Sumarville in a few days.â Clarice hugged Jolie to her side. âNow that sheâs home again, we canât let her leave.â
âIâll tell you whatâyou go find Mr. Landers and Iâll talk to Jolie,â Yvonne said. âHow will that be?â
âYes, of course. What a good idea. You have such a persuasive way about you.â Clarice kissed Jolieâs cheek, then released her and shook her finger in Jolieâs face. âYou listen to Yvonne. Do you hear me? You wonât disappoint us, will you, sweet child?â
Jolie offered her aunt a weak half-smile. âI promise Iâll listen to Yvonne.â
That statement seemed to be enough to pacify Clarice, who waltzed off into the throng of partying mourners in search of her adoring suitor.
Yvonne turned to Jolie. âWould you like a breath of fresh air?â
âWhat do you have in mind?â
âI thought maybe we could escape to the back porch. Hopefully no one else has made it out that far, yet.â
âAre we going to have a come-to-Jesus talk?â Jolie asked.
Yvonne smiled. âSo, you remember those little talks I used to give Theron and you.â She sighed. âYes, I suppose thatâs exactly what I have in mind for you today. Donât you think itâs past time for one?â
Georgette vacillated between teetering nervousness and pitiful sobbing. Max had tried his best to persuade her to go upstairs to her room an hour ago, but she had adamantly refused. His mother had been extremely proud to be Louis Royaleâs wife and had taken advantage of every opportunity to prove to the world that she was worthy of the title, so it was only natural that she would want to show everyone that she was truly the grieving widow. He didnât doubt for a second that his mother had loved Louis with great passion or that that passion often bordered on obsession. She had seemed to need Louis to survive the way she needed air to breathe.
Max had loved Felicia, had wanted her desperately, and in the end had allowed her to treat him shamelessly, but he had no idea how it felt for another human being to be the beginning and the end of his universe. The intensity and depth of that kind of loveâthe kind his mother and Louis had sharedâfrightened him in a way that nothing else ever had.
âLouis would have enjoyed this,â Georgette said. âHe did so love a good party.â
âIndeed he did,â Parry replied. âAnd he was no cheapskate when it came to paying for shindigs like this one. I always admired the way he enjoyed his money.â
âMy husband was a very generous man.â She grasped Maxâs arm. âIâm feeling a bit faint. Perhaps I should sit down.â
âCertainly, Mother.â
Max separated a bevy of chattering women to clear a path to the Queen Anne chair in the corner of the front parlor. He helped his mother sit, then knelt before her.
âAre you sure you donât want to go upstairs for just a little while?â
She shook her head.
âThen how about something to drink? Iâll find Yvonne and get her to make you a cup of mint tea.â
âYes, Max, that would be nice. A cup of tea. And be sure she adds three teaspoons of sugar. I like my mint tea very sweet.â
âShe never forgets,â he said. âCoffee black. Tea very sweet.â
Max glanced around, searching for Mallory. Having seen her only once since their return home, he suspected she was hiding away in her room. He needed to check on her. She had been unusually quiet and emotionally remote since Louisâs death. His little sister was probably wondering, as was their mother, just how they could go on without Louis. Mallory had been his spoiled darling. After seeing to his motherâs tea, heâd go upstairs in search of his sister and try to persuade her to come downstairs and keep their mother company.
Halfway to the kitchen, he
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