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“Love you, too, Dad.” I pulled the phone from my ear and looked down, tapping the big red circle to end the call.
There was a huge lump in my throat that was only getting bigger. Not to mention the anxious bundle of knots in my stomach.
I was in deep shit.
If my stepmother and Vincent showed up here, I wassofucking busted.
Vincent might lie through his teeth for me if I bribed him enough, but Carmen was the kind of person who’d put my real identity on a banner on a blimp and send it out for an emergency news broadcast.
“Ah, Grace. I didn’t know you were in here.” Katie walked into the kitchen and stopped. “My dear, are you all right?”
“Um, yes. Sorry. I just got off the phone with my dad. He had some bad news this morning and I’m a bit worried if he’s okay, that’s all.”
“Bad news.” She bobbed her head. “There’s a lot of that going around today, it seems.”
“How’s Stuart?”
“Having a lie down. I took James’ lead and slipped something into his tea.” She winked at me. “Although don’t take that as an endorsement for drugging your spouse. I wouldn’t recommend it under regular circumstances.”
“Noted.” I stood up and tucked my phone into the pocket of my cardigan. “I should get back before William makes good on his threat and sends the bird after me because I’ve gotten lost.”
“That’s quite the threat.”
“I thought so.” I smiled at her and headed for the doorway.
“You look just like your mother, you know.”
I froze. “I’m sorry?”
“Your mother. You look exactly like her. I’m surprised I didn’t see it immediately.” She dropped a teabag into a cup and looked at me. “Do you not think so?”
My heart thumped against my ribs.
Yes.
Yes, I did. In fact, I was more than aware of my close resemblance to my mother. I favoured her over my father in the looks department, but I just wasn’t prepared for anyone to mention it.
But Katie knew who I was.
“I’m sorry,” I said, swallowing. “I think you’re mistaking me for someone else.”
“Strange. You’re the spitting image of Harri.”
Harri.
Mum.
“Harriet,” Katie said softly. “I’m sorry, Grace. Maybe you’re right. I’m mistaken.”
I dipped my chin and inhaled deeply, tucking a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. “How did you know?”
The kettle reached its crescendo, bubbling and boiling over, then released it with a click as the switch turned it off automatically.
“Would you like a cup of tea?” Katie asked me.
“No, thank you.”
“We were friends, to answer your question,” Katie said, pouring water into two mugs anyway. The teabags sizzled as the boiling water hit them, and the gentle noise seemed to fill the entire room. “I recognised you on some level at the cottage, I think, but I couldn’t figure it out. After all, it’s been a while since we’ve seen one another, hasn’t it?”
