Read Chapter 17: — MR BENNETT

Graham knew Daniel knew before Daniel said anything.

Maya had confronted him. Maggie had eventually called him. Owen, who had known parts of the old history, looked at Graham with the exhausted expression of a man who had watched a train approach a broken bridge for months.

Daniel came to Graham’s office after midnight.

The older man stood when he entered.

Neither spoke.

Finally Graham said, “Your mother told you.”

“Yes.”

“I wanted to tell you myself.”

“When?”

Graham had no answer.

Daniel laughed once without humour.

“That’s the family tradition, apparently. Everyone wants to tell me later.”

Graham flinched.

“I thought you were dead.”

“I know.”

“You knew I thought you were dead?”

“Maggie told me tonight.”

Daniel stared at him.

That mattered, but not enough.

“Why didn’t you come looking?”

“I did. Years ago. Your mother made it clear she wanted no contact.”

“And you accepted that?”

“I was angry. Proud. Working constantly. Every year it became harder to repair.”

“So you built bridges instead.”

Graham looked down.

“Yes.”

Daniel wanted a villain. Graham refused to become one. He was merely a man who had been brave in deserts and cowardly in kitchens, capable of taking responsibility for thousands of workers while failing to take responsibility for one broken family.

That was worse in some ways.

“I can’t call you Dad,” Daniel said.

“I’m not asking you to.”

“At work, you’re still Mr Bennett.”

“Fine.”

“And don’t start treating me differently.”

Graham almost smiled.

“I’ve spent months telling you everything you do wrong. I’m not changing a successful system.”

Daniel hated that the answer nearly made him laugh.

He left before it could.