Ever since they were children, she and Christy had whispered and speculated about wicked Aunt Robyn and what she might have done to cause such a major rift between her and her sister.

Checking that Holly was still asleep, Alix slid out of the car just as Robyn reached them, and a large dog streaked out of the lodge and bounded toward them.

Alix took one look at the thick fur and pale eyes and froze. “Is it a wolf?”

“Not a wolf. Siberian husky.” Zac stepped in front of her and let the dog sniff his hand. “Hello, beautiful.”

“Her name is Suka. She’s friendly, but overenthusiastic.” The woman gestured with her hand, and the dog sat. “We’ve had her since she was a puppy, and she was supposed to stay indoors because I didn’t want her to scare the child.”

It didn’t seem Suka was about to savage anyone, so Alix reached out her hand, too. The dog nudged her, tail wagging. “She’s pretty.”

“And energetic.” The woman gave the dog an affectionate rub. “I’m Robyn. You must be Alix and Zac. Where’s Holly?”

“Crashed out, fast asleep.”

Robyn stepped tentatively toward the car and gazed at the sleeping child.

Up close, Alix could see the family resemblance. She had the same slim, athletic frame as Elizabeth. Christy’s blue eyes.

“The journey tired her out, and she’s been asleep since the airport. Probably a good thing. I was worried she’d be tired and missing her mother, but—” Alix stopped midsentence. Robyn had her hand pressed against the window, and her eyes were shiny with tears.

“She looks like Christy did at the same age,” Robyn whispered. “Exactly like her.”

She’d met Christy? Alix hadn’t known that. When? She was pretty sure Christy had no idea.

It hadn’t occurred to her that this meeting might be in any way emotional, but now that she thought about it, how could it not be? Robyn hadn’t seen her family for three decades. And she, Alix, was supposed to handle this sensitive moment. How? She wasn’t great with emotional stuff at the best of times, and this wasn’t the best of times. For the millionth time since they’d driven away from the cottage, she wished Christy was with them.

She was floundering, trying to figure out what to say, when a man approached from the lodge, following Robyn’s footsteps in the snow.

He smiled briefly at Alix and then pulled Robyn against him, saying something in Swedish.

Robyn gave a nod, pressed her gloved hands to her cheeks and managed a smile.

“Sorry.” She glanced at Alix, embarrassed. “It’s just that—”

“It’s fine. It’s okay. I get it.” Actually, she didn’t get it, but that wasn’t Robyn’s fault. “She’s going to be excited to meet you.” Hopefully that was true, and Holly wouldn’t have her first-ever moment of being shy with strangers.

Zac introduced himself, and Erik shook his hand.

“You spent time in Svalbard. I read your work on ice-sheet dynamics.”