the bus stop with her mother's

n, sweetheart. Don't let

little yellow house until the bus pulled away from the curb. By then the tears had

trance of the Vanderbilt estate with her heart in her t

was

door closed softly. Ivy climbed the back stairs two at a time and found Mrs. Hal

flicked over her face and softened. "Quickly

delighted shriek. Ivy caught him against her chest, and the whole day, the cough, t

rmured. "I believe she's in a temper. Mr.

tightened. "

Milo's curls. "I wouldn't

=

oom overlooked the garden, and the

with a high neck and, Alexander noted without interest, perfectly

d her back

t turn. "I'm sorry

allowed h

st tightening of he

's not a household policy, Alexander. We hired her to take care of the baby. If

id, very quietly, "that w

between them like

er. Then she saw his face. It was perfectly calm. That was what frightened her. There was no anger in it, only a

xand

ays," he said. "That is

k through the bedroom, a

r manicured nails biting into the ston

=

en Alexander appeared

ety tower of wooden blocks that Milo took enormous pleasure

n the frame, as though he had not quite decided whether to come in.

t thing she had expected. "

our mo

softly that, for a mome

ugh that won't go away, and she doesn't like to talk about it

slowly. "Has she

d" Ivy caught herself. "It's

s

d not

e. Calloway General. Dr. Osei knows the head of its respiratory department. I could ask him to make a call." He said it carefu

dn't po

u have a mother who needs a doctor. I

who had asked about her mother as though it mattered, and for a

t, and it came out almost a

ker, almost uncomfortable. "My son would n

and pressed a hand to her chest. Mi

d could not stop the warmth rising

ight, four places had been set at one end of the long table, gl

Mrs. Hale knocked at the nur

lly blank face of a woman delivering unwelcome news. "For a g

n prickle

, de

ied him down the long staircase. Her heart was beating

er. Alexander sat at her right, a glass of wine untouched at his elbow. Vaness

ole thing had been arranged for a happy occas

e the doorway with Mil

"Because I found something today. And I thou

ed under

ood turn

at the folds, and laid it flat on the white tablecloth. The

sweetly. "Guess wh

print of a man in a black coat, surrounded

every l

ised one eye

ence draw out. "In a shoebox. Tucked under

dles fl

lowly. When her eyes found Iv

quietly. "In my own conservat

Vander

voice shook with a low, controlled fury. "Every single one

ograph and was looking at it. His face was unread

ning, in a moment of pure instinct, she had moved the hospital bracelet out of the shoebox and in

. They found o

tograph w

n," she heard

do," sai

, when it came, was steadier t

fraid." She forced herself to look at Alexander. "So I read about you. I found the article that same morning and printed it so that I'

Vanessa said.

shoebox, Miss Hartwell

brittle

t," said Vanes

ite line. "A girl who wanted a

ept it," Ivy said quietly. "Because it was the only

arms, Milo stirred and let

hand it to his mother. He put it on the white linen between himself and the nanny and looked a

he

id, and walked out

he left behi

he did not look at Ivy. She did not have to. H

her shoulder, and she did not let herself cry

=

Milo dow

rocker beside the crib in the lamplight and watched him breathe. Her whole body ached. She had stared at

ing

to midnight t

w, by the quiet footfall and the

son, and she watched, from the shadow of the rocker, as his face changed. The hard lines eased. His hand cam

his sleep and

moment he stood with one hand resti

ned and loo

to read. There was no anger in them. That was the worst of it. There was only a patient, level of att

air," he sa

Vande

omorrow morning," he sai

aze for one s

behind him, and the only sound left in the nursery was the