by Amy Reade
When the week came to a close, I was exhausted. Heath ordered takeout and he and I ate a quiet dinner on his patio. Evie had to work through dinner that evening, so it would have just been me, Graydon, Vivian, and Ruby in the dining room. Having dinner with Heath—just the two of us—was a much more appealing option.
We went for a short walk around the property after dinner. Addie joined us, jumping and barking the entire way. She would run off, then return, then repeat her antics. Heath left me at the front door of the manor. He wrapped me in a huge hug before kissing me and letting me go inside. I was going to miss him while I visited Lucy, but I was so excited to be spending the weekend with her that I could think of little else.
I left very late that night. I sped along the interstate to my parents’ house in the total darkness with no other cars to keep me company. My thoughts kept returning to Harlan and his plan for Peppernell Manor. It didn’t seem right to have the house and property managed by some impersonal group of people who were only interested in a return on their investment. I also needed to have a discussion with Graydon regarding his ideas for the slave cabins. The more I thought about it, the more I really wanted to get my hands on those slave cabins and restore them to their original condition and appearance. If Graydon consented to the restoration, I would have a heart-to-heart with Phyllis and try again to make her understand how crucial it was to preserve such important remnants of American history. Transforming those old cabins into a gift shop was unthinkable and, in my opinion, a desecration of the manor’s past.
I pulled into my parents’ driveway midmorning and was greeted by Lucy flinging herself out the front door and into my arms. I caught her up and spun her around, as happy as I’d ever been. I had missed her very much while I was back at Peppernell Manor, but I hadn’t realized just how much until she was with me again. Lucy and I and my parents spent the day together, taking walks and swimming.
The next day the four of us went to a state park. We spent hours there, taking a short hike and enjoying a picnic. We took a boat ride to see the manatees lounging in the warm water, and Lucy was thrilled to see the slow, lumbering sea cows. She was delighted to watch them devouring fat heads of lettuce and leafy bunches of beets and carrots. I was sorry when our time at the park ended, because it meant I would be leaving soon to return to South Carolina. Lucy and I read a couple of books while my mother made dinner, and we enjoyed our visit together until it was time for me to head back to the manor. I promised to return soon, and I left with tears in my eyes. Lucy, in my father’s arms, waved at me until I turned the corner, and I let myself pull over and cry for a few minutes before continuing on my trip.
I turned down the allée of Peppernell Manor at dawn. With only a short time to sleep before I needed to get to work in the sitting room, I went straight upstairs and fell into bed.
A few hours later I was eating breakfast when Heath walked into the kitchen. He smiled and scooped me up from the table and wrapped his long arms around me.
“I sure missed you,” he said into my hair. “I didn’t realize how much I would miss you until you were gone!”
He held me away from him and stared at me for a few moments. I could feel my cheeks getting hot. “I missed you, too,” I told him.
He gathered me to his chest again. “Don’t leave without me anymore, okay?”
I gave him a big smile. “Whatever you say.”
“What are you working on today?”
“I need to get started in the small sitting room next to the ballroom. I have the paint and I’ve prepped the walls, so I’m going to start painting this morning. Have you seen the ballroom?” I was eager to hear his thoughts.
He cocked an eyebrow at me. “Maybe I’m just too traditional, but it’s about the brightest room I ever saw. Gran picked that out?”
I grinned. “She sure did. And the funny thing is, that is a traditional color for a ballroom. So many places now are painted in pastels and neutrals that bold colors look out of place sometimes, but bold colors were very popular when this house was built. Cora-Camille wanted to go back to the manor’s roots.”
“Well, if that’s what she wanted, she sure got it,” he said and smiled. “What color is the sitting room going to be? I almost hate to ask.”
I laughed. “I think you’ll like it. At least you’ll like it more than the ballroom. It’s going to be a light shade of coral. Almost like a pink.”
He winked at me. “We’ll see. Now, not to change the subject, but will you have time to go out to lunch with me today?”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I took the whole weekend off to see Lucy, and now I’m feeling the pressure to get the walls started in the sitting room. I have to finish the walls and the trim, do the floors in the ballroom and sitting room, and finish the entry hall before the holidays start. They’ll be here before I know it.”
“Okay. I’ll be here for dinner, then. How’s Lucy?”
I smiled. “She’s having a great time with my parents. And I think they’re having just as much fun as she is. I can’t wait to bring her back here.”
He smiled back at me. “I’m glad you got a chance to see her. I’ll talk to you later.” He left then and I got to work in the sitting room. The paint was indeed a delicate and soothing shade and actually complemented the color of the ballroom nicely. My plan, in keeping with Cora-Camille’s wishes, was to keep the sitting room simple and free of “fuss,” as she called decorative adornments. I was able to paint the entire room with a first coat before hurrying upstairs to shower before dinner.
All six of us were there for dinner that night—Graydon, Vivian, Heath, Evie, Ruby, and me. The atmosphere was slightly livelier than it had been before I left for Florida. Vivian wanted to talk about the ballroom, which she loved. I sat next to her and we discussed ways to decorate the ballroom for her Christmas open house. Graydon listened to our chatter briefly and decided he’d rather talk to Heath about the farm. He did give his blessing to the color of the ballroom, but he said he would need some time to get used to it. Ruby liked it. She said the color was happy and cheerful. She even chimed in with some ideas of her own for the open house, such as what types of finger foods should be served. She indicated that she would love to be involved in cooking the desserts. I thought they were good ideas, but Vivian tactfully indicated her distaste for Ruby’s input, saying that she hadn’t decided whether the entire party should be catered by professionals . I don’t know if Ruby felt the sting of Vivian’s rejection, but if she did, she didn’t show it.
After dinner Heath and I went for a walk. I steered him over to the slave cabins and we went inside the first one we came to.
“How long has it been since you’ve been in one of these cabins?” I asked him.
“A long time,” he replied absently, looking slowly around at the inside of the tiny dwelling.
“Is this the way you remember it?”
“Yeah, but it’s a little more run-down than the last time I was in here. And there are more leaves and twigs in the corners.”
“I like visiting these cabins. They’re so quiet. They’re so different from all the fancy trimmings in the manor house,” I said. Heath reached for my hand and we walked out the door into the South Carolina twilight. The soft scent of pine wafted around us as we wandered slowly among the cabins.
“Not many people would choose to come out and visit these old slave quarters to find quiet. They’d go to the river or out on the veranda. That’s one of the many things I love about you. You’re so connected to history. You have a strong sense of place and respect for things that no longer exist. Are you sure you weren’t born in the South?”
I smiled at him. “Do you think I’m spontaneous?”
He looked surprised. “I guess I never really thought about it. I don’t know . . . it’s probably not a word I would use to describe you. Why do you ask?”
I blushed. “It’s silly, really. My ex-husband accused me of not being spontaneous.”
“Y
ou say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“He said I was boring.”
“Now wait a minute. Just because you’re not spontaneous doesn’t mean you’re boring. I happen to think you’re exciting. You’re smart, you’re fun, and you’re a wonderful mother to that little girl of yours. Spontaneity is not all it’s cracked up to be, if you ask me. Maybe your ex-husband needs to grow up a little.”
It was as if Heath knew exactly what I wanted to hear, but more than that, I knew he was telling me the truth. He really didn’t care that I wasn’t wild and unpredictable. He seemed to like me just the way I was. His next words confirmed it.
“I love you, Carleigh. Just the way you are.”
I was speechless for a moment. I looked up at his handsome face, those dark eyes looking at me from behind his tortoiseshell glasses.
“I love you, too, Heath.”
CHAPTER 14
I floated on air the next several days. I worked steadily in a happy fog, completing the walls of the sitting room and beginning the floors in both the ballroom and the sitting room. Vivian and Graydon were pleased with my progress and Vivian began planning her holiday open house in earnest. One evening as we gathered in the dining room for dinner, I noticed that there were two extra places set at the table. I knew Heath was in his office in Charleston, working late on a case that was going to trial, so he wouldn’t be around.
I nodded at the extra place settings and asked Evie, “Who’s joining us for dinner?”
She shrugged. “I have no idea. No one told me anything.”
Graydon came in then and sat down. “Girls, why are you standing around?”
“There are two extra spots at the table and we were just wondering who’s going to be here besides us,” answered Evie.
“Oh. I don’t know. Maybe your mother invited some friends over. Sit down. You’re making me nervous.”
Evie smiled at her father. We sat down and waited for Ruby, Vivian, and the dinner guests. Ruby came downstairs shortly and took her place at the table, and then we heard the front door open. Along with Vivian’s, we could hear other voices, but I didn’t recognize them. Vivian swept into the room and beckoned to the people standing behind her in the doorway.
“Graydon, I’d like you to meet James and Abigail, two of the people that were part of Harlan’s Peppernell Manor investment group. I thought it was high time that we had a talk with them about the manor and its property and what the plans are for it. As far as the group is concerned, that is.”
I quickly looked at Evie, who was staring at her mother. Graydon betrayed nothing, though I suspected that he wished Vivian had informed him of this meeting. He stood up, smiling, and shook hands firmly with James and Abigail. He then introduced the rest of us at the table. He insisted upon small talk and friendly conversation during dinner, then when Phyllis had served dessert he finally asked James and Abigail what the investment group had in mind for Peppernell Manor.
James answered first. “As you know, it was Harlan’s vision to convert this property to a commercial destination. The group is interested in furthering his goal by possibly looking into having an inn on the property, as well as a restaurant and a small conference or event center.”
“That’s right. Our preliminary research has shown that there is a desire in this area for a facility that can host intimate parties, weddings, corporate retreats, and other events. Not large ones, mind you, but fairly small ones,” Abigail added.
Vivian was beaming. “Graydon, doesn’t that sound wonderful? Imagine Peppernell Manor used as a backdrop for social events and weddings! I think it’s a delightful idea!” she gushed.
“This is where we live.”
The words came from Ruby. She hadn’t spoken since James and Abigail had been introduced, and I think we had all forgotten she was there.
James and Abigail clearly didn’t know how to respond to her statement.
“Well,” James began, looking to Vivian for help, “well, don’t you agree that it would be nice if other people could use Peppernell Manor for important events?”
“No.”
“But they would pay for such a privilege, and your family would be the beneficiaries of some of that money. A little bit extra never hurt anyone.”
Ruby stared at him without speaking.
Vivian jumped in, apparently trying to help James. “Ruby, we obviously wouldn’t use the main house for the bed and breakfast. We’d continue to live here and build the inn elsewhere on the property.”
Ruby ignored her and turned her attention to Graydon. “You know this isn’t the way Mother wanted her home to be used.”
“Well, I think it’s only fair to at least consider what these people have to say.”
“What about the farm? What about the cabins? What about all the other special buildings, like the carriage house and the barn?”
“That’s what we need to hear them talk about, Ruby,” Graydon answered.
She sat sullenly in her chair like a chastised child. James continued. “We think the carriage house would be a perfect spot for a small restaurant.”
I raised my eyebrows. Heath’s home. They couldn’t turn that into a restaurant! I desperately wanted to say something, but it wasn’t my place. I wasn’t part of the family and this wasn’t my home. I looked beseechingly at Evie. She cleared her throat.
“Daddy, don’t you think that Heath should be here to listen to these plans? After all, it’s his house they’re talking about.”
Graydon rubbed his eyes. “Yes, Evie. I think you’re right. Vivian, we can’t make any decisions without Heath.”
Abigail hastened to chime in. “You understand, of course, that these are just preliminary discussions. We’re not looking to have anyone move out yet.” I exchanged glances with Evie. Yet? “Harlan talked to the group about it a little bit, but we never had the opportunity to learn more about the property before his untimely death.”
Vivian didn’t seem to know when to stop talking. “James,” she began, “tell Graydon what your ideas are for those awful cabins.”
“Yes. Well, we had a look at those cabins and they are not in good shape, obviously. If we tore them down and replaced them with a shop, we could sell all kinds of Peppernell Manor–themed gifts in there. Heck, we could even sell pieces of the old cabins, and photos, too. People love that kind of thing. The shop could be the same shape as the current cabins, but of a much larger size.”
I found myself staring at James, mouth agape. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I tried to catch Graydon’s eye. After what felt like an eternity, he finally looked at me.
“Oh, yes.” He cleared his throat. “Carleigh is living here while she works on restoring the manor to the way it was back in the 1800s. She’s got an idea for the slave cabins, too.”
Vivian made a scoffing noise. “She wants to restore them. I don’t think anyone cares about them. I certainly don’t.”
James looked from me to Graydon. Ruby spoke again.
“What about Phyllis and Sarah?”
James and Abigail looked at each other, obviously wondering who Phyllis and Sarah were, while Vivian wheeled on Ruby.
“Do not mention that woman’s name again, Ruby,” she seethed between thin lips.
“Which one?” Ruby asked.
“I was referring to Phyllis’s ancestor,” Vivian answered tightly. She turned to James and Abigail and said, “You’ve already met Phyllis. She’s just the woman who served your dinner.”
James and Abigail looked thoroughly confused, but they wisely did not ask about Sarah.
James made a display of looking at his watch. “I didn’t realize it was getting so late. Abigail, we should probably get going.” They thanked Vivian and Graydon for a delicious meal and shook hands with Evie, Ruby, and me again.
After they had left, Phyllis came into the dining room to clear away the dessert plates. She looked darkly at Vivian, who noticed.
“Don’t be impertinent, Phyllis,” Vivian w
arned. “I assume you were listening, and I don’t want to hear one word. You’ve already made your views known. Well, let there be no mistake. You are the help in this house, and no more. We will do what we feel is best for our family and for Peppernell Manor. If that means your apartment and those awful cabins are torn down, then so be it. You’ll just have to find another place to live.”
Phyllis said nothing and left the room. We all looked at Vivian, shocked at her words. I didn’t think there was much love lost between Vivian and Phyllis, but this was unexpected.
Graydon put his hand on Vivian’s. “Viv, you and I need to talk about a few things. First, you cannot speak to Phyllis like that. I’ll go talk to her. I hope she doesn’t quit after your outburst, because she’s needed around here. And second, don’t ever invite those people here again without warning me first.”
Vivian let out a “humph” and stormed out of the dining room. The rest of us sat in silence, staring at one another. After a few moments Graydon got up and walked into the kitchen. Ruby followed. Evie and I sat there a while longer, lingering over our coffee.
“Wow,” was all Evie said.