“My maternal instincts get out of hand when the family comes under public scrutiny.” She set the knitting in her lap and looked straight across the table at me.

“I want to pay for the whole nursery renovation out of my private account.”

She took a leather checkbook out of her tote bag and laid it beside my fabric swatches.

“Choose whatever cherry paneling and imported furniture you like,” she said.

“Let’s wipe the slate clean, Vivian, for the baby’s sake.”

“Julian froze my credit card and locked my administrator password yesterday,” I said.

“Julian was under terrible corporate stress from the quarterly board audit,” she said, her voice smooth and unhurried.