Isabelle pursed her lips. “I’m glad someone was able to locate you. I had no idea where to start looking. I left messages with all the men I could remember you having…congress with.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.” Catalina glanced up at Isabelle, but seemed unable to hold her gaze.

“Are you? Are you really, Mother? You not only missed her funeral, you missed her entire life. I’m surprised you even bothered to come now.”

“Do you think so little of me?”

Isabelle considered that for a moment. “Yes.”

She turned and gave Thomas a withering look. “Mr. Monahan, please excuse my daughter and the massive chip she has on her shoulder. This is an old issue between us. She hates me because I wasn’t your regular Leave It to Beaver kind of mother. I gave her everything she needed but—”

Isabelle snorted.

Catalina turned that withering gaze back to her daughter. “Everything she needed, and yet—”

Thomas broke in, even while he knew he shouldn’t. “Maybe children need more than just material things, Catalina. Maybe sometimes they need parenting, sometimes they need affection and love.” This was not his affair, but he cared too much about Isabelle to keep his mouth shut.

Isabelle’s gaze shot to his face and locked for a moment. Then she gave him a smile that made his heart clench and warm at the same time.

Catalina blanched and looked away. She probably didn’t like being reproved by the head of the Coven. Catalina was an extremely class-conscious type of person and he represented the head of the class itself.

“Why have you come, Mother?” Isabelle asked.

Catalina finally looked up into Isabelle’s face. “I came to see you, Isabelle. I wanted to find out if you were holding up all right.”

Isabelle took a step toward her mother and then halted. “Really?” Hope and wariness warred in that one word.

“Don’t sound so surprised. I do care about you, you know.” The words sounded genuine but were spoken awkwardly.

Thomas watched Isabelle shift her weight and frown, unsure how to react to her mother’s admission.

“I know I’ve made mistakes, Isabelle.” Catalina took a couple steps toward her daughter. “Maybe I’ve only made mistakes. One of the reasons I came was to find out if there’s a way we might be able to mend things between us.”

Isabelle shook her head. “I think I’m getting a headache. Did hell just freeze over?”

“Isabelle—” Catalina started.

She held up a hand. “We can deal with all that in a minute. What was the other reason you came?”

“To see if there was anything I was supposed to do as a result of Angela’s death.” The older woman glanced away.