Their circumstances were different now, of course. Ursula had lost the election and she was no longer in public life. No one cared about Ursula de Gournsey and Jake McCloud anymore; their divorce hadn’t even been noted by the press. It wouldn’t matter who Bess told about this secret now, but she still felt guilty because it was her father’s story to tell and not hers. What would he think about Bess sharing it with Lincoln Dooley?

Well, he would either be appalled or he would think that Link deserved the truth, just as Bess did.

She’ll go with the second choice since she can’t very well back out now. Link is looking at her expectantly.

“They had an affair,” Bess says. “One weekend a year. Labor Day weekend, actually.”

Link’s brow creases. “Does that have anything to do with why everyone is up on Nantucket this weekend?”

“They’re reliving the summer of 1993—that’s when your mom and my dad met. Your uncle and your dad were there too.”

“Ahhhh,” Link says. “Thirty years ago.”

“Yup.”

“So did they see each other only on Labor Day weekend?”

“Yes. Always on Nantucket. From 1993 until, well, 2020.”

“Where was I when this was happening?” Link asks. He looks at Bess as though she might have the answer. “You know what? I always, always spent Labor Day weekend out in Seattle with my dad. All through growing up, I did that. Except for one year I went to DC to see my uncle. And another year, I went with an old girlfriend to New York City.”

Bess feels herself bristling at the mention of an old girlfriend. “My dad said they met every single Labor Day weekend no matter what. Always at your cottage. They never missed a year.”

“And nobody found out?” Link says. “Your mom never found out?”

A server sets their order of pakoras on the table; they’re golden brown, fragrant, and still too hot to touch, never mind eat. Bess thanks him and points to her wineglass. She’s definitely going to need another.

“My mom found out, or suspected, anyway. She went to Nantucket in 2019 to confront Mallory.”

Link’s eyes widen. “She…”

“She was running for president. She didn’t think she could have it coming to light.”

“Why did she go to Nantucket? Why didn’t she just talk to your dad?”

“She was afraid my dad would leave her,” Bess says. “She believed the only person who could put an end to the affair was your mom.”

Link leans back in his chair and takes a sip of his beer. Bess nudges the plate of pakoras toward him. He takes one and blows on it.