Mischief in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law, #2)(32)

“A huge one,” Sabine agreed.

“Well,” the attorney said, “are you ready to meet them?”

Sabine took a deep breath and looked over at Beau, who nodded. “I’m ready.”

The attorney smiled. “This way, then. They’re anxious, too, if it makes you feel any better.” He turned and motioned them toward the house.

Beau stepped close to Sabine and took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze. She looked over at him, grateful for the strength his presence gave her. She took the first step following the attorney. Then another. And before she knew it they entered the mansion through a set of hand-carved doors.

Sabine tried not to gawk as they stepped inside, but the interior of the home was even more impressive than its exterior. She didn’t know much about art and antiques, but one look at the paintings hanging in perfectly placed picture frame molding and the decorative tables nestled in front of them with beautiful ornate vases and crystal bowls screamed rare and expensive. The ceiling in this front room was vaulted all the way to the second floor and had an enormous crystal chandelier hanging in the center. Huge staircases spiraled on each side of the room, forming a balcony on the far wall.

“They’re in the library,” the attorney said and motioned to the hallway on the left.

Sabine followed slowly, trying to clear her mind, focus on the event she’d been wanting for over twenty years. She felt like she was in a dream and any minute she’d wake up back in her apartment, just as frustrated and alone as she’d always been. Her feet connected with the wood floor, her heels resounding on the handscraped wood, but she didn’t feel the connection at all. It was almost as if she were gliding, floating in a forward motion. Surreal, that was the word for it.

The attorney opened a door at the end of the hallway and motioned for her to enter. She felt Beau give her hand one last squeeze. Then she took a deep breath and stepped through the doorway and looked at her family for the first time. A regal woman with silver hair stood next to the fireplace, holding a glass of wine. Her cream linen suit was obviously custom tailored and the diamonds surrounding her neck sparkled in the bright light. A man in a gray smoking jacket and black slacks stood beside her and Sabine stared, her breath catching in her throat. He was a perfectly aged re-creation of the image Helena had produced. Any shred of doubt she had that maybe Beau had made a mistake, that this wasn’t her family, disappeared in an instant.

A woman sitting at the long table in the center of the room gasped. She had the same eyes and bone structure of the silver-haired woman, but that was where the similarities ended. The woman was probably in her fifties but the lines on her face belied the opulence surrounding them. Maybe living in such a state of presumed grace wasn’t everything it was cut out to be. The woman rose from her chair and walked over to stand in front of Sabine. She reached up with one hand and touched Sabine’s face, an amazed and somewhat fearful look on her face. The flat gray of her suit made her skin seem sallow. Her eyes were dull and lifeless.

“You look just like him,” she whispered. “I didn’t want to believe, but it’s true.”

Sabine froze, not certain what to do. The woman stared at her without blinking and somewhere deep in her gaze, Sabine saw something that didn’t look right…didn’t look stable.

The older woman stepped over to them and gently removed the younger woman. “You have to excuse Frances. She’s a bit overwhelmed with all of this. She was very close to Adam when they were children, as twins often are.”

Sabine snapped her attention to the older woman she presumed was her grandmother. “They were twins?” Surely that wasn’t right. Sabine’s father was only eighteen when he died. That would make him forty-six now. Frances looked at least ten years older than that.

“Yes,” the older woman said. “A difficult birth but a blessed one as I got a boy and girl in one shot. Twins run in the family. It’s something to keep in mind when you decide to start a family yourself.” She smiled at Sabine. “I’m your grandmother, Catherine.”

Sabine smiled back, but it felt weak. This was all so much more overwhelming than she’d ever imagined. Her vision blurred and she saw a distorted Catherine staring at her.

“Sit,” Catherine said and guided her into a chair. “Hand me that glass of water,” she directed Alford.

“Sabine?” She could hear Beau’s voice next to her but couldn’t force herself to turn and look.

“Poor dear,” Catherine said, “this has all been a shock to you, too, hasn’t it?” She placed a glass in Sabine’s hands and helped guide it to her lips.

Sabine took a sip, then a deep breath in and out. Her vision sharpened and she looked over at Catherine and nodded. “I guess it has been a shock. I didn’t realize…”

“I should have,” Beau said and squeezed her arm. “Do you want to finish this another time?”

“No,” Sabine said. “I’ll be fine.” She looked at Catherine, her grandmother. “I’m sorry about that. I promise to behave myself from now on.” She smiled.

Catherine smiled back. “Well, since you’re not going to hit the deck on us, I’d like you to meet your grandfather, William.” She motioned to the silverhaired man who had been hovering at the end of the table. He stepped forward, and Sabine rose to greet him.