In here, O'Riley.
She shook her head as
Sloan and Trent trooped up to the door. Both of them were covered with dust.
I
thought you were breaking down a wall or something.
We were. Had some more old furniture to haul out of the way. And look what we found.
She examined what he held in his hands.
A moldy old book. That's wonderful, honey. Now why don't you and Trent go play construction?
Not just a book,
Trent announced.
Fergus's account book. For the year of 1913.
Oh.
Amanda's heart gave one hard thud as she grabbed for the book.
Curiosity piqued, Megan rose to join them in the doorway.
Is it important?
It's the year Bianca died.
Sloan laid a comforting hand on Amanda's shoulder.
You know the story, Meg. How Bianca was trapped in a loveless, abusive marriage.
She met Christian Bradford, fell in love. She decided to take the children and leave Fergus, but he found out. They argued up in the tower. She fell through the window.
And he destroyed everything that belonged to her.
Amanda's voice tightened,
shook.
Everything her clothes, her small treasures, her pictures. Everything but the emeralds. Because she'd hidden those. Now we have them, and the portrait Christian had painted. That's all we have of her.
She let out a long breath.
I
suppose it's fitting that we should have this of his. A ledger of profit and loss.
Looks like he wrote in the margins here and there.
Trent reached over to flip a
page open.
Sort of an abbreviated journal.
Amanda frowned and read a portion of the cramped handwriting aloud.
Too much waste in kitchen. Fired cook. B. too soft on staff. Purchased new cuff links. Diamond. Good choice for opera tonight. Showier than J.
P. Getty's.
She let out a huff of breath.
It shows just what kind of man he was, doesn't it?
Darling, I wouldn't have brought it out if I'd known it would bother you.
Amanda shook her head.
No, the family will want it.
But she set it down, because
her fingers felt coated with more than dust and mold.
I was just showing Megan her
new domain.
So I see.
Sloan's eyes narrowed.
What happened to relaxing?
This is how I relax,
Megan responded.
Now why don't you go away and let me
enjoy myself?