All the way back to Phoebe’s, Drew assured Reginald they were doing the right thing by turning Fergus’ remains over to the authorities. So why did it feel as if his uncle was being abandoned all over again? This time, by his own kin.
The entire house seemed to be buzzing, when they walked in. All four ladies were talking at once. Reginald couldnae tell if ’twas good news, or bad. There was a sense of excitement, even urgency, in the air. But there were also some long faces.
“Dinnae tell ’em what we found until we ken what’s happening here.” Reginald whispered.
Drew nodded his agreement as they split. Drew went directly to Julia and Reginald to Lauren.
“What’s happened?” Reginald asked, looking first at Lauren, then the rest of them.
“Mother called.” Lauren said, as if that explained everything.
“Is everything all right?” Drew asked.
“Yes.”
“No.”
“It’s a matter of opinion,” Phoebe added.
“Mayhap ye could explain, one at a time?”
“Mother called,” Julia repeated, as all eyes turned to her. “She’s insisting I come home right away. The event planner for her spring fundraiser has suddenly taken ill and her backup is unavailable.”
She glanced up at Drew and shrugged “It’s too late to find anyone else. The invitations went out ages ago, and she’s down to a little more than three weeks. She promised it was mostly arranged. She just needs someone to put the last-minute pieces together.”
“So, as usual, she has no qualms about tossing the load onto Julia’s shoulders,” Deidre scowled. “If it’s a success, Mother reigns supreme. If it falls flat, she’ll have Julia to blame.”
“Now, dear,” Phoebe said gently. “I know my sister can be, um,self-serving, at times, but I’m sure she’d never go that far.”
“Yes, she would,” both Deidre and Lauren said in tandem.
“Oh, my,” Phoebe said. “Well, then. What should we do?”
“I should pack and book a plane ticket, I suppose.”
Suddenly, Deidre marched to Julia’s other side and linked her arm with her sister’s. “I can almost guarantee I’ll be more trouble than I’m worth, but if you’d like an apprentice, I’m your girl.”
Julia’s smile lit up her face. “Really? You’d do that for mother?”
Deidre took a moment to consider, then shook her head. “Not really.” Then she grinned. “But I’d do it foryou.”
Julia threw her arms around Deidre. “Thank you. That means so much to me.” When she released Deidre, she grinned. “Two tickets, then.”
Reginald could see the devastation on Drew’s face. Panicked, Reginald turned to Lauren. “Ye’ll no’ go too, will ye?”
“I should. But if Julia will send the research materials from my apartment, I can work on my book right here and still be able to help Aunt Phoebe with more packing. So, I’ll stay for a little longer, at least.”
His relief was so great, he wanted to pick her up and kiss her senseless, right there. ’Twas only Drew’s desolation that kept him from following through.
“I’ll show ye later how much that pleases me,” he whispered.
Her quiet chuckle filled his heart.
“Three weeks, you said?” Distress thickened Drew’s voice. “Must you leave immediately? Could you steal a few days?” He glanced around the group. “It was supposed to be a surprise, but my parents are planning a farewell party, for Phoebe. They’ve lived a valley away from each other for such a long time, they wanted her to know how much she’ll be missed.”
He turned back to Julia and took her hand. “If you could stay just a little longer? Please? It would mean a lot to them. And I’m sure, Phoebe. But it would mean everythingto me.”
“I… I don’t know. I want to, but… When is it?”
