The Inheritance by Joann Ross

Author:Joann Ross
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2021-06-20T23:25:51+00:00

17

“Are you certain that you’re all right?” Rose asked once they were alone in the cottage’s bedroom.

Madeleine sank onto a rocker, the same one she’d rocked Jackson in after bringing him home from the hospital, while Rose unpacked the overnight bag she’d thrown together while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. “I’m as fine as any mother could be after losing her only son.”

“I’ve never heard you admit to being tired like you just did.”

“Getting old has disturbed my internal body clock. It’s very frustrating.”

“It’s better than the alternative.”

“There are days I could argue that. But for now, although I am, in fact, tired after my unplanned trip to the hospital, where, by the way, it’s impossible to sleep, the pitiful truth is that I’m a coward.”

Rose barked a laugh. “You’ve never been afraid of anything in your life.”

“Of course I have. I simply learned that showing fear was a good way of getting you killed.”

“This isn’t Nazi-occupied France.”

“I know that,” Madeleine snapped. “I’m merely ancient. Not suffering from dementia. I loved my son with my entire heart, but I’ll have to admit that I dread having to attempt to get through this evening dodging questions about the real reason Jackson had Donovan bring my granddaughters here.”

“You could always lie and say you have no idea.”

“May I remind you that I don’t have that many years left and I don’t want to waste them being untruthful with my last remaining family. So I’m taking the coward’s way out and hiding out in the cottage for a few more hours.” She rubbed her eyes. “There were so many times over the years that I wished that Jackson had chosen any other career. I do understand why he wasn’t enthralled with the business of growing grapes.”

“His mother’s son there,” Rose murmured.

“True enough. I love the product, but you need more patience than I have to be a vintner. And although he had a true talent for capturing moments, why did he have to spend his life chasing wars? Couldn’t he have settled down with a wife and family here?”

“Would you rather have had him being a wedding photographer like wife number two supposedly wanted him to do? Spending his life catering to bridezillas?”

Madeleine laughed at that. “He wouldn’t have lasted a week!” She sighed. “It’s not easy being a mother. We raise our children, give them wings to leave the nest, but we have no control where they will fly off to.”

“I imagine your parents had the same thoughts when you decided to join the Resistance.”

“Papa was furious. When I insisted on becoming a courier, Maman took to her bed for a week.”

“Yet, you persisted.”

“I had no choice. The same way I had no choice but to bring Robert home with me to protect him when I found him hiding in the woods after his plane crashed. And at the end of the war, when I left France with Robert, I knew going off to America was not the life my parents had hoped for me.

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