by Cora Seton
Nora bit her lip. “I’ve looked. There’s nothing suitable. And what about the kids I left behind?”
“Won’t they already have a new teacher? It seems pretty disruptive to change things a second time. I had a teacher go on maternity leave one year when I was a kid. It shook everything up when the new teacher came in. Then, just when we got used to her, the first one came back. Talk about confusion.”
Boone had to hand it to him, Clay was thinking on his feet.
“Riley and the others are going to be pretty upset if you leave,” Boone added. He touched her arm. “Maybe you should give Westfield another chance. What do you think? At least until you know for sure what you want to do next?”
He held his breath waiting for her answer. He had a feeling Clay was, too. His friend couldn’t keep his eyes off of Nora. So much for pairing him with Savannah.
“Why do you care what I do?”
That was the Nora Boone recognized. He held his breath, wondering how Clay would react.
“For purely selfish reasons.” Clay flashed her a thousand-watt smile. “I’m about to live in close quarters with three other guys. Cut me a break if I’m hungry for a glimpse of a pretty woman now and then.”
Nora rolled her eyes, but a smile quirked her lips too. “Maybe you’re right. It would be stupid to run away. I should at least talk to the others first.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re caught in a tough situation,” Clay said softly. He took the suitcase from Nora’s hand. “Come on, we’ll take you home. You can use me as a sounding board. Maybe I can help.”
“Thanks.”
Boone breathed a sigh of relief as he picked up the bags that Clay had left behind. Jericho fell in beside him and they followed them out to his truck.
Disaster averted.
For now.
AS HARD AS the work had been, Riley felt a sense of real accomplishment when she stood back and gazed at a week’s worth of their clothing and linens hanging on the long clothesline that stretched between two stout wooden posts in the side yard. Her hands were cramped and red, her work dress soaked, and her hair hung in damp tendrils around her face, but she’d done it.
She wondered if Nora was feeling any better. Riley certainly hoped so—nothing would be the same if she gave up and left.
She turned a suspicious eye toward the west where some innocent looking white cumulous clouds had taken on a darker hue. If rain threatened, she’d have to move all the damp clothing inside and hang it down in the basement. They’d cleaned the space, but it was still dank and a little frightening. She didn’t look forward to moving the heavy wet laundry and hoped the rain would hold off.
Something else caught her eye when she headed back to the fire and the heavy pots of water sitting near it. Puffs of dirt far off told her some vehicle was moving down the driveway toward her. Boone back from the airport. She didn’t want any of the men to see her like this. Instead of tipping over the pots and cleaning up her mess, she hurried into the house and up the stairs to her room. She was struggling out of her wet dress when Savannah found her.
“Need help?” She asked with a laugh.
“Yes. Hurry!”
“Why?” She helped tug the dress over Riley’s head.
Riley bit her lip. She didn’t want to say, but Savannah went on. “Let me guess. Boone’s coming?”
“I’m not doing this for Boone.”
“Of course not.”
Riley knew she wasn’t fooling anyone. She appreciated that Savannah didn’t tease her about it. She fetched the dress she wanted from the closet and Savannah helped pull it over her head. She did up the fastenings and patted Riley’s shoulder. “Do your hair, quick. I’ll run down and greet him.”
“He’s bringing friends home from the airport.”
“More Navy SEALs? I’m on my way!”
Chapter Ten
‡
“NOW, THAT’S A house. I’d forgotten how big Westfield is,” Clay said when they pulled up in front of the manor.
“It’s ridiculously inefficient,” Boone reminded him. What was it about Westfield that sucked everyone in? He supposed it was the stone façade, its regal bearing perched atop the rise of ground, and the craftsmanship that had gone into building it.
“It’s ridiculously beautiful, you mean,” Nora said pertly. “You should see it inside,” she added to Clay.
“I’d love to. It’s got great lines. That stone work is amazing.”
“I’d like to see it, too,” Jericho put in.
“Do you know how much it will take to heat this house in a few months?” Boone said, stung by his friends’ betrayal.
“I didn’t say I wanted to move in,” Jericho said. “I was just admiring…hello!”
Boone suppressed a smile at Jericho’s reaction as Savannah burst out of the front door and skipped down the steps, her skirts swirling around her. He was zero for two as far as his matchmaking went, but that didn’t matter, as long as each of his friends found a bride.
“That can’t be Riley,” Jericho said, leaning forward for a better look.
“That’s Savannah,” Nora answered before Boone could. “She’s pretty, isn’t she?”
Clay shrugged. “I prefer brunettes.”
Boone decided to encourage his friends’ interest in the manor, after all. “You two should check the place out. You’ll see immediately what I mean about inefficiencies, though.”
“Would you show me around?” Clay asked Nora. He opened his door, climbed out, and turned to hand her out of the cab.
“I’d be glad to. First I’d better change, though.”
“Nora! Riley said you were out for a walk. What are you doing with Boone—and why are you dressed—” Savannah put her hands on her hips. “You ran away.”
Nora nodded. “But I came back.”
“Thank God.” Savannah rushed to embrace her. Boone stepped away to give them some space. Clay and Jericho followed him.
“Is Savannah seeing someone?” Jericho asked, lowering his voice.
“As far as I know, she’s fair game.” Boone clapped him on the back. “Go for it.” He saw Nora pull away from her friend and hurry toward the house. “Let’s see about that tour.”
Savannah waited for them. “Nora needs to change, so why don’t we go inside and have a cup of tea?” She led the way through the door toward the back of the house. When they reached the kitchen, they found Avery. Boone made the introductions. “Savannah, Avery, these are my good friends and fellow Navy SEALs, Clay Pickett and Jericho Cook. They’ve come to help me set up our sustainable community.”
“Nice to meet you.” Savannah curtsied prettily.
“Yes, nice to meet you.” Avery smiled at both men coquettishly, but Boone could see the war had been lost already. Clay kept looking down the hall to see if Nora was coming back. Jericho had eyes for no one but Savannah.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Clay said. He bowed over Avery’s hand, then Savannah’s.
Jericho took his turn, but it was Savannah’s hand he lingered over. Boone saw Avery take that in and frown.
“I hope you two are more amenable to music and dancing than Boone is,” Savannah said. “The Russells offered us a musical evening soon. I’m not sure Boone was interested.”
“Who are the Russells?” Clay asked.
“Wait until you see them.” Boone took in the affronted expressions on the ladies’ faces and backtracked. “Nicest people you’ll ever know, but they’ve been bitten by the Austen bug.”
“I can’t blame them. I have to admit it’s tempting,” Jericho said with a smile for Savannah. “I’d love to hear more about your plans.”
“Me, too,” Clay said.
That was all it took for Savannah and Avery to launch into a detailed description of their Regency lives. Boone was relieved when Riley appeared in the doorway. She’d changed out of her work dress into a simple but pretty gown he’d seen her in the week before. She’d fixed her hair, too, but her
cheeks were flushed with exertion. She came to greet Clay and Jericho, executing the same little curtsy the others had. “Clay, Jericho. Good to see you again.”
Boone saw the uncertainty in her eyes and he was glad when both of his friends greeted her warmly—without any teasing.
“Good to see you, too, Riley,” Clay said and gave her a quick hug. “I was sorry to hear about your grandparents.”
“Me, too,” Jericho said. He embraced Riley, too, and she relaxed.
“It was hard when they went, but it’s been a long time. I’m just glad I’m here.”
“We’re glad, too,” Jericho said. His gaze slid to Savannah again.
“I’m also glad Boone isn’t the only man on the property anymore. You don’t know what we’ve had to put up with so far,” Riley said, getting bolder.
“I can guess.” Clay smiled. “Don’t worry, honey. We’ll protect you from the big, bad wolf here.” He clapped a hand on Boone’s shoulder. Boone shook him off. “Savannah’s been telling me all about the musical evening that the Russells have suggested. Sounds like fun.”
“We’ll definitely attend,” Jericho said.
“Everyone ready for tea?” Avery took the kettle off the hook where it had hung over the fire, filled a teapot and once the tea had steeped, she poured a cup for each of them.
Tea in the large kitchen was pleasant, but Boone doubted the women would want the fire going when the summer heated up. He suspected they’d go back to using their modern stove then. Still, it intrigued him they liked to experiment with old-fashioned techniques. Maybe the sustainable methods they used down at Base Camp would interest them, too.
When Nora returned, back in her Regency gown, Clay’s face lit up and Boone caught the other women exchanging a surprised glance. Riley’s lips pinched together and he could almost see her digging in her heels for a fight.
Time for a tactical retreat. He set his teacup down, even though he’d only taken a sip or two, and clapped Clay on the back. “We’d better go.”
“But—”
“Both of you. We’ve got work to do.”
“ALL I’M SAYING is I don’t want to leave when our six months is up,” Avery said late that afternoon as Nora took her turn with the cell phone.
“I know what you mean,” Riley said as she gathered up her painting supplies. She’d had far more luck today and had actually applied paint to canvas now that she had a few sketches she liked. She loved the feel of her brushes in her hand and was happy with the results. Trying to recapture some of the confidence of her college days, she’d painted in thick, broad, curving strokes, bringing motion to a windswept landscape reminiscent of the one out their windows.
She wondered if it was time to break the news of her engagement to her friends. Maybe it was time for them to have a conversation about their long-term plans. She needed to warn them about Jericho and Clay, too, although she figured she might be too late.
“We’d need to find work if we wanted to stay,” Nora said.
“I looked at job listings for Chance Creek when I had the phone, but there aren’t many,” Avery told her.
“I searched for teaching jobs yesterday,” Nora said. “There’s one for sixth grade, but that’s not my favorite age.”
Riley was heartened they were even having the discussion. If she was going to stay here with Boone, she dreaded the time when her friends moved on. “You never know what’s really available,” she told Nora. “Maybe you should go into town and let them know you’re—”
She was interrupted by a whoop from Savannah, who was in the kitchen.
“Are you okay?” Nora called to her.
Savannah hurried into the parlor. “My cousin’s getting married. She just got engaged and she’s so excited! I’ve been telling her about our adventures here. She wants to know if she can come and have a Jane Austen wedding. What a hoot!” She bent over her phone and started tapping an answer.
“What a brilliant idea, you mean.” Avery dropped the book she’d been reading. “Why couldn’t we throw her a wedding here? That would be so much fun!”
“A wedding is a big deal,” Nora said. “There’s catering, flowers, seating arrangements—”
“We could do all that. Easy! Couldn’t we, Riley? Would Boone mind?”
“I don’t know. We could ask, I guess.” Avery was right; it would be fun to throw a Regency wedding. They’d have plenty of practice after her wedding, which was coming up far sooner than she wanted to acknowledge.
“Ohmygod.” Avery stood up. “Ohmygod, ohmygod! I know what we can do. Start a business! A Jane Austen wedding business! And a B&B. A Regency B&B! We’d run it from Westfield and we’d never have to leave!”
Nora looked to Riley. “I don’t think Boone’s going to let us stay here forever.”
“But it’s a great idea.” Savannah lowered her phone. “We could charge top dollar for it, too.”
“We’re supposed to be taking a break from work, remember?” Nora said.
“We’ll still take our break. We don’t have to start the business right away,” Avery said. “When’s your cousin’s wedding? Not for months, right?”
“I don’t know.” Savannah started to type again.
“We said we’d take six months off,” Avery went on, “but after that we need to earn a living. Why not run a B&B?”
“What would Boone say?” Savannah looked up from her phone.
Riley wasn’t sure when she’d become his spokesman. “I don’t know, except that it would have to be sustainable, and we’d definitely have to wait until the end of the year.”
“Have to?” Savannah questioned.
Riley figured it was as good a time as any to clarify some things. “Base Camp is going to be center stage for a reality television series. I don’t know much about it, but I do know they’ll be filming for six months.”
“What kind of television show?”
“When does it start?”
They flooded her with questions and she did her best to answer them.
“Will we be okay up here?” Nora asked.
“Yes.” At least she thought so. Boone hadn’t actually specified that, Riley realized. She understood that being on the show was part of the commitment she’d made when she agreed to marry him, but she had assumed her friends would be off limits. Was she wrong?
Riley stilled. The more she thought about it, the more she realized how little Boone had told her about the show. Had he been deliberately vague?
She’d better find out soon.
“Is it even possible to make the manor sustainable?” Nora asked. “It’s a big place.”
“Boone said he’d install solar panels and he talked about wind, too,” Riley told her.
Savannah finished her message. “If we wanted to make a go of it, we’d make it super-exclusive. Word-of-mouth advertising and limited availability. If we were willing to stick to a budget, we could set things up so we worked one week out of every four, and spend the rest of the time on our own pursuits.” The idea seemed to please her. “We’d charge a premium for weddings, spread the word about how exclusive it is, and we’d turn down more people than we’d accept.”
Riley had to admire her business acumen. “Did you learn that in Silicon Valley?”
“It works the world over. People like to feel like they’re getting something other people can’t.”
“I think Westfield’s pretty special.” Avery came to give Riley a hug. “Have I thanked you enough for bringing me here?”
“It’s my pleasure.” Riley’s heart thumped with anticipation. If the plan worked, she wouldn’t lose her friends after all. But what if the television show encompassed the manor, too?
Savannah’s phone chimed. “It’s Andrea.” She read the message and her face fell. “Well, forget about holding her wedding; they’ve decided to put things on a fast track.” She looked up with a rueful grin. “She wants to know if we can host it here on May twenty-second.”
Avery gawked at her
. “In two weeks?”
“That’s not going to happen,” Nora said.
Riley bit her lip, taking in their dejected expressions. “The show won’t have started by then,” she said slowly. “I guess I could ask if you want me to.” After all, it could be their only chance. Once the show started, her friends might not want to stay at Westfield.
“Would you?” Savannah said, brightening at once.
“Of course. Boone’s coming over in a few hours.” Riley went back to tidying her things, but she found it hard to concentrate.
What would Boone say to their request?
WHEN BOONE PICKED Riley up that evening, she was in a pensive mood. After walking all the way back down the hill and continuing on the path that led toward the creek, he gave up on small talk. Instead, he tugged her down to sit beside him on the riverbank. “What’s wrong?”
“I keep remembering how it used to be when we were kids.”
“What were you remembering?” He was distracted by a strand of hair that had escaped from her bonnet. He wanted to smooth it into place, but he was afraid to break her train of thought.
“How I spent so much time tagging after you and Clay and the others. I was so concerned with whether or not you liked me, I spent all my time doing the things you wanted to do rather than the things I liked to do.”
He stilled. This conversation was going to be more serious than he’d expected. “We bossed you around a lot.”
“Yes.”
“I wish I’d treated you better.”
“I learned a lot from you, too.”
“I’m glad I did something right.”
She leaned forward to trail a hand in the water. She wasn’t looking at him. That told him he’d better proceed with care.
“Something else on your mind?”
“I’m not a little girl chasing a crush anymore. I’m a grown-up. I can’t set everything aside for you.”
He lifted her free hand into his lap and rubbed her fingers. “Is that what you think I’m asking you to do?”
“Isn’t it?”
He gave that some consideration. He could see how she would think so. “Is this about something specific?” He stopped caressing her fingers, but kept her hand trapped in his.