He turned onto the road marked Uppercross and commenced on the dirt road until they breached the hill that gave them the gorgeous view of the three houses.
"Oh, how quaint!" Sophy cried.
Al pointed to the farmhouse, wood, and tools scattered around it. "Seems they're building?"
"Renovating." Rick drove the car toward the not-a-barn house. "I should ask them when they expect to be finished. Emma would want to know those details."
"Hey, look at that!" Al announced. "It's a good thing we dragged you out here, then!"
"I could have asked with a text."
"Bah, who wants a text when you can ask in person. And oh, here they come!"
Mrs. Musgrove ventured out of her house, a basket filled with odds and ends perched on her arm. She stopped, her eyes widening in surprise as Rick parked his car by the house. Apparently, she was not expecting him. Had Charles not told everyone?
He got out of the car. "Hello, Mrs. Musgrove! Charles said I could bring my sister and brother-in-law to see the place--"
"Yes, he mentioned that! Welcome, welcome. 'Fraid I don't know where Charles went. He might be in his house," she pointed down at the cottage. "Don't ring the bell; knock. Mary isn't a morning person.
He nodded, having no desire to meet an even grumpier Mary.
Sophy and Al exited the car so he made the introductions and let Mrs. Musgrove take them into her house while he headed down to the cottage. He knocked firmly, hoping that would be loud enough to alert Charles, but not wake his wife. The pattering of excited feet sounded beyond the door and a second later, it was flung open to reveal the oldest boy, Charlie, grinning up at him, but that quickly faltered as confusion fell upon his face. Apparently, the boy had been expecting someone else.
"Aunt Anne!" The boy cried and Rick froze. Of all the people...
Farther in the room, Anne rose from the couch like a dark goddess, her hair half pulled up, the silky, curly locks cascading around her shoulders, and the youngest boy perched on her hip. She said nothing, her chocolate eyes arrested on him as if expecting a grand announcement. Then again, he had been the one to knock on the door, hadn't he?
"I was told I'd find Charles here," he found himself saying. It sounded good. Strong, not at all scatterbrained as he felt. How could this girl still have so much power over him? Especially when it was painfully obvious he had no power over her. She stared at him without one ounce of surprise or insecurity, her face the picture of serene calmness.
"He should be working on the farmhouse."
"Right, then I'll find him there. Good day." He gave a short nod to the nervous boy, then turned on his heel and marched away, hoping to show how little he cared about the awkward situation. Determined to not give her a second thought, he focused on the short climb to the farmhouse. As he neared he could hear frustrated mutterings from within.
"Charles?
Charles came out of the farmhouse, tools wrapped around his waist and a crumpled paper in his hands. "Oh, you're here already! I didn't think you'd come so early!"
"Nine o'clock isn't that early," Rick retorted with a grin.
Charles laughed. "Sorry, it is around here. My sisters tend to sleep in when they're not in school."
Too bad a certain sister-in-law didn't. "Well, us city folk apparently don't. Want to meet my sister?"
"Yes! Let me devoid myself of some these things..." he began to shirk himself out of the belt of tools around his waist.
"How goes the renovation?"
"Good, very good." He waved the crumpled paper at Rick. "I was trying to redo some of the calculations to see if we could hurry the process up and all."
"How soon do you think it will be finished? That was something I should have asked the last time."
"Four months originally--"
Rick frowned.
"--but I'm hoping to get it down to three," Charles added eagerly.
Rick discarded the frown. "Four months should be okay. It will take a while to get everything set up." Especially if Emma had other projects in the queue before this one.
Charles' face lit up. "Your boss liked it?"
"Ah, no. I was talking figuratively."
His face fell. "Oh."
"My boss can take some time in responding. There's still hope. And if my sister and brother-in-law like it, I could use their testimonies to further the bid."
Charles grinned. "You really want this to work, too, huh?"
"Well, it is a very nice place." They reached the not-a-barn house and Rick found Mrs. Musgrove giving his relations a tour of the place and exchanging decor tips, her daughters giving even more unsolicited advice.
"Rick!" Louisa called when he walked in, her blue eyes sparkling like diamonds, but Rick couldn't help comparing them to warm chocolate. Luckily, she was by his side in seconds, providing a needed distraction. "We're so glad you came back!"
"She is, at least," Charles teased and Louisa grinned, not caring one bit about her obvious like.
"If you three haven't eaten yet," Mr. Musgrove announced from the kitchen as he added eggs to the dish on the stove, "You're invited to eat breakfast with us. We're running a bit behind today."
"Would the guests have issues with late breakfasts?" Charles asked.
"Depends on the guest," Al piped up. "We're the early type who'd probably eat on our own at first, go for a walk, and then come back for a hearty second breakfast!"
Everyone laughed and gathered around the table, Louisa making sure she sat next to Rick. He noticed Sophy eagerly noting Louisa's preference and guessed he'd be pounded with questions later. Still, at least she hadn't seen Anne. He had no idea how well he'd keep his composure then.
Then again, maybe Sophy could detect if Anne--
No, he didn't want to go there. Anne was too easily persuaded by her family. Even if she could possibly like him again, she'd change her mind the second she spoke to her father or godmother.
They all dug into the food with zest, the conversations splitting between different groups. However, the mood changed drastically when Mary suddenly entered, her husband freezing like a child caught with cookies. While Mary vented her frustration for not being properly informed of the get-together, Rick tensed, waiting for the rowdy boys and a certain someone to soon enter. However, she never did. Nor was the kid table ever set up. Mary was squeezed into the adult table and the conversations resumed without anyone wondering about the boys or their aunt-nanny.
The conversation was soon seized by Al as he began to regale his tales in the Navy and traveling the world with his wife, keeping everyone laughing until their sides hurt.
"And have you been to Italy?" Mary asked and Rick couldn't help glancing at Charles who was already rolling his eyes.
"Si!" Al said. "All over the place. Nearly became a permanent resident in a few places, too!"
After breakfast, Charles directed them out the back door to give a tour of the farm. The group dutifully followed their tour guide, but only Sophy and Al really listening while the two girls chatted with Rick. However, as they rounded around to the front of the not-a-barn, Rick caught sight of the two boys playing in a sandbox by the cottage--and of a certain lone adult standing watch.
"Oh ho!" Al called. "Grandkids!" He immediately swooped down to them, joining in their game without hesitation.
"I hope you don't mind," Sophy said to Charles, left rather speechless, "He loves kids. If he could, he'd rent one."
Charles paused for a moment, then leaned toward her like a conspiring partner. "How much?"
Mary gasped but his sisters laughed and teased their brother for even daring to say such a thing. During the commotion, Rick leaned over to Sophy who gazed fondly after her husband, and, in a quiet voice, "I always thought Al didn't like kids."
Her smile faltered. "No, that was me."
"You?"
"Well, I like them, but...I was scared to have them. He was in the military during the first years of our marriage and we moved so much. It wasn't the
best environment to raise children, especially when he'd be gone for months at a time during the year. And I always feared about accidents." She sighed. "I didn't want kids who would end up lost like us."
He snaked an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "We didn't turn out so bad."
She laughed. "That is true. But fears can get you, haunting you for years. But, I'm a lot better now. And, who knows," she suddenly grinned at him. "I'm not that old yet."
He raised an eyebrow. "You going to make me an uncle?"
She poked him in the ribs. "Don't get your hopes up. If it happens, it happens. I'm not trying to stop it anymore. And I know he," she indicated Al, "would be so happy."
"Sophy!" Al waved to his wife. "Come help us!"
She winked at Rick. "Duty calls!" She hurried down the hill to join Al. Rick watched her go with a smile, but it died when his eyes fell on Anne. He doubted she had once looked at him.
"They'll play for hours if your family lets them," Louisa said, suddenly by his side. He welcomed the distraction.
"They'll be fine with that, I'm sure. I think Al has the same energy as a child."
"Well, while they're playing, you should hear ME play!"
He jerked, staring at her in surprise. "Play what?"
"The piano!"
He stilled. He didn't want to be anywhere near a piano while Anne was in the vicinity. He had planned that triumphant moment for too long and this was nothing like it.
"Come!" She grabbed his arm. "Rietta can also show off her harp playing."
He hesitated for another moment, casting a glance toward Anne. If he was lucky, she'd stay out here the entire time.
Louisa tugged on his arm and he let her drag him into the house and the elderly Musgroves gave him the seat of honor in the middle of the couch so he could best view the two sisters play. He tried his best to listen without comparing Louisa's playing to another piano player and when they finished, he clapped loudly, glad it was over with and eager to be off doing something else. Alas, Louisa declared they'd do another song. Rick faked a smile and wished he could make an excuse to leave. Luckily for him, Al abruptly stormed through the front door with the boys.
"What is this? A concert? And we weren't invited?"
The concert screeched to a chaotic halt and the Musgroves battled each other for the most sincere apology. Rick rose to greet his brother-in-law, but when he caught sight of chocolate eyes behind him, he immediately turned to search for Louisa. Unfortunately, she ran in the one direction he didn't want to look.
"Anne! With you here now, I can sing!"
"But the boys--" Anne's calm voice began but Al overrode her. "Not to worry about them! Mrs. Musgrove, do you have paper? Us boys shall build a boat!" Al herded the boys toward where Mrs. Musgrove pointed and they soon availed themselves with paper and scissors. Meanwhile, Louisa half dragged Anne to the piano before positioning herself in the middle of the room. Everyone else crammed onto any available seating, Sophy sitting next to Rick and forcing him to turn his body away from the piano in order to squeeze her in. He was quite glad about that since he could now focus entirely on Louisa. Alas, despite his best efforts, his eyes kept straying to the piano. He had to admit: he'd forgotten how well Anne could play. The way she touched those keys was like a sculptor, shaping the sound to her will, sucking him into an entirely different world. Louisa, in her defense, had a good, strong voice that hit the notes with precision, but she lacked the finesse to command those notes to pummel into his heart like Anne. He shook himself, trying to break free of Anne's spell, and decided to focus on someone else, but everyone was also mesmerized with Anne. Poor Louisa, singing her heart out with bold confidence and yet, no one was noticing.
Rick drummed his fingers, pretending he tapped to the beat of the music while designing an excuse to end the concert. Finally stumbling on an idea, he clapped loudly at the end of the song and stood up. "Louisa, fantastic voice." Steeling himself, he added, "Anne, beautiful playing. But Rietta," he turned to her in relief, "I've never seen anyone play the harp like you." Since he'd never seen anyone play the harp, it was perfectly true. "Could you possibly show me how it works?"
Rietta ducked her head for a moment, before dazzling him with an embarrassed smile. "Sure." She stood up and beckoned him to take her seat by the harp. Just as he sat down and Rietta bent to explain the mystery of harp playing, the front door opened and a young man in his twenties with scruffy, curly hair and a clean-shaven face strode inside. His confident walk broke as his eyes shot to Rietta and Rick, a look of alarm on his face.
Rietta immediately straightened, her face like his. "Chase!"
Charles stood up. "Chase! I see you didn't get my message."
He held up his phone. "I got it halfway on the trail, but," he glanced at Rietta as if expecting her to disappear at any moment, "I thought I'd come over anyway."
Rietta remained rooted to her spot, her eyes bouncing between Chase and Rick. Assuming she stayed by him out of fear of offending him and hurting her brother's chances to score the deal, Rick abandoned the harp seat. "Hi, I'm Rick." He strode over to Chase for a handshake. The latter reluctantly accepted the hand, but his eyes raked up and down Rick's form as though sizing him up as a rival. Rick couldn't help grinning. Rietta was a lovely girl, but he had no interest. Only one girl had ever stirred his heart and he had no intention of ever letting her do that again.
"This is the man I was telling you about," Charles piped up, joining them.
Chase's stance instantly relaxed. "The acquisition manager from Pemberley Estates?"
"That would be me."
The handshake grew eager. "You know, my family has a really nice piece of land just five miles from here. Would you like to check it out?"
Rick raised his eyebrows at the bold offer. The boy reminded him of himself when he was younger, eager to make his mark on the world and willing to do anything for it. Ironically, Rick didn't seem to have that drive anymore. He had found a comfortable spot, apparently. Or at least one that didn't constantly remind him of his past. Unlike right now.
"I'm still waiting on how my boss will respond to Charles' place."
"You could add it to the bid. Two places for the price of one."
Rick grinned. The boy would certainly go places. "Maybe another time--"
"I came on a four-wheeler," the boy continued. "I could easily take you on a tour. Won't take more than half an hour."
Rick's grin died. While he admired the boy's ambition, he really didn't want to see another place at the moment. Maybe if he was alone, but he had his sister and brother-in-law in tow.
Speaking of which, Sophy suddenly piped up, "That would be a great idea, but I'm afraid we have to get back."
Rick turned in surprise. He hadn't known they had other plans for the day. But he found her shooting him a supporting grin. She had have offered the excuse to help him out. He gave her a thankful nod.
"Thank you so much for your hospitality," Sophy began to the elderly Musgroves while she tried to extract her husband from the small boys. Rick noticed Anne made a bee-line for the boys and frowned when neither parent stood to help her. Nor could he help notice how quickly she distracted the boys and turned an impending meltdown of tears into a new game outside. She had always been good with kids, even at the budding age of seventeen. A fact he had admired, knowing she'd make the kind of mother he would want his own kids to have.
Rick froze at that line of thought. He was supposed to be over her, not keep reminiscing about her good qualities! She wasn't loyal. Wasn't strong. Wasn't opinionated. And she gave him up when he was willing to give up everything for her, an act he would never forgive.
"Rick!" Sophy called, summoning him to follow her and Al out of the not-a-barn. He gratefully obeyed, eager to get out of that house.
As they drove away, the Crofts couldn't stop their praise of the lovely place.
"I do hope your boss takes up that offer," Sophy said. "The place is absolutely magical and the
Musgroves are so friendly."
"Their grandkids were the best-rented kids I've had so far," Al said and his wife laughed. "And that Anne girl," Al continued and Rick jerked the wheel, rocking the car.
"You okay?" Sophy asked.
"Thought I saw a rabbit," was the first excuse he had.
"Anne was a sweet girl," Sophy said, apparently not getting the unspoken memo. "So good with kids. And the way she plays that piano!" She put a hand to her chest. "It was like she spoke directly to my heart. Mrs. Musgrove mentioned that the last song was the first time Anne had ever played it and yet, her fingers flew over the instrument as if she had it memorized."
Rick tightened his fingers around the wheel. He did NOT want to spend the rest of the drive hearing praises of Anne.
"Is that so?" Al said. "She should try to be famous. She's too good to be playing only as an accompan--"
"What about Louisa?" Rick cut in. "She had an amazing voice, didn't she?"
Al nodded. "Very strong. I could hear it over the grandkids."
"I'm sure she sang like an angel," Sophy said, "But I confess, I was too distracted by Anne's playing to really appreciate Louisa's skill."
Rick squirmed, aware he'd done the exact same thing. "Did you notice Louisa at all?" Surely such a bold girl as Louisa would attract more attention than a quiet, chocolate-eyed girl.
Sophy raised an eyebrow, shooting him a look as if intrigued by his focus on Louisa. He didn't care. As long as they didn't talk about Anne, he was happy.
"Yes, I did notice her. She seems a sweet girl."
"Very headstrong," Al quipped. "A girl who knows her mind."
"Exactly," Rick muttered to himself.
Chapter 8
When Rick woke the following morning, he checked his email via his phone--a daily habit formed over the years. His breath caught when he spotted one from Emma. Swiping it open, he devoured the long email. She loved it. It was even in an area she had been hoping to offer at some point. She demanded more pictures, particularly the surrounding area, and more information about possible hikes and what, exactly, could the guests help with on the farm?
Persuading Her: A Modern Persuasion Retelling (Pemberley Estates Book 2) Page 6
