Against All Odds

Chapter 1

On a hot sunny day in June, Kate Madison drove her ten-­year-­old Mercedes station wagon through Greenwich, Connecticut, until she reached Mead Point Drive, and followed the directions she d been given until she arrived at tall iron gates. She pressed a buzzer and said her name when a male voice answered. A moment later the gates swung open, and she drove slowly onto the property. The grounds and gardens were impressive and there were beautiful old trees lining the driveway. She had been in the area many times before, though never to this particular estate. The woman who had owned it was a well-­known society figure who had only stopped going out shortly before she died, at ninety-­two. Before that, she had been one of the grande dames of New York society, a generous woman who was best known for her philanthropy. She had no children, and had been on the best-­dressed lists for years, mostly for her vast collection of French haute couture, which looked fabulous on her even at her great age.

The woman s clothes were being disposed of by two nieces, who were finding the project far more tiresome than they had expected. Both were in their sixties and lived in other cities, and their husbands were executors of the estate.

They had already made arrangements with Sotheby s to sell the jewelry, had consigned the furniture to Christie s to auction, and were keeping some of the more important art. The rest was either being donated to museums or sold privately through a dealer in New York. And all that remained to deal with now was their aunt s wardrobe, which filled three enormous rooms that had previously been bedrooms in her spectacular house. The deceased had been a small, very thin, elegant woman, and her nieces couldn t imagine who her clothes were going to fit. The coats maybe, many of which were voluminous, and she had some magnificent furs, but the dresses were minute.

They had contacted Kate s store, Still Fabulous, after reading about it on the

Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world’s most popular authors, with over 650 million copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include Dangerous Games, The Mistress, The Award, Rushing Waters, Magic, The Apartment, Property of a Noblewoman, and other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina’s life and death; A Gift of Hope, a memoir of her work with the homeless; Pure Joy, about the dogs she and her family have loved; and the children’s books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood.

Praise for Danielle Steel

Steel is one of the best! Los Angeles Times

Few modern writers convey the pathos of family and material life with such heartfelt empathy. The Philadelphia Inquirer

Steel pulls out all the emotional stops. . . . She delivers! Publishers Weekly

What counts for the reader is the ring of authenticity. San Francisco Chronicle