The Wells Brothers: Luke

by Angela Verdenius

  At least Ryan was with Elspeth and Mikki, he’d keep them safe until they were back at the mansion with all three men to watch out for them.

  Yeah, he had to admit it, he trusted the brooding man to care for the women, but he’d feel a hell of a lot better when Elspeth was back with all three of them and Mikki was by his side.

  Chapter 10

  Pushing the shopping trolley, Mikki couldn’t help but wonder just why Ryan didn’t go to the pharmacy but the man had a small basket of his own, wandering behind her and Elspeth, putting a few odd assortments in it and nothing more, seemingly content to just stroll along in their wake.

  Elspeth seemed not to notice, consulting her list and filling the trolley. Dog food, kitten food, extra meat, vegetables, fruit and bread, it all went in. Maybe Aaron and Ryan were staying for the rest of the week, they’d already spent one night in sleeping bags on the floor of one of the other servants’ rooms. Elspeth wouldn’t mind, she loved cooking, but Luke wouldn’t impressed.

  Mikki grinned. The man had a libido and a half, but he was sweet with it. And protective. Now that had been a surprise. She’d always known he was, all the Wells men were, but she’d never suspected to what extent though she shouldn’t have been surprised. But what really made him shine in her eyes was the fact that he’d actually volunteered to go with her and Elspeth, rather than try to stop them. Now that was love.

  What? No. No, it was simply give and take and consideration. Love? Sheesh! She gave a mental head shake. Consideration that she returned by agreeing to go with him to car races, which bored her socks off. But it was only fair.

  Rounding an aisle, she almost ran into Wally DeOvert, his lanky body bent over as he studied the tins of coffee. Spotting them, he straightened with a dour smile.

  “Hello, Wally,” Elspeth greeted him.

  “Mrs Arkwell, Mikki.” He looked behind them to Ryan.

  Ryan just gave a brief nod and stood, feet slightly braced apart, shopping basket in one hand, other arm loose by his side.

  “Friend,” Mikki supplied. “Ryan.”

  “Ah yes.” Wally turned back to Elspeth. “So, did you discover anything from the journal?”

  “Apart from the fact that it smells?” she quipped. “No.”

  Satisfaction practically oozed from his pores. “Like I said, no secrets.”

  “Ah, not quite true.” Mikki held up a finger. “Wilford did have a lover, he wrote it himself.”

  Wally’s mouth thinned. “I’m sure it was a misprint.”

  “Wally, I know it breaks your heart to think that scandal was attached to the mansion, but it’s not the first time it’s ever happened, and it won’t tarnish his reputation. I’m sure a lot of men of worth had mistresses in those days.”

  Nope, that definitely didn’t appease him. His nose went a little higher in the air. “I don’t see any reason to spread that kind of thing around.”

  “Now, now.” Elspeth patted his arm. “Let’s not get upset about these things. There’s more to think about right now, so much to do.”

  “Of course,” he said regally, for all the world as though he was already standing at the restored mansion’s door greeting guests, back ramrod straight, clad in a butler’s uniform. “And how is it all progressing?”

  Elspeth chatted with him for several moments while Mikki let her thoughts drift.

  “Scandal?” Ryan murmured from beside her.

  Mikki jumped, not having heard him shift closer. She glanced up to find him watching Wally and Elspeth.

  “Oh yeah.” She nodded. “The last owner of the mansion was having it off with a local wealthy married lady. He mentions her in his journal, and I’m going to find out who it was.” When his face showed no expression, she added, “In fact, I may have already discovered the lady’s identity,” just to see if that made an impression.

  Nope. He just quirked one eyebrow so slightly she wasn’t sure if it had actually happened or was just a figment of her imagination.

  “Just wait until everyone finds out,” she couldn’t resist continuing. “Everyone likes a bit of gossip. Right?”

  Ryan slanted a look at her out of the corner of his eye.

  Wally gave her a disapproving glance.

  She smiled at Wally.

  “Not making friends,” Ryan said.

  “Aw, you think?”

  He just went back to studying Wally.

  Man of few words, was Ryan. She was just about to try and tease a few more words out of him when Elspeth bid Wally goodbye and started walking away to go on with the shopping. Mikki fell in behind her while Ryan brought up the rear with his basket of a mere few items.

  They were packing the groceries in the car when she spotted a familiar-looking car drive past. Now where had she - she snapped upright. “Aunty! The car!”

  “What, sweetie?” Aunt Elspeth asked distractedly.

  Ryan straightened from where he was handing Elspeth the grocery bags.

  Mikki pointed to the corner around which the car had disappeared. “I just saw the car that abandoned Duchess!”

  “What? Where?”

  “It went around the corner.”

  “Probably long gone by now,” Ryan observed.

  She scowled. “Damn, I wish they’d pull up here.”

  “Did you get the make or model or anything?” Elspeth queried.

  “Just a blue station wagon with a sticker of some kind in the back window.” Mikki grimaced. “Ooohh! If I ever find out who it is, I’m going to smack his lights out.”

  “You and me both,” Elspeth said. “Never mind, Mik, he’ll turn up sooner or later, then we’ll get him. Or her.”

  Ryan looked between the two women but didn’t comment.

  They crossed to the pharmacy where a bright-eyed assistant gave Ryan a wary glance while serving him. Mikki could understand her reaction, but really, if one took a step back and observed him, he could pass for…who was she kidding? He still looked dangerous. There was just that aura around him.

  Now there was a thought - maybe she could con Aaron into sending Ryan on a scouting mission for the driver of the car.

  Her mood was dimmed by the reminder of the cruelty of some people, and she was content to just sit in the back seat and have Elspeth’s bright chatter to Ryan wash over her. It was, however, a moment of amusement for her when Ryan, just before they got into the car to return to the mansion, silently took Elspeth’s keys from her hand, placed a hand at her elbow and firmly led her around the car to the passenger seat. As usual, she didn’t take offence and simply got in, buckled-up the seatbelt and started chatting happily while Ryan took over the driving.

  Luke would get a laugh out of that when she told him.

  Back at the old mansion, Luke and Aaron came out to help unpack the groceries before they all sat down to lunch, shutting the kitchen door so that Duchess could scamper around without escaping, Dog sitting right in the middle of the floor so he could snuffle her as she bounced up to him before scurrying away again.

  “You all right?” Luke quietly asked, leaning close.

  “I’m fine.” She smiled as she watched the kitten bounce around, full of the joys of life. “We saw the car in town.”

  “The car?”

  “The one that stopped and chucked Duchess out on the side of the road.” She looked at him. “It just makes me so mad.”

  “Me, too.” Luke’s lips tightened a little. “Did you find out who it belonged to?”

  “I didn’t have enough details, just that it was a blue station wagon with a sticker in the window.”

  “Huh. Okay.” Luke glanced at Aaron while giving her hand a little squeeze. “I’m sure we’ll find out soon.”

  “I hope so.” She buttered her bread roll a little savagely. “I want to make his bells ring.”

  “I hear you, Red. Don’t worry, he’ll get what’s coming to him.”

  “I hope so.” She added ham and lettuce to the roll, topped it off with cheese. “Bastards like that need the
ir necks wrung.”

  He squeezed her hand again. “So, what’s your plan for this afternoon?”

  Geez, he couldn’t mean fooling around, could he? She shot him an incredulous look.

  Luke choked out a laugh. “No, Red. Geez, get your mind out of the gutter!”

  “Hey, it’s you, I just assumed -” Suddenly very aware of everyone at the table listening with unashamed interest, Mikki stopped, cleared her throat. “I’m going to cruise the internet, check my emails, maybe slack off and do a bit of reading.”

  “Of the journal? I thought you’d finished that.”

  “I did. Nothing to be gained from there.” She sighed. “I thought I’d get the names of all those at the graveyards and see if there’s anything on the ‘net that wasn’t at the museum.”

  “What a good idea.” Elspeth buttered another bread roll.

  “What are you up to?” Aaron queried.

  “I was hoping Luke would have a few more ideas to share with me.”

  “Absolutely,” Luke replied.

  “And have you ideas for the security?” she asked Aaron.

  Aaron plucked the kitten off his jeans, gently placing her down on the floor. “I do. I’d be happy to talk to you about it.”

  “I think you, Luke and I should get together and check out all the ideas,” Elspeth said, switching from happy chit-chat to business. “Make sure the security will spread to the grounds, cover the main areas without interfering with the landscaping. And what about the chapel? That needs security, and I think the graveyards, too, you never know what weirdos those things attract.”

  Luke’s lips trembled.

  Mikki kicked him under the table.

  “Shit!”

  Elspeth glanced inquiringly at Luke, Aaron gave him a knowing look, and Ryan simply dropped his gaze from the wall behind Luke to his face. Mikki kept eating sedately.

  “Are you all right, dear?” Elspeth queried.

  “Oh yeah,” he replied. “Got a sudden pain in my…leg.” He cut his eyes to Mikki.

  She smiled sweetly at him. “Poor baby. Does that happen often?”

  “Just lately? Yeah.”

  She made a small moue of sympathy.

  “You should get it seen to,” Elspeth advised, concerned.

  “Don’t worry,” Luke replied. “I intend to take care of the problem later.” He shot Mikki another meaningful look.

  She grinned.

  The conversation quickly turned back to the work planned, and she cleaned up the table and put everything away, leaving them to discuss business. Finished, she slipped out the door, amused to see Dog torn between wanting to follow her and staying with Luke and Duchess. The dog had really gotten attached quickly to the kitten. She saved him the bother by shutting the door behind her, leaving him in the kitchen with Luke and Duchess.

  The afternoon passed sedately, Mikki sitting on the veranda while Aaron, Luke and Elspeth got into the nitty-gritty of a lot of details, ironing out issues and differing opinions, coming to amicable agreements with some give and take on all sides.

  Except security. In that Aaron got his own way, but only because he had cameras small enough that he could discreetly mount them out of sight of guests, and in security he wasn’t budging an inch.

  Luke, however, was able to be more flexible with the landscaping, and by dinner time there’d been a fair amount of details sorted.

  Sitting on the veranda, sneakers propped up on the rail as usual, book in her lap, Mikki looked up as Luke kissed the top of her head and sat down in the chair beside her.

  “How’d it go?” she queried.

  “Elspeth has a mind like a steel trap.” Taking her hand, he placed it on the arm rest of his canvas chair, tracing his finger tips idly up and down her skin as he studied the yard. “I bet she’s hell on wheels in a board meeting.”

  “You should see her in a business suit.”

  “Really? She wears business suits?”

  “You think she goes to business meetings in floaty dresses?”

  “To be truthful, I never thought of her having a head for business at all.”

  “Never underestimate the power of a woman.”

  “Or at least Elspeth.”

  She laughed softly.

  They sat in companionable silence for several minutes before Luke leaned over to pluck the book from her, turning it over to read the back. “Romance?” His eyebrows shot upwards in surprise. “I figured you’d be reading about vampires or zombies or stuff.”

  “I read a lot of different genres.” Not in the least perturbed, she lazily rocked her knees lightly towards each other and back out, repeating the motion over and over as she had been doing before he’d come out. “I’m in a romance mood right now.”

  He flashed her a grin.

  “Not because of you.”

  “Sure?”

  “Well, maybe a little bit.” She put thumb and forefinger together with the tiniest gap between them.

  “Aw, I make you feel all romantic.” He flipped the book open. “Let me see if I can find out something to impress you with.”

  “You impress me a lot already.”

  His grin was wolfish.

  “Don’t get too big-headed, Lukey-boy.”

  Suddenly he placed the book down on his lap, turning to regard her seriously.

  “I meant that nicely,” she said.

  “No. I’ve got to tell you something, and you’re not going to like it.”

  A little unnerved by the sudden change of mood, she stopped rocking her legs.

  Luke gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Red, we don’t want you or Elspeth to go to the graveyard or chapel alone.”

  He had the air of a man waiting for her to leap down his throat. Well, he was in for a surprise because she was ready to listen if he had a good reason. “Why?”

  “Remember the sound of that branch breaking last night?

  She nodded.

  “Aaron had a look around the graveyards, a branch was broken and nearby he found footprints.”

  “Footprints,” she echoed.

  “Fresh footprints, they had to be made sometime last night. There were also signs of someone kneeling down and riding away on a pushbike.”

  Mulling over this slightly disturbing information, Mikki frowned. “Someone was watching us?”

  “It would appear so.”

  “That’s creepy. Why?”

  Some of the tension eased from Luke. “No idea. It could be just a sticky-beak, or something more sinister.”

  “Sinister?”

  “We don’t know, Mikki. We’re just taking precautions.” Sliding his hand beneath hers, he gave it a gentle squeeze. “We’re not telling you what to do, okay? We’re just saying don’t go outside at night alone. And…”

  At his hesitation, she eyed him. “And what?”

  “Mikki…”

  Oh yeah, he wasn’t happy, she could see it. Cripes, was he that worried she’d fire up? “Just tell me, Luke.”

  “Fine.” He shoved his hand through his hair, dropped it back onto his lap. “We don’t want you wandering away from the mansion alone during the day, either.”

  “We have to have an escort?” Annoyance prickled through her. “During the day?”

  “We’re concerned, Red, that’s all. We’re just trying to protect you.” He was visibly searching for the right words.

  Right then, she realised that he was treading carefully. “Geez, I’m not about to jump all over you.”

  He shot her a glance.

  “Really? You think I’m going to wig out because you’re concerned about our safety?”

  “Some women would take it as an insult to their intelligence and independence,” he replied.

  “An intelligent woman in this day and age would take into account that they’re in a strange place, in the middle of nowhere, with a peeping tom around.”

  Luke relaxed.

  Mikki scowled. “Doesn’t mean I’m not miffed that I have to have som
eone escorting me.” She brightened. “What if Aunt and I went together? We wouldn’t be alone then.”

  He closed his eyes briefly. “Mikki…”

  “And we’re fine alone if we stay around just outside the mansion, right?”

  “Right. But as for the first suggestion, no,” he said firmly.

  She sighed. “Okay.”

  “Thank you.” Lifting her hand to his mouth, he brushed a light kiss on the knuckles. “You’re taking this better than I’d hoped.”

  Dropping her feet to the floor, she partially turned in the chair to look at him. “You really don’t know me that well, do you?”

  “I kind of thought that’s what we’re doing, getting to know each other better.”

  “Then you’ve a long way to go.”

  “Not really.” He looked blankly at her. “I know we vote for different political parties - which, I have to say, any discussion of will definitely have to stay out of the bedroom.”

  “That’s a given.”

  “I know you secretly want to keep Duchess.”

  “What the - how did you know?”

  He tapped the side of his nose, winked. “I see things.”

  “Let’s not go there.”

  “I know you read romance.” He waved the book in the air.

  She grabbed it off him. “So what?”

  “I know you’re loyal to your friends, enjoy hanging around with your family, and you and Elspeth are close.”

  “That’s just the tip of the ice berg.”

  Luke’s gaze wandered over her face, the amusement fading away to be replaced with a seriousness that wasn’t something she was used to seeing in him, yet was fast realising could come and go whenever the occasion called for it. Luke might be a happy-go-lucky man, but he also had a solemn side.

  This, apparently, had just become one of them.

  Getting up, he caught her by surprise by pulling her out of the canvas chair and sitting down, drawing her down onto his lap.

  “Luke!” Alarmed, she tried to get up. “These chairs aren’t made to take two of us!”

  “It’ll be fine.” The man had a grip like iron, holding her effortlessly on his lap. “Now lean against me and let’s have a serious chat.”

  “We’re going to end up on the ground,” she warned. “Arse first. And you’ll hit harder because you’re under me.”