Chapter 4
The photographer confirmed it.
Victoria had changed the shot list four days earlier.
“She said Mr. Marconi wanted the engagement photographs to introduce the new family structure.”
I stared at him.
“Did you speak to me?”
“No, sir.”
“Why not?”
He looked uncomfortable.
“She’s your fiancée.”
There it was.
Proximity mistaken for authority.
Again.
I dismissed him and returned to the garden terrace.
Victoria was still under guard, furious now rather than frightened.
“You’re questioning vendors?”
“I’m discovering my son vanished from my own photographs.”
Her eyes hardened.
“That is dramatic.”
“No.”
I placed the shot list on the table.
“This is typed.”
She looked away.
Then I noticed the arrangement beside the terrace.
Three tall padded presentation panels decorated with engagement photographs.
One showed Victoria and me.
Another showed Sophie alone.
The third was covered.
I pulled the cloth away.
A large portrait of Sophie standing beside me during Christmas.
No Noah.
I turned.
“What was this for?”
Victoria said nothing.
Margaret answered quietly.
“It was supposed to be unveiled after dessert.”
I felt cold.
“Why?”
“She told staff it represented the future household.”
Sophie heard that from the doorway.
Her face fell.
“My picture?”
Victoria immediately softened.
“Sweetheart, this has nothing to do with you.”
Exactly.
Yet she had used the child’s face anyway.
I looked at Sophie.
“This is not your fault.”
She nodded, but children hear blame even when adults hide it well.
Then Margaret said:
“There are boxes upstairs too.”
Victoria spun toward her.
“Margaret.”
The housekeeper stepped closer to me instead.
“Mr. Marconi, I think you need to see what she packed.”
The fear in Victoria’s face returned.
May you like
Not because the engagement was over.
Because the house had begun telling me what she had planned after it.
