To Love and Cherish

by Tracie Peterson

  Melinda tapped her pen on the ledger. They didn’t give private tours of the island. All tours were for groups of eight to ten people, and there were no tours scheduled for that day.

  “I’m sorry, but we don’t offer private tours. There is a group tour scheduled for tomorrow morning if you’d like to register.” She did her best to maintain a friendly tone. Mr. Powers remained as determined as she’d observed in Savannah, but since arriving at Bridal Veil, he’d developed an increasingly arrogant manner. A characteristic she disliked. “Shall I write your name down?”

  He bent down a bit closer. “No. I’m not interested in sharing you with a group of other guests. How much does a private tour cost?”

  She glanced at Lawrence. Why didn’t he help her? “Be assured that if we offered private tours, I would place your name on my ledger, Mr. Powers.”

  He stood and straightened his shoulders. “Since you have nothing listed at three o’clock, perhaps I should ask your supervisor about the possibility of such an arrangement.”

  She wanted to kick Preston in the shin, but she forced a smile. “I won’t be here at three o’clock, Mr. Powers. That is why there isn’t anything posted. It is my afternoon off work.”

  Melinda jumped when he clapped his hands together with a loud crack. “Perfect! We can make this tour our own little social outing. I’ll call for you at three.”

  The man knew no limits! “I’m sorry, but I have a prior engagement. You may recall that when we met in Savannah, I was returning to Bridal Veil to make certain the man I love hadn’t been injured in the hurricane.”

  “Yes, I do recall.” He nodded his head. “Evan is the fellow that acts as Lawrence’s supervisor. However, your brother told me you haven’t wed, and I don’t see an engagement ring on your finger. Any man who is willing to keep you waiting is a fool.” He shrugged and gave a dismissive wave. “I realize what a prize you are, but it seems Evan isn’t worried about losing you.” He chuckled and beamed a roguish smile. “Evan must not be a very smart fellow. If I were your beau, I’d be very worried about another man stealing your heart.”

  She could feel the heat rise beneath her collar and climb to her cheeks. She didn’t know whether to be flattered, embarrassed, or offended by his bold remarks. Given her position, it mattered little how she felt—she had to be kind to the guests. “I will pass along your words of caution, Mr. Powers.”

  She turned a hard gaze on her brother. “However, I’ve discovered that there are some men who don’t heed warnings—regardless of how frequently they’re given.”

  Lawrence didn’t acknowledge her remark, and Mr. Powers continued to rest against the doorjamb with a smug look on his face. “You may as well know that I don’t give up easily, Miss Colson. Eventually I’ll convince you to grant me the honor of your company.”

  Melinda pushed up from her desk. Obviously Mr. Powers considered her response a challenge rather than a refusal. “If you will excuse me, Mr. Powers, I need to go over some ideas with members of the staff before I depart.” She waited until Mr. Powers stepped from the doorway before she exited her office. Stepping close to her brother’s side, she nudged his arm. “I hope that you’re not shirking your duties, Lawrence. You could carve out a good future here if you’d try.”

  “That is exactly what I’m doing, Melinda. My approach may be different from yours, but I have the same goal as Evan and you—to succeed.” Lawrence stepped around her and walked into the parlor with Mr. Powers.

  She wasn’t certain what her brother meant about his approach, but the comment nagged at her long after their conversation ended.

  ———

  As she returned to her room, Melinda’s heartbeat increased with every step. She could hardly contain herself. Once she changed her dress and arranged her hair, she would be off to spend the remainder of the afternoon and early evening with Evan. Although she’d offered to make plans for their time together, Evan had insisted upon making the arrangements. “You spend all of your time planning activities for others; let me arrange for our outing,” he’d said. His offer had touched her. Over the past years, she’d become unaccustomed to others caring for her. She smiled, enjoying the luxury of going off to enjoy her own special event with Evan.

  A buggy was waiting outdoors, and the young driver saluted her with great decorum. “Mr. Evan said I was to deliver you to the hunting lodge, Miss Melinda.”

  Her thoughts whirled as the young fellow helped her into the buggy. She had guessed they would go to Biscayne, but if Evan was meeting her at the lodge, perhaps he’d thought of another plan. Then again, maybe he was having her come to the lodge to keep her in suspense. If so, his idea was working quite well. Maybe if she engaged the young driver in conversation, she’d learn something about their final destination.

  “We’re having lovely weather, don’t you think?”

  The boy’s forehead scrunched as though he needed to give the question deep thought before responding. “Yes, ma’am, it has been nice.” His lips tightened into a thin line, and he kept his gaze fixed on the path.

  So much for conversation! Might as well come straight to the point. “Is Evan waiting for me at the lodge?”

  The boy shrugged his shoulders. “I wouldn’t know. He gave me my instructions yesterday morning, and I haven’t seen him since. Fact is, I had to go and help with yard work at the cottages this morning. I took the buggy with me so I wouldn’t be late to pick you up at your quarters.”

  “I see. Well, I appreciate your promptness, and I’ll be certain to tell Evan you arrived on time and that you’ve been most courteous.”

  The boy grinned. “Thank you, ma’am.” They made the remainder of their short journey in silence. Once they arrived at the lodge, the young man jumped down, circled the buggy, and assisted Melinda down. “I guess you can go inside. Unless you want to wait on the porch.”

  Melinda slipped the boy a coin and smiled at his delighted chortle. To offer him a little of the joy she’d been experiencing all day pleased her. The sounds of chatter and laughter drifted from inside the lodge, a reminder that one of the families staying in the clubhouse had scheduled riding lessons for that afternoon. She narrowed her eyes, trying to recall the family’s name. Polter—yes, that was it, the Polter family. This was their first time at Bridal Veil, and Mr. Polter was a business associate and close friend of Victor Morley. The Polters had mentioned they’d named their daughter Victoria in honor of their deep friendship with Victor Morley. Melinda wondered if the racetrack had been the primary reason Mr. Polter decided to bring his family to the island this year, for he’d asked several questions about race schedules.

  Before they’d even checked into their rooms, the Polters’ son and daughter had expressed interest in riding lessons. Melinda had expected Mrs. Polter to discourage her daughter, a striking young woman who appeared to be eighteen or nineteen years of age. Instead, both parents had been quite supportive, and Melinda had registered them and made the arrangements. As with all guests who signed up for riding lessons, the Polters had been advised their lesson would begin at the hunting lodge. Last season Garrison had decided he preferred to limit the number of people entering the barn. Nowadays the instructor greeted guests at the lodge and escorted them to the barn, where horses would be waiting for them in the small corral near the barn.

  Melinda’s eyes widened and she came to an abrupt halt just inside the door. Evan glanced over his shoulder. When he caught sight of her, his laughter ceased. “Melinda!” He scooted between Victoria Polter and her father and then hurried to Melinda’s side. “Didn’t you receive my note this morning?”

  Her gaze traveled from the tip of his riding boots to the knot in the bright kerchief tied around his neck. He certainly wasn’t dressed for dinner in Biscayne, and she wasn’t dressed for riding. Melinda shook her head. “The only message I received was from the young man who said you’d sent him to transport me here.” A small lump formed in her throat.

  Evan glanced toward the Polter f
amily. “Would you excuse me? This won’t take long, and then we can begin your lessons.”

  The lump in Melinda’s throat increased to boulder-sized proportions as Evan grasped her elbow and led her to the front porch. Once outdoors, she turned to face him. “Exactly what is going on?” She forced her words around the mountainous bulge in her throat. Tears threatened when she looked into his eyes.

  “I promise I’ll make it up to you, Melinda. I wrote a message and asked Garrison to see that it was delivered. I completely forgot that I’d told Paul to take the buggy and bring you over here.”

  “That much appears obvious, but I don’t understand.” Her voice trembled and she bit her quivering lip.

  “Mr. Morley insisted that I personally take Victoria and John for their riding lessons. I tried to change his mind. I even gave him suggestions, but he said Mr. Polter insisted I be the one to take his children.”

  “That makes no sense. How would he know anything about you?” She brushed her clammy hands down the front of her skirt. “You’ve been busy over at the golf course.”

  Evan looked toward the main room of the lodge and then directed her down the porch steps. “I’d rather the Polters didn’t overhear our conversation.” When they were a short distance from the porch, he took her hand. “Mr. Morley brought the entire family over to see where we’re laying out the golf course. During the conversation, Victoria mentioned she had signed up for riding lessons.”

  Melinda arched her brows. “Victoria?”

  “Miss Polter.” He shrugged. “She insisted I call her Victoria. She says Miss Polter is too formal.”

  “Really? She didn’t seem to mind when I addressed her as Miss Polter. So while she was at the golf course, she asked that you take her riding?”

  “Sort of. Well, not exactly.” Evan sighed. “Mr. Morley was telling them about my different tasks. He mentioned that the investors depended on me for everything from keeping the game well stocked to giving riding lessons to overseeing construction of the racetrack—something like that. I don’t recall his exact words.” Seeming to sense her displeasure, he squeezed her hand. “Anyway, as the conversation continued, Miss Polter said she’d like me to give her and her brother their riding lessons.” He inhaled a deep breath. “I agreed without asking when the lesson had been scheduled.”

  Melinda’s heart squeezed. She wanted to be understanding; she knew their jobs must come first. But try as she may, she couldn’t set aside her disappointment. “Why didn’t you explain that it was your afternoon off and you had plans that couldn’t be changed?”

  “I did, and I thought the matter had been settled. But later in the day, Mr. Morley came to see me. It seems Miss Polter insisted that I be the one to take her riding. Mr. Morley wants to make them happy. He’s hoping Mr. Polter will invest in the island, and they are longtime friends. How could I refuse?”

  A tear rolled down her cheek. The guests came first—all of the staff learned that lesson the minute they secured employment on Bridal Veil. Still, it didn’t seem fair. With all the extra hours Evan had worked during the past months, Mr. Morley shouldn’t have asked for even more.

  She removed a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her cheek. “I suppose you’d better go back and take care of the guests. I’ll see if Paul is still at the barn and ask him to drive me back to the clubhouse.”

  “I’m truly sorry.” Evan leaned down and brushed a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you for being understanding, Melinda. Mr. Morley promised me an extra afternoon off next week.”

  “We had best wait and see if he keeps his promise before we make any plans.” Head bowed, she turned and trudged toward the barn, her joy and excitement nothing more than a memory now.

  Minutes later, she spotted Paul in the corral. At least she could be thankful he hadn’t yet departed. Hastening her step, she waved and called his name. He exited the corral and trotted toward her. “Something wrong, ma’am?”

  “My plans have changed, and I need a ride back to the clubhouse. Have you unhitched the buggy?”

  “No.” He pointed to the barn. “It’s around the side over there. If I get you settled in the buggy, would you mind waiting until I finish putting out feed for a couple of the animals in the barn?”

  She shook her head. “That would be fine, but you go ahead with your chores. I don’t need help getting into the buggy.” In truth, it didn’t matter how long it took for the young man to complete his chores. She could wait until morning, if necessary, since she no longer had anything to do. As if to protest such a thought, her stomach rumbled a reminder that she hadn’t eaten since that morning. She’d worked through her lunch so that she could have the extra time with Evan. That had proven to be a mistake.

  Then again, if she’d arrived an hour later, he’d be gone for Victoria’s riding lesson, and Melinda would have had no idea what happened. Why hadn’t Garrison given the note to his wife? Emma could have delivered it to her. She would ask Emma when she returned.

  Melinda was still deep in thought when Paul returned to the buggy. He tipped his hat and gave her a sheepish grin. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Took longer than I thought.”

  “That’s quite all right, Paul. I’m in no great hurry.”

  He flicked the reins and the horse stepped forward. Moments later, Paul pulled on the left rein and the horse began to round the edge of the barn. At the sound of Evan’s boisterous laughter, Melinda glanced toward the barn. Inside the doorway, Victoria stood gazing at Evan, her blond curls coiffed to perfection beneath her veiled riding hat. She clung to his arm and leaned even closer when she caught sight of Melinda in the buggy. Victoria appeared to be delighted with her catch. And by the smile on Evan’s face, he looked as if he enjoyed being caught!

  Melinda clenched her jaw as she struggled to maintain her composure. How could he?

  CHAPTER 23

  While Evan rode toward the golf course, he attempted to focus upon the work that needed to be completed that day. But instead of creating a mental picture of where to assign his workers, he recalled all that had gone wrong with Melinda during the past week. He’d done his best to convince her that Victoria Polter’s riding lessons were no more than a job—the same as his work at the golf course or tracking different species of game available for the hunters. Unfortunately, he’d failed to sway her. After Victoria had personally visited Melinda’s office to schedule more riding lessons, Evan’s explanations had fallen upon deaf ears, even though he’d told her Mr. Morley had given him no choice. The investor’s instructions had been clear: Accommodate Victoria’s requests for riding lessons. And Victoria’s requests had been abundant.

  With each new appointment, Evan received a crisp note from Melinda that said nothing more than the date and the time, along with the words Riding lesson for Victoria—never Miss Polter—always Victoria. The pointed use of Miss Polter’s first name hadn’t escaped him. And though he would never tell Melinda, Miss Polter presented a number of challenges. After their first lesson, her young brother had been scheduled for a different time and with a different instructor—all at Victoria’s request. Another fact that wouldn’t have escaped Melinda’s notice, for Melinda scheduled the lessons.

  Evan guided the horse onward, his attention drawn to a patch of wild flowers in hues of scarlet and purple. For a moment he considered stopping to pick some for Melinda but soon changed his mind. By day’s end they would be wilted. Besides, he had no idea when he’d see her. How he wished he could schedule time with Melinda rather than Victoria.

  With each lesson Victoria acted more familiar, and he became more uncomfortable. So much so that Evan asked some of the younger lads to remain close by when Victoria was present in the barn or corral. Of course, once the two of them were out on a trail or riding along the beach, he had little choice if she asked to stop and rest. During those times, he did his best to keep his horse between them, though he’d not always been successful.

  To make matters worse, Mr. Morley had never allotted Evan additio
nal time off. His promotion had not been forthcoming, yet his duties and work hours continued to multiply—and so did his frustration. Still, he had no recourse. If he was going to wed Melinda, he needed that promotion, and he couldn’t refuse assigned duties or offer objections. Though he had hoped Melinda would understand, their brief encounters over the past week or two revealed she’d lost patience. He understood her frustration, for he experienced the same disappointment. Yet his concern had heightened when he’d seen Preston Powers standing close to Melinda while she directed a group of children in a croquet game on the lawn of the clubhouse.

  Evan’s time with her had been relegated to Sunday morning church services and a brief visit afterward. Although Sunday was a day of rest for most, it was not so for the workers of Bridal Veil—at least not during the season. Meals and planned activities were still expected to commence on Sunday afternoons and evenings. For Evan, it meant work at the golf greens. The special event planned for mid-March required completion of the course. Although Mr. Morley had finally secured a monthly bonus for Evan, if he didn’t succeed, the possibility of securing Harland’s old position and a permanent increase in wages would diminish. Mr. Morley hadn’t specifically said those words, but the investor was keeping a close eye on the project—and on Evan.

  After issuing instructions to the workers, Evan mounted his horse and rode back toward the lodge for yet another riding lesson with Victoria. How he wished these interruptions could be avoided.

  His thoughts scattered in a thousand directions. There was so much that must be completed over the next several weeks and he prayed the weather would remain favorable. Otherwise, they didn’t stand a chance of completing the course. He reined in the horse as he entered the corral and dismounted.

  Paul came to the door of the barn. “Miss Polter is waiting inside. She wasn’t happy that you weren’t already here. I went ahead and saddled her usual horse.”