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bother her; she had absolutely none of the air of an aging femalestraining after her youth. Her dress of cotton knit in a vivid teal was generously cut and the same color as her eyes. The smile with which she returned Regina’s gaze was open and serene. It was also a little quizzical.
    â€œI…It’s very kind of you to take pity on me,” Regina said, looking down at her plate and picking up her fork to cut into her cake.
    â€œActually,” Vivian Benedict said, “I had an ulterior motive, or perhaps I should be honest and admit it was vulgar curiosity. I spoke to Mr. Lewis this morning, you see, and he told me about the incident yesterday with the old coffin.”
    â€œOh.” Regina’s mouth was suddenly too dry to chew the bite of warm, moist and delicious cake that she’d just taken.
    â€œJust so,” the other woman said with a wry smile. “I didn’t tell Kane I knew, of course.”
    Regina gave her an inquiring look.
    â€œWhy didn’t I? To be honest, I wanted to see if he’d tell me. The explanation should be entertaining, or so I thought.”
    Regina swallowed before she said, “That might depend on your point of view.”
    â€œYou don’t think it’s funny, then,” Vivian said. “Perhaps I misunderstood the situation.”
    â€œIt was just…embarrassing.”
    â€œOh. Yes, I see how it might have been. Knowing Kane, I doubt he made it any easier.”
    Regina murmured something noncommittal, unable to correct the impression, but doubtful about agreeing.
    Laughter sprang into the other woman’s eyes. “I may have brought Kane up, my dear, but I have few illusions about him. He’s a rascal, like both his fatherand his uncle, my late husband. I had my hands full with that boy, I can tell you, after his parents were killed.”
    â€œKilled?”
    â€œDrowned, I should say, in a freak accident while deep-sea fishing off Grand Isle. Kane had stayed behind with me that weekend since he was only ten and recovering from the measles, and both our families lived here together in this monstrosity of a house. Afterward, we just kept on, my husband, Kane and I, and I feel blessed to have been allowed to do that since my John and I never had children.”
    â€œHe was lucky to have you,” Regina said, thinking of her own experience with being left when her parents were gone.
    â€œMaybe, but you can see why he feels so strongly about the family he has left, particularly his grandfather. Also why he’s so protective.”
    â€œI suppose,” Regina said dubiously. “He was certainly suspicious of me.”
    Vivian Benedict pursed her lips, then sighed. “I’m afraid he has little faith in women except those who are related to him. He was engaged to a local girl a few years back, Francie, a blond beauty queen. But her mother was one of these women who live and breathe beauty contests, modeling, Hollywood gossip, and so on. She filled Francie’s head with big ideas. Her junior year in college, Francie dropped out of school and went off to New Orleans for a job at some television studio. After a few weeks, she called Kane and told him she was in terrible pain with an ectopic pregnancy and needed emergency surgery that was going to cost five thousand dollars. She’d lost her job,had no insurance, she said, and her mother wouldn’t help because she thought it was Kane’s responsibility. Kane drove down at once with the money, which he could ill afford since he’d just started his legal practice. He wanted to stay for the surgery, but Francie said no. Her mother would be with her and was furious with Kane and would likely cause a big scene if she saw him. Later, Francie called again and said there had been complications and she needed another ten thousand.” Vivian Benedict shook her head slowly as she held Regina’s gaze. “I suppose you can guess where this is