Heiress by Irene Brand

Author:Irene Brand [Irene Brand]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781459264595
Publisher: Harlequin

Chapter Six

After their Fourth of July outing, the employees were much friendlier to Allison; in fact, the whole atmosphere in the workplace seemed more relaxed. Knowing that her mingling with them at the picnic had caused the difference, Allison took her lunch down to the first floor occasionally and ate with the staff. When she went to the various departments, she took more time to visit with them.

Allison telephoned her family each week, and when her father had vacation, she begged them to visit her in Columbus, for she knew Tim and Cleta were eager to come. Her mother refused, and although Allison had never mentioned anything more about Harrison being her birth father, she felt a tension between herself and Beatrice when they talked. Even at that, Allison couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t come to visit her—out of curiosity about the house and other surroundings, if for no other reason. Charles took the family camping, as he always had, and if she had been asked, she would have taken a week away from work to go with them. Perhaps it was all in her mind, but she wondered if Tim and Cleta had been told that she wasn’t their sister and they considered her an outsider now. Had they always felt that way about her?

It was Page Publishing policy to close the last two weeks in August and for everyone to go on vacation at the same time. Allison intended to return to Chicago for part of that time, but things had changed for her now, and she didn’t anticipate the visit as she once had. As vacation approached the Page employees talked excitedly about their plans. Benton made no comment on what he planned to do, but Calvin was taking his two children to Disney World. Celestine and Amos were flying to Philadelphia to see Amos’s sister. Compared with these vacations, a trip to Chicago didn’t sound very exciting; therefore, Allison was pleased that she would have the trip to San Francisco with Benton. Her vacation plans became even more exciting when her mother relented and gave permission for Cleta and Tim to visit Allison for a few days during the first week of her vacation.

Allison rushed to tell the McRameys about the visit of her siblings. “I’m really excited, Minerva. I felt guilty about going to San Francisco when the rest of my family wouldn’t have the opportunity, but if Cleta and Tim can have a nice trip, I’ll feel better. I don’t want to be selfish.”

Minerva laughed and hugged Allison’s shoulders. “No one can accuse you of that.”

Allison sent a check to her father to cover the cost of the two plane tickets and began to make plans to entertain Tim and Cleta. She welcomed the opportunity to have them because she was becoming obsessed with the trip to San Francisco. Although she didn’t want to admit it, she knew her excitement was so intense because she was going to have a week’s trip with Benton Lockhart.

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