dead. It’s been three years since anyone has heard from you. Even I thought the worst when I saw nothing had been purchased with your credit cards, girl.”
She blew out a breath and squared her shoulders. “I’m very much alive, Arthur. I need you to stop my mother’s filing immediately.”
“Of course. However, people are going to want to see you in person as proof. Especially Elise.”
Saffron cringed at the mention of her mother’s name. “I know. And I’m prepared to make myself available to you and a judge, if necessary.”
Arthur paused, a soft sigh sounding through the phone. “You have no intention of seeing Elise?”
“Do you really need to ask that?”
“No,” he said with a grunt. “I suppose not. Can you at least tell me where you are?”
“I’d rather not. Not yet. I’ll be in touch soon.”
“Take care, girl. It’s good to hear your voice,” he said, and the line went dead.
Saffron ended the call and rubbed the back of her neck, which had begun to ache. A stress headache was just what she needed, she thought with a roll of her eyes.
The next fifteen minutes were spent on the phone with her credit card companies getting new cards issued as well as obtaining a new cell phone. Since all the bills were paid automatically out of her bank account, no cards had lapsed, which was fortunate for her.
With all the calls made, there was only one thing left to do.
Saffron once more left her room. She gave Dani’s iPhone back to her before she continued down the corridor and up a flight of stairs to the master chamber.
Fallon wasn’t going to be happy with what she wanted, but he wouldn’t have a choice in the matter.
She gave a quick knock on the thick wooden door. It was opened almost immediately by Fallon.
“Saffron.”
“I’d like a word, please,” she said.
He stepped aside and motioned for her to enter.
Saffron glanced around the spacious chamber, noting that even though the stone walls had been kept, everything else had been modernized.
The bed was a king-sized four-poster bed with simple yet elegant dark bronze and pale gold bedding. On the bedside table were two iPods charging. A medieval tapestry still hung on the wall, but there was also art from almost every era that Fallon and Larena had lived in.
There was a large flat-screen TV and a deep brown leather couch where Larena lounged, and a thick rug, in a soft cream color, in front of it. All in all the room was cozy and comfortable. The mix of the past and present was one that worked well.
“I’ll leave you two,” Larena said as she started to rise from the couch.
Saffron held out a hand to stop her. “There’s no need. Everyone knows what happened to me and what my mother is trying to do.”
“I still can no’ believe it,” Fallon said as he leaned against the footboard of his bed and crossed his arms over his chest.
Saffron snorted as anger flared inside her. “You don’t know my mother or what money can do to people.”
“That’s what this is about?” Larena asked as she swept her golden-blond hair back away from her face. With a few twists of her hands it was set in a loose bun at the base of her neck.
“Yes.” Saffron was embarrassed to admit it, but then again, her mother had only married her father for the money. Elise had never intended to get pregnant, but for a fluke of Fate. That fluke had been Elise taking cold medicine while also using the pill. They had canceled each other out, and the next thing Elise knew, she was pregnant.
Saffron was surprised Elise hadn’t gotten an abortion. But she’d had no idea she was pregnant, she’d thought she was only sick. Saffron knew it was only by the grace of God that her father had taken Elise to the doctor and heard the news of her pregnancy himself or Saffron wouldn’t be standing there now.
“Saffron?” Larena called.
She shook her head and pulled herself from her memories. “I wanted to let both of you know my plans.”
“Of
She blew out a breath and squared her shoulders. “I’m very much alive, Arthur. I need you to stop my mother’s filing immediately.”
“Of course. However, people are going to want to see you in person as proof. Especially Elise.”
Saffron cringed at the mention of her mother’s name. “I know. And I’m prepared to make myself available to you and a judge, if necessary.”
Arthur paused, a soft sigh sounding through the phone. “You have no intention of seeing Elise?”
“Do you really need to ask that?”
“No,” he said with a grunt. “I suppose not. Can you at least tell me where you are?”
“I’d rather not. Not yet. I’ll be in touch soon.”
“Take care, girl. It’s good to hear your voice,” he said, and the line went dead.
Saffron ended the call and rubbed the back of her neck, which had begun to ache. A stress headache was just what she needed, she thought with a roll of her eyes.
The next fifteen minutes were spent on the phone with her credit card companies getting new cards issued as well as obtaining a new cell phone. Since all the bills were paid automatically out of her bank account, no cards had lapsed, which was fortunate for her.
With all the calls made, there was only one thing left to do.
Saffron once more left her room. She gave Dani’s iPhone back to her before she continued down the corridor and up a flight of stairs to the master chamber.
Fallon wasn’t going to be happy with what she wanted, but he wouldn’t have a choice in the matter.
She gave a quick knock on the thick wooden door. It was opened almost immediately by Fallon.
“Saffron.”
“I’d like a word, please,” she said.
He stepped aside and motioned for her to enter.
Saffron glanced around the spacious chamber, noting that even though the stone walls had been kept, everything else had been modernized.
The bed was a king-sized four-poster bed with simple yet elegant dark bronze and pale gold bedding. On the bedside table were two iPods charging. A medieval tapestry still hung on the wall, but there was also art from almost every era that Fallon and Larena had lived in.
There was a large flat-screen TV and a deep brown leather couch where Larena lounged, and a thick rug, in a soft cream color, in front of it. All in all the room was cozy and comfortable. The mix of the past and present was one that worked well.
“I’ll leave you two,” Larena said as she started to rise from the couch.
Saffron held out a hand to stop her. “There’s no need. Everyone knows what happened to me and what my mother is trying to do.”
“I still can no’ believe it,” Fallon said as he leaned against the footboard of his bed and crossed his arms over his chest.
Saffron snorted as anger flared inside her. “You don’t know my mother or what money can do to people.”
“That’s what this is about?” Larena asked as she swept her golden-blond hair back away from her face. With a few twists of her hands it was set in a loose bun at the base of her neck.
“Yes.” Saffron was embarrassed to admit it, but then again, her mother had only married her father for the money. Elise had never intended to get pregnant, but for a fluke of Fate. That fluke had been Elise taking cold medicine while also using the pill. They had canceled each other out, and the next thing Elise knew, she was pregnant.
Saffron was surprised Elise hadn’t gotten an abortion. But she’d had no idea she was pregnant, she’d thought she was only sick. Saffron knew it was only by the grace of God that her father had taken Elise to the doctor and heard the news of her pregnancy himself or Saffron wouldn’t be standing there now.
“Saffron?” Larena called.
She shook her head and pulled herself from her memories. “I wanted to let both of you know my plans.”
“Of
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