She’d only just left the room a few minutes ago, after Anne Houston had unceremoniously told her that she wasn’t needed or wanted there anymore. And yet here she was, walking into what amounted to a pit of vipers, her stomach in knots, palms sweaty, mouth dry—as all heads turned to look her way. Liam’s brother and sister were sitting near the door, talking, and their voices fell silent. But the one with the most priceless expression on her face, had to be Liam’s mother, Anne. She looked as if someone had just informed her that her precious castle had been stormed by barbarians. “Grace,” Anne said, surprised, as if she hadn’t seen her in years. “Did you forget something?” “Yes, I did,” Grace replied, noticing Red Jameson out of the corner of her eye. He was watching her with an enigmatic look, as if he was cautiously assessing her performance in this crucial moment. “Well, why don’t you tell me what you lost and I’ll make every effort to locate it and let you know if and when we find it?” Anne smiled frostily.
