Chronicle for even a day, let alone the weeks or months that it might take you to flush out Houston. Mary Francis will be quite safe at the convent. Maggie and Skye and their mother will go to my summer home in the Hudson Valley."
Jarret had been mentally clicking off the girls and their whereabouts. Someone was unaccounted for.
Ethan said, "And Rennie will be honeymooning with her new husband."
Rennie, Jarret thought. Why did he have so much trouble remembering Rennie? And why was Jay Mac hesitating in confirming Ethan's assumption?
"Rennie poses something of a problem," Jay Mac said carefully. "I'm not so sure she'll agree to leave the city once she finds out you're here."
Jarret dismissed the notion. A wreath of blue-gray smoke hovered in the air in front of him. He exhaled, blowing it away. "Surely her husband will have some say in that." It was a statement, not a question.
"Hollis Banks?" Jay Mac's snort was clearly derisive. "He wouldn't have the nerve to gainsay Rennie. He'll do what she says."
Ethan said it, but Jarret was thinking it. "Don't you have any daughters who do what they're told?"
"Not a one." Although he threw up his hands, he didn't sound especially disappointed. "Moira's raised them with a mind of their own, I'm afraid."
Jarret doubted that was entirely truthful. He suspected Jay Mac's influence. "What's to be done, then?"
Jay Mac finished his drink. "I was rather hoping this business with Houston would have a silver lining. I thought it might put Rennie's wedding on hold." He pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose and looked at his watch again. "Just a little over an hour now. I wish to God she weren't marrying that milksop."
Jarret grinned, making an obvious show of enjoying his cigar. "I take it you'd strike another bargain with God if you had a vice to give up."
Jay Mac blinked at the younger man's impudence. Then he gave a short bark of laughter. "You're exactly right, Mr. Sullivan, exactly right."
Ethan stood. Rennie's wedding wasn't his problem. "Jarret will stay with Michael's mother and sisters in the valley. If you're quite certain Mary Francis will be safe, there's no need for additional protection there. If you don't trust Rennie's future husband to do right by her, then I suggest you hire someone. I'll be with Michael."
Jarret put his shot glass on the edge of the desk and followed Ethan's lead. "I suppose we'll meet them all at the wedding, then. We're not really dressed for it though." Neither was Jay Mac, he realized. "Should we follow you there?"
Dead silence followed Jarret's question. Jarret only understood he had inadvertently broached a subject that was meant to be avoided.
Jay Mac went around his desk, drew out a paper and pen from the middle drawer and quickly wrote out directions. The rapid movement of his hand across the page made the slight trembling of his fingers almost invisible. When he spoke his voice was carefully modulated. Only the dark green eyes hinted at the intensity of his pain. "I won't be attending the wedding," he said. "Or giving Rennie away. One of the prices a father pays for siring bastard daughters, I'm afraid." His smile was filled with self-mockery. "Perhaps that's the silver lining. I don't have to see her make the worst mistake of her life."
He blew on the paper, drying the ink, folded it into quarters, and passed it across to Ethan. "The wedding's at St. Gregory's here in Manhattan. I'm leaving with Moira and the girls in the morning for the summerhouse. I've hired protection of my own. We won't be needing Mr. Sullivan."
Jarret nodded. It suited him anyway. He wanted to be in the city when Houston and Dee showed themselves. "Then I'll stay close to you, Ethan."
Jay Mac shook his head. "I'd feel a lot better if you stayed close to Rennie."
All vestige of amusement faded from Jarret's face. He crushed his cigar in the saucer. "On her honeymoon?"
"Since I doubt she'll agree to leave now, she'll need as much protection as
Jarret had been mentally clicking off the girls and their whereabouts. Someone was unaccounted for.
Ethan said, "And Rennie will be honeymooning with her new husband."
Rennie, Jarret thought. Why did he have so much trouble remembering Rennie? And why was Jay Mac hesitating in confirming Ethan's assumption?
"Rennie poses something of a problem," Jay Mac said carefully. "I'm not so sure she'll agree to leave the city once she finds out you're here."
Jarret dismissed the notion. A wreath of blue-gray smoke hovered in the air in front of him. He exhaled, blowing it away. "Surely her husband will have some say in that." It was a statement, not a question.
"Hollis Banks?" Jay Mac's snort was clearly derisive. "He wouldn't have the nerve to gainsay Rennie. He'll do what she says."
Ethan said it, but Jarret was thinking it. "Don't you have any daughters who do what they're told?"
"Not a one." Although he threw up his hands, he didn't sound especially disappointed. "Moira's raised them with a mind of their own, I'm afraid."
Jarret doubted that was entirely truthful. He suspected Jay Mac's influence. "What's to be done, then?"
Jay Mac finished his drink. "I was rather hoping this business with Houston would have a silver lining. I thought it might put Rennie's wedding on hold." He pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose and looked at his watch again. "Just a little over an hour now. I wish to God she weren't marrying that milksop."
Jarret grinned, making an obvious show of enjoying his cigar. "I take it you'd strike another bargain with God if you had a vice to give up."
Jay Mac blinked at the younger man's impudence. Then he gave a short bark of laughter. "You're exactly right, Mr. Sullivan, exactly right."
Ethan stood. Rennie's wedding wasn't his problem. "Jarret will stay with Michael's mother and sisters in the valley. If you're quite certain Mary Francis will be safe, there's no need for additional protection there. If you don't trust Rennie's future husband to do right by her, then I suggest you hire someone. I'll be with Michael."
Jarret put his shot glass on the edge of the desk and followed Ethan's lead. "I suppose we'll meet them all at the wedding, then. We're not really dressed for it though." Neither was Jay Mac, he realized. "Should we follow you there?"
Dead silence followed Jarret's question. Jarret only understood he had inadvertently broached a subject that was meant to be avoided.
Jay Mac went around his desk, drew out a paper and pen from the middle drawer and quickly wrote out directions. The rapid movement of his hand across the page made the slight trembling of his fingers almost invisible. When he spoke his voice was carefully modulated. Only the dark green eyes hinted at the intensity of his pain. "I won't be attending the wedding," he said. "Or giving Rennie away. One of the prices a father pays for siring bastard daughters, I'm afraid." His smile was filled with self-mockery. "Perhaps that's the silver lining. I don't have to see her make the worst mistake of her life."
He blew on the paper, drying the ink, folded it into quarters, and passed it across to Ethan. "The wedding's at St. Gregory's here in Manhattan. I'm leaving with Moira and the girls in the morning for the summerhouse. I've hired protection of my own. We won't be needing Mr. Sullivan."
Jarret nodded. It suited him anyway. He wanted to be in the city when Houston and Dee showed themselves. "Then I'll stay close to you, Ethan."
Jay Mac shook his head. "I'd feel a lot better if you stayed close to Rennie."
All vestige of amusement faded from Jarret's face. He crushed his cigar in the saucer. "On her honeymoon?"
"Since I doubt she'll agree to leave now, she'll need as much protection as
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