I fidgeted with the sleeve of my blouse as we made our way to Old Mrs. Ricardo's room. The encounter with the Beaumonts yesterday still weighed heavily on my mind. What exactly had Liam told them about me? Whatever it was, it had clearly soured their initial warmth.
When we entered the room, Old Mrs. Ricardo was sitting up in bed, looking stronger than before. Her sharp eyes immediately focused on us—or rather, on the space between Nathaniel and me. The slight distance we maintained suddenly felt like a glaring announcement of the tension between us.
"You two look like you're attending a funeral," she remarked dryly. "Sit down and tell me what's happened."
Nathaniel pulled up a chair beside her bed while I took the one by the window. "Nothing's happened, Grandmother. How are you feeling today?"
She waved away his concern. "Don't change the subject. I heard you ran into the Beaumonts yesterday."
I shot Nathaniel a surprised look. He hadn't mentioned telling her.
