“But your grandfather wasn’t British?” Alice asked.

“No, Rupert was American. I have no memory of him at all. He died just a few months after I was born. That’s why I think Gran was so happy to keep me. She missed the company. She never liked living in America very much so right after he died she moved back to England permanently. And when I was born I she took care of me.”

“What about your brother? Didn’t you say you had a brother?” Alice was not sure she had gotten all the pieces of information together correctly. Helena blushed lightly, remembering talking about her brother the night Alice had to drive her home.

“My parents usually took him with them on their trips, but they thought it was too much work having both children around them while they worked. And since he was used to being with them it was easier for me to live with my grandmother.

“You liked living with her then?”

“Off course I missed my parents, but to be honest my grandmother was more of a parent to me than my own parents ever were. She was strict, but yet a very caring woman. I loved her very much.” Helena smiled and blinked her eyes. “She died of cancer when I was 16. Both my brother and me took it very hard. Our parents did not think it ‘wise’ to move me to America before I left school so I stayed on.”

“You lived alone?” Alice asked not believing her ears.

“No, no. Both Damien and me lived at our schools during the terms and with our parents over the holidays.”

“Wait, wait!” Alice interrupted. “You went to an all girls boarding school?”

“I did.” Helena noticed the blonde’s mischievous grin. “Oh, shut up! It wasn’t at all as decadent as you imagine!”

“Did I say something?” Alice mocked looking innocent and caused Helena to laugh.

“No you didn’t. But I’m not blind. Actually I could tell you a story” Helena’s cell phone’s loud ringing interrupted her amused response. “Excuse me, Alice.” Helena picked up the pone and darkened a little when she saw who was calling. “Yes, Walter?” She said with a worried look on her face. There was a long silence, Alice just watched the dark haired woman’s eyes water and when she spoke again her voice was thin, almost a whisper. “Isn’t there any chance? But a new hearing…?” Helena’s features and gestures became more and more desperate as she frantically listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. “I told you Walter! Do what you have to! Find a loophole, anything!” The voice in the phone spoke again. “I don’t care about that! No! Tell her this is far from over!” she screamed into the telephone and threw it in her bag. The anxiety had caused her to rise and now the whole caf was watching them.