the air, a new voice, sharp and

n' t be n

banister, was Eleanor Vance. Liam' s grandmother. The family' s formidable, controlling matri

and me completely. She placed a hand on Brenda' s arm

eclared, her voice leaving no room for arg

rom his face. He looked utterly poleaxed, as if his own grandmother had just stabbe

" he stammered. "You know Mom.

terness. She finally looked at Lisa, her daugh

id, her voice dripping with disdain. "I never thought she was worthy

rface. Eleanor, a woman born into old money and obsessed with social standing, had never accepted Lisa, a librarian' s daughter, as a suitab

t river had bu

so secretive. And now, the truth is finally out. This woman," she gestured to Brenda, "gave you li

her cold ey

riage..." Her gaze swept over me with dismissal. "That can be

couldn' t let her destroy my f

al. "We don' t know if any of this is true. The most sensible thing

ped toward me, her e

a whip. "You are a guest in this house, and you have no standing h