Savannah Secrets by Fiona Hood-Stewart

Author:Fiona Hood-Stewart
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 2013-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

13

Everything was perfect, Joanna decided gleefully, gliding among tables covered with pale beige organza, sterling and fine crystal, on the lawn under huge ombrellones. The decorator, who’d flown in from Atlanta to set up the party, was worth every penny. It looked elegant, yet not over the top. Charles had quibbled at the expense, but, as Joanna had pointed out, the estate—or rather Grant—was paying for it and either they did it right or not at all.

The other argument had been over whom to invite. After much discussion they’d decided to keep the gathering select. Ross Rollins was invited, of course, as were Meredith and her family, Senator Hathaway and his daughter Elm, Lady Graney, at present home on a short stay. Several other of the city’s notables, friends of Rowena’s and members of the city’s oldest families, were to be gathered here today for the return of the prodigal grandson.

It had required careful planning.

Everyone knew of the Carstairs’ inherent expectations. It was important, as she had pointed out to Charles, Craig and that ridiculous wife of his, to make sure people saw them welcome Grant. It was bad enough to know the entire city would be agog with speculation and would be monitoring their every reaction. They mustn’t give anyone food for gossip. It would be better to show the world a gracious united front. Such public acceptance of the bastard grandchild would pull the rug nicely out from under any spiteful speculative feet, she reflected, as she corrected the position of an orchid centerpiece.

But the party was not the only thing Joanna was feeling pleased about. She had, she noted triumphantly, discovered Charles’s Achilles’ heel. Once she’d set her mind to it, it hadn’t taken her long to discover why he’d been so ashen-faced when Meredith had revealed the terms of the will. For her cousin, she’d discovered gleefully, had a skeleton in his closet: the irreproachably respectable Charles had a mistress.

How stupid men could be, she reflected, glancing at her watch, wondering why the bartenders weren’t in place yet. How could he imagine he would be able to keep this a secret, especially from Marcia, who held the purse strings. Charles was entirely too accustomed to the lifestyle Marcia’s money afforded him; she wouldn’t have thought he’d be willing to give that up for another woman. But then Joanna had seen the other woman. Charlotte Parnell was not only beautiful but elegant, intelligent and charming. She was not the kind of woman who’d stick around for too long unless Charles took some serious action—which, of course, he couldn’t do without Rowena’s money.

It hadn’t taken long for Joanna to put together a strategy. She’d dismissed her first thought of black-mailing her cousin. It was too crude and could always be brought on board as a last resort. No. It was much better to let him believe that she sympathized with his plight. Was on his side. Better still, that she was disposed to help him solve his problem.

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