Reborn to Dodge the Bad Marriage novel Chapter 82

Chapter 82 Slippers at the Door

Constance was thinking years ahead, and she understood people.

Nora heard the worry underneath it, and she nodded. “I understand, Grandma.

“For what it’s worth, it takes a lot more than the average man to get my attention.”

Constance let out a short laugh. “I know. You didn’t even want Julian.”

Color rose in Nora’s cheeks, and she couldn’t let that stand. “That isn’t fair. I wanted his money, and that

counts.”

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Constance laughed out loud at that. “All right, there’s nothing serious here. Go and get some rest. As for Olivia…”

She thought about it, and when she spoke again there was something close to pleading in it. “She’s the last hope I’ve got. If she steps out of line somewhere, do an old woman a favor and go easy on her.”

All Constance wanted was for Julian to live, and to live well.

Nora smiled. “Fine. As long as she doesn’t cross a line with me.”

But she wasn’t going to swallow anything for anyone’s sake either.

Nora said goodnight and let herself out.

Bess came in to settle Constance for the night. “You believe her, ma’am? Just like that?”

“She made sense,” Constance said. “Anyone can see what Trevor Lane is from across a room. And whatever happened in high school, I can have it looked into.”

“But she’s after money,” Bess said. “Isn’t that… a little mercenary?”

What troubled Bess most was that Nora hadn’t tried to hide it.

Constance snorted. “Who in this world isn’t after money? If I weren’t, I wouldn’t have spelled any of that out for her. I said it to keep this family’s money where it belongs.

“Nora comes right out with it, so I know what she wants and I know what to hand her. Then look at the rest of them. They’re all after the same thing, and they dress it up in noble reasons.”

Once she knew what someone wanted, she could hand it over and keep them in line.

The dangerous ones were the people whose wants she couldn’t name, because there was no way to guard against something she couldn’t see.

Cordelia Blithe was one of them.

Constance had never once been able to read her.

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Chapter 82 Slippers at the Door

Out in the hallway. Nora heard an engine come up the drive. That would be Julian.

Fit hed

photo was still on her mind and she wanted to know what he made of it, so she headed downstairs.

She never made it as far as the living room.

From the turn of the staircase, Nora watched Olivia hurry to the front door. “You’re home,” Olivia said, all

smiles.

Olivia crouched down eagerly, pulled a pair of house slippers out of the front closet, and set them at Julians feet.

The whole picture, the little wife waiting up for her husband, had Nora leaning on the banister to watch

Julian clearly saw nothing strange in it. He traded his shoes for the slippers, then asked, “Where’s Nora?”

Olivia bent again to tuck his shoes away in the closet. “Your grandmother sent for her. I don’t know what’s about, but she didn’t look happy. She almost left Nora standing there for half an hour.”

She glanced up at him. “Did Nora do something wrong?”

Julian’s brows drew together and his face darkened. “I’ll go and find out,” he said, already moving.

If that photo of Nora and Trevor had reached his phone, it had reached Constance too.

So that was what she had called Nora in for.

Olivia kept pace beside him, talking fast. “Your grandmother is furious, Julian. Maybe don’t go up there. You’ll only make it worse for Nora. And Nora is proud. She won’t want you watching while she gets chewed

out.

That was more than Nora could sit through, and a laugh escaped her. “Olivia, do you live inside my head now? You seem to know me awfully well.”

Olivia looked up and found her on the stairs, and the surprise showed. “You’re finished talking already?”

Nora looked down at her. “All finished. Why, are you disappointed?”

Julian crossed to her fast. “She didn’t give you a hard time, did she?”

Nora shook her head. “No. Grandma is nobody’s fool. It takes more than a couple of lines to sell her something.”

“Good.” Julian looked her over, saw that she was steady and not upset, and let out a breath.

Nora tipped her head at him. “And you?”

Julian held her eyes. “I’m not a fool either,” he said, and he meant it.

His answer put a small smile on Nora’s face. “Okay.”

She could see the trust in his eyes, trust in her.

Olivia watched the two of them smile at each other, easy and settled, with no room in it for anyone else.

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Chapter 82 Slippers at the Door

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