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Contents ( 66)
  1. Cover
  2. Books by Valerie Fraser Luesse
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. Map of Florida
  8. one
  9. two
  10. three
  11. four
  12. five
  13. six
  14. seven
  15. eight
  16. nine
  17. ten
  18. eleven
  19. twelve
  20. thirteen
  21. fourteen
  22. fifteen
  23. sixteen
  24. seventeen
  25. eighteen
  26. nineteen
  27. twenty
  28. twenty-one
  29. twenty-two
  30. twenty-three
  31. twenty-four
  32. twenty-five
  33. twenty-six
  34. twenty-seven
  35. twenty-eight
  36. twenty-nine
  37. thirty
  38. thirty-one
  39. thirty-two
  40. thirty-three
  41. thirty-four
  42. thirty-five
  43. thirty-six
  44. thirty-seven
  45. thirty-eight
  46. thirty-nine
  47. forty
  48. forty-one
  49. forty-two
  50. forty-three
  51. forty-four
  52. forty-five
  53. forty-six
  54. forty-seven
  55. forty-eight
  56. forty-nine
  57. fifty
  58. fifty-one
  59. Epilogue
  60. Keep Reading for a Preview of Valerie Luesse’s Next Book!
  61. Prologue
  62. one
  63. Acknowledgments
  64. About the Author
  65. Back Ads
  66. Back Cover

Kate laid her hand on her sister-in-law’s arm. “You were never stupid,” she said. “You just assumed he had a heart. Turns out he doesn’t.”

“After Marshall died, Julian started giving me all kinds of orders, things he wanted me to do at your house—mostly destroying everything that meant anything to you and Marshall. I’m sure it doubled the thrill for him—making me hurt you, knowing how much I hated doing it.”

“Eileen, I know you would never—”

“No, please, Kate—let me get through this. I stalled him for the longest time by sorting and stacking and organizing. He saw through that, of course. A couple of days ago, as he was leaving for work, he gave me this big smile, kissed me on the cheek, and said, ‘My dear, you’ve done a fabulous job organizing everything at Marshall’s. Before I get home tonight, I want you to take each and every one of your neatly organized stacks and set it on fire.’ And then he walked out the door as if he’d just told me not to forget to buy milk at the Winn Dixie.”

Aunt Gert retrieved the sherry and refilled their glasses. “Land o’ Goshen,” she said. “What on earth did you do?”

“I went to your house, Kate, and I filled a suitcase with all the jewelry and pictures and letters I could fit into it—anything sentimental I thought might mean something. That’s actually how I knew where to find you—there were so many letters from this address. And then I carried the suitcase to the post office on Tybee where nobody knows me and had it shipped here. It should get here any day. I wasn’t sure I was leaving right then. I don’t have any friends in Savannah—Julian saw to that—so I thought I might just check in to a hotel in Charleston. But then once I got started, all I wanted to do was get as far away from him as I could. I drove over to Marshall’s law office and asked his partner to help me move the trust fund someplace overseas where Julian couldn’t touch it, which he did, and get me plenty of cash to travel on, which he also did, and draw up divorce papers, which he’ll present to Julian next week. Then I chartered a boat from St. Augustine to the Bahamas—it leaves tomorrow morning. I spent last night in a little beach cottage at Fernandina—just needed a little time to collect myself, I guess. And now I’m here.”

“Honey, do you mean to tell me you’re fixin’ to up and move to those islands with nothin’ but the clothes on your back?” Aunt Gert couldn’t believe it.

“The clothes on my back and plenty of money,” Eileen said. “Julian will contest the divorce, but I don’t care. I’m going to a place where it won’t matter what’s on paper.”

Aunt Gert stood up and clapped her hands together. “Well, Eileen, honey, I glory in your spunk! Let’s celebrate your liberation.” She raised her glass. “To liberty and happiness!”