Sweet as Honey (The Seven Sisters) - By Caitlyn Robertson Page 0,46

moment in the café when the Matariki sign had done the same thing.

“Hey, Mum,” she whispered, knowing it was nonsense, unable to stop herself all the same. A swift wave of grief and longing swept over her, then vanished. Her mother would always be with her, in her heart and memories. In the children she would carry, put there by Dex, the man she was going to marry.

It had been an emotional week. It wasn’t surprising she was feeling the strain, but she shouldn’t let it get to her so much. She wasn’t solely responsible for Sarah Green’s conviction. Eleven others had been certain, and she’d conceded because that’s what happened in a democracy—the minority bowed to the majority. She’d done her best to make her point, but she shouldn’t blame herself for not changing everyone’s mind.

She started the car, tired but a little calmer. The court case had finished and now she could put it behind her. She had a whole day off on Friday, with her hen night in the evening, where she’d be going out with her sisters and friends for a few drinks in town. She really had nothing to worry about.

She tried to concentrate on positive thoughts as she drove home, and turned on the radio to sing to a few tunes, attempting to lift her spirits. She was relieved to finally get home though, and turned into the drive, knowing most of her sisters and her father would be at the shop. Lily’s car was there, but that didn’t surprise her—Lily often came home after the busy lunchtime rush to paint.

As she approached the house, though, she saw a strange car out the front. She pulled up alongside it and got out, frowning. One of Lily’s friends?

She collected her handbag, got out and went over to the house. Letting herself in, she called out, “Lily?”

“In here,” Lily called back.

Honey went into the living room and stopped. Lily had been sitting on the sofa but now stood, twisting her hands. “Hi, Honey.”

Honey glanced at her, saw her nerves and looked at the woman still sitting in the armchair. She appeared about Honey’s own height, slim, with glossy dark hair that fell to her shoulders. Her makeup, though heavy, was expertly applied, her lips outlined in dark red. She wore tight jeans and a scarlet blouse, undone one button too far for modesty. She looked beautiful and exotic, and she held herself with the confidence of someone who knew that the opposite sex found them attractive.

“This is Cate, one of Dex’s old friends who’s come up for the wedding,” Lily said, her voice so bright that Honey could tell she was scared.

“Cate,” Honey said flatly. “You mean Cathryn.”

Chapter Nineteen

The woman’s lips curved. “That may have been a slight fib.” She sent an apologetic glance to a panicky Lily. “Sorry, sweetie.”

“She said you’d asked her to meet you here,” Lily said, the colour fading from her face. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Honey said, although it wasn’t. But she couldn’t blame Lily—the woman was clearly skilled at manipulating people to do what she wanted. “Do me a favour, Lily? Give Koru a ring, eh? Let him know I got home okay?” She caught Lily’s gaze. Her sister gave a slight nod and scurried from the room.

The woman ran her gaze down Honey thoughtfully. “So you’re the one Dex is marrying?”

“Yes,” Honey said, not missing the jealousy that lit the woman’s eyes at her answer. Her first thought, crazily, was that she hoped the other woman couldn’t tell she’d been crying. Crying was a sign of weakness, and after all the hassle in the courtroom, the last thing Honey felt in the mood to show at that moment was vulnerability.

Refusing to wipe under her eyes, she forced herself not to take an automatic step back and stood her ground. “I think you should leave,” she said.

Cathryn made no sign of getting up. “But I haven’t finished my tea,” she protested, sipping from the cup Lily must have made for her. “Please, come and sit down.”

Conscious that she could hardly grab the woman and haul her out, Honey remained where she was. Her heart pounded so hard she wouldn’t have been surprised if it had leapt out of her chest and boinged over to splat the woman in the face. She had to calm down or she’d end up passing out.

She walked over to the breakfast bar and placed her handbag there, then leaned against the bar, reminding herself how