The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband

Edward smiled broadly. “Excellent. And the rest?”

“Nicholas is at school,” Billie said, “and of course Mary has her own home now.”

“And Andrew?”

Andrew. The third brother. Edward had told Cecilia that he was in the navy.

“Is he here?” Edward asked.

George made a sound that Cecilia could not interpret. One might have called it a chuckle . . . if it weren’t so liberally laced with something better described as awkward resignation.

“Shall you tell him or shall I?” Billie said.

George took a breath. “Well, now that is quite a story . . .”