Mary-Beth reached into her bag for her reading glasses. “Maybe she felt bad because she hadn’t read the book.”
Margie shook her head. “What’s that got to do with anything? Alice comes for the gossip and the company.”
Nancy was fairly sure the reason Alice hadn’t joined them was because she had read the book.
She caught Lauren’s puzzled glance but nothing more was said on the subject until everyone had left and the four Stewart women were clearing up.
Mack’s approach to clearing up was to eat the rest of the canapés. “They won’t keep,” she mumbled, brushing crumbs of buttery pastry from the corner of her mouth.
Jenna took the plate from her. “They won’t keep with you in the house, that’s for sure.”
“I’m a starving teenager.” Mack grabbed the last one and Nancy carried the empty plates into the kitchen.
“What’s going on with Alice, Mom?” Lauren took the plates from her and stacked the dishwasher. “Should we call? Go over there and check on her?”
“No. Don’t do that.”
“Do you know what’s wrong?”
How was she supposed to answer that?
The simplest thing was not to.
“I need to finish clearing up—” She turned to walk out of the kitchen but Lauren caught her arm.
“Are you upset? Has something happened?”
“No. Not in the way you mean. I can’t—” Nancy paused, torn by loyalty to an old friendship and concern for her girls. “It’s something I’m not able to discuss with you. It wouldn’t be fair.”
“Fair?” Jenna blocked the doorway. “Fair on you or fair on us?”
Lauren frowned. “Or fair on Alice?”
Nancy foundered. “It’s complicated.”
“So you do know the reason Alice wasn’t here tonight?”
“Yes, I think I do.” Nancy picked up a cloth and started wiping down surfaces.
“Leave the cleaning.” Lauren took the cloth from her and put it on the countertop.
“We said no more secrets,” Jenna said. “Whatever it is that’s bothering you, we’ll handle it. And we won’t mention it to Alice, if that’s what’s worrying you. Why didn’t she come tonight? Is it something to do with your leaving The Captain’s House?”
“No. I’m sure it was because she didn’t like the book.”
“How do you know she didn’t like it?”
Oh, Alice, Alice. “Because the book was about infidelity.”
Jenna opened the fridge and stowed a half-empty bottle of wine. “What does that have to do with Alice?”
Everything.
And it felt overwhelming. The emotion, the indecision, the heartache, it all felt like too much to contain.
“I’m guessing she found the subject matter uncomfortable.”
“Alice has a thing about infidelity?”