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Pleasure.
Where it came from, I have no idea.
“Did I call you Arthur?”
He exhales in dry amusement. “You did.”
“Oh.” I lick my lips, trying to make sense of that new information. “Well, I believe you. And I appreciate that this must be kind of hard for you. I wish I could... I wish I could jump back to however we were interacting before, but I’m sorry. I don’t remember any of it.” My voice cracks slightly.
“I know you don’t.”
There’s a bittersweet note in the words that makes my heart ache again, but I have to shake the feeling away.
It’s too much. I simply can’t deal with anything other than getting through this one day.
Whatever friendship we developed in the past six months has been scattered into the dark swirl of fog in my mind. It simply doesn’t exist anymore.
two
Present
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NEVILLE WORTHING AMASSEDa fortune in shipping and transport in the nineteenth century and in 1887 built a sprawling, over-the-top mansion in northern Virginia horse country.
The fortune has been divided between Worthing descendants all over the world, but in pure patriarchal style, the estate has been passed down from oldest son to oldest son until Arthur inherited it when his father died fifteen years ago.
Arthur lives in the east wing, and the rest of the mansion is closed off—far too expansive and expensive to clean, maintain, furnish, and heat. When my father and I visited in the past, I would sneak away to explore. It always felt like I’d walked intoThe Secret Garden. A huge house and grounds, much of it dusty and untended with hidden nooks and secrets skulking behind every shadow.
I have a glimmer of the same feeling today as I let Arthur help me out of the front seat of the SUV and stare up at the chateauesque structure with its steep, gabled roofs and ornate towers with spires.
Glancing over, I notice Arthur watching me closely. I smile. “It’s always been kind of excessive, hasn’t it?”
He chuckles dryly. “That’s putting it kindly. It’s a ridiculous monstrosity.”
His expression flickers with something like affection. I suddenly realize that, despite its outlandishness, he loves this house.
