Page 21 of Savage Redemption

“Good as gold. Coffee?”

“No, thanks.” I’ve not been fond of the stuff since Erin was born. “Maybe a herbal tea?”

“I’ll get it. Blackcurrant, apple and ginger, or jasmine?”

“Apple and ginger, please.” I take a seat and tickle Erin’s tummy. “She’s in a better mood,” I observe. “Grandad has the magic touch.”

“We understand one another.” He smiles at me across the kitchen as he brews the tea. “This was your mother’s favourite. You take after her.”

I shake my head. “I don’t even remember what she looked like. Well, I do. There are pictures everywhere, but she’s not in my head.”

“You were so tiny when she died. Only three.”

“I know, but…”

“I’m always happy to talk about her, you know. It’s right that we should. She loved you so very much.”

“Did I love her? I can’t remember.”

“You did. You certainly did.”

“I wish… I wish she hadn’t died. Well, not really, because then we wouldn’t have Eva…”

“It’s okay, princess. I know what you mean.”

“It’s just that, sometimes, especially now that I have Erin, I want to talk to her, show her my baby.”

“I get that.”

“You and Eva are fabulous. I don’t mean?—”

“A girl needs her mum. We do our best, but I do understand. That’s why I kept so many photographs of Louisa, so many of her things. So you’d have them, to remind you.”

I pause, turning it all over in my head, then, “Did you love her?”

“Yes,” he answers without hesitation. “Yes, I did.”

“Like you love Eva?”

Now he does hesitate. “Not in the same way. I loved your mother. I’min lovewith Eva.”

“What’s the difference?”

“You’ll understand, one day. Louisa was my friend. I loved her, cared very deeply about her.”

“Enough to want to marry her?”

“Of course.”

“Were you there?” I blurt. “When she died?”

“Yes. We all were. Me, Grace, and you.”

“Me?Iwas there? I don’t remember it at all.”

“That’s probably just as well. It was a… difficult time. Harrowing.”

“She was ill, I know that.”

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