He studied her with obvious skepticism, then shrugged. “Okay, whatever. I’ll warm up the car.”
Kathleen hurried back inside and found Destiny still standing where they’d left her. “Are you okay? Is there anything I can do for you?”
Destiny tried to smile, but failed. “No, dear, there’s nothing anyone can do.”
“This Mr. Harcourt really mattered to you, didn’t he?”
Destiny’s expression turned even sadder. “He was the love of my life,” she said simply, her voice catching.
“But none of your nephews knows that, do they?”
“No, I never saw the point in telling them. It ended when I came back to the States to care for them.”
“Maybe it’s time you explained all that.”
Destiny shook her head. “I’ve never wanted them to think there was any sacrifice at all in my returning home to look out for them. It would only have upset them. Besides, it’s in the past.”
“It doesn’t sound as if Mr. Harcourt agrees with you,” Kathleen pointed out.
Destiny looked startled by that. “What on earth are you saying?”
“That Ben could be correct. You could be the reason Mr. Harcourt has become a thorn in Richard’s side. Sooner or later you’ll have to consider that and deal with it.”
Destiny sighed heavily. “Perhaps you’re right,” she said slowly.
“And if I am?”
A glint of determination suddenly lit Destiny’s eyes and she squared her shoulders, looking stronger than she had since the whole topic had come up. “Then I will deal with William,” she said firmly.
Kathleen grinned at her fierce tone. “If you need any help, let me know.”
“Thanks for helping me to clarify what I must do,” Destiny said. “But if you wouldn’t mind, please keep this conversation to yourself. Until I decide how I want to handle this, it’s best that Ben and the others don’t know about my intentions.”
“They could help,” Kathleen suggested, uncomfortable at being asked to keep Destiny’s secret from Ben. He wasn’t going to be happy if she left the house tonight without something to report.
Destiny laughed. “I love my nephews, Kathleen, but in a situation like this, they won’t help. They’ll only pester me to death.”
“The way you meddle in their lives?”
“Exactly.” Destiny gave her a wry look. “I did raise them, after all.”
Ben was thoroughly frustrated. Kathleen had refused to reveal a single word about her conversation with Destiny.
“Confidential,” she said when he asked.
“But I’m the one who wanted you to talk to her,” he protested.
“And I told you to handle it yourself. Just look how well that turned out. She clammed up and refused to reveal a single thing about her knowledge of this Harcourt person.”
“She admitted she knew him,” Ben said defensively.
“Oh, please,” she scoffed. “You knew that before you ever walked in there. So did Richard, I suspect. What you knew nothing about was the extent of the relationship and how it fits with what’s going on now. You don’t know any more about that than you did before you spoke to her.”
He regarded her intently. “Do you?”
“Confidential,” she said again.
“I’ll bet Richard can pry it out of you,” he said.
“Doubtful,” she said.
“Or Melanie,” he suggested.
She chuckled. “I don’t think so. Whatever Destiny did—or didn’t say—to me is not going to cross these lips. Give it up, Ben.”
“I might reconsider letting you see a few paintings,” he coaxed.
“We already have a bet going that I plan on winning. I’ll see at least one of the paintings as soon as you wind up wallpapering that nursery right alongside Richard.” She gave him a sideways look. “Unless you intend to renege on our deal.”
“Not a chance.”
She regarded him with a cheerful expression. “Any other offers you want to put on the table?”
“Not at the moment,” he said, exasperated. “I’ll get back to you.”
“Yes, I imagine you will.” Her smile expanded. “It’s nice to know that I now have something you want. Sort of evens the playing field, doesn’t it?”
“You’re a sneaky woman. You know that, don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“It must be why Destiny has taken to you.”
“That’s one reason,” Kathleen agreed. “The other has a lot to do with this impossible nephew she’s trying to marry off.”