Memories came rushing back as Addison walked outside. The last time she had set foot on the veranda was when she was a child. Running to and fro while Evelyn cast a watchful eye, Addison had twirled and tittered with the sun on her face and the wind in her hair, temporarily forgetting what lurked inside her home. It was a fleeting glimpse of youth, for her squeals of delight brought her father to the door, and from that day forward the patio would no longer be her playground, reducing the footprint of her world yet again.

Pulling the collar up on her leather coat, Addison took a deep breath of the cold air before starting her journey across the patio. More than once she hesitated when she heard the crunch of loosening slate beneath her feet, but undaunted she continued to the stairs.

Addison stopped when she reached the staircase, taking a sip of her coffee as she scanned the acreage behind the house. It was impossible not to notice the few beds now clear of brush. The bare earth and uncovered granite sharply contrasting against the tan and brown of the scrub, their reemergence reminded her of how extensive the area was.

Grabbing the iron railing, Addison gave it a tug to ensure it was secure before descending the steps, but it wasn’t until she reached the bottom that she dared to raise her eyes again. When she did, she discovered she wasn’t alone. Without thinking twice, she approached the figure huddled in a denim jacket.

“You need a warmer coat,” Addison said.

Out of the corner of her eye, Joanna had seen Addison on the stairs, so she wasn’t surprised by the interruption. She wasn’t thrilled either. “The other one I have is new, and I’d hate to ruin it.”

“You should be wearing gloves.”

“Well, I’ll put that on the bloody list,” Joanna said, yanking out a handful of weeds and tossing them aside.

“It’s really too cold for you to be doing this today. You’ll catch a chill.”

“Yeah?” Joanna said, jumping to her feet. “Well, then I guess that’ll make me just like you. Won’t it?” Giving Addison a quick once over, Joanna said, “Now leave me alone, Addison. I’m not in the mood.”

Joanna sat back down, and when she heard the crunch of the frozen earth as Addison walked away, she let out a sigh. It was getting harder and harder to ignore a woman...she didn’t want to ignore.

***

Addison had waited all day, wondering if her deception had been found out. She doubted many pups in England smelled of coconut shampoo, but by the time she sat down at the dining table, her mind was no longer on Chauncey.