I looked directly into one camera.
“As for the inheritance, I intend to make my own decisions.”
Then I took Julian's arm.
And we walked away.
Raymond approached us near the courthouse steps.
He looked older.
Smaller.
For the first time, he wasn't smiling.
“Margaret.”
I stopped.
“What do you want?”
His eyes moved toward Julian.
For several seconds, neither man spoke.
Then Raymond said:
“I suppose you've seen Eleanor's letters.”
Julian nodded.
“Yes.”
Raymond looked away.
“It was a long time ago.”
Julian's expression hardened.
“Forty-six years.”
Raymond swallowed.
“I was young.”
“So was my mother.”
Silence.
Raymond glanced toward me.
“I never meant for things to become so complicated.”
I looked at him.
“You spent decades refusing to face what happened. Then you tried to use it against Julian when money was involved.”
He said nothing.
Julian took a slow breath.
“There's something I've wanted to ask you.”
