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      She was, probably too tired to drive all that way, but she didn’t really have a choice. She couldn’t stay away any longer, relying on other people to run the ranch and look after her mother.

      She scouted through the contents of the refrigerator, feeling a little odd to be helping herself. But that was what Maddie had said, and she did need something to keep her going. Maddie’s tastes seemed to run to fresh fruit and cheeses, judging by her fridge.

      Maddie was back in minutes, carrying a suitcase.

      “That was fast.” Violet was still eating the yogurt she’d found on the top shelf. It was lemon, her favorite, making her wonder if she and Maddie had similar tastes.

      “I used to travel for my job, so I got pretty good at packing in a hurry.” Maddie glanced toward the laptop on a corner desk. “I’ll email Dad, just telling him it’s important that he contact me right away. And I guess I’d better email Landon as well. I’ll take my laptop with me so I can stay in touch.”

      Violet waited, trying not to look interested in what Maddie was typing. It was obvious that Maddie still cared about Landon, or she wouldn’t be letting him know what was going on. Probably their broken engagement would be mended eventually. Someday she might be taking a part in her sister’s wedding.

      Violet was unpleasantly surprised to discover that she felt an odd twinge at the thought of Landon and Maddie getting married.

      * * *

      Violet and Maddie drove straight through to the ranch, stopping only to eat once. Maddie wanted to go right to the hospital, but once Violet had found there was no change in her mother’s condition, she knew she had to get a decent night’s sleep.

      Relief flooded through her when she finally drove through the imposing stone gateway to the Colby Ranch. The three entwined Cs at the top of the gate’s arch seemed to welcome her home.

      She pulled up in front of the sprawling brick-and-stone structure that was the main house, aware of Maddie’s car behind her. When she still hadn’t been able to reach Jack, Violet had phoned Lupita, the housekeeper, cook and second mother who kept the house running like a well-oiled machine, telling her to prepare the guest room.

      Violet hadn’t said whom she was bringing. The effort to explain over the phone had seemed way too much to her. Thank goodness Lupita, with her usual gentle wisdom probably sensing that questions weren’t welcome, hadn’t asked.

      “This is it,” she said as Maddie joined her on the wide front porch.

      “It’s huge.” Maddie glanced around. Mature trees and a wrought-iron fence surrounded the ranch house, with grasslands and rolling hills stretching out in the distance. Behind the house, outbuildings dotted the property: barns, greenhouses, storage sheds, the cottages occupied by Lupita and her husband and that of foreman Ty Garland, and the bunkhouses. Colby Ranch was a busy place, so busy that it was sometimes hard to find a moment alone.

      “I’ll show you around tomorrow.” She picked up Maddie’s suitcase. “Right now let’s get you settled and see what Lupita’s fixed for supper.”

      “I think you’re the one who needs to settle.” Maddie linked her arm with Violet’s. “You’ve been running at full speed since the accident, haven’t you?”

      “Pretty much.” Violet pushed open the heavy oak front door and led Maddie into the center hallway. The pale tiled floor gleamed in the fading light, and there were fresh flowers, as always, on the massive oak credenza against the side wall. The staircase swept upward to the second floor in front of them. Through the glass doors at the far back end of the hallway, solar lights cast a glow over the courtyard.

      “I’m home,” Violet called as she always did when she entered the house. “Lupita, are you here?”

      “Sí, sí, I’m coming.” Lupita emerged from the kitchen at the back of the house, wiping her hands on the apron she’d wrapped around her plump waist. “It’s about time you were getting home.” The tone was gently scolding and filled with love. “You must—”

      Another step, and she had seen Maddie. She stopped, black eyes wide and questioning, and Violet thought she murmured a prayer in Spanish.

      “Lupita, this is Maddie Wallace.” What else could she say?

      Fortunately, there seemed no need. Lupita rushed to them and wrapped her arms around Violet, enfolding her in a loving hug. “So,” she said softly. “I was right. There was a sister.”

      Violet pulled back, thoughts tumbling. “You knew I had a sister? Lupita, how could you keep this from me?”

      “No, no, I didn’t know.” She patted Violet’s cheek. “Don’t fuss, little one. Once when your mother was sick, she rambled. She spoke of her baby girls, calling for them. So I thought there had been another. But I never thought to see her, not in this life.”

      “You thought I had a sister that died,” Violet said, suddenly understanding.

      Lupita nodded, turning to Maddie. She walked to her, taking Maddie’s face in her hands and studying her for a long moment. “You are home,” she said. “I am glad.”

      She turned, reverting to briskness probably to hide her emotion. “You must be starved, both of you. Wash up and get to the table. The food will be there by the time you are.” She bustled back to the kitchen, wiping her eyes with the tea towel she held.

      Maddie looked a little dazed. She put her hand to her cheek. “I didn’t expect that kind of a welcome.”

      “Lupita’s been with us since we were kids. As far as she’s concerned, we’re her kids, too.”

      “Do you think she knows anything more about us?” Maddie set her bag on the credenza. “Wouldn’t she have tried to find out more from your mother, if it happened as she said?”

      Violet shrugged. “Lupita always tells the truth, but sometimes she leaves things out. For our own good, she’d say. If she knows anything else about us, I’ll get it out of her eventually.”

      * * *

      By the time Lupita had stuffed them full of her special chicken enchiladas with black beans and rice, topped off with a scrumptious peach tart, Violet was feeling vaguely human again. She leaned back in her seat. Lupita always said that trouble and an empty belly were bad companions, and this time she seemed to be right. But even though she felt better, Violet was still too conscious of the empty chairs at the table.

      Maddie, who’d demolished her piece of peach tart, was staring at the framed portrait on the dining room wall. “Who is that? Another relative?”

      “That’s Uncle James.” Violet smiled at the pictured face, the weathering and wisdom of years showing in skin like crinkled leather. Kind blue eyes seemed to smile back at her. “James Crawford. He wasn’t actually a relative, but that’s what Jack and I always called him.”

      “Who was he, then?” Maddie eyed the portrait curiously.

      “He owned this place. Mom came here as housekeeper when I was three and Jack was five. He took us in and made us feel as if this was our home, too. He didn’t have any family, and soon he was treating us like kin. I really don’t СКАЧАТЬ