by Cora Seton
“I agree,” Sam said as she followed Sadie’s lead. “How did it get here?”
“My mother planted it when she was a teenager. I feel close to her here. I think we all do. She died when I was young.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Sam suddenly wondered if she was taking her own family for granted. Maybe she should call them and warn them about what they’d see on television when the episode aired. Sure, they were annoying sometimes, but she must have worried them when she left, and they were sure to feel offended when they saw the show. Guilt piercing through her, Sam vowed she would make the call when she got home.
“Here we are,” Sadie said, breaking into her thoughts.
Sam stopped short and stared at the monolithic stone standing in front of her. At least twelve feet high, it rose from the ground like a lost monument from Stonehenge. She realized this clearing must form the center of the maze.
“What’s it doing here?” she asked when she found her voice again.
“No one knows. It was here before the first of my ancestors cleared this ground and started ranching.”
“Are you sure?” That seemed improbable.
Sadie nodded. “Someone put it here. We just don’t know who.”
She took up a position before it, and Sam joined her, craning her neck to see the top. She reached out tentatively and touched its rough surface. It was warm from the sun, almost alive.
But that was silly.
“You can ask it a question,” Sadie said suddenly. “It’ll answer.”
“Like—it talks?” Sam laughed, grateful from the distraction from her awful day. Even if everything fell apart, this brief visit to Two Willows would give her a story to tell.
“Not with a voice.” Sadie smiled, too. “It has a way of letting you know, though.”
“That’s the… strangest… thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Give it a try. You’ll be surprised,” Sadie said. “And sometimes getting an answer helps.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Sam said, “Sure. Why not? How do I do it?” she added.
“Just be sure you’re respectful. The stone has a bit of a temper,” Sadie warned her.
“Respectful. Okay.” Sam took a deep breath. She had so many questions, it was hard to choose one. She shied away from asking about Harris and Curtis. That was far too personal to talk about in front of Sadie. Instead she asked, “Stone, if you know anything you’d like to share, please tell me… Do I belong at Base Camp?”
She waited. So did Sadie. After a moment, though, Sadie took her arm. “The stone will answer when it’s ready.”
Sam felt a rush of disappointment. It was just a game, after all. Why had she thought it might be real? She knew better than that.
She composed herself as she followed Sadie through the twists and turns of the maze, wondering if it was a trick the young woman liked to play on other people. She felt foolish about asking such a question in front of a stranger.
A breath of wind picked up, lifted the tendrils of her hair where it had escaped her bonnet and ruffled the evergreen boughs of the maze.
“Sam? Sam!” It was Savannah calling from outside of the maze. As Sadie and Sam exited the narrow path into the gardens again, she hurried forward, her pastel dress wrapping around her legs as she came their way. “Look at this!” She held out a magazine. “That’s you.” Gone was Savannah’s worry. She looked far happier now than when she’d come, and Sam hoped that Alice had imparted some piece of wisdom or support that had made the difference.
Sam glanced at the magazine’s cover and blinked. Savannah was right; it was her.
“Deader Than Ever Daughter a Fabulous Fit on Base Camp!” the headline screamed. Sam’s heart sank. She’d thought she’d have more time before her parents learned her whereabouts.
“How do they even know I’m on the show?” she asked. “The episode hasn’t aired yet!”
“You’re forgetting the website and social media. Renata’s been posting stuff about you all week,” Savannah told her. “You haven’t taken a turn with the cell phone yet. I guess we should have offered it to you.”
“I was happy not to have one around for a change.” She could have looked at her own in her tent—once she’d charged it up a bit in the bunkhouse or manor. Although she knew the women limited their screen time, they hadn’t formally asked her to follow their rules. It had been a mistake not to tell them she wanted to, she realized.
But that was the least of her worries now. If Renata had been posting about her and the press had picked it up, her parents would find out where she was any minute now. Which meant her cell phone was probably blowing up with messages. Maybe she’d let it stay in her tent a little bit longer.
“They love you,” Savannah said. “Read it!”
Reluctantly, Sam read on.
“Stars’ daughter finds the home of her heart on reality television’s biggest series,” the sub-headline read. There was a whole article about her, and it continued in the same vein. “Samantha Smith, daughter of Deader Than Ever favorites Rachel Flick and Henry Smith, is the latest addition to the sizzling hot new reality television series Base Camp, and she brings some drama to a show that’s already knocked our socks off. We’ve seen an advance screening of tonight’s episode, and Samantha arrives with a bang, stirring up the romantic desires of two of the show’s eligible bachelors, but despite the sparks that fly on her debut episode, what’s clear is that Samantha has found the place where she belongs. We can only imagine what it’s like to don Regency garb, be assigned a new job, sleep in a tent and have two bachelors fighting over you, but Samantha handles it all with a grace and charm we could only hope to share under the circumstances. Only a woman who’s found her true calling—and home—could exhibit such grace under pressure.”
Samantha didn’t know what to say. She handed the article to Sadie and waited while she read it.
Sadie laughed. “Sounds like you’ve got the answer to your question.”
“But—”
Savannah turned to her. “You asked the stone a question?”
Sam could only nod. “Did you?”
“Yes.” But Savannah didn’t say what her question was, and Sam didn’t volunteer any information, either. Savannah pulled out the cell phone the women took turns carrying.
“James will be here in a minute to pick us up. Thank you, Alice—for everything.”
“Of course.” Alice gave her a hug. “Come any time.”
“That goes for you, too,” Sadie said to Sam. “I enjoyed meeting you.”
“Me, too,” Sam said, but she was still having trouble wrapping her mind around what had just happened. It was a coincidence, of course.
But it didn’t feel like one.
Chapter Twelve
‡
By the time Harris got back to Base Camp, he’d gotten his temper under control—just. He’d decided he’d keep his mouth shut and avoid the others until the following morning, at which time he’d have another pow-wow with Boone and announce his intention to back off and let Curtis win.
He’d eaten in town and killed time walking the streets until the memories of doing the same with Sam a few days ago had become too much. Back at the ranch, he tried to retire to his tent, but the night was warm and the small structure was stuffy. He was almost grateful when footsteps heralded someone’s approach.
A throat cleared. Harris couldn’t say how he knew it was Walker, but when he unzipped the tent’s flap and climbed out, there he was.
“Bunkhouse.”
The big man led the way and Harris followed, keeping his gaze on Walker’s back. In the bunkhouse, he parked himself in the chair the man indicated.
“Check this out.” The man plopped a laptop in his lap and Harris grabbed it to keep it from falling on the floor. Walker leaned over, hit a key and a movie began to play on the screen.
“I already watched this,” Harris said, moving to rise when familiar footage appeared, but Walker put a hand on his
shoulder and shoved him back down.
“Watch.”
Harris did so, his jaw tight, but as the images played out in front of him, he relaxed a little bit. Some of the footage was the same he’d seen earlier on the TV episode Renata had played for them, but much of it was new. This was an unedited version, before it had been spliced together in the most provocative way. Boone had been right; Renata’s crew had manipulated it carefully to make Samantha’s actions worse than they really were. They’d arranged it all carefully to make the audience believe Sam wanted to sleep with Curtis. They’d cut out the parts where Sam had snapped at him and become angry.
But it didn’t exonerate her completely. She’d still walked into that bathroom with Curtis and let him touch her. There was no mistaking the moment between them when she’d turned around and Curtis had taken down her hair.
Harris scrubbed a hand across his face. “Must have been hard to get this footage. Why bother?” He couldn’t get the image of that intimate scene between Curtis and Samantha out of his mind. Had they met in the woods later? Had she given herself to Curtis with as much abandon as she’d given herself to him?
“Didn’t like what was happening.” Walker took the laptop back again. “It’s hard enough, two people finding each other in the right place, at the right time. Figured I should help if I can.” He studied Harris. “But maybe I didn’t help enough.”
“I appreciate what you tried to do.” But he was right; it wasn’t enough to contradict the growing certainty in Harris he’d never been meant to have a wife.
Walker sighed. “A blind man doesn’t see what’s in front of his face.”
“That’s for sure. But one thing I’ve never been accused of is being blind.” Harris stood to go. “I served as a sniper for over a decade. I see things others miss.”
“And sometimes you see things that aren’t really there. You’re making a mistake.”
“I’m making sure I don’t make one.”
Harris headed for the door. Outside, he allowed his gaze to climb to the manor on top of the hill. That’s where Samantha would be at this time of day.
He’d keep his distance from here on in.
Back at the ranch, Samantha took a deep breath before she entered the manor. Savannah was still chatting with James outside. Sam wanted to get this over with before she came in. She found the women sitting at the kitchen table, pads of paper in front of them on which they were making lists. They were preparing for the guests who would arrive in about a week.
“Hi,” she said awkwardly. “I need to say something. First, thank you for helping me and Savannah escape for a few hours. I needed that.”
“I don’t think the camera crew even realized you were gone. We told them you were taking a soak in one of the tubs upstairs,” Avery said. “They finally got bored and left.”
“Well, thank you, anyway. It helped to clear my head.” She wasn’t sure how to word this next bit, so she plunged ahead. “I care what you think of me, so I want you to know I didn’t fool around with Curtis. We came home late and I needed help getting out of my dress and stays. Curtis was the one who took liberties. Curtis was the one who kept trying to make it look like there was more going on than really happened. He’s the one who should be blamed, not me. I’m not that kind of—”
“We get it,” Riley interrupted her. “Believe me, we do. I think we were all a little shocked by what we saw, but once we talked about it we realized how much Renata had probably played with the footage.”
“Really?”
One by one, the other women nodded.
“Does it make me a bad person that I’m jealous, though?” Avery said suddenly.
“Jealous?” Samantha couldn’t fathom that. “Of being made to look… cheap?”
“Of having two men want you. Why is everyone here so damn pretty?”
Savannah let out an aggravated groan. “For God’s sake, would you get over yourself, Avery? You are beautiful, and kind, and fun, and sexy. And Walker worships everything about you.”
“But he never says or does anything to indicate that,” Avery burst out. “I want to go on dates. I want to get kissed. I want someone to help me out of my stays. Is that so hard to understand?”
“No,” Savannah said sadly. “Not at all.”
“You have to be patient,” Riley told her.
“For how long?”
No one could answer that.
After a long pause, Sam tried to bring the conversation to safer ground. “I was wondering—is there anything I can do to help you all next weekend?” She noticed that Nora hadn’t said a word. If anyone resented her presence, it would be her. “Nora? I guess I need to hear from you what role I can play. I understand if this is uncomfortable for you—”
“Because you came here to marry my husband? It is a little weird,” Nora admitted pertly. “But I just spent my honeymoon with him and I’m pretty sure we’re solid,” she went on with a smile. “I’m sure we can find you something to do when our guests get here.”
“Thank you.” Sam was touched by her generosity of spirit. “I wish I knew what to do about Curtis. When he’s not being a total ass, he’s actually a good guy. But then the things he does… even if it wasn’t for Harris, or the fact I’m not attracted to him, I could never marry him, because in the end he doesn’t care about me; he only cares about winning!”
“I think both of them need a time out,” Avery said. “They’re acting like children, so treat them like children.”
“A time out,” Sam mused. “That’s a really good idea.”
“A time out?” Harris repeated the following morning. “She doesn’t need to give me a time out; I’m through with her.”
Boone scratched the back of his neck. “Well, through or not, Samantha has demanded a break from dating both of you. Curtis isn’t too happy about it.”
“Fuck him.” Harris turned to leave. It was time for him to get to the Egans’. He’d skipped breakfast, and couldn’t get away from Base Camp fast enough.
He’d barely slept the night before. Tossing and turning, he’d struggled with his determination to turn his back on Sam. After an hour or two, doubts began to worm their way into his thoughts. Was he overreacting to what he’d seen? Was his pride getting in the way of the best thing that had ever happened to him?
He wanted to believe Sam wasn’t interested in Curtis, but when Curtis had leaned close and undone her hair in the bunkhouse bathroom, she’d been affected.
And that was the sticking point.
If she wanted to be with Curtis, he wasn’t going to get in her way. He knew the deal; when people left, you didn’t get them back.
“Renata isn’t happy either.” Boone followed him to the truck.
“Can’t say I care too much.”
“Look, you’re not seeing the bigger picture here. Someone’s got to marry in about a month. Do I need to start looking for more backup brides?”
“More of them?” Harris was aghast. “Hell, that’s all we need.”
As her week of freedom dragged by, Samantha put her heart and soul into the gardens, heading there early in the morning and working long past when everyone called it a day. She’d made an ally of Kai in the kitchen. Each day he packed her a hamper of food and a bottle of water so she didn’t have to return to the bunkhouse for meals.
“I think you’re making a mistake,” he told her once. “I don’t think keeping to yourself is the answer.”
“I can’t stand having them argue about me,” she said. She didn’t have to specify Harris and Curtis; he knew exactly who she meant.
She appreciated the food hampers more than he could have known. The other women had the B&B preparations sewn up. She’d take part during the weekend itself, acting as an extra pair of hands wherever she was needed. Meanwhile, she helped make sure the gardens were weeded, seedlings transplanted and beds prepared for the late summer and fall crops. At night she read the books Boone had loaned her. The work was hard, but it was cleansing
, too. Things were simple in the garden; not like in the rest of her life.
Curtis still used every opportunity he could to try to engage her in conversation. Sam had taken to turning and walking in the other direction whenever she saw him, which was hard because Daisy always accompanied him wherever he went. The dog’s loyalty to Curtis was maddening, and Sam had despaired of ever winning her back. Maybe she wasn’t meant to have a pet.
Or the man she loved.
Sam thought Harris was avoiding her, because she rarely saw him, and then only at a distance.
She missed him. Especially that smile of his, which she hadn’t seen for far too long. When she did get a glimpse of him, he looked far too serious. She hated to think how badly she must have hurt him—no matter how inadvertently.
“What are you going to do tomorrow?” Kai asked on Friday morning when she came to fetch her food.
“The guests are arriving this afternoon, so I’ll be up at the manor mostly over the weekend. I guess I’ll see where I stand with Harris and Curtis on Monday morning. Maybe they’ll both be as sick of this as I am.”
“I doubt either one is going to give up.”
Sam wasn’t so sure of that, and as she picked up the picnic basket Kai had filled for her, she wondered if Curtis would be the only man standing on Monday morning. Harris was making it far too clear how he felt about what she’d done. She’d hoped time would give him more perspective, but that didn’t seem to be happening.
Keep working, she told herself, exiting the bunkhouse and striding determinedly toward the gardens. Work was the answer to everything. She’d have to trust the rest would turn out for the best.
That afternoon, she made her way back to her tent and changed to a clean work dress. Since she was already wearing her stays, this was possible to do alone, although difficult. She combed out her hair and twisted it up into a bun on top of her head. She tied on her bonnet and climbed back out of her tent to make her way up to the manor, a little nervous about how the guests’ arrival would go. Once there, she let herself into the kitchen, where she found a woman she didn’t know. A small camera crew, looking rather bored, sprang to life and began filming when Sam entered.