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Back Born Out of Wedlock
Chapters (52)
  1. Born Out of Wedlock
  2. Dedication
  3. Table of Contents
  4. Prologue
  5. Chapter One
  6. Chapter Two
  7. Chapter Three
  8. Chapter Four
  9. Chapter Five
  10. Chapter Six
  11. Chapter Seven
  12. Chapter Eight
  13. Chapter Nine
  14. Chapter Ten
  15. Chapter Eleven
  16. Chapter Twelve
  17. Chapter Thirteen
  18. Chapter Fourteen
  19. Chapter Fifteen
  20. Chapter Sixteen
  21. Chapter Seventeen
  22. Chapter Eighteen
  23. Chapter Nineteen
  24. Chapter Twenty
  25. Chapter Twenty-One
  26. Chapter Twenty-Two
  27. Chapter Twenty-Three
  28. Chapter Twenty-Four
  29. Chapter Twenty-Five
  30. Chapter Twenty-Six
  31. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  32. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  33. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  34. Chapter Thirty
  35. Chapter Thirty-One
  36. Chapter Thirty-Two
  37. Chapter Thirty-Three
  38. Chapter Thirty-Four
  39. Chapter Thirty-Five
  40. Chapter Thirty-Six
  41. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  42. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  43. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  44. Chapter Forty
  45. Chapter Forty-One
  46. Chapter Forty-Two
  47. Chapter Forty-Three
  48. Chapter Forty-Four
  49. Chapter Forty-Five
  50. Chapter Forty-Six
  51. Acknowledgements
  52. Other Titles by Author

Addison entered a house now void of people and of life. No one greeted her at the door. No little dog scampered frantically to welcome her, and no one was there to take her briefcase, but then again, she no longer had a need for one.

If it had been up to her, Addison would have never returned to The Oaks, but owning no luggage she had had no choice. She had flown back to England with nothing but the clothes on her back, and since she had given up her suite at the Langham, and shopping was unimaginable, four hours after the wheels of her jet touched the runway in London, she returned home with her face stained with tears and her mood foul. She wanted heads to roll and other people to hurt as much as she did, and they would have if it hadn’t been for Evelyn.

Having already received numerous scathing texts from Addison, Evelyn knew what her staff would be facing if they were anywhere near The Oaks. So, giving the majority of them extended holidays, she offered Fiona and George a bonus if they’d stay on, stay out of the way, and do what they could to help. They agreed without blinking an eye, and became very, very covert.

As she had done for the past ten days, as Addison placed her briefcase on the table in the foyer, she became engrossed by her surroundings. On her first night home, the things she saw caused her tears to flow uncontrollably, and on the second night, she fell to the floor and wept some more. On the third and fourth she fared no better, but on the fifth, she began treasuring what was around her...for it was the only thing left of Joanna.

Floors once slate were now marble and walls once cracked were now patched and painted. Molding surrounding doors, floors, and ceilings had either been repainted or stripped, and with the oily, old varnish removed, the grains of cherry and walnut finally saw the light of day. The black iron lamps and dingy shades once casting their lackluster light over the space had been replaced, and the balustrade leading up the stairs and surrounding the octagonal opening in the ceiling had been modernized with glass and polished steel. The carpet covering the steps had also been replaced, and the threads of vibrant blues, maroons, and greens were richer than any Addison had ever seen before.