BooksBarbecue
Back Goodnight Lady
Chapters (60)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Praise
  4. Dedication
  5. BOOK ONE
  6. Prologue 1989
  7. Chapter One
  8. Chapter Two
  9. Chapter Three
  10. Chapter Four
  11. Chapter Five
  12. Chapter Six
  13. Chapter Seven
  14. Chapter Eight
  15. Chapter Nine
  16. BOOK TWO - 1925
  17. Chapter Ten - 1925
  18. Chapter Eleven
  19. Chapter Twelve
  20. Chapter Thirteen
  21. Chapter Fourteen
  22. Chapter Fifteen
  23. Chapter Sixteen
  24. Chapter Seventeen
  25. Chapter Eighteen
  26. Chapter Nineteen
  27. Chapter Twenty
  28. Chapter Twenty-one
  29. Chapter Twenty-two
  30. Chapter Twenty-three
  31. Chapter Twenty-four
  32. Chapter Twenty-five
  33. Chapter Twenty-six
  34. Chapter Twenty-seven
  35. Chapter Twenty-eight
  36. Chapter Twenty-nine
  37. Chapter Thirty
  38. Chapter Thirty-one
  39. Chapter Thirty-two
  40. BOOK THREE - 1947
  41. Chapter Thirty-three
  42. Chapter Thirty-four
  43. Chapter Thirty-five
  44. Chapter Thirty-six
  45. Chapter Thirty-seven
  46. Chapter Thirty-eight
  47. Chapter Thirty-nine
  48. Chapter Forty
  49. BOOK FOUR - 1968
  50. Chapter Forty-one - 1968
  51. Chapter Forty-two
  52. Chapter Forty-three
  53. Chapter Forty-four
  54. Chapter Forty-five
  55. Chapter Forty-six
  56. Chapter Forty-seven
  57. Chapter Forty-eight
  58. Chapter Forty-nine
  59. Chapter Fifty - 1970
  60. EPILOGUE

Fenella sniffed through her Roman nose. ‘She is your mother, whether you like it or not. I can’t understand why you’re so set against her. Think about it. She was a girl, just a little girl. Every time I think about your father...’ her voice trailed off. ‘I know now why your mother never left him on his own with Natalie. Your father was a twisted, perverted man, yet you’re allowing yourself to be taken over by his petty mindedness. I’ll tell you something for nothing: I’d rather be related to Briony Cavanagh than Henry Dumas. There, I’ve said it now.

‘She needs you, Benedict. That woman really needs you. You don’t have to visit her in public, but you can talk to a few of our friends, try and make it a bit easier for her...’

He shouted at the top of his voice, ‘Oh for crying out loud, Fen, leave it!’

Fenella bit on her bottom lip to stop the tears. She had lived with and loved this man for many years. they had brought up two children and she had thought she knew him, really knew him. But since the revelation about his real mother, he had gradually died inside, been eaten up with the knowledge. Now she had a man on her hands whose innate kindness and gentleness were gradually draining away, and she didn’t like it, couldn’t cope with it.

‘I’m telling you, Benedict, this is 1969, not the bloody Dark Ages. Legally you’re Henry’s and Isabel’s, no one can take anything away from you. Not your title or your money. But you’d have had none of that if that poor little girl who gave birth to you had decided to keep you. Think about it. Maybe she did what she did to make sure you had the best that life could give. She never came knocking on our door for anything, did she? She never tried to get money from you... Oh, you’re making me so cross!’

Benedict had rarely heard his wife this upset. It was as if she had already taken Briony Cavanagh into her heart and home. No matter what was written about her in the papers, Fenella just ignored it. Blood meant a lot to Fen, and as far as she was concerned, Briony Cavanagh’s blood ran through her children’s veins so she couldn’t be all bad.

He tried to smile.