The Family Plan (The McClouds of Mississippi 1)

Isabelle nodded. “From Harry Potter. Aunt Barb read the books to me. And I’ve seen the movie a bunch of times. It’s got a scary part, but I like the owls.”

“You like books, Isabelle?” Caitlin asked as she carefully brushed the child’s silky hair back at the top. Nathan watched closely, hoping he could replicate the style.

Isabelle nodded enthusiastically, making her hair tumble out of Caitlin’s hands before she could secure it with the barrette. “Oh, sorry. I like books. I can read a little.”

“Really?” Caitlin looked at Nathan for confirmation as she patiently gathered Isabelle’s hair again.

He nodded proudly. “She read two books to me on the airplane. They’re for beginning readers, and she knew almost every word in them.”

“Isabelle, that’s wonderful. You’re a very bright little girl.”

Isabelle smiled with an attempt at modesty. “My aunt Barb taught me. She likes books, too. When she visits me here, I’ll read new stories to her.”

Nathan managed not to wince. Isabelle had readily accepted that she would be living with her brother from now on, but she continued to assume her great-aunt would soon recover from her illness and join them. Nathan hadn’t had the heart to tell her differently.

Isabelle knew what death was, of course, having lost her parents. But he saw no need to burden her with the truth about her great-aunt’s condition for now.

He hoped wa

iting was the right choice. He suspected there would be many such dilemmas as she grew older. Someday, for example, she would have to learn the details of her parents’ scandalous courtship. And he wanted to be the one to tell her, before some malicious kid taunted her with it.

Caitlin handed him the hairbrush, apparently reading his expression. “Isabelle and I have some shopping to do. And you have something you had better do soon.”

In some ways, she had subconsciously echoed his line of thought. Timing was often critical—and it was definitely time to talk to his mother, before someone beat him to it. “You’re right. I’ll—”

His doorbell rang before he could finish the sentence.

“You got company, Nate,” Isabelle announced needlessly.

“Must be a delivery or something. I’m not expecting anyone.” Motioning for them to hold tight a minute, he moved to the door.

The last person he had expected to find on his front step was his mother.

Chapter Five

From where she stood, Caitlin couldn’t immediately see Nathan’s caller. But she could tell from the sudden tension in his body that it wasn’t a pleasant surprise.

A moment later she understood the problem when she heard him say, “Mom. What are you doing here?”

The voice that responded was tight and chilly. “May I come in?”

Nathan looked over his shoulder, his eyes meeting Caitlin’s for a moment before he moved out of the doorway. “Of course. Come in.”

Lenore spotted Caitlin as soon as she entered. “Hello, Caitlin. I wasn’t expecting to see you here this morning.”

“I, um,” Caitlin glanced at Nathan for guidance. Standing behind his mother, he shrugged helplessly.

Lenore’s gaze had already turned to Isabelle. She froze, her carefully made-up face going pale.

“Hello,” Isabelle said with her characteristic friendliness. “Who are you?”

“This is my mother,” Nathan said quickly. “Mom, this is—”

“I’m sure I know who she is.” Lenore pulled her stunned gaze away from Isabelle’s face and turned to her son.

Nathan stuck his hands in his pockets, looking more nervous than Caitlin had ever seen him. “She looks like Deborah did at this age, doesn’t she?”

It was entirely the wrong thing for him to say, of course. Caitlin grimaced as the older woman stiffened even further.