‘You wouldn’t be stealing from yourselves,’ she explained patiently, standing in front of Annie like a shield. ‘Everything will have to be sold to satisfy the creditors. The administrator will decide if we can take any personal objects, and until that decision is made I think we should leave everything as it is.’
‘These are all my personal objects,’ her father informed her, gesturing around expansively, staggering as he did so.
‘Of course they are, darling,’ Serena cooed at Lizzie’s father. ‘You grew up with them.’
Darling? Serena had definitely put her father up to this.
‘And you can stay out of it,’ Serena sneered as Lizzie crossed the hall to see what Serena was putting into her pocket. Seeing it was one of the valuable antique paperweights had grandmother had used to collect when times were better, Lizzie pulled it out of her mother’s pocket and returned it to the shelf.
Grabbing hold of Lizzie’s shoulder, Serena shoved her roughly out of the way. ‘No one’s going to stop us taking what’s rightfully ours,’ she exclaimed angrily.
‘And that’s where you’re wrong.’
They all turned to face the door.
CHAPTER TWELVE
‘CHICO!’ LIZZIE’S BREATH left her lungs in a rush.
‘I might have known I’d find you here, Serena...Reginald,’ he said quietly.
The menace in his voice made her shiver, so goodness knew how her parents felt, Lizzie thought as Chico unwound the scarf from his neck and shut the door. He didn’t need to shout as they did to establish command, because Chico had a quiet strength that didn’t call for the posturing of her parents.
‘You’re getting careless,’ he observed, trapping them in his unwavering stare. ‘You should have remembered to close the door when you came in, but I imagine you were in too much of a hurry to plunder the house.’
‘Get out!’ Serena shrieked, cowering behind Lizzie’s father, who was swaying alarmingly now.
‘I’ll leave when I’m ready to leave. But as we’re all gathered here in one place I think this is the ideal moment to air some long-held grievances, and pick out the truth from the lies.’
‘You’re the liar,’ Serena flared self-righteously.
‘I haven’t said a word yet,’ Chico pointed out. ‘But that’s you being true to type, isn’t it, Serena? I’m guilty of all charges, regardless of whether I even know about the crime. What was it I was supposed to have done to you, Serena? I think we could all do with reminding about that, don’t you?’
‘I’m surprised you dare to ask such a question in front of my daughter. Come here, Lizzie. Come to Mummy. I’ll protect you.’
‘I don’t think so,’ Lizzie exclaimed, hardly daring to look at Chico in case his feelings didn’t match her own. She had no intention of looking to her parents for support. It was too late for that. ‘I prefer to make up my mind free of bias, if you don’t mind, Serena. As I was little more than a child at the time, and mostly ignored, I’m interested to hear what you all have to say.’
As Serena stripped off her fur coat Chico realised that Lizzie’s mother was dressed for seduction in a low-cut dress that skimmed her skinny figure like a second skin. He almost laughed out loud. Never waste an opportunity. That was Serena’s motto. Who knew what opportunity the funeral might throw up? she must have thought. He was careful to keep his distance from the woman, though now she’d got used to him being here, Serena had left the shelter of her husband’s swaying body to prowl around Chico. She made his hair stand on end—and not in a good way. He thought about tossing her in the lake to cool her ardour, but with all the jewellery she was wearing she’d probably sink.