There she’d played with the gardener’s kittens.
There she’d played hide-and-seek with Darius when they were kids...
There—every Saturday in summer—she’d tucked roses into the priceless Ming dynasty vase to make her mother smile.
But where was her dad? Where?
As Letty finished going through the main entrance rooms, she ran up the sweeping staircase toward the second floor. She stopped halfway up the stairs, realizing she was hearing only the echo of her own voice.
Her dad wasn’t there.
Letty’s shoulders sagged with savage disappointment. Turning back down the stairs, she saw Darius standing in the front doorway, watching her. The happy, smug expression had disappeared from his handsome face.
He said tightly, “Why do you think I would invite your father here?”
“You said—you said,” she faltered, biting her lip, “you were giving me what I wanted most.”
“This house.” His expression now could only be described as grimly outraged. “Your childhood home. I arranged to buy it for you. It wasn’t easy. I had to pay the man a fortune to leave before we arrived. But I wanted you to have all your dreams. Everything you’d lost.”
Everything she’d lost...
Gripping the banister for support, Letty sagged to sit on a stair. Heartbreaking grief was thundering through her, worse than if she’d never gotten her hopes up at all.
She struggled to hide it. She knew she was being churlish. Her mother would be ashamed of her. Here Darius had given her the stars and she was crying for the sun.
She should be overjoyed.
Fairholme.
Letty took a deep breath, looking up at the high painted ceilings, at the oak-paneled walls. Home. She was really here. Darius had given her back the home that had raised generations of Langfords, her mother’s family.
What an amazing gift.
Wiping her eyes, Letty looked at Darius and tried to smile.
His handsome face was mutinous.
She couldn’t blame him. He’d gone to a lot of trouble and expense to give her this incredible surprise, and she’d been completely ungrateful.
Rising unsteadily to her feet, she walked down the stairs to the foyer where he stood with a scowl, his arms folded.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I love your wonderful gift.”
He looked distinctly grumpy. “It didn’t look like it.”
Feeling ashamed at her bad manners, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
“I love it,” she said softly. “It’s a miracle to be here.”
Looking mollified, he accepted her embrace. “I’ve also hired Mrs. Pollifax to come back as our housekeeper.”
“You have!”
He smiled, clearly pleased by her reaction. “Along with as many of the original staff who were available. Giving them a big raise, naturally. I’ve also established a bank account in your name.”
“Whatever for?”
Darius gave her a sudden grin. “You obviously haven’t seen the stripper pole the last owner put up in the library. I knew you’d want to oversee the remodeling personally. Perhaps the fresco can be repaired? I’ve instructed the bank to give you unlimited funds. Use the money however you please.”