“I’m well,” Mead replied, hugging Morgan back. “But we need to get to town. It will be full daylight soon.”
“You know something!” Morgan insisted as he steadied his brother as he climbed into the wagon and waited by the side until he was settled on the seat.
“I do. At least, like you, I know what the papers printed.”
“Oh hell, not again,” Morgan grimly replied. “You’d better tell me.”
“Where’s Callie Mae?”
“She’s home. She promised Ma she would help her put up the last of the fall vegetables before we moved into town.”
“She wouldn’t let you sell, would she?”
“No. I mean I could have forced the issue. I have rights here that I wouldn’t have in my time, but I couldn’t do that to her and the girls,” Morgan admitted. “It didn’t seem right.”
“I understand. When are you moving into The Duchess?”
“Later today, we’re supposed to open tonight.”
“I see,” Mead thoughtfully replied. “I think you’d better hurry.”
Morgan shot a worried look at Mead and then whipped up the horses.
“You haven’t asked about Lilly?” he pointed out.
“No, and I won’t. She’ll be lucky if I don’t wring her neck.”
“I think you’d better tell me everything,” Morgan shouted as they raced to town.
Mead nodded.
Morgan and Meadran into Matthew a quarter mile from the grove.
“What are you doing here?” Morgan asked pulling the wagon to a halt.
“Following you,” Matt replied, leaning forward on the pommel of his saddle and tipping his hat back. “I’ve been doing it for days, but nothing ever happens. You just ride out here like you’re paying homage to something, hang around for a while and then leave. I figured sooner or later I’d see or hear something that would explain it and now I have. Welcome home, Mead. How are you doing?”
“I’m good, Matt, but we have to get to town right away.”
Matt nodded and spun his horse around heading to town hell bent for election. He would not ask questions now. It was clear there was something amiss, but one day soon his two brothers had a lot of explaining to do.
* * *
Fancy O’Shea was just gettingready to put out the lamp in the kitchen when she heard the key turn in the locked door. Spinning around she watched Lillian Piersal sail through the doorway carrying a basket. Setting it on the table, she took off her dark cloak and hung it on a hook by the door.
“My goodness, it’s getting chilly,” Lilly said as she opened the lid of the basket and took out a cake. “Where are the others?”
“Getting ready for bed,” Fancy stated coldly. “What are you doing here at this hour? What do you want?”
“I’ve came to apologize,” Lilly said, looking impossibly contrite. “I’ve come to realize that I haven’t treated you girls very kindly, and I’d like to make amends.”
Fancy rolled her eyes. Born to be on the stage, she knew an actress when she saw one.
“That’s not necessary, Miss Piersal,” she answered coolly. “Callie Mae and Morgan will be here tomorrow, and the girls and I will no longer be your concern.”
“Yes, I understand that, but I would like us to be friends.”
Tossing her long red braid over her shoulder, Fancy didn’t bother to conceal her snort of disbelief. She walked to the back stairway and called up.
