Chapter 42 Everyone Is Running Away

• Liam Walton gently guided his grandfather out of the bustling New York airport, his arm steady around the older man’s shoulders. They moved slowly, partly because of the crowd, partly because his grandfather’s health wasn’t what it used to be. These days, the old man’s legs gave him trouble, making walking any distance a challenge. It was for this reason Liam had initially asked him not to come see Adela off. But the elderly patriarch of the Walton family had been adamant: he wanted, no, needed, to witness Adela’s departure. There was no telling when—if ever—she might return, and he couldn’t bear the thought of never having another chance to confirm that she was safe and well, even if she refused to come home to the Walton family.
• As they stepped through the sliding glass doors, the hot summer air enveloped them, a startling contrast to the air-conditioned chill of the airport. Liam could sense the mix of regret and sadness radiating from his grandfather, though the old man’s face remained impassive. The Walton family had, in his eyes, always been formidable. Yet, for all their power and influence, they had failed to keep Adela close or, more importantly, make her feel wanted.
• The patriarch leaned heavily on his cane, his brow furrowed. “So… everything in England is settled for Adela?” he asked in a quiet, almost resigned tone.