“Oh yes. I have wonderful memories of those warm summers, swimming, sunning, clamming. For the kids, it was magical, only of course, kids take the magic for granted.”

“And the memories become even more magical when we’re older and looking back, right?”

“Yes, that’s it exactly.”

Mia said without pause, “I understand Alex was engaged to the concert pianist Juliet Ash Calley two years ago? I assume they decided they weren’t suited, or was it your coming onto the scene that made Alex realize he’d made a mistake?”

She watched a myriad of emotions flash across Pamela’s face—anger, distaste, and a final dash of triumph. All there, if you were looking closely, which Mia was.

Clever, amusing Pamela was gone. With infinite pity in her voice, she said, “I feel very sorry for Juliet, despite her talent. Have you heard her perform?”

“I haven’t seen her in person, no, but I’ve listened to her CDs. She’s extraordinary, very talented.”

A perfectly timed pause, then, “I agree with you. I’ve heard her many times as well and seen her perform here in Boston. Of course there’s pressure performing in front of an audience but she does well in that setting. But the fact is, in keeping with her being an artist of sorts, Juliet’s always been rather sensitive, delicate, if you know what I mean. She and Alex agreed their engagement was a mistake once she fully understood Alex’s ambitions to be in the public eye, to be a politician. He was quite forceful about it and poor Juliet knew she would have been lost in that kind of life, that world.” She gave Mia a discreet smile. “Then Alex and I were thrown together again as adults, and we clicked.”

But you still dislike Juliet, don’t you, even though you’re the one he’s going to marry.

Mia only smiled. “Delicate? Could you tell me what you mean?”

Pamela quickly retrenched, gave Mia a rueful smile. “As I said, artists are known for their delicacy, aren’t they? Their sensitivity? Everyone in our group knows Juliet has always avoided any sort of confrontation whenever possible, unlike Alex, of course, who relishes competition, going head-to-head with anyone on any topic, any physical activity. You should see him and Kent go at it, at whatever they do.” Pamela shrugged. “No, poor Juliet would never have been comfortable being center stage, and that’s exactly where Alex belongs. It was obvious to everyone, almost from the beginning, that they weren’t a good match.”

“You mean she wouldn’t be comfortable on the political center stage?”

“That’s right. Performing before an audience, by yourself, why, it’s entirely different, don’t you think? No one to disagree with you, no one to tell you you’re foolish, no one to tell you to shut up.”