An Understated Dominance novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: Sunday at the Merrows

Gilbert Merrow's house stood at the end of a long drive in Cherry Hills Village, behind a gate and forty feet of clipped hedge.

It was grey stone with a slate roof, three stories, every window lit.

I had never seen it.

Colter had grown up in it.

"You don't have to go," he said in the car.

"He called my loan on Friday. I'm going."

"He sent the invitation to pull you in."

"Good," I said. "I want to be pulled."

Colter glanced at me, and he almost smiled.

"That's what I'm afraid of."

A man in a black jacket opened the door before we reached it.

The foyer was marble, with a staircase.

A portrait of a dark-haired woman in a green dress hung at the landing.

Colter stopped and looked at her for a second.

"Your mother," I said.

"Yes."

I took his hand without thinking about it.

He squeezed it once and let go.

The dining room held a table for fourteen.

Gilbert sat at the head, with the cane hooked on his chair.

Around him sat his sister, a tight-lipped woman in pearls; two cousins in good suits; Merrow Freight's board chairman; and the chairman's wife.

A place had been laid for Colter at Gilbert's right hand.

A place had been laid for me at the far end, beside the chairman's wife, near the kitchen door.

"Colter," Gilbert said. "You're thin."

"Father."

"And you've brought her."

"I've brought my wife."

"Your soon-to-be-former wife," said Gilbert, "who gave a very entertaining speech about you at her party."

The cousins smiled into their wine.

I sat in the chair I had been given.

I did not say anything, and I kept my back straight.

Dinner was slow and cold.

Gilbert spoke about the Pacific ports, and the board spoke back in murmurs, and nobody looked at me.

When the soup came, the sister leaned across the table.

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