gestured for Jo to sit on the couch. Wearily, Jo sank into the cushions, wishing she could simply sink right through to the inside and never come out again.
“Jo, dear, are you all right? You’re as white as a sheet. Let me have Fernando make you a brandy.”
Jo shook her head, her eyes still closed.
“No, thank you. I’m okay. I’m still in shock, that’s all.”
“Well, you were right to come here. I’m glad you called.”
When Jo had phoned her grandmother from the hospital, all she had said was that Bradford had been injured in a terrible accident and that she needed somewhere to stay. Her grandmother hadn’t asked any questions, other than to find out where to send the car and driver. Now, however, she would be wanting a full explanation, and Jo didn’t blame her.
“What on earth has happened?”
Jo exhaled slowly and opened her eyes, fixing her gaze
Quickly, Alexa ducked all the way down, flattening herself against the cold stone floor, hoping the sweep of headlights would be low enough not to shine on her and give her away.
It was after midnight! Who would be coming here now? Slowly, she crawled toward the front of the balcony and took refuge behind a giant marble column, hidden in the shadows and hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever was coming up the drive.
By the time they reached her grandmother’s estate, Jo had been lulled by the rhythm of the road into a quiet numbness, a sort of grim stupor except for the knot of nerves in the pit of her stomach. As they pulled through the gate and down the long, winding driveway, she felt the knot in her stomach loosen just a bit.
Maybe, for the time being at least, she would be safe.
The limo followed the curve of the driveway, finally pulling to a stop where it looped in front of the house. Even at night, the place was stunning, a stately rambling stone-and-marble structure that simply screamed elegance and old money. Above the front door was a big curved window that revealed a magnificent chandelier. Outside, strategically placed lights beamed up from behind neatly landscaped bushes and plants, illuminating the front of the house and giving the whole area a warm, safe glow. Jo knew there was nothing warm about her grandmother, but Bradford had said she was safe, and that’s what was important right now.
Fernando opened the door for Jo, took her things, and then offered her his arm. Jo liked to think of herself as a very independent person, strong and brave, but tonight she had reached her limit. She needed someone to lean on.
Slowly, she took his arm and held on, allowing him to support her as they walked up the steps and through the massive front double doors into her grandmother’s foyer.
The car that came up the drive had been the old lady’s limo. Alexa couldn’t see very well for fear of being spotted herself, but it looked like the person was a woman with blond hair. Fernando had to help her out of the car and up the steps, as though maybe she was sick or hurt or something.
Alexa sat back again behind the column and considered her options. She was so ready to get out of there. But she didn’t want to make a costly mistake.
She decided to give it half an hour, keep an eye on the upstairs hallway, and see what happened next. Since she had been living there, a number of guests had used that room, most of them relatives of the old lady, a few of them business associates. It was so late. Maybe this particular guest would go to bed soon, the house would settle down, and Alexa could leave after all.
Quietly, she crept back to her own window, sat against the wall, and waited. Lucky for her it was a warm night, because the coldness of the stone floor was seeping into her bones.
Jo’s grandmother was waiting for her in the study, sitting in a high-back armchair in a silk robe, reading. She pulled off her glasses and put the book down as they entered, dismissed the driver with a wave of her hand, and gestured for Jo to sit on the couch. Wearily, Jo sank into the cushions, wishing she could simply sink right through to the inside and never come out again.
“Jo, dear, are you all right? You’re as white as a sheet. Let me have Fernando make you a brandy.”
Jo shook her head, her eyes still closed.
“No, thank you. I’m okay. I’m still in shock, that’s all.”
“Well, you were right to come here. I’m glad you called.”
When Jo had phoned her grandmother from the hospital, all she had said was that Bradford had been injured in a terrible accident and that she needed somewhere to stay. Her grandmother hadn’t asked any questions, other than to find out where to send the car and driver. Now, however, she would be wanting a full explanation, and Jo didn’t blame her.
“What on earth has happened?”
Jo exhaled slowly and opened her eyes, fixing her gaze
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