Page 72 of These Summer Storms

That part of her life had blossomed in the years she’d been estranged from the family, and it didn’t belong to them. It didn’t even bear their name—she painted as Alice Foss, a name far enough back on the family tree that neither family nor fanatics (there were a few of those after she’d upended the Storm Inc. stock price for a few months) would think to look for it.

At the base of a wall crammed with photographs, plaques, and accolades, Sam sat on the buttery leather sofa, facing Emily, who was in lotus position across the room in one of Franklin’s prized Arne chairs. Behind her, the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows boasted one of the most beautiful views in New England—Narragansett Bay in its full glory, spread out beyond the centuries-old red oak their father claimed was the reason he’d chosen that particular spot for his office.

No one was looking at that view right now, though. Instead, they were focused on Franklin’s massive mahogany desk, heavy and dark and the absolute opposite of the steel and chrome and sapphire glass that had made his fortune. It was impossible to ignore, already intimidating, and made more so by Elisabeth, her steady gaze fixed on the tablet there.

“…as you all know, I don’t like mess.” She finished her sermon, looking from one child to the next, before letting her gaze land on Alice in the doorway. “Good of you to join us.”

Alice’s back was up, instantly. She took a step into the room fromwhere she hovered in the doorway. “I didn’t realize we had a sixa.m.family meeting.”

“Considering tomorrow is a fairly big day, I would have thought you’d set an early alarm,” her mother replied, as though everything were perfectly ordinary.

“I was up, actually,” Alice couldn’t help the retort, even as she hated the way it made her sound like she was twelve again. “What did I miss? I assume the greatest hits?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Elisabeth asked. “I don’t have greatest hits.”

“Don’t embarrass me in front of the guests,” Sam said, dryly.

“Don’t embarrass me in front of the Secret Service,” Emily added.

Even Greta played. “Embarrass me in front of the first gentleman at your peril.”

Elisabeth didn’t like any of that. Especially not when Alice added a little laugh. “Come on, Mom. You’ve read us this particular riot act a thousand times.”

Her mother pursed her lips for a moment. “And yet, it did not seem to sink in when you embarrassed your father in front of the whole world.”

The whole room went still in the wake of the words, and Alice did her best to ignore the way they struck, hard and hurtful, made worse by the fact that no one said anything in her defense.

Before Alice could speak, Claudia entered. “Emily thought you might like some tea, Elisabeth.”

As though everything were perfectly normal and Elisabeth hadn’t just landed a wicked blow, she said, “You know, I would like tea.” Claudia poured and handed over the cup. “Claudia, you really are the best of the children.”

“The tea was my idea,” Emily pointed out as Sam said, “She’s not your child.”

Elisabeth smiled and patted Claudia on the arm. “Best of the in-laws, then.”

Everyone’s eyes went wide. Remarkably, Claudia found her voice first. “Well, I’m sure that’s not true,” Claudia said, tossing an amusedsmile in her wife’s direction, and receiving an eye roll in return before she slipped from the room.

Elisabeth lifted the cup to her lips, but did not argue. “Thank you. Where was I, Sam?”

“You were giving it to Alice,” Sam said, letting his mother’s comment slide.

“Are you sure?” Greta jumped in. “It seemed like she was giving it to Sila.”

Before Sam could retort, a chorus of alarms sounded throughout the room, and Emily and Greta looked to their watches. “Oooh. Bad luck, Sam,” Emily said, her delight palpable. “It’s 6:59, you’ve got to give it a rest for a bit.”

“Set an alarm for 8:59,” Greta said, staring pointedly at Sam.

“That’s diabolical,” Alice said.

“Isn’t it?” Greta asked.

“I wish I’d thought of it.”

“I still have one minute to tell you to fuck off,” Sam interjected.

The words were barely out of his mouth when Sila appeared in the doorway. “Good morning,” she said with a smile that did not reach her eyes. “I set an alarm for five minutes till, just in case Sam needs me.”

“And…the outlaw, right on time,” Greta said, under her voice.

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