The President's Daughter - Mariah Stewart [50]
“Actually, I’m writing a book and happened to come across the name of someone who, it turns out, was an old friend of your mother’s.”
“What’s the book about?”
“Former President Hayward.”
“Mom, you had a friend who knew a President? You’ve been holding out on me! Who was this friend?”
“Her name was Blythe Pierce,” Jude said tersely.
“What was her relationship with the former President?” Dina asked as she stepped past Simon to enter the house. A soft wake of fragrance trailed behind her, just enough to tease Simon’s senses and send a wave of tension running through him.
“She had no relationship with him.” Jude’s response came just a few beats too quickly. “She dated his Chief of Staff for a time, that’s all.”
“She apparently attended a lot of events at the White House with Hayward’s Chief of Staff,” Simon added, sensing Jude’s unease. “Her name came up on a lot of White House records—dinner parties, dances, special events—and I just became a bit curious about her.”
“Wow, I’ll bet she has some stories to tell.” Dina raised an eyebrow. “Mom, are you going to make Mr. Keller conduct his entire interview on the front porch?”
“Well, I thought he was almost—”
“Simon.” He looked past the mother to the daughter. “Please call me Simon.”
“Simon, can I offer you an iced tea, since my mother appears to have forgotten her manners?”
“That would be very nice.” Simon smiled. “Thank you.”
“Mom, you take Simon into the living room and I’ll get his drink. What can I get for you?”
“Nothing,” Jude replied roughly.
The younger woman held the door open for Simon while the older woman stood as if rooted to her spot.
“Mom, are you all right?” Dina asked.
“Yes, yes. I’m fine. I have a bit of a headache. . . .”
“Then I won’t take much more of your time,” Simon promised.
“I’ll bring you some aspirin,” Dina told her, then to Simon said, “Please. Sit and chat with my mother. I’ll be right back.”
Simon stood in the doorway of the living room, waiting for Jude to react.
Finally, he reached out to take her arm. “Mrs. McDermott, would you like to sit down?”
“I’d really like you to leave,” she whispered, shaking off his hand.
“I promise I won’t stay long. There are just a few questions I need to ask.” Simon went to the sofa and sat down. The basset followed. Simon dropped a hand down to rub behind the dog’s ears, and the dog fell at his feet, contented and unaware of his mistress’s inner turmoil.
The phone rang and was answered somewhere in the house on the second ring. A minute later, Dina came into the living room carrying a tray with two glasses and set it on the table that stood between her mother’s chair and the sofa. She offered Simon his glass, then handed her mother a glass of water.
“Here, Mom, here’s some aspirin.” Dina dropped two white tablets in the palm of her mother’s hand. “That was Polly on the phone. She’s locked herself out of the greenhouse. I’m going to have to run.”
Simon started to stand up, his good manners inbred.
“No, please, stay seated,” Dina said, then turned to her mother. “I’ll call you later. I want to hear all about this mysterious friend of yours.”
“I’m sorry you have to leave.” Simon found himself standing anyway.
“I’m sorry, too.” She looked as if she meant it. “Make sure we know when your book comes out, so Mom can get lots of copies for the library. I’ll definitely want to read it. Maybe I could get an autographed copy.”
“I’ll be happy to personally bring you one.”
“Can I count on that?” She smiled, and her eyes held him spellbound.
“You betcha.”
She turned and disappeared through the front door before Simon could react.
“She’s beautiful, Mrs. McDermott,” Simon said softly.
“Leave her alone,” Jude growled, obviously not pleased by the interplay between her daughter and her visitor.
“I was asking about Blythe,” Simon reminded her.
“What is it you want to know?” she asked coolly.
“I want to know about her relationship with President Hayward.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I think you do. I think