Sweet Mystery by Lynn Emery Read Free Book Online Page B

Coach purse. “You’ve had the best of
everything all your life. I won’t do anything to jeopardize the
family’s financial health.”
    “See that you don’t. As you say, I’m used to
the finer things, which includes Simon. Keep him away from Rae,
Darcy.” Toya reached out to clutch his wrist.
    Darcy patted her hand. “I intend to get that
property. As for Simon, he’s not going to be interested in her. You
know how he is. Conventional.”
     
     
    * * *
     
     
    Henry’s wife, seven years his junior, looked
older than her seventy years. Her light skin, the color of country
cream, was lined with care. She sat across from Henry at the large
dining-room table.
    Pauline, the lady who cleaned and cooked for
them three times a week, stuck her head though the door that led
down a short hall to the kitchen. “Y’all need anything else, Miss
Cecile?”
    “No, Pauline. We’re fine.” Cecile nodded her
head in a regal manner. “You can go now.”
    “Okay. I left some tuna salad in the ice box
an’ French bread is on the counter.” Pauline withdrew.
    Cecile waited until she heard the sound of
the back door slam. “The Dalcour girl is in town.”
    “Yes.” Henry continued to spoon the hot corn
and shrimp soup into his mouth. He paused to pat his lips.
    “They seem to sprout back like weeds, those
people,” Cecile said with distaste.
    “Hmm, Darcy knows what do to.” Henry did not
look at her.
    “The stories are already being raked up
again, as though I haven’t heard enough about Estelle–” She stopped
at the steely look he gave her.
    “It doesn’t matter. Simon will buy the land,
Rae will go back to the wasteful life she was leading, and that
will be the end of it.” Henry spoke in a measured tone. “Darcy has
it all worked out.”
    Cecile put her spoon down. “Why can’t Marius
be in charge for once?”
    “Darcy has more skill in business,” Henry
said. “We’ve been through this before.” He went back to his
meal.
    “Marius is just as smart as Darcy, Henry. You
know that very well. You should not show such favoritism just
because...”
    “Woman, don’t start nagging me again. Can’t I
get peace in my own house?” Henry threw his napkin on the
table.
    “You’re hardly here. If I’d known when we got
married–”
    “Cecile, you’ve been whining for forty years.
Give it a rest.” Henry stood and walked from the room with Cecile
right behind him.
    “I’ve given you everything and how do you
repay me?”
    Henry spun to face her once they reached the
living room. “You never complained about the jewelry, cars and
trips.”
    “Things! All you ever gave back were things.”
Cecile swallowed hard.
    “Be satisfied. You’ve got what you wanted and
more.” Henry lit a cigar.
    “Have I?” Cecile spoke with bitterness. “You
still hold onto that woman’s memory, hugging it to you at night.
She was between us every time you touched me.”
    “Don’t talk foolishness.”
    “You favored Estelle’s son over my children.
Now you’re favoring Darcy over my grandchildren. I won’t have it.”
Cecile grabbed his arm.
    “You don’t have a damn thing to do with my
business decisions.” Henry jerked free of her hold.
    “No, I’ve kept quiet all these years, but the
whole town will be interested to know where you got a sudden
windfall of cash back in 1963 to expand the business.” Cecile gave
him a nasty smile.
    “Shut up!” Henry snapped. “I’m sick of
listening to you. I’ve put the most expensive clothes on your back
and sent you on trips all over this country, even to Europe.”
    “So you could shack up with your sluts! I
know about every one of them. They were glad to rub my face in it,”
she shouted back.
    “If you’d done your job as a wife, I wouldn’t
have needed other women,” he spat at her.
    Cecile collapsed onto the sofa with a moan of
anguish. “How can you be so cruel?”
    “You clawed for years to get me, so
congratulations.”
    “I loved you, Henry, even