Page 31 of The White Oak Lodge

Nina’s heart spasmed.What letter?

But Daniel had sensed her nerves. He bent down to say it in an evil whisper, “When we first started dating, I wanted to track down as much as I could about you. It’s what I do when I meet someone; it’s sort of romantic, you know? I wanted to know more about you than you knew about yourself.”

Nina wanted to point out what it really was: controlling behavior. But she hadn’t fully understood it back then. It had been nice that someone remembered her coffee order. It had been nice that someone was there to say good night to.

It had all been so nice. Until it wasn’t.

I had children with this man, she thought with horror.

“I dug around. I snooped. I asked questions,” Daniel said. “I realized that the rumors about the Whitmore riches had never really gone away. But more proof of them had been discovered—a letter left in the trash of an old Manhattan hotel. I ended up buying the letter off a collector on the West Coast, a collector fascinated by memorabilia from so-called elite families. I planned to give the letter to you, maybe on one of our wedding anniversaries, or, better yet, after we discovered the Whitmore treasure and kept it for ourselves. But when we got here, you revealed yourself to be so weak, so stupid. I realized I couldn’t give you the letter. I had to hold on to it for a rainy day.” Daniel winked. “Here’s that rainy day, darling.”

Nina felt his cruelty like a storm.

Quietly, she asked, “Did you only marry me to get to the Whitmore treasure?” She couldn’t believe what she was saying. As far as she knew, there was no treasure. As far as she knew,there was nothing but char and moldy walls and dilapidated foundations over at the White Oak Lodge. No such treasure existed.

Daniel laughed. “Don’t be silly. I married you for all sorts of reasons. It’s what people do.”

That echoed, too. It was what people did.

As though Nina had been a check mark on his résumé.

“But now, look at us,” Daniel said. “You’ve come back for the treasure, and I’m right beside you. Your darling husband.” He sniffed and looked at Amos. “I’m sorry, man. But you can’t have this. I’ve worked too long and too hard to achieve this dream.”

Nina remembered, now, that Daniel had confessed that his family money was drying up, that, when Deborah died, he wouldn’t get as much of her fortune as he’d once hoped for. Nina had told him that it didn’t matter, that they’d never relied on money for happiness. Daniel had given her one of his stony-eyed smiles.

It had all been a game to him.

“So,” Nina said, crossing her arms over her chest. “What’s this letter all about?”

Daniel looked hard at Amos. “Why can’t we get rid of him?”

“Darling, be reasonable. I didn’t make you get rid of Angie when I found out about her.”

Daniel’s eyes glinted with intrigue. “When did you find out, my love?”

Nina raised her shoulders. “You think I didn’t know the entire time?”

Daniel barked with laughter. He was pleased that Nina was finally playing his game. By turn, Nina felt as though she were about to pass out.

Amos looked officially awkward; his big hands stretched out on the table. Nina wanted to pull him aside and tell him that she was just acting. Amos didn’t know her, not really. Maybe hethought this was her true personality coming out. She imagined him thinking,this is why I never trust anyone.This is why I never leave my cabin.

“It was clever of you, Nina,” Daniel said, “to get rid of me before you officially pursued this. Well done.”

Nina made a face she hoped meantha-ha, but I wasn’t clever enough for you!

“Now we can share it together,” Nina said, smiling. “But not today. Today, I want to read that letter. Today, we have to make sure the kids are okay.”

Daniel fixed his face. “Of course. The kids always come first. It’s why I got them out of camp.”

Nina imagined they’d been dragged out of there, kicking and screaming, Will saying,but what about my arts and crafts, my fishing, my friends?

“I better be getting home,” Amos said, his voice deep and strained.

Nina reached over to touch Amos’s shoulder. She didn’t want to show any grace on her face because she knew Daniel would sense her lies. But she did say, “Come on, we won’t kick you out. Don’t you want to know what’s in the letter? Don’t you want to hear more about this treasure?”

Amos looked as though he was struggling to read her face. He looked down and back up again. Daniel disappeared into his backpack to procure the letter, and Nina mouthed, “I’m sorry,” to Amos, hoping he understood. The light in Amos’s eyes shifted just the slightest bit.

That was when Daniel put a yellowed envelope before her that was addressed to Francesca—from Benjamin.

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