Domestic Affairs

457 Pages·1991·1.28 MB·English

by  Goudge Eileen

4c, glossy lam, emboss, foil
“This novel is the ultimate indulgence—dramatic,
special
D Price
involving, and ringing with emotional truth.”
—SuSan WiggS, New York Times bestselling author A $6.99 uS
o $8.99 Canada
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From the New York Times bestselling author of Woman in Red comes an
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intimate story of friendship lost and regained, old loves rekindled, and
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a baptism by fire that ultimately leads to the redemption of three very
special women. ae D o m e s t i c
it begins with a betrayal that tears apart childhood friends abigail
and Lila when abigail’s mother, the housekeeper for Lila’s wealthy family, is
is summarily banished, casting abigail from the only home she has ever
known. now, twenty-five years later, abigail is a self-made successful rt
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cookbook author and TV personality. When Lila—who married well and
for decades lived the glittering life of a Park avenue socialite—suffers a si
tragic reversal of fortune, she seeks out the help of her childhood friend. c
Penniless and all but unemployable, Lila approaches abigail about a job,
and abigail gives her one: as her housekeeper.

But revenge is not as sweet as abigail had imagined. Lila’s reentry into
abigail’s life brings along some unexpected complications and questions:
Will abigail be reunited with her girlhood love, Lila’s twin brother, Vaughn? E i l e e n
Will Concepción, the grief-stricken mother whose daughter perished in the
fire that consumed abigail’s factory, succeed in crossing the border to track
abigail down and confront her about her daughter’s death? Will Lila ever a novel
find love in the wake of her husband’s suicide?
G G o u d g e
in this sweeping emotional tale, abigail, Lila, and Concepción are
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thrown together and forced to unite in order to save one another…and
themselves. along the way they discover that the forces that tore their lives o
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apart have also shaped them in ways they never could have imagined….
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Learn more about Domestic Affairs at www.domesticaffairsbook.com e
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Visit EiLEEn gOuDgE at www.eileengoudge.com
e
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n “a sweeping, emotional story that will mesmerize you
$6.99 / $8.99 Canada
Vanguard Press e from start to finish… Eileen goudge has truly written
The Perseus Books Group
www.Perseusbooks.com her best novel to date with Domestic Affairs.”
Cover design by Laura Klynstra —KriSTin HannaH, New York Times bestselling author
Cover photograph © Susan Fox /
Arcangel Images
Vanguard Press
PRAISEFORDOMESTICAFFAIRS
“Eileen Goudge deftly weaves multiple storylines into a seamless page-
turner propelled by juicy secrets, skeletons in the closet, stunning betray-
als, and heart-wrenching reunions. If you’re feeling nostalgic for a good,
old-fashioned sprawling saga, Domestic Affairsis your book.”
—Wendy Corsi Staub, New York Times
best-selling author
“When you open this book, don’t bother putting anything else on your
schedule, because you won’t want to stop reading for anything. This is the
ultimate indulgence—dramatic, involving, and ringing with emotional
truth. Eileen Goudge spins a cautionary tale with a fairy tale ending about
the price of ambition, the meaning of loyalty, and the redeeming power
of love. This is a top-drawer author at the top of her game.”
—Susan Wiggs, New York Times
best-selling author
“Honestly, from the first page, I was hooked. The novel is a big, juicy, emo-
tional saga that grabs you from the start and doesn’t let go. . . . A sweeping,
emotional story that will mesmerize you from start to finish . . . Eileen
Goudge has truly written her best novel to date with Domestic Affairs.”
—Kristin Hannah, New York Times
best-selling author
“A gripping tale about the morality of revenge, the complexity of life,
and friendship, Domestic Affairsis a highly recommended read for anyone
looking for a story with these elements done well.”
—The Midwest Book Review
“Eileen Goudge, author of Woman in Red, has written a beautiful and
heart-wrenching story of the love and closeness two women share as
teens only to be destroyed. Now they share a need to take solace in
each other and restore their once-close relationship. This story will
reach into your soul and place you into the characters’ thoughts.
Highly recommended reading!”
—FreshFiction

Domestic Affairs

Domestic
Affairs
By
EILEEN GOUDGE
Copyright © 2008 by Eileen Goudge
Published by Vanguard Press
A Member of the Perseus Books Group
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. For
information and inquiries, address Vanguard Press, 387 Park Avenue South,
12th Floor, NYC, NY 10016, or call [phone].
Set in Centaur MT
Goudge, Eileen.
Domestic affairs / by Eileen Goudge.
p. cm.
HC ISBN: 978-1-59315-475-2
PB ISBN: 978-1-59315-533-9
1. Housekeepers—Fiction. 2. Master and servant—Fiction.
3. Domestic fiction. I. Title.
PS3557.O838D66 2008
813'.54—dc22
2008005070
Mass market ISBN: 978-1-59315-579-7
Vanguard Press books are available at special discounts for bulk purchases in the
U.S. by corporations, institutions, and other organizations. For more
information, please contact the Special Markets Department at the Perseus
Books Group, 2300 Chestnut Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103, or call
[phone], ext. 5000, or e-mail [email protected].
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To my mother,
who is no longer with us
but who I know
is smiling down from heaven

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First off,abig kiss to my publisher, Roger Cooper, and his trusty crew
at Vanguard Press. I’ve never met anyone in publishing who works harder
than Roger. He’s my not-so-secret weapon, a true Energizer Bunny when
it comes to encouraging, promoting, and most of all believing in what I
do. Any risks I’ve taken with him have been amply rewarded.
I’d also like to thank the following people, who were so generous in
sharing with me their time and expertise. Bob Poole, cameraman par ex-
cellence and world traveler, who, in addition to reminding me of just how
sedentary my job is, gave me a glimpse of the world through his lens, so
to speak, by taking me on a guided verbal tour of some of his adventures
in documenting wildlife and the various efforts to preserve it. Katie Car-
penter, for putting me in touch with Bob, and also for her work as a doc-
umentary filmmaker, from which the planet has benefited as well as I.
Dr. George Lombardi, my doctor and medical adviser, who gave me the
information I needed to create what I hope is an authentic portrait of a
cancer patient and who gave up his lunch hour to do so. My new friend,
Thomas Rosamilia, a cancer patient himself, provided some insight into
the emotional aspect of that journey.
Thank you to my dear husband, Sandy Kenyon, and my agent (and
friend), Susan Ginsburg, who have been with me every step of the way;