‘We met at the dance. According to her, she’s one of Catherine’s best friends, but my grandmother never mentioned her as far as I can remember.’
‘According to her.’ Lydia opened her door and tutted. ‘I can’t think of anybody in this town clamouring to hang out with that old busybody. Last time she came around to our place, Virginia paid me twenty bucks to say she was out but she kept me talking for so long, I raised my rate to fifty.’
‘But you’re totally OK staying at her house for free.’
‘It’s a tradition,’ Lydia replied. ‘Our families go way back. The Stovells would be offended if we didn’t come stay.’
The sun was still shining but there was the sweetest breeze, blowing the scent of saltwater in my direction. We’d crossed over the Savannah River almost as soon as we left the city but I could tell we were closer to the ocean now. My magic prickled, putting me on high alert, and as soon as I was out the car, I found myself pressing two palms against the trunk of a palmetto tree just to ground myself. Everyone here knew about my magic, no one here needed to worry about it while we were away.
‘You could fit my entire family in here,’ Wyn said with a whistle, cupping a hand over his eyes to take in the sheer size of the Stovell mansion. ‘Is there a servant’s entrance I can use?’
Jackson opened the trunk of his car and began unloading bags, piling them on the circular driveway. ‘If this kind of thing makes you uncomfortable you’re rolling with the wrong crowd,’ he said offhandedly. ‘Emily has to be ten times wealthier than the Stovells, right, Em? Everyone knows the Bells are one of the wealthiest families in Georgia.’
‘I haven’t really thought about it,’ I admitted, immediately uncomfortable. Both of my parents came from money but I’d grown up with only the bare essentials.
‘It isn’t polite to talk about money,’ Lydia chastised her brother, revealing her rarely demonstrated southern training. ‘Don’t make Em uncomfortable.’
‘I assumed we all knew. Never occurred to me to think twice about it.’
‘And that’s how we know you have money too,’ Wyn said with a laugh. ‘No worries, I’m sure I’ll find a way to earn my keep.’
Jackson heaved his bag from the car, his eyes obscured by designer sunglasses. ‘It doesn’t make you uncomfortable?’ heasked. ‘Knowing your girlfriend is a thousand times wealthier than you’ll ever be?’
‘Jackson!’ Lydia admonished again. ‘What is wrong with you?’
‘If it doesn’t bother Em, it doesn’t bother me,’ Wyn replied, picking up my backpack, his duffle and Lydia’s suitcase with ease. ‘I might not have as much money as her, but I have plenty else to offer.’
‘What a man,’ Lydia said with a dramatic sigh, pressing her hands to her heart. ‘Also, gross. Now who’s ready for the tour? This house is epic, it has everything. You practically need a map.’
Bags on the ground at his feet, Wyn threw an easy arm around my shoulder.
‘Only if it’s OK with Jackson. I’m more than happy to sleep in the garage.’
‘Just messing with you, pal,’ Jackson laughed and shot an amiable punch at his arm, only the slightest hint of a grimace showing on his face when he landed it on Wyn’s rock-solid bicep.
‘Ugh, testosterone,’ Lydia said, grabbing the handle of her suitcase then my hand and dragging me away up the garden path. ‘You really can’t take guys anywhere.’
‘Maybe a girls’ trip would’ve been a better idea,’ I agreed, leaving the two of them out by the car.
‘The great room is that way, there’s a home theatre and a gym in the basement, dining room, breakfast room, and allegedly there’s a study somewhere but I’ve never seen it.’
Lydia’s tour wasn’t quite as comprehensive as advertised. The moment we walked through the frosted glass double front doors, she began stripping off her clothes until she was down to her bikini.
‘Kitchen is through there, help yourself to everything.’
The airy entrance hall opened into a double-height foyer, everything sparkling and clean, except for one pair of muddy sneakers tucked away in the corner.
‘I thought you said no one was staying here,’ I asked, the sight of the shoes jarring against so much grandeur.
She followed my eyes and shrugged.
‘Maybe the gardener came in to use the restroom and forgot about them?’
‘And drove home in bare feet?’
‘How would I know!’ she exclaimed, kicking her sweatpants across the room. ‘They probably had other people staying here, the Stovells know just about everyone this side of the Mississippi.’
Wyn walked through the door and I shook off a shudder, the same I’d experienced each time I’d met Ms Stovell. That woman had really got under my skin.
