Page 108 of These Summer Storms

“Please.” Greta inserted herself between them, her back to Tony. “Don’t do this. Not now.”

“You should have thought of that before you disappeared with him and embarrassed us all in front of the world,” Elisabeth said.

Greta went beet red. “No one was looking.”

“You’re wrong. Everyone is looking.” The words were guaranteed to cause the scene Elisabeth had been trained for years not to make. But loss did strange things, made people cling to what remained. Elisabeth didn’t see that what she was about to do would guarantee more loss. A deeper cut.

Alice searched for her siblings. Sam was a million miles away on the other end of the meadow with Saoirse and Oliver. Too far.

Closer, Emily was extricating herself from a conversation, Claudia at her elbow, watching them, knowing something was wrong—an outsider with a clear view to the truth. But there was no time to wait for them. Greta couldn’t seem to find words.

It was Alice, alone. “Please, Mom. You need to let this go.”

“I’m not interested in discussing this with anyone but you.” Elisabeth’s words were a weapon, leveled directly at Tony.

He lifted his chin.

“No.” Greta put her foot down (as much as she ever did that with Elisabeth). “Leave him alone.”

“Tony,” Elisabeth said, refusing to look at her daughter. “I do not believe your services are required here any longer.”

Greta made a noise that might have been a keen if it hadn’t been strangled in her throat.

Alice opened her mouth to speak, not sure what she’d say, knowing she had to say something. Elisabeth cut her off. “You understand what I mean, don’t you?”

“I do,” he said.

“You’ve known since Wednesday.”

“I have.”

Elisabeth nodded. “And you understand why you’re not welcome.”

“I do.”

“That’s bullshit,” Alice said, instantly, though it did not escape her that she was the only one to say it out loud. “Tony, of course you’re welcome. This isn’t okay.” She looked to her sister. “Greta—for fuck’s sake—say something!”

Greta was staring at him, eyes wide. “Why did you stay?”

He stayed for you, you dummy.It took all Alice had not to say it.

She didn’t have to. Tony might as well have shouted it for the way he looked at Greta. The ache of his desire, his anguish, his fury was impossible to ignore. He would walk through fire for her.

This whole game—Franklin’s, Elisabeth’s—it was nonsense. It was time to be done with it. If no one else would say it, Alice absolutely would. “Greta, don’t do this. It’s not worth it. We’ll figure it out.” She looked to Jack. “We’ll figure it out, Jack, right? She doesn’t have to do this.”

He didn’t reply, and she realized it was beyond him.

This was something he could not fix.

She cast about to do it herself. Inelegant. “It doesn’t matter, Greta—the money, the expectations, whatever the press says—it’s not important. Not like this. Not like your happiness.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Elisabeth said. “You lose everything if she doesn’t do this. You and Sam and Emily. Greta would never do that to the family.”

“And you, Mom,” Alice snapped. “You lose, too.”

“I couldn’t possibly forget, Alice,” Elisabeth matched her tone. “Your father made sure of that.”

There it was again—father,spat like it was foul-tasting. “And so, what, you punish Greta to stick it to Dad?”