After Innocence Read Free Page A

sweeping lawns, where some of her guests played croquet. The mid-sized salon she had paused in now was shady and cool. Sofie’s mother watched the slightly chubby young man approach, trying to recall his name.
    She did remember that he was a poor distant cousin of Annette Marten’s, recently graduated from Harvard law school and about to open a private practice in New York. Annette was abroad, so she had asked Suzanne if she would invite her cousin to one of her weekend house parties, in order to introduce him to her society guests. Bachelors were always welcome, even if impoverished and especially if blue-blooded. “Hullo, Mr. Marten. Are you enjoying yourself?”
    His smile was engaging, making Suzanne realize that if he lost some weight, he would be attractive. “Very much, Mrs. Ralston. I could never thank you enough for inviting me. And your home is stunning.” He was wide-eyed.
    Suzanne winced inwardly—he was definitely
gauche.
“My home is hardly as grand as those of my neighbors, Henry.” She had finally recalled his name. “But thank you for your kindness.” Her veiled warning to be less enthusiastic and more sophisticated was the least she could do for Annette.
    “Mrs. Ralston, I do believe I saw your daughter going to the beach.” He flushed.
    Suzanne was not surprised that he would be interested in Lisa, who, although only seventeen, already had many admirers, all lined up to court her next year in earnest. Her dark beauty was compounded by her large trust. “Lisa was at the beach? I thought she was playing tennis this afternoon.” How to tell this young man that he was reaching above himself? He was either dim-witted or ambitious, Suzanne had yet to decide.
    But then Henry startled her. “No, Mrs. Ralston, it was your daughter Sofie I saw, not your stepdaughter.”
    Suzanne started.
    “I mean,” he fumbled, “I thought it was Sofie. After all, we have yet to be introduced. She has blondish hair and she is of medium height and stature.” He was anxious. “I was hoping for a proper introduction.”
    Suzanne still stared, knowing she had been set up by her friend Annette. While Henry Marten undoubtedly needed introductions for his new law practice, he had come here to sniff after her daughter. Not only was Sofie of a marriageable age, having turned twenty in May, it was well known that her father’s estate, left in trust for her, was adequate. Indeed, after his death, the exact size of Jake O’Neil’s estate had shocked everyone, not least of all Suzanne.
    She still could not figure out how a common Irish laborer-turned-builder had managed to amass assets of close to a million dollars in the short six years they were together.
    “Mrs. Ralston?”
    Suzanne recovered, trying not to tremble, but whether she was angry because she could not think of Jake without becoming furious, especially in regard to his estate, or because this upstart had come to court her daughter, she did not know. Suzanne plastered a smile on her face. “You must be mistaken. Sofie would not go to the beach.”
    Henry stared. “B—But I am certain it was her.”
    “Was she limping?”
    Henry started. “I beg your pardon?”
    “Surely you know that she has a dreadful limp.”
    “I was told she has a slightly uneven gait, the result of an unfortunate childhood accident.”
    Suzanne knew why Annette had been so charitable when discussing Sofie with her cousin, when she had never been charitable towards her and her limp before. Suzanne managed a smile. “Her limp
is
the result of a terrible childhood accident. When she was nine years old she fell down a flight of stairs. Her ankle was broken and never healed correctly; it is quite twisted. Annette did not tell you that my daughter is a cripple?”
    Henry had become increasingly ashen as Suzanne spoke. “No.”
    Suzanne said, her smile more genuine now, “Of course, I am pleased to introduce you to her. Although she is twenty, she has never had a suitor.”
    “I … I