Chapter 3 - The House on the HillFoxglove House had belonged to the Rowan family for almost forty years.
The original stone mansion stood on sixty-eight acres of gardens, orchards, old woodland, and meadow overlooking the Hudson River.
Daniel's father, Thomas Rowan, had purchased the neglected property in the late 1980s.
He had been a carpenter then, not a wealthy businessman.
The house had leaking roofs, rotting window frames, and gardens swallowed by weeds.
Eleanor used to tell Daniel that the first winter was so cold they slept in one room because they couldn't afford to heat the others.
Over the following decades, Thomas built Rowan Restoration, a successful company specializing in historic homes.
Eleanor devoted herself to reviving the gardens.
Together, they transformed Foxglove House into one of the region's most admired private estates.
When Thomas died eight years earlier, Eleanor inherited his remaining interest in the property and completed her estate planning.
Daniel became president of Rowan Restoration.
Nathan Rowan, Thomas's nephew and Daniel's cousin, became chief financial officer.
The family trusted Nathan.
That trust would soon become the most dangerous weakness they possessed.
On Monday morning, Daniel drove to Foxglove House with his attorney, Allison Mercer.
Allison was forty-six, practical, and experienced in business and real estate disputes.
She had represented Rowan Restoration for six years, but Daniel had asked her to confirm that she had no conflict involving Vanessa or Graham before discussing the matter.
He had brought the original video of the garden incident, his mother's account of the attempted document signing, and copies of several messages from Vanessa.
Allison had one instruction.
"Do not sign anything. Do not remove or alter records. And don't assume suspicion is proof."
Daniel nodded.
"I'm beginning to understand that."
The gates of Foxglove House opened.
The gardens looked exactly as they had on Saturday.
White roses.
Stone pathways.
The long lawn stretching toward the balloon arch, which remained partly assembled.
Daniel parked near the carriage house.
For a moment, he saw Lily again.
Her drenched dress.
Her trembling hands.
Her desperate cry.
He forced himself to look away.
They entered through the main doors.
Vanessa was waiting in the drawing room.
Her pale-yellow dress was gone.
She wore cream trousers, a silk blouse, and an expression of carefully controlled distress.
"Daniel."
He stopped several feet away.
"Where's Graham?"
Vanessa glanced at Allison.
"Why is your lawyer here?"
"Because we need answers."
Her face hardened.
"This is ridiculous."
Allison spoke calmly.
"We're here to review documents concerning Foxglove House and the authority, if any, that Ms. Sutton or Mr. Sutton has been given to negotiate property transactions."
Vanessa folded her arms.
"Those discussions are confidential."
"Confidential to whom?" Allison asked.
Vanessa looked toward Daniel.
"Your mother agreed to explore options."
"My mother says she didn't."
"She's recovering from surgery. Perhaps she's confused."
Daniel felt anger rise.
"Don't."
Vanessa blinked.
"What?"
"Don't suggest my mother is confused because she disagrees with you."
Silence followed.
For months, Vanessa had used that tone with him.
The wounded disbelief.
The suggestion that he was being unreasonable.
The quiet pressure to apologize.
This time, he didn't.
"Take us to the study," Daniel said.
Eleanor's private study occupied the west wing.
It smelled of old books, cedar furniture, and the lavender soap she kept in a dish beside her desk.
A landscape painting hung above the fireplace.
Beneath it stood a dark walnut cabinet.
Daniel knew the cabinet well.
His mother kept family photographs, correspondence, and estate documents inside.
The top drawer was locked.
Allison photographed the exterior before Daniel contacted Eleanor by telephone.
With Eleanor's permission, and after she confirmed where the spare key was kept, they opened the drawer.
The blue envelope was gone.
Daniel stared at the empty space.
Vanessa stood behind him.
"Perhaps your mother moved it."
"She hasn't been here in three weeks."
Vanessa shrugged.
"Then the housekeeper."
Allison turned.
"Who currently has access to this room?"
Vanessa hesitated.
"Staff. Family. Occasionally vendors."
"Was the cabinet normally locked?"
"How would I know?"
Daniel looked at her.
"You were the one who told Lily she shouldn't have opened it."
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
"Your daughter has an imagination."
Daniel moved toward her.
Allison gently touched his arm.
"Daniel. Let me handle this."
Vanessa looked relieved.
But only briefly.
Allison continued.
"Ms. Sutton, please preserve any documents, messages, photographs, or electronic records relating to the proposed transaction. We're making a formal written request for relevant materials."
Vanessa laughed.
"You're treating me like a criminal."
"No," Allison replied. "I'm treating the ownership and records seriously."
In the garden, Daniel found Rosa Delgado, the estate's longtime housekeeper.
Rosa was fifty-eight and had worked for Eleanor for nearly twenty years.
She stood beside the greenhouse carrying a basket of freshly cut flowers.
"Mr. Daniel."
"Rosa, can I ask you something?"
She looked toward the house.
"About Saturday?"
"Yes."
Rosa's eyes filled.
"I saw what she did to Lily."
Daniel swallowed.
"Why didn't you stop her?"
"I was near the kitchen entrance. By the time I understood what was happening, you had already come outside."
He nodded.
"I'm sorry. That wasn't fair of me."
Rosa touched his arm.
"That little girl was frightened long before Saturday."
Daniel looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
Rosa hesitated.
"Miss Vanessa didn't like Lily spending time in the greenhouse or your mother's study."
"Why?"
"She said children made messes."
Daniel thought of Lily's fascination with gardening.
His daughter loved helping Eleanor plant seedlings and arrange flowers.
Foxglove House had always been her favorite place.
"Did you see the envelope?" he asked.
Rosa nodded.
"Miss Vanessa carried it into the greenhouse on Friday."
Daniel stiffened.
"What happened?"
"She met Mr. Graham there."
"Did you hear anything?"
Rosa looked uncomfortable.
"I heard him say the papers were incomplete."
"What else?"
"Miss Vanessa said they had to finish before your mother came home."
Daniel felt cold.
Rosa continued.
"And there was someone else."
"Who?"
"Mr. Nathan."
Daniel stared at her.
Nathan.
His cousin.
His chief financial officer.
The man who had attended Lily's christening, helped Daniel through his divorce, and managed the family's accounts for more than a decade.
"Are you sure?"
Rosa nodded.
"He arrived through the service entrance."
"When?"
"Friday afternoon."
Daniel looked toward the greenhouse.
It stood at the far edge of the formal garden, surrounded by climbing roses.
He remembered Lily insisting on helping Eleanor water the plants.
He remembered Vanessa becoming irritated whenever the child approached the building.
A terrible possibility formed in his mind.
Maybe Lily hadn't discovered the secret by accident.
Maybe she had seen something Vanessa could not afford to have repeated.
Inside, Allison received an email from Nathan.
She had requested copies of any agreements, authorizations, or financial projections concerning Foxglove House.
His reply was brief.
There are confidential negotiations involving the Rowan family's property interests. Daniel is aware of the general strategy. Please coordinate through existing company counsel.
Allison showed Daniel.
He frowned.
"I was never told there were negotiations."
"Then we need to determine what Nathan believes you authorized."
Daniel looked at his phone.
"Call him."
Nathan answered on the fourth ring.
"Daniel! I heard things got messy at the party."
"Where are you?"
"At the office."
"I need you at Foxglove."
"Why?"
"Because apparently you're negotiating the sale of my mother's property."
Silence.
Then Nathan sighed.
"Daniel, this is complicated."
"Make it simple."
His cousin lowered his voice.
"The estate is carrying liabilities you don't understand."
"What liabilities?"
"Your father left more than memories behind."
Daniel froze.
Nathan continued.
"And if you force this into the open, you may discover your mother has been hiding things from you for years."
The call ended.
Daniel stood motionless.
His father had died eight years earlier.
For eight years, Daniel believed the family business had settled every obligation Thomas Rowan left behind.
May you like
Now Nathan was suggesting something else.
And Daniel no longer knew which member of his family was telling the truth.
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