Until Dark - Mariah Stewart [66]
“I’m so sorry.” Mrs. McGovern took Kendra’s hands and folded them within her own.
“Thank you.” Kendra fought back the lump that had unexpectedly formed in her throat.
“Kendra,” Adam called from the front of the house, “I have your things here. You should probably run upstairs and change now. Gran, is the guest room all right for Kendra to use?”
“Yes, dear,” she called back to him, “it’s always ready for company.”
Kendra stood, her teacup in hand. “Thank you for the tea, Mrs. McGovern.”
“It was my pleasure, dear.”
The old woman watched approvingly as the younger woman rinsed her teacup and saucer at the sink, then set it upon the counter before leaving the room. She heard Adam’s voice in the foyer as he gave Kendra instructions on which room upstairs she could use and where the bathroom was, and she smiled to herself. Adam was the undisputed apple of her eye. It had been so very long since he’d brought a girl home, and it was time he settled down. The whole family was eager to meet her. And Kendra did seem like such a nice girl, Alice thought as she rinsed her cup and Adam’s and placed them on the counter next to Kendra’s.
The arthritis in her hip had been acting up again, and she’d decided that she’d use her cane this afternoon. Not that the hip was that bad, but as an accessory, the cane served more than one purpose. She wasn’t above seeking a sympathetic audience when she could get one, and today, for certain, she’d have all the attention she could hope for.
“Gran, I’m just going to duck into your room to change if that’s okay.” Adam peered around the door frame.
“Go right ahead, dear.” Alice nodded, then went into the dining room where she straightened a bowl of roses, killing time until she heard him open the door and step back into the hallway. She called to him to join her. She’d been hoping for a few minutes alone with him to speak her piece on an issue that she felt needed discussing.
“My, don’t you look handsome in that dark suit.” She smiled as she fussed about the knot in his tie, which, while perfect, was never too perfect that she couldn’t fuss over it all the same. “And I’m so happy that you agreed to be your father’s best man. It means a lot to him, son. He wants so badly for you to be all right with his marriage to Clare.”
“Being his best man doesn’t necessarily mean that I approve, Gran.”
“He’s your father, Adam. He doesn’t need your approval.”
“Ouch.” He smiled in spite of himself. Few people had the ability to put things into perspective the way his grandmother did.
“Tell me, son,” she leaned upon her cane, “would you feel the same way if your father was marrying someone other than Clare?”
“Maybe not. I guess it does bother me that she was friends with Mom for all those years.” He hesitated for a moment. “All those months she was around when Mom was sick . . .”
“Do you think she had an ulterior motive, then? All those times she stopped in to see your mother, you think she was just waiting for her to die so she could move into her life?”
“Gran, that’s a terrible thing to say!” Adam stared at his grandmother in disbelief.
“Well, that appears to be your implication.”
“Are you happy about this wedding?”
“It doesn’t matter whether I am or not. The only person who has to be happy is your father. I personally never cared much for Clare, but I’m not the one marrying her. If she can make your father happy, share his life in a way that matters to him, that’s what counts.”
He started to reply when he heard Kendra coming down the steps.
“We’re in here, dear,” Alice called to her before Adam could open his mouth. “In the dining room.”
She moved closer to the china cupboard, where all manner of objects were displayed.
“Now, are you a Hummel collector?” she asked Kendra.
“Hummel?” Kendra looked through the glass door of the cupboard at the rows of cherub-faced figurines, then shook her head. “Oh, no.”
“Oh, good.” Alice pretended to fan herself with one hand to show her relief. “I already promised them to Kelly, you know. But I have some lovely Depression glass that you and Adam might