Lily (Song of the River) by Aaron McCarver, Diane T. Ashley Read Free Book Online

him back to the dining room. It was galling to have to look up at the man as he handed him the deed. Before his father could prompt him, Jean Luc bowed. “I hope you will forgive me for what I said earlier. I was overset.”
    The other man’s shoulders relaxed a tiny bit. “It is hard to admit one’s mistakes.”
    “Yes.” He watched as Matthews took his leave, studying each movement the man made. He needed every advantage if he was going to defeat his adversary.

Chapter Six
     
    B irds chirped in the warm air, undisturbed by grief or other human concerns. Lily wanted to shoo them away. Perhaps if they weren’t singing, she could summon tears like those that washed the cheeks of her grandmother and her sister Camellia.
    But her heart had turned to stone. It was as though her emotions had left when Grandfather’s soul departed his mortal remains. She moved through the days like a shadow, drifting from room to room as she considered what life had become without him.
    His strength had seemed indomitable. But in the end, he had succumbed to death as any other man. In the end, he had left her alone to fend for herself in much the same way her father had all those years ago. Of course, her father had chosen to leave her; Grandfather had remained until his health failed.
    Lily picked at the heavy black material of her wide skirt as Camellia placed a bouquet of fresh flowers on Grandfather’s grave. She was worried about her sister. Camellia had always been Grandfather’s favorite, his perfect little lady.
    Golden ringlets moved with Camellia as she traced the marble headstone with a gloved hand. “I miss him so much.”
    “As do we all, Camellia.” Grandmother’s voice was choked with tears but still managed to convey warmth. “It is hard to say good-bye to our loved ones, but it is given to man to die.”
    “Grandfather would be pleased with the flowers.” Lily forced her lips to curve upward as she met Camellia’s blue gaze. The smile became more natural as she considered how beautiful her fair sister looked in her mourning clothes. Not that Camellia ever looked less than lovely.
    “Do you think so?” Camellia’s hopeful words wrung her heart.
    “I think Grandfather is flying around heaven with his new wings.” Jasmine flapped her arms and ran around a nearby tree, her black dress making her look more like a crow than an angel.
    Laughter threatened to bubble up as Lily thought they probably looked like a flock of crows in their black dresses.
    “Jasmine, get back here.” Aunt Dahlia clapped her hands. She turned to Lily, a frown on her face. “I don’t know where she gets her manners. Can you not do anything to control her?”
    Lily felt the stab of her relative’s disapproving gaze. “Jasmine, please come here.”
    With a whooshing sound, the young girl complied, letting her arms drop to her sides.
    “You must learn to act like a lady.” Aunt Dahlia clipped her words as though her tongue were a pair of scissors. “You should try to emulate your sister Camellia.”
    Lily wanted to contradict her. One prissy girl was enough for any family. She loved Camellia, but she had none of Jasmine’s playful exuberance. Lily put a protective arm around her youngest sister and squeezed.
    Jasmine looked up at her, her violet-hued eyes wide. “I’m sorry.”
    “I know you are, Jasmine, but you need to think before you act.”
    “I won’t do it again.” The young girl’s lower lip trembled. Tears threatened.
    Lily wanted to comfort her, but she could feel her aunt watching them so she sighed and nodded.
    “Tamar, come take the girls back to the house.” Aunt Dahlia beckoned to the middle-aged black woman standing a little apart from them. “We need to talk a bit before we rejoin Phillip for afternoon tea.”
    Lily supposed she should be flattered to be included as an adult, but she had an idea she was not going to enjoy the talk her aunt had in mind.
    Her bonnet ribbon fluttered in a light breeze,