Web of Dreams (Casteel 5)

as soon as we got married.

"Oh," she said sighing and sitting back, "it

wasn't so bad in the early years because you were

born right away and I had you to care for and your

father was very attentive and quite devoted to me. Of

course, he was twelve years younger then, but you

must remember, he was already well along in his

years. I bet you never realized that he is old enough to

be my father."

The idea was so preposterous and strange that I

almost laughed, but she didn't crack a smile. Daddy,

her father? My grandfather?

"His age has caught up with him. I admit this is

all partly my fault because I agreed to marry him, but

I was so young and so unhappy then that I didn't think

of what the future would be like.

"And your father made all sorts of wonderful

promises . . . promises he has never kept . . . promises

he can't even remember having made!"

"But you were so in love. You told me so

yourself." My little lifeboat of hope was sinking

rapidly. Everything she told me punched holes in it. "I was young; I didn't know what love was

then." She smiled. "But now, now I understand.

Completely," she added, the brightness and sparkle

returning to her face. "Oh Leigh. . . Leigh," she cried,

"don't hate me, but I'm in love, really and truly in

love."

"What?" I looked back toward the sitting room

and thought about those invitations.

"You've fallen in