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“Had a long enough beauty sleep?” she inquired peevishly, while Valerie made a soft noise of protest.
“I’m leaving,” I said abruptly, in no mood to justify my grief. “We don’t need to fight over him anymore.”
“You aren’t going anywhere. Ian’s gone to get the lawyer for the reading of the will, and Marcus isn’t back yet.”
“I don’t need to hear the will—I doubt I’ll be mentioned.”
“Don’t be coy, Bella,” Mary Alice shot back. “I saw the way you sucked up to him, turning him against the rest of us. I wouldn’t be surprised if he left you the whole kit and kaboodle.”
“I doubt it,” I drawled as best I could. It was a horrifying thought. I’d have no choice but to explain who I was, and I could just imagine the cool contempt in Ian’s eyes. “Where’s Marcus?”
“Apparently, he left early last night, before Granda passed,” Valerie answered, earning a censorious look from her older sister. “He said he wanted to get you a present to cheer you up.”
Was Marcus really that dense that he thought a present would be suitable recompense for the loss of my grandfather? I was afraid he was.
“I’m not in the mood for presents, nor for reading the will. Someone can let me know if I come out a pauper or an heiress. In the meantime, I need to see if Maldonado can drive me to the airport.”
“Maldonado went with Ian to make arrangements for the funeral and reception. There’s no one here to drive you,” Mary Alice said.
“Don’t you want to get rid of me?” I asked, desperate. “You could drive...”
“They took the Mercedes. The only thing left are farm vehicles and I’m hardly likely to drive one of those. We’ll just have to get along until Ian gets back and gets rid of you.”
“Who’s getting rid of Bella?” Marcus’s voice boomed into the room. He had a huge smile on his face, and his bright blue eyes were unshadowed.
“No one,” I answered.
“Why all the long faces? Granda will recover—he always does, and the meantime I brought you the most fabulous present to celebrate our engagement...”
“We’re not engaged,” I said. “And Granda died last night.”
Marcus blinked in disbelief. “No,” he said flatly.
“Yes,” Mary Alice broke in, blowing her nose vigorously and wiping away her nonexistent tears. “And your fiancée wants to get away as soon as she can. I told her that was impossible but...”
“Will you drive me to the airport?” I interrupted as I looked at Marcus. “There’s no need for me to be here anymore, and I need to get back to...” I was about to say New Hampshire before I thought better of it.
“But your present?” Marcus protested, not looking particularly distraught at Granda’s death.
“For heaven’s sake, what is it?” Mary Alice demanded.
“A new Alfa,” he said, preening a bit. “Ian said your old one was totaled, and I know how much you loved that car.”
“You bought me a new Alfa?” I demanded in stunned disbelief. “Are you out of your mind?”
“I love you,” Marcus said as explanation, and I wanted to shake him. “And we’re all about to come into quite a bit of money—this’ll be a drop in the bucket.”
“I’ll drive that to the airport and you can arrange for someone to pick it up,” I said tightly, ignoring the fact that I couldn’t drive stick. I could figure it out. “I don’t need a new car.”
“Where’s Ian?”
“Making arrangements,” Mary Alice and Valerie spoke in unison.
“Well, you certainly can’t leave before we bury the old man. How would that look?” Marcus was now looking suitably chagrined, and I wanted to tell him I didn’t give a damn, I didn’t belong here, I wasn’t wanted here, I just needed to be home, wherever that might be.
“Don’t worry, Marcus,” Mary Alice said. “She’s not going anywhere. Not until Ian says she can.”
“Ian can go...” I didn’t finish the sentence when I heard the door open and the sound of male voices reached us. “He must be back.”
