Sweet Fortune

in.”
    “Right.”
    Lilian stepped back to join Jessie. She kept her eyes on the electrician as he began setting out his tools. The smell of fresh paint emanated from a bedroom. “You've got to watch these people like a hawk. Turn your back for one second and they've put in the wrong fixtures or painted a wall white when you've distinctly ordered taupe. Then they try to convince you to accept the mistake.”
    “Mom, I've got to talk to you.”
    “I didn't think you were here because you've decided to pursue a career in interior design. What's the problem? Worrying about wedding plans already? I told you Connie and I would handle it for you. We're thinking of coral and cream for the colors. What do you think?”
    “I think it sounds fine as long as you don't try to stuff Hatch into a coral tux. Listen, Mom, this is serious. I had a weird visit from Aunt Glenna this afternoon.”
    “Is that right?” Lilian frowned at the electrician. “Please don't start any work until you put down drop cloths. This wooden flooring was just put in a few weeks ago and it cost my client a fortune. I don't want it nicked.”
    The electrician obediently started to put down drop cloths. Lilian glanced at Jessie.
    “What were you saying about Glenna?”
    “She was very upset. Came to see me at my office.”
    “That is a little unusual for Glenna, isn't it? What did she want?”
    “I got the feeling she wanted me to call off the wedding,” Jessie said bluntly.
    That got Lilian's attention. “Is she out of her mind?”
    “I kind of wondered about that myself. But I think she was just plain angry.”
    “About what? Everyone in the family wants this marriage.”
    “Aunt Glenna said she thought Dad should have left the company to David.”
    There was a prolonged silence from Lilian. She kept her gaze on the electrician, but it was obvious she was thinking about something besides track lighting. “Interesting. David has absolutely no talent whatsoever for managing a large business like Benedict.”
    “Neither do I.”
    “That's not entirely true, dear. You had the absolutely brilliant ability to attract Sam Hatchard, who is fully capable of running it.”
    “Thanks, Mom. You really know how to make a daughter feel special. Why not just come right out and say Dad is using me to buy himself the son he always wanted. One who can take Benedict and expand it into a ‘giant in the industry’?”
    “Don't be silly, dear.”
    “Does it bother you to think that Hatch might be marrying me in order to get control of the company?”
    “No, not in the least. The company is forever tied to you, and you are tied to the family. By marrying you, he is actually marrying into both the company and the family. We're assimilating him, if you see what I mean. It's going to work out just fine. In any event, I like Hatch. And it's about time you married someone. Why not him?”
    Jessie decided not to pursue that useless line of discussion. “Mom, why does Aunt Glenna feel so strongly about David having a right to Benedict?”
    Lilian sighed. “I suppose it all goes back to when Lloyd Ringstead disappeared. Glenna and your father had a brief affair.”
    “You know about that?”
    “Of course. I'm not an idiot. It didn't last long, for obvious reasons. Anyone could see they weren't suited to each other. I never said anything because there was no point. Vincent and I had just gotten our divorce and Glenna was trying to deal with the trauma of Lloyd's having vanished into thin air. I suppose Vince and Glenna comforted each other for a time.”
    “Is it possible David is, well, more than my cousin?” Jessie asked hesitantly.
    Lilian blinked in astonishment. “Are you asking me if David could possibly be Vincent's son?”
    “I guess so. Aunt Glenna seems to feel very strongly about Dad owing her something.”
    “The answer about David is no,” Lilian said firmly. Then she frowned thoughtfully. “At least, I think the answer is no. If he were your half-brother that would mean there were actually two affairs between Glenna and Vince, one a few years before Lloyd vanished. David was four when his father left, remember.”
    “True. But it's not an impossible scenario. If Glenna and Dad got it on once, they might have gotten it on twice.”
    “Frankly, if Glenna thought she could press a paternity suit, she would have done so by now. And it wouldn't have been necessary in the first place.”
    “Because Dad would have been more than willing to