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she was pregnant, which is why she never told him. She probably didn’t know where to find him, and in her heart she must have known that he didn’t care for her at all.”
    “But she did know where to find him, Rosamunde; otherwise, Phaedra would never have tracked him down.” She blanched. “Do you think they kept in touch? Do you think Phaedra’s mother and George remained in contact all these years? What if he knew he had a daughter all along and kept her secret and only now decided to come clean?”
    “Antoinette, you’re letting your imagination run away with you,” Rosamunde said in a soothing voice. “Listen, he changed his will just before he died. If he had known all along that he had a daughter, he would have included her in his will years ago. No, I think that Phaedra is telling the truth and that she came to London to find him.”
    Antoinette was at once encouraged. “Poor George. It must havebeen a shock to find out that he had fathered a child. I’m sure he kept her secret because he didn’t want to hurt me . His love for his family was a priority. I know his intentions were good and honorable.”
    “Oh, there’s absolutely no doubt about that,” Rosamunde agreed. “No one doubts his integrity, Antoinette.”
    “What do the boys think?” Her face crumpled with anxiety. “Do they doubt their father? I’d hate them to think badly of him . . .”
    “David and Tom want to honor his wishes, as you do. Josh . . .”
    “Well, he’ll stand by his wife, of course. There’s no doubt who wears the pants in that marriage!”
    “I do hope David finds a nice girl to settle down with,” said Rosamunde, changing the subject. “It would be nice to see the next generation of Framptons growing up here, now that David is Lord Frampton.”
    “A title that carries great sorrow.”
    “I can’t see David taking his seat in the House of Lords, can you?”
    Antoinette climbed out of bed. “David just wants a simple life. How different my children all are from one another. David so laid back, Josh so aspirational . . .”
    “He wasn’t, before he married Roberta.”
    “Be that as it may, they’re very social. Out all the time at parties; I daresay they see something of little Amber. Then there’s Tom.” Her face softened, and she smiled tenderly. “Tom, so wild and so lost.”
    “And now you have a stepdaughter,” Rosamunde added, rather enjoying the turn of events.
    Antoinette reached for her trousers and sighed. “The irony is that both George and I so wanted a daughter.”
    *   *   *
    That evening Joshua and Roberta departed for London. Roberta planted a cold little kiss on her mother-in-law’s cheek before climbing into the front seat of the shiny black BMW 4x4 and crossly belting up. Joshua looked worn down.
    “I’ll let you know when we’re meeting,” said Antoinette, kissing her son warmly.
    “Yes, Mum, fine,” he replied, wishing the whole business of Phaedra and the will would just disappear. He knew he was going to get an earful all the way up to London.
    “I’m going to ask Phaedra to come and stay one weekend. I’d very much like you and Roberta to be here.”
    He shrugged helplessly. “I’ll do my best, Mum.”
    “I know you will. Drive carefully.” She watched him climb into the driver’s seat and start the engine with a roar. He waved solemnly and motored off into the dusk.
    “Ridiculous woman,” said David, after they had gone.
    “Ridiculous weak man,” Tom added mischievously.
    “I agree with Tom,” said Rosamunde. “I blame Josh for letting her get away with that sort of spoilt behavior.”
    “He should whip her into submission,” said Tom jovially.
    “I wouldn’t go quite that far,” Rosamunde replied with a chortle. “But I do think she’s being very mean-spirited. If Antoinette is big enough to accept Phaedra, then Roberta should just toe the line and keep her opinions to herself. She shouldn’t forget she’s a