Clara sat motionless in the deep leather of her mother’s chair. There was a fire in the grate, since the desert nights were always cold. Darren stooped to add a log of hardwood to the fire. As Clara watched him, she found that she wanted to weep. Her mother had always tended the fire before she’d gotten sick.
“Clara.”
Darren faced her, his back to the fireplace. His linen sports jacket was still unwrinkled, though the day had been long. Her mother’s lawyer had just driven away after reading the will. The bulk of the estate had been left to Darren. A sizeable amount was held in trust for Clara, with Darren as trustee. Clara had almost laughed out loud when the will was read, but she hadn’t wanted to shock her mother’s lawyer.
Clara met Darren’s gaze, but she couldn’t read his eyes. His f
