“I never said that, although given some of those romantic fiascos you recently told me about, you might benefit from having me give you a few pointers.”
“They only would have been romantic fiascos if I’d been romantically interested in those ladies.”
“A fair point.”
Owen released a grunt. “Too right it is, and just so you know, I’m sure I could do romance properly if I set my mind to it.”
“Duly noted,” Camilla said before she glanced over his shoulder and winced. “Further talk of romance is going to have to wait, though, because your great-aunt is almost upon us. Given that you said she’s a difficult woman, I suggest you greet her with asmile and kiss on the cheek, which may result with her turning less difficult.”
Owen shook his head. “Aunt Elma will most certainly box my ears if I try to kiss her cheek.”
Before Camilla could do more than grin, Aunt Elma pulled the wagon to a stop directly beside him and narrowed her eyes on him, although she might have simply been squinting to make sure it was him, then held out her hand.
“Don’t just stand there, boy. I ain’t gettin’ any younger, and I’m itchin’ to meet that girlie standin’ beside you.” Aunt Elma switched her attention to Camilla, completely ignoring the hand Owen had immediately held out for her the second he stepped close enough to the wagon. “I done heard rumors about Owen havin’ found himself a hoity-toity fiancée, or almost fiancée, but you should know right now, li’l missy, that what with his mama still on holiday, it won’t just be up to Beulah to decide if you’re fittin’ enough to join the family. That’ll be up to me and the rest of our kinfolk as well, and know that I plan to keep a very, very close eye on you.”
Seventeen
Given that she was currently on the receiving end of what could only be described as a glare, and a scorching one at that, it was a curious state of affairs when Camilla felt the most compelling urge to laugh.
That urge only increased when Owen finally got hold of Elma’s arm and helped her out of the carriage, shooting Camilla a slightly wary look before he leaned forward, placed a kiss on Elma’s wrinkled cheek, then winced as Elma gave his ear a bit of a wallop.
“What in tarnation’s the matter with you, boy?” Elma demanded, her indignation somewhat suspect considering her cheeks were now pink. “You jist ’bout gave me heart palpitations since you know darn tootin’ I’m not a woman who appreciates no physical sign of affection.”
Owen gave his ear a rub. “Honestly, Aunt Elma, you know you’re my favorite aunt. Of course I’d want to show you affection by kissing your cheek after not seeing you for almost a month.”
“You haven’t seen me for nigh on two moons,” Elma shot back. “You done been avoidin’ me cuz you know I had a roof needin’ fixin’.”
“I sent men to repair your roof the day after you told me it needed fixing.”
“Should’ve come yourself,” Elma muttered. “I pickled eggs just for you.”
Owen’s lips quirked at the corners. “That was unusually nice of you.”
“It won’t never happen again, since I heard tell you didn’t come to do my roof because Alma needed your help at her place.”
“Aunt Alma’s stove caught on fire and burned down the wall behind it. If you’ll recall, that was during a spring snowstorm. Aunt Alma needed my assistance far more than you did because snow was pouring into her house. You merely needed a few roof tiles replaced.”
“Everyone always favors Alma,” Elma said with a sniff before she glanced at Camilla. “You responsible for turnin’ him affectionate?”
Camilla swallowed yet another unexpected laugh. “I don’t believe Owen needed me to assist him with that because I’m sure he’s always been an affectionate sort when it comes to family.”
“No one mentioned you were daft, girl,” Elma said before she turned to Mr. Timken, who was still sitting in the wagon, looking highly amused. “One would think, as her butler—although why anyone totes a butler around like a fancy piece of luggage is puzzlin’—you’d have mentioned somethin’ about her lack of sense when you told me you was in her employ.”
“Considering I found myself at the wrong end of your rifle, Miss Elma,” Mr. Timken began, his eyes crinkling at the corners, “you’ll have to forgive me for not divulging Miss Camilla’s entire life history or idiosyncrasies to you in explicit detail. Although, I will state here and now that Miss Camilla is in no way daft.”
“Why were you holding poor Mr. Timken at rifle-point?” Camilla asked, settling a frown on Elma.
“I stumbled on him rootin’ around the spare barn,” Elma began. “What else was I to think but that he was robbin’ the place? Hedon’t have the look of a local ’bout him, so I figured he’d done heard tell about Luella’s treasures and knew she stashed them away from the house.”
“Youknew about Luella’s furniture acquisitions?” Owen asked.
Elma arched a gray brow Owen’s way. “Youdidn’t?”
“Not until today.”
A swat to his arm was Elma’s first reply to that. “Maybe you and Miss Daftness here are doomed to be together after all since you don’t know what your own sister’s been up to of late. Talk around the valley has it that our Luella is doin’ the Chesterfields proud with her philanthropic work since she’s decided to make a difference in the community just like you, your daddy, and your daddy’s daddy done did.”
“I’m not sure how buying furniture correlates into philanthropy,” Owen said.
