Chapter 17: The Necklace on Her Neck

Anthony's POV

Constance Hollin crossed her own ballroom, and halfway across she was smiling again.

I had watched her do it a hundred times, at every dinner of my teens.

"Tessa," she said, and held out both hands. "My dear girl. Look at you."

June did not take them.

"Mrs. Hollin," she said.

"You wore your own dress. I'm a little hurt."

"It didn't fit," said June, "the other one."

For a moment the silver bob did not move.

Then Constance laughed, light and bright, loud enough for the guests nearest to turn.

"She always had a tongue," she told them. "We were very fond of her."

I stood a half step behind June's left shoulder, because she had asked me to, and breathed through my teeth.

I had my father's affidavit in my inside pocket. It weighed nothing, and I could feel it against my ribs.

"Anthony," Constance said, and turned her smile on me. "I knew you'd come. Your father rang me. He was so apologetic about the firm."

"My father rings a lot of people."

"He sounds tired."

"He's had a week," I said.

She looked at the six men fanned out behind me in black tie, and for a second her eyes rested on her own son.

"Boys," she said. "How nice to see the whole class together. Do have a drink. We'll be seated at nine."

She took June's elbow, so gently that nobody could have called it a grip.

"Walk with me, Tessa," she said. "I want you to see what we've done with the terrace."

Keep reading free with an account. Start Seven Men Called Me Her Stand-In, So I Made Them Pay from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.