‘‘The way she said things was every bit as vile as what she said,’’ she told Anna as she began to sweep. ‘‘She must use that same tone on Seth. I don’t know how anyone can speak to a child that way.’’ Then she shook her head. ‘‘But she doesn’t think of him as a child. He’s a thing to her.’’

‘‘If you were called on to testify, you’d be able to swear under oath that she demanded money.’’

‘‘More than once,’’ Grace agreed. ‘‘Will it come to that, Anna? Will you have to take Seth into court?’’

‘‘I don’t know. If it heads in that direction, we should be able to add extortion to the list of charges you reeled off. You must have scared her,’’ she added with a small, satisfied smile. ‘‘You’d have scared me.’’

‘‘Things just come flying out of my mouth when I get worked up.’’

‘‘I know what you mean. There are things I’d like to say to her, but in my position, I can’t. Or I shouldn’t,’’ she said with a long sigh. ‘‘I’ll type this up for Seth’s file, then I suppose I’ll have to compose another letter to her.’’

‘‘Why?’’ Grace’s fingers tightened on the handle of the broom. ‘‘Why do you have to have any contact with her?’’

‘‘Cam and his brothers need to know, Grace. They need to know exactly what Gloria DeLauter and Seth were to Ray.’’

‘‘It’s not what some people are saying.’’ Grace’s eyes flashed as she yanked a dustpan out of the broom closet. She couldn’t seem to sweep away the simmering anger inside her. ‘‘Professor Quinn wouldn’t have cheated on his wife. He was devoted to her.’’

‘‘They need to have all the facts, and so does Seth.’’

‘‘I’ll give you a fact. Professor Quinn had taste. He wouldn’t have looked twice at a woman like Gloria DeLauter—unless it was with pity, or disgust.’’

‘‘Cam certainly feels the same way. But another thing people say is that when they look at Seth they see Ray Quinn’s eyes.’’

‘‘Well, there’s another explanation for it, that’s all.’’ Her own eyes were hot as she shoved the broom anddustpan away, yanked out a bucket and a mop.

‘‘Perhaps. But it may have to be faced and dealt with that the Quinns hit a rocky patch in their marriage, aspeople often do. Extramarital affairs are distressingly common.’’