No one answered.

Brooke raised her glass and took a slow sip of water.

“Judith insists on custom blue silk dresses for our formal family dinners,” Cole said, smoothly changing the subject as he turned to his mother.

“Did the tailor finish altering yours for my birthday party next month?”

“The navy silk dress comes in from Atlanta on Tuesday,” Judith said, at last turning her head half an inch toward me.

“A proper hostess knows how to dress for authority.