“Ready?” Owen asked.
Harper bounced on her toes. Kip wished he had her exuberance, but all he felt was anxiety. “Open the doors,” he whispered.
What he could see was perfect for him and a battalion. The engineer inside him lit as he stared at a sweeping central mahogany staircase, high ceilings with crown moulding, and an enormous living room and dining room on either side of the main entrance. Silently making his way deeper into the home through the parlor doors, he stepped onto the wool rug covering the meticulously shined red heart pine floors.
“The home was built in 1901, the year Queen Victoria died. We tried to maintain the style as much as possible, but as you can see by the kitchen, it has state-of-the-art appliances. You have a pantry we’ve stocked with basics, and you can see the functionality of the butler’s pantry.” Barry pointed.
“Um, what’s the difference between pantries?” Kip crunched his brow.
Harper opened the door to the pantry. “Pantry is for dry goods, and a butler’s pantry is…” She scrunched her nose. “It’s like the last line before guests invade your kitchen.”
“Okay, who will be invading my kitchen?” Kip laughed.
“When you have a party.” She shoved his shoulder.
When Kip wrapped an arm around her, intending to kiss her, she shrieked. “Sweetheart, did I hurt you?”
“No, I was startled.” She shook it off and explored his refrigerator.
Who hurt you?
A small mahogany nook was built in a corner under a kitchen window. Kip envisioned eating there most often. The dining room table was designed for ten. “Um, what’s behind here? He placed his hand on a pocket door handle. Its design and coloring faded into the wall.
“Um, Boss?” Josh lifted his brow.
Kip understood. Harper’s background check came back that morning. He wasn’t worried about what he was going to show her.
“Sweetheart, you know why Josh is with me, and why we have someone at the main gate. There are also cameras in the outside spaces and all the entrances. It’s run from here.” Kip knocked on the door and slid it open.
A man and woman stood. “Good morning, Mr. Brennan,” the woman said.
“Good morning. I’d like you to meet Harper Rousselle. She is living in the cottage. Harper, this is Rudi, short for Rudolpha, and Chuck, short for Charles.” He’d been memorizing names and files.
“Um, hi,” she said.
“Hey,” Chuck smiled, “do you want to see?”
Kip smiled. He hoped the closer look would make her less scared.
Harper took a tentative step forward. Both operators showed Harper some of the gadgets and camera views.
“Mr. Brennan, I better tell you too.” Rudi pressed a button, and the camera fixed on a bush by the pool. “There are four.”
“Bunnies,” Harper giggled.
Kip could listen to that all day. “Oh boy. Barry, after the storm, I want a hutch. See if you can get someone to trap them before the storm so they’re safe.”
“I’ll help.” Harper stood on tiptoes and placed a peck on his cheek, surprising him.
Owen and Barry continued the tour. The downstairs was furnished with the era’s ball and claw-style Chippendale furniture. A marble fireplace and crystal chandeliers highlighted each room.
Kip cocked his head. “Um, Owen, I assume none of these pieces are knock-offs.”
“Of course not!” he scoffed.
Off the living room was a set of pocket doors that opened into a large den. One wall had floor-to-ceiling mahogany bookcases. To one side was a pool table. Owen lifted a remote control that was sitting on a coffee table fronting a sumptuous sofa upholstered in a pale green chintz fabric and two matching club chairs. Pressing the button, a large section of the bookcase rose, revealing a seventy-two-inch television and three shelves of gaming systems.
“Take away some of your worries about breaking thegoodfurniture?” Owen laughed.
