Joanna stood up. “Why don’t you stop thinking for a while, eat some breakfast and then join me on the terrace.”

“I—yes, sure.” She wanted to say the right thing, but she didn’t know what that was. It was impossible to know what Joanna was thinking.

“Do you read?”

“Read? You mean books?”

Joanna smiled. “Yes, books. There’s a library downstairs. It’s the door next to the kitchen.”

“You have your own library?”

“Yes. I love books. Reading them, and looking at them.”

They were dealing with huge issues, and they were talking about books?

“I read. Used to read. Not so much lately.” Her concentration was shot. She was having a baby. Cliff wasn’t going to help her. “So are we going to talk?”

“Eventually, but I think what we both need more than anything right now is a rest, don’t you? Eat something, and then join me by the pool.”

“There’s a pool? With the ocean a few steps away?”

Joanna smiled. “The ocean is cold. Not everyone likes that.”

Library. Pool. Terrace. Beach. Ashley hadn’t dipped her toe in water yet, but already she felt out of her depth.

“I don’t have that many clothes.”

“You won’t need many. We won’t be entertaining. My plan is that we stay here for the next couple of weeks to give us both time to breathe and figure out what to do next. Come and find me when you’re ready.”

Next? She was making it sound as if they were a team, bonded by their situation, but Ashley knew the only thing holding them together was Cliff. Cliff was dead, so where did that leave her?

Joanna left the room and Ashley stared at the rest of the breakfast without enthusiasm. She wasn’t hungry, but she needed to eat because of the baby.

She forced down a single mouthful and then gave up and headed to the bathroom. There was a large bath positioned in front of a large window with a view of the garden, but Ashley opted instead for the shower. It took her a few minutes to figure out the controls, and then she stood under the hot spray for a long time, washing away the reminders of her hospital stay. Her bruises were fading and she ached a little less every day.

She lathered her hair, soaped her skin from head to foot and rested her hand on her abdomen. Did she feel a little bump or was that her imagination? How soon would she start to show?

Her head was full of questions. She was horrified and embarrassed by how ignorant she was.

“I’m sorry to be clueless.” She talked to the baby, although if it could hear her, then that would mean it had heard other things and was probably already scarred by the world awaiting it outside the protection of her body. “I’ll do better, I promise.”