Chapter 46 #3
“Your grandfather,” Iris said. “How strange it sounds to say that, but it’s true.”
“Gosh, I hadn’t thought of it like that.
” Emma was still staring at her. “My grandfather, that horrible man. How weird to think of it. And it’s hard enough coming to terms with you being my grandmother.
My extended family must have known that my father was adopted.
I remember that I overheard the cousin who took the estate saying it was only right that it went to the bloodline and not to interlopers.
Now I understand. Oh well, it’s all water under the bridge.
I couldn’t have run the winery myself anyway. I had no interest, and my mother . . .”
“Has already moved on to pastures new.” Iris smiled.
“So what do we do now?” Emma said.
“Well, as you are my granddaughter, I’d be delighted if you’d make this your home. I’ll encourage you to write your next book.”
“And Inspector Melrose? It’s a pity we can’t finish that book.”
“It is a pity. It was a good story.”
“And you wanted Melrose to find love with the governess. I liked that. He shouldn’t have been alone all his life.”
“No. That was a mistake of mine. I created his character to be like me. Alone. And now I’m not.
” She reached out and patted Emma’s hand.
“And I don’t want you to be either. Find a nice bloke for yourself, darling.
Bring him to live here. I want to enjoy watching your children run about the grounds and to know what it feels like to be part of a family. ”
Emma felt tears stinging in her eyes. “Yes,” she said. “Oh yes.”
“Anyone in mind?” Iris asked innocently. “You know you could do worse than young Tony. That’s why I requested him instead of his father when I summoned you. But he’s got an awful, boring girlfriend. We’ll have to do something about her.”
“Iris, I mean Granny, Tony can handle that himself, I’m sure.” Emma laughed.
“Oh, so it is moving in the right direction.” She gave a knowing nod. “I was sure of it, and I’m seldom wrong when I get a hunch.”
“Can I tell him the truth or do you want it kept a secret?”
“I think that officially it’s better if we say you’re my old friend’s child, so that we don’t have to go into details,” Iris said. “That might make things too complicated. Maybe you can share with Tony eventually. If things progress with him as they should. The boy is quite trustworthy, I’m sure.”
“Cynthia will want to know.”
“She already does. I told her everything.”
“Everything? About Skye and what happened there?”
Iris shook her head. “Not that. I’ve never told anybody that.
It’s been my secret. But while you were gone, I told her that I’d brought you here because you were my long-lost granddaughter.
She was being so hostile because she didn’t want an outsider brought into our lives.
She’s still a bit worried that you’ll come and take her place in my life. ”
“I won’t take her place. She’d be welcome to stay, wouldn’t she?”
“As annoying as she is, yes, she can stay.”
They both looked up as Cynthia appeared with a tray.
“Two coffees and some gingersnaps,” she said. “And you don’t want to stay out here too long. You’ll catch cold.”
“Don’t fuss, woman. I’m perfectly fine, and my granddaughter will take care of me,” Iris said.
“So she knows?”
“Yes, she does and it’s all going to work out splendidly.”
“I see.” She glared.
“I won’t get in your way, Miss Morton,” Emma said. “I’ll just come to visit for a while, until I map out my future.”
“Well, I suppose it will work for the best,” Cynthia said. “By the way, there is a young man sitting in a car. Should I bring him in?”
“Yes,” Iris said. “Bring him in.”
When she had gone Emma examined Iris. No longer lounging on the chaise, but sitting upright. “All right, Granny,” she said. “All those details of your life in the outback, finding a dead sheep on the doorstep and having to skin it, that was pure fiction, was it?”
Iris grinned. “I am a bloody good fiction writer, after all. Always did have a flair for the dramatic. I had to invent a past for myself that couldn’t readily be checked on.
And the dead sheep did happen to a girl I worked with as a maid.
She told me the whole story in grisly detail.
” She reached out and took Emma’s hand again.
“We’re going to write wonderful stories together. ”
“Tell me, Granny,” Emma said hesitantly. “I don’t want to lose you again now I’ve found you. Do you really have dementia, or was that put on as a ruse to get me here?”
“What do you think?” Iris asked.
“I think you’re sharp as a tack.”
Iris threw back her head and laughed. “I like to think so. My doctor says I probably am in the early stages of cognitive decline. I do confess to not remembering where I’ve put something or why I came into a room and I do mix up names, but I think I could have finished that story if I’d wanted to.”
“And they all lived happily ever after? Melrose married the governess?”
“Possibly. I do like happy endings.” They looked up as Tony came towards them, a big smile on his face.