Charming Lily

by Fern Michaels

  Ever.

  The engine of the Mini Cooper turned over and Alexis drove down the road to the highway. Another glance at her watch told her she had just enough time to make it to McLean. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. It would be good to see the sisters again.

  As she drove away, Alexis noticed for the first time that spring had really arrived. The trees were dressed in their fledgling greenery and here and there she could see flower buds. Spring. A new beginning. She crossed her fingers the way she had when she was a child. Maybe this spring would be a new beginning for her.

  As the miles ticked by, Alexis settled herself more comfortably in the driver’s seat. She felt better already.

  Myra Rutledge, Charles at her side, stood under the portico and watched as the cars inched their way through the open gates. Her smile rivaled the sun. “They’re here, Charles! Every single one of them. I was so afraid they might have second thoughts. They look wonderful, don’t they? I love the way they poke one another and make each other laugh. I am so relieved that they all get along just like real flesh and blood sisters.”

  Charles beamed. “Love, they are beyond wonderful. Julia looks particularly good, don’t you think?”

  “For now, she’s in remission, but yes, she looks wonderful, just awfully thin. Look how they’re all smiling, Charles. That means they’re glad to be here. Turn off the power to the gate. We don’t want any intruders today.” Myra’s voice dropped to a whisper when she said, “Nikki didn’t say anything about . . .”

  “No, Nikki didn’t mention Assistant District Attorney Jack Emery at all. I didn’t want to open any old wounds by asking. They broke off their personal relationship and Nikki is touchy on the subject of Jack Emery.”

  “A district attorney prowling around here with binoculars makes me worry, Charles. I know Nikki is still in love with him. I also know Jack Emery is not going to give up. He suspects that we were responsible for Marie Llewellyn’s disappearance, a case that had nothing to do with the Sisterhood. He told Nikki so. That’s why the two of them are estranged. They were on opposite sides of that case. He’s trying to . . . to ... get the goods on us, Charles.”

  Charles patted Myra’s hand. “Not to worry, my dear. That will never happen. I want you to trust me.”

  Myra stared into Charles’s bright blue eyes. God, how she loved this man, her daughter’s father. “I do, Charles. I do. Now, let’s welcome our new little family.

  “Girls! Girls! Welcome back to Pinewood! Charles prepared lunch for all of us and we’ll have it on the patio. Oh, how I’ve missed you,” she said, opening her arms wide to gather all the young women close.

  Murphy, Kathryn’s dog, barked sharply for attention. Myra laughed. “You, too, Murphy. Charles fixed you a special treat.” The big shepherd literally purred at her words.

  For a sneak preview of Nikki’s story

  from another Sisterhood Series book,

  read the tantalizing excerpt of

  THE JURY

  (Zebra, 2006)

  Prologue

  Nikki Quinn opened her eyes and groaned at the bright sunlight shining through her bedroom window. Normally she closed the blinds before getting into bed, but last night she’d consumed way too much wine. Couple that with her frenzied state of mind and she was down for the count. If you added Jack Emery to the mix, she was nothing short of a basket case.

  She rolled over and squeezed her eyes shut. Her cheek touched the damp pillow. Damn, she’d cried in her sleep again. What was wrong with her? She was tougher than this. She shouldn’t be falling apart emotionally like she was.

  Temples throbbing, Nikki swung her legs over the side of the bed. She gripped the edge of the mattress before she got up to make her way to the shower. A nice hot shower, then a laser-like cold one and she should be up and running. Coffee and juice would add the final touch so she could get on with the day.

  Get on with the day? Just what the hell did that mean lately? She’d lost her teaching job at Georgetown University. Her twelve-member all-female law firm, which she’d started up years ago with Myra Rutledge’s help, was thriving but these days, with things going as they were, she didn’t spend much time at the firm. Madeline Barrows did a wonderful job of managing everything in her absence. Still, she missed the routine, missed court, missed her colleagues.

  As the hot, steamy spray pelted her body, Nikki’s thoughts took her back in time to when Myra Rutledge, her adoptive mother and heiress to a Fortune 500 candy company, had come up with the brilliant idea of forming the Sisterhood so that she could avenge her daughter’s death . . .

  Water cascaded over Nikki’s head like a waterfall. Once, a long time ago, she and Jack had picnicked at a wonderful spot in Pennsylvania where there was a waterfall. They’d frolicked like little kids and then made love behind the sheer curtain of water . . .

  All she had now were those memories, because Jack Emery was determined to put her and the other members of the Sisterhood in prison. So far, though, she and the sisters had remained one step ahead of the former assistant district attorney. Lost love was so very painful.

  Nikki stepped out of the shower, toweled herself dry and then brushed her teeth.

  It was June. A month for weddings. She and Jack were supposed to get married a year ago in June. But that never happened and probably never would happen now. She thought about the wedding gown hanging in her closet and how beautiful it was. Tears gathered in her eyes.

  Memory Lane was not a good road for her to travel these days. She needed to move on. In fact, she thought she had until recently, when the Sisterhood had convened and her name had been chosen for their next revenge mission. She’d been so startled that she hadn’t said a word. When they formed the Sisterhood it had been her understanding that she was there for legal counsel. While she belonged, she wasn’t a true sister—she hadn’t been wronged by the judicial system. And now she had to come up with a wrong that needed to be made right. The only problem was, the only wrong thing in her life was Jack Emery. There was no way she could turn Jack over to the Sisterhood. Because . . . because . . . she still loved him.

  Nikki felt lower than a snake’s belly as she dressed in a lime-green sundress with appliquéd sunflowers on the oversized patch pockets. Matching sandals completed her outfit. Her mind raced as she struggled to come up with a solution to her immediate problem.

  Was she a member of the Sisterhood or not? Yes and no. She’d taken part in Kathryn’s, Julia’s and Myra’s missions. She’d been an active participant each time. That alone proved she was a true sister. And now it was her turn to exact a revenge on her own behalf. If she didn’t go with Jack as her mission, she would betray the others. She knew they would show her no mercy if she balked.

  Nikki locked the door of her town house and walked to the parking lot and her BMW. She needed to talk to Myra and Charles and she needed to do it now before she drove herself insane. She had her cell phone in her hand even before she drove out of the parking lot.

  “Madeline, it’s Nikki. I’m on my way to Pinewood. Is everything OK? How’s our new lawyer working out?”

  “It’s only been ten days, Nikki. She’s had a few walk-ins but no cases that need to be litigated.”

  “I hear a ‘but’ coming. Spit it out, Maddie. Do you think I made a mistake hiring her?”

  “No. But she’s very aggressive, Nikki. Exceptionally so. She’s stepped on a few toes, but has apologized. I explained the pecking order to her. She didn’t take it well. I think she’ll do fine but she needs to be watched. When are you coming in?”

  “I don’t know, Maddie. I have some things to take care of. I turned two of my cases over to Janice. I’ve got a clean plate for the time being. I’m thinking about taking a vacation. I need to get away.”

  “Nikki, why don’t you just patch it up with Jack?” Maddie asked in a motherly tone.

  “Easier said than done. Keep your eye on Allison. If it starts to look sticky, call me and I’ll fire her. I don’t wa
nt anything to upset the harmony we have in the office.”

  “Will do, kiddo. Have a nice day.”

  Nikki clicked off her cell phone. Had she made a mistake hiring Allison Banks? With so much on her mind it was entirely possible. She gave a mental shrug as she steered the BMW by rote.

  Fifty minutes later, after filling her gas tank and getting a cup of coffee, Nikki barreled through the gates of Pinewood. By the time she parked the car and got out, she could see Myra leaning over the terrace railing.

  “Darling, how wonderful to see you! Charles and I are having a late breakfast here on the terrace. Join us.”

  Nikki entered the house, walked down two hallways to a set of French doors and then out to the terrace. It felt good to be hugged, to be kissed by someone who cared about her. She bit down on her lip as she fought to keep her tears in check.

  “Sit down, dear. Orange juice?”

  Nikki nodded as Charles poured coffee from an elaborate silver coffee pot. A plate of croissants and melon sat in the middle of the table. If she had to eat either one, Nikki knew she’d choke.

  Charles sat down, his eyes full of concern. “Tell us what’s bothering you, Nikki. You look like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

  Nikki looked from one to the other. How dear they were to her. She blinked. “I feel like . . . like I’m in the Sisterhood under false pretenses. When we started the organization I thought I was just to be legal counsel and help in whatever way I could. I didn’t have a wrong that needed to be made right, other than losing Barbara, and we already avenged her death. Now it’s my turn and I really don’t have a mission. I know the others are expecting me to choose Jack and I simply can’t do that. I can’t, Myra. That doesn’t mean I want to leave the Sisterhood. I don’t. I just want a pass.”

  Myra frowned. How she loved this young woman who was sitting across from her. She was so tortured, so driven. “That’s doable, dear. Why don’t you go away for a while? Take a nice, really long vacation. Go to the islands, soak in the sun, splash in the water, eat and sleep when you feel like it. The main reason I’m suggesting this is that we will not be reconvening at the end of June, when we were expecting Julia to return. Her doctor called last night and said her last blood test wasn’t as good as they would have liked. It seems he wants to keep her a little longer. It’s all still very positive, though. Her departure has been moved back till the end of August. Julia is disappointed but her health is the main concern. We called the others early this morning and all the girls are OK with moving our next mission back to September or even October. I called you, too, dear, but you had already left. So, you see, you’re free to take a nice long vacation. Charles can arrange everything.”

  Nikki digested the information. She felt a sense of relief, but it was short-lived. Taking a vacation was fine but she would have to return eventually and deal with the problem of Jack Emery. You couldn’t put a Band-Aid on a severed artery. But as a short-term reprieve, the idea appealed to her.

  “Jack?” Nikki said flatly.

  Myra looked out across the newly mowed lawn and all the colorful flowerbeds. “Your revenge is yours, dear. If you want to, as you say, take a pass, then that has to be your decision. I think you need some private time to get things clear in your head. What do you think?”

  “The firm? I don’t know, Myra. Maybe a few days, but there’s so much going on I’m not sure I can take an extended vacation.”

  “Darling girl, you told me yourself Maddie runs the firm with a strong hand. You also told me you turned your pending cases over to Janice. There’s nothing standing in your way to prevent you taking an extended vacation—unless it’s Jack.”

  Charles fiddled with the collar of his shirt. “Might I take this moment to tell you how tired and drawn you look, Nikki? You’ve been burning the candle at both ends and dealing with Mr. Emery at the same time. That alone would take a toll on anyone. I agree with Myra; a vacation is a good idea, my dear.”

  Nikki clenched her teeth. “Is that an order?”

  Myra leaned across the table to take Nikki’s hands in hers. “Actually dear, it is.”

  A blue jay swooped down on the terrace before he settled on the iron railing to squawk his displeasure over something. Charles shredded a croissant and dropped it over the railing. The blue jay flew off, still squawking.

  They were right and Nikki knew it. “All right, make the arrangements.”

  Myra and Charles smiled. In spite of herself, Nikki laughed.

  “What shall it be, the islands or the mountains?”

  “The islands. I’ll leave the day after tomorrow. I need to go shopping. I think I’ll leave now and get a head start.”

  “What about Mr. Emery, dear?” Myra asked.

  “I doubt he’ll be joining me, Myra. He’s allergic to sun and sand. Will you call and keep me updated on the others, especially Julia?”

  “Yes, of course. Myra and I decided a little while ago to take a road trip. We also have the Truckers’ Ball to look forward to. I think taking the summer off is a good thing for all of us. Alexis is getting settled back into her little house and enjoying the company of her dog. Isabelle has a few new clients to take care of and this is Yoko’s busy time at the nursery. Kathryn said she has several west-coast deliveries to make. We’ll reconvene on the first of September,” Charles said.

  “Then it’s settled. I’m off.”

  A round of hugs and kisses followed.

  Myra played with her hands as she watched her adopted daughter drive through the gates. “I’m worried about Nikki, Charles. Young love is so . . . sad sometimes. She’ll be all right, won’t she?”

  “Nikki will be fine. Everything came down on her shoulders at once, but she can handle it. Right now she needs to fall back and regroup . . . I have an idea, Myra. Let’s go riding. I saw something the other day at the Barringtons’ farm that I didn’t understand. I’d like to check out their horses. Are you up for a morning ride? And how about a picnic?”

  “That’s a wonderful idea, Charles. Let me change while you make the picnic food.”

  “Now, how did I know you were going to say that?”

  Myra looked up and twinkled. “Because you know me better than any other person in the whole world. You’re right about the Barringtons’ horses, too.”

  “Scat. Whatever it is, we’ll make it right.”

  “I love you, dear.”

  “You’re just saying that so I won’t make egg salad for our picnic.”

  Myra laughed as she sashayed her way into the house. “That too,” she said, laughing.

  One

  The smoky scent of burning leaves hung in the autumn air as Myra paced back and forth. The day was cool, the way the last days of September usually were in Virginia. She hugged her arms to her chest, her pace picking up each time she circled the terrace. She stopped twice to pluck a yellowing leaf from the clay pots of crimson chrysanthemums that lined the terrace. Charles watched Myra from his position in his favorite Adirondack chair. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his lady love so agitated, so frustrated.

  “We should have called Nikki when all of this first happened. She is the president of the Virginia Equestrian Society. She may never forgive us, Charles. She’s as headstrong as Barbara was. Surely you remember what that was like. You know how Nikki feels about animals, especially horses. Sending her off to that private island in the middle of nowhere, virtually incommunicado, might not have been such a good idea after all. I know, I know, she was on the verge of a breakdown and needed to get her head straight. But how are we going to tell her what’s going on? We need to bring her back home. Better yet, have the plane readied and I’ll go personally to fetch her.”

  Myra plopped down in a matching chair, her arms and legs at all angles, proof that she was so upset she didn’t care how unladylike she appeared.

  “Myra, listen to me,” Charles said soothingly. “Nikki was in a bad emotional state when we sent her off t
o the island and she knew it. She was more than willing to go, to take time off so that she could get back on an even keel. She understood the rules—no contact with the office, no contact with Jack Emery and contact with us only once a month. She also understood your phone calls would deal only with pleasantries. She agreed, Myra, to take time off, to go away. It was her idea in the first place. I don’t want you blaming yourself for any of this. Nikki knew back in May that she was teetering on the edge and she knew we only wanted what was best for her. If she’d been here when all of this happened, she would have teetered off that shaky ledge she was standing on. She’s healthy and strong now. She’ll be able to handle this.”

  Myra’s voice rose shrilly. “This, this, this! Why don’t we give this a name, Charles?”

  Charles’s voice was still soothing and calm. “Because talking about this upsets you. You’re screaming at me, Myra. I’m going down to the war room to call my people and arrange Nikki’s return home. She’s ready to return, she told us so on Sunday when we spoke to her.”

  “I want to be the one to bring her back, Charles. No matter what you say, I still feel like this is all my fault.”

  Charles stood up and clicked his tongue. “It is not your fault, Myra. In fact, the equestrian world has you to thank for bringing the situation to light. And, no, Nikki does not need her mommy to bring her home. She left on her own because she’s a big girl, and she’s going to return the same way: a big girl.”

  “Those are just words, Charles. We live next door to the Barringtons and we had no clue that they were starving those beautiful horses. I still can’t believe seven of those magnificent animals died because we didn’t get to them in time. What kind of people allow animals to starve to death? And the miserable court system, which failed me after Barbara’s death, failed me again when the judge ruled the horses should remain under the Barringtons’ care. Those people are monsters and they’re walking around as free as the air they breathe. All thanks to that . . . that . . . twit from Nikki’s firm who represented them in court. Nikki would never have allowed that to happen if she had been here. Maddie must have been asleep at the switch.”