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Leo formally introduced himself, with the woman returning the favor, declaring herself to be Alicia Wallace, and he noted the quick look she darted toward Ella, maybe checking for any sign of recognition?

Ms. Wallace pronounced Alicia with a sibilant c , not the common sh sound, seeming to give it a higher status, but that might have just been in his own head.

She also insisted they use her first name, and he wished Lord Thorvane would do something similar.

What that what he was supposed to call the man?

In an effort to give Ella time to compose herself he explained about the furniture and the children being away right then, surprised to see the look of disappointment cross the faces of both guests. Following that, the ensuing silence was deafening.

Shrugging he offered, “Coffee?” In the face of everything else it seemed the right thing to do.

Alicia smiled, and he had to admit she was pretty attractive for an older woman. And though ashamed of the typically male thought that followed— that she must have been a knockout when she was younger —he pulled up short mid-self-berating. Just like Ella. Actually, a lot like Ella.

“That would be wonderful, thank you,” Alicia replied, looking across to Ella’s dad.

Ella’s dad, or Lord Thorvane—Leo couldn’t think of him any in other way—nodded his acceptance as well and they gave him their preferences.

All the while Ella remained silent, simply watching.

The man then leaned forward, “Gabriella darling, why didn’t you come to me when Emile died?” He lowered his voice. “If you’d rather speak somewhere privately, we have a room at the hotel in town. The Graff, is it?”

Leo didn’t lift his head, just kept on with his task, but his breath held as he waited for her answer.

*

Her father looked older, and yet considerably less stressed than she remembered.

Perhaps the woman by his side was responsible for that?

Had he not learned by Emile’s father’s example, and followed Jean-Luc into a sixth marriage?

Her heart hardened. Was his unannounced visit about money?

Or about her hasty marriage, to which he hadn’t been invited?

She lifted her chin. “I have no secrets from Leo.”

She hadn’t meant to look his way, but Ella caught Leo’s smile and wink waiting for her when she did.

And guilt settled a bit deeper. However, she was feeling reasonably confident as the one thing her father could not have picked up via the European society gossip mill was anything about Benny—except of course his birth.

“No secrets? Oh well, that’s excellent. So, we may talk about Benjamin?”

Ella froze. No, secrets bar that one. That one wasn’t up for discussion. That was something she wanted to share with Leo when they were alone, should have already shared.

Drawing on every shred of dignity she possessed, Ella straightened, crossed one jean-clad leg over the other.

“I’d rather talk about why you’re here and what Ms. Wallace meant by her comment about my mother.

” She looked across to Alicia, unnerved by something like a memory, yet not quite.

“No, I didn’t miss it. But I would rather begin with you, Father. If you’re after money—”

Alicia cut in. “Your father does not want or need your money, nor Benjamin’s.” She’d noted both newcomers had given her son’s name the French pronunciation.

Unfazed, Ella raised both eyebrows, trained her gaze on her father. “And this would be because…? What? You won a lottery? Had a win at Monte Carlo?”

“Because I have purchased Thorvane Manor, and your father is a rich man in his own right, once more.”

That stopped her. Ella knew that place was a weight on her father’s shoulders, but it had been her home. Well, her sometimes home, when she wasn’t away at school. It was where she’d been born, where her mother… She swallowed. Where her mother was buried.

Oblivious to her shock, her father cut through her thoughts.

“Gabriella, about what happened. I assure you with everything in me I had no idea what Cynthia was doing when she went after your inheritance, and tried to overthrow the terms of the trust. I hope you know that no matter how low I have sunk—and I’m the first to admit that at times I have been down in the sludge—that I would never violate your mother’s wishes.

That money was left to you, in trust, and I would never allow anyone to touch it. ”

“Hm, then how did she learn about it?” Ella knew she was sounding cold, distant, but did nothing to soften her tone.

Her father spluttered, but she recognized genuine confusion on his face and almost against her will she felt herself softening toward him. The perplexed manner was real, even if it was one of the charmingly innocent traits that had women flocking to him.

“I have no idea! Perhaps an employee of our legal firm?” His voice dropped, his eyes tracing a non-existent pattern on the carpet.

“I discovered way too late what lengths she would go to get her own way.” Lifting his head, he held his hands out to her.

“Darling, I divorced her as soon as I discovered what she’d tried to do, and I was hurt that you would think me so heartless as to do that to you. ”

She sighed. “Daddy,” she said her voice partially defrosted, “if you needed money for anything other than keeping yet another spoiled wife in ever more designer clothes, I would have tried to help you.” She saw his face fall, but his foolish decisions and the results were of his own making.

Timely or not, Leo arrived with a tray of coffees made to order and he’d added a plate of cookies she’d baked with the children.

Chocolate chip probably wasn’t on her father and Ms. Wallace’s usual afternoon tea menu, but that’s what they had—and she smiled her gratitude at Leo, who grinned at her as he took a seat beside her, opposite the other two.

Ella wanted to reach out and take his hand but something held her back.

Her father accepted a cookie and a napkin and returned to Ella’s response.

“Well, thank you—and yes, I accept your criticisms. I made several choices I am not proud of, and now I have to pay the consequences of them.” He frowned, “I never really got over your mother. Well, until…” He flicked a glance toward Alicia.

“However, I am proud that when your inheritance comes through, it will all be intact.”

Ella placed her coffee cup carefully on the table, mindful of the fact that Leo had momentarily frozen at her father’s pronouncement.

That was another thing they hadn’t discussed.

Her own inheritance. Nothing like Benny’s but enough.

Her focus, though, was on her father. “I need you to understand that I could not, and would not, just let you fritter the money away. I knew I’d need it for Benny.

So, I could prove I had the means to provide for him. ”

Alicia, Ms. Wallace, frowned and Ella hoped it wasn’t due to the cookie. “You received nothing from Emile’s will?”

She shook her head. “It was at my own insistence. I guess none of us expected that Emile would be dead before he was even twenty-six, me especially, and I assumed I’d have my own money in due time.

So, it was at my insistence that everything be left to Benny, and I’m not sorry.

I have no right to Emile’s family’s money. ”

The other woman raised her eyebrows. “Very honorable of you, though many would argue you had more moral right than the snake trying to get control of it.”

Ella felt suddenly clammy. “You know about that?”

Alicia Wallace kept her eyes firmly on Ella. “We know a great deal more than you’d imagine.” She took a genteel sip of her coffee. “But first let me reintroduce myself to you.”