“Fair’s fair.” I winked at her shocked expression.

By the time dinner rolled around I had almost forgotten how the day had started out. Meredith and Marty fit into my family’s routine smoothly. In some ways it felt like they’d always been a part of it. In fact it was a little scary how easily they got along with my sister and sister-in-law.

“Alex should be home soon.” Samantha was sitting on the floor, putting together a puzzle with Marty. We had all taken up spots around the room after eating. Cathy was working on her computer and I was idly sketching the room.

“He’s coming back tonight?” It was a long drive to D’Lynsal from the palace.

“You know how he is.” She shrugged, but I could see her smile. Alex barely let her out of his sight now that she was pregnant. For some reason that didn’t seem as annoying to me today as it normally did.

“Are you coming tomorrow?”

“Of course. We all are.” Sam shot me a pointed look before tilting her head in Marty’s direction.

“Right.” Clue understood. I wasn’t to speak about the funeral in front of Marty. No reason to upset him.

Looking back at my sketch pad, I frowned. I needed to pick out an appropriate suit before the morning. We’d have to leave early to make it back to the Thysmer township in time.

“All right, buddy. Time for a bath.” Meredith came down the stairs, her hair still wet from her own shower.

“We’re not done yet!” He looked up at her with worried eyes.

“It’s a six-hundred piece puzzle. You’re not going to be able to finish it tonight.” She leveled a stare at him.

“Can we work on it tomorrow?” Marty looked at Sam with big eyes.

“We’ll leave it here until we can, okay?”

“Okay.” He hopped up and ran toward his mom.

She chased him up the stairs, telling him to not make a mess.

“Spill.” Sam looked at me with serious eyes.

Cathy shut her computer and moved closer to me. I sighed and shut my sketchbook. There was no escaping this. They needed to know, especially with the funeral tomorrow.

“It was bad.” I leveled my gaze on them.

“What happened?” Cathy shook her head at me. “You can’t just say it was bad. What was bad?”

“Her father.” I had to walk a careful line here. I didn’t want to tell them all of Meredith’s dirty laundry. “He drinks.”

“You mean he’s an alcoholic.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes.” I frowned. “I’m guessing that Mother knew or had a heads-up, because she sent someone to help out.”

“Sounds like something she would do.” Cathy nodded her head. “But why did you bring them here today?”

“Turns out that the old man left a will. Meredith’s father thought everything would just pass to him. Needless to say, he was not happy.”

“How so?” Sam climbed up off the floor and sat down in a chair.

“He’s an angry drunk.” I leaned forward and put my elbows on my knees. “I couldn’t leave them there.”

“You think he would hurt them?” Cathy lowered her voice. “Was it that bad?”

I nodded my head.

“Surely he wouldn’t hurt his daughter or grandson.” Cathy shook her head. “What did he do? Yell at them?”

I debated before answering and decided that they deserved to know the truth. “The first day I went over there, Arthur tried to hit Meredith.”

Cathy covered her mouth, but Sam sat up straighter.

“What did you do?”

“I pulled her out of his path and penned him until he calmed down.” I shrugged. “I wanted them to leave that night, but she wasn’t having any of it.”

“She probably felt like she had to stay until after the funeral.” Sam frowned. “God, that makes me so mad. I wish you had hit him.”

“I came close today.” I frowned. “He called Marty something and I was ready to beat his face in.”

“But you didn’t.” Sam cocked her head to the side.

“Meredith asked me not to.” I leaned back in my chair.

“You are in so much trouble.” Sam laughed.

“What do you mean?” Why did everyone keep hinting that I was headed for trouble?

“You’re in deep, boy.” Sam looked over at Cathy with a smile. I hated that smile. It was the one they used to convey womanly thoughts. Silly things and ideas. Like they knew something I didn’t know. Fuck, they knew something I didn’t know.

“I’m just helping them until they can get back to England.” I glared at my sister-in-law. I think I even sounded like I meant what I had said.

“I don’t think so.” Cathy shook her head.

“She has a life back in England.” Shit, did I sound dejected?

“Maybe.” Sam shrugged. “Or she may have a life here. You won’t know until after the reading of the will.”

“It doesn’t affect me.”

“Blind. He’s absolutely blind.” Cathy grinned at me. “I like seeing you all discombobulated. It’s fun.”

“I’m not discombobulated. Jesus. Who says ‘discombobulated’?” I ran a hand over my jaw. I need to shave before the morning. Christ, I had to carry a casket tomorrow.

“You look at her and that boy like they are yours.” Sam’s eyes softened.