“After Geraldine died, I put out the call that we wouldn’t need them this year.”
“But it’s a tradition, Hector! You’ve been doing that for years, now.”
“More than forty,” he said with a touch of pride. “Taught those kids the meaning of putting in a good day’s work. Taught them about respecting the earth and the creatures that live on it.” He sighed. “But that wouldn’t work for a fancy hotel.”
“Oh, yes, it would. It’s a community service.” Luna had come up with yet another marketing hook. “I’ll bet the kids you hired grew up and sent their kids over.”
“Many did. Last summer I even had a couple of grandkids from my first batch. Three generations coming over here to earn a little spending money doing something healthy, something that works those young muscles.”
“Hector.” She almost reached for his hands, but decided he wouldn’t welcome that kind of familiarity. “You’re an institution around here. A celebrity.”
A red flush rose from beneath his collar. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
“I would. Guests will come just to reminisce about the summers they spent working here. They’ll want to see how the tree’s grown that they planted, or whether the flower beds still curve the way they remembered, or whether you still have trouble with weeds in the croquet lawn. We have history here, living history. Don’t leave! I don’t want to lose all that!”
He looked dazed. “I never thought of it that way.”
“I might not have, either, except that I visited my grandparents today.”
“You did? How did that go?”
“It was… interesting, but the minute I mentioned Whittier House, they started talking about how much Byron loved coming here to work. They wanted to know if you still worked here and they want to visit and talk about him a little bit. It would help them, I think.”
Hector nodded, which Luna took as a good sign. Then he glanced at her. “You haven’t had much tradition in your life, have you?”
“No, I haven’t. None, really. That’s probably why I recognize how important it is. And why I want to preserve it whenever I can. Please stay, Hector.”
“I promise to think about it.”
“Good.” She was in a lot better position with Hector than she’d been before. She would keep her fingers crossed that he’d make the decision that would, she believed, make everyone happy. She wanted to say something about Althea, but hesitated, not sure how he’d take it.
But if she didn’t say something now, she might never get another chance. “Edwina, my grandmother, said she knew Althea, your mate.”
His head came up quickly, and his tone was almost harsh. “What did she say?”
“Only that it was very sad.”
Hector blew out a breath and looked toward a point where sky and sea blended together, obscuring the horizon. “It was sad. And unnecessary. A simple fall, in our kitchen. Her head hit the counter just right. Massive concussion.”
Luna gasped.
“She was gone.” He snapped his fingers. “Just like that. It happened nearly fifty years ago, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. Nobody talks about it anymore, though, especially me.” He looked at her. “That’s probably a mistake, not to talk about it.”
“I think it might be. Especially if you loved her very much.”
“She was my true mate. I could never love anyone the way I loved Althea. Here, I’ll show you something.” Standing, he dug in the pocket of his work pants and pulled out a small, shiny object. “She wore this around her neck all the time. Only took it off when she shifted into Were form, but otherwise, always wore it.”
Luna gazed at the tiny gold trinket made up of two entwined hearts with a small diamond in the middle. She doubted it was worth much money, but to Hector, it was priceless. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s always with me. That way, Althea’s always with me.” He tucked it carefully back in his pocket and sat down again.
Luna’s throat tightened. She wanted to be loved like that. Even more specifically, she wanted to be loved like that by Colin MacDowell, Laird of Glenbarra, the Were who had stolen her heart. But it was a foolish wish that had almost no chance of coming true.
Chapter 24
Colin hoped the discussion between Luna and Hector was going well. They were still talking when the installation crew left, and before Colin could walk over to the bench, the household staff trooped out to view the new addition. Colin suspected somebody had been sneaking out periodically to report on the progress.
Dulcie came over, doing a little cha-cha step on the croquet lawn. “Party time! Oh, yeah. Time to par-tay!”
“Is it filled yet?” Sybil followed close behind Dulcie, her eyes bright but her enthusiasm held carefully in check. “I know these things take a lot of time to fill.”
“It’s filled,” Colin said. “The chemicals are in, and the hot tub is officially open for business. They promised us a functioning hot tub by the cocktail hour, and through the wonders of prefabricated construction, they’ve accomplished it.” He glanced at Dulcie and Sybil and smiled. “How come you aren’t in your suits already?”
“Because,” Dulcie said, “we happen to have manners, and we’re waiting to be invited.”
“Then consider yourselves invited.”
“Woo-hoo!” Dulcie pumped both fists in the air. “Come on, Sybil, let’s get Janet. Oh, wait. Are we allowed to bring appetizers and a bottle of wine?”
“We shouldn’t do that,” Sybil said. “Hot water and alcohol don’t mix.”
“They do in my world,” Dulcie said. “What’s the verdict, Your Lairdness?”
“The water’s not very hot yet. I’ll turn the thermostat down if you want wine. So which will it be? Hot water or wine?”
Dulcie stuck her hand in the air. “I vote for wine. Sybil?”
“Wine, I guess. It’s still warm out. We don’t need the water too hot. Let’s get Janet.”
“Is this a private party?” Colin asked. “Or can anybody join in?”
Sybil blinked. “You want to go hot-tubbing with us?”
“Why not? Let’s christen the thing. I have a couple of chores to take care of, but then I’ll put on my suit and be down.”
“You have a suit?”
“I always pack one when I come to Whittier House. I usually go down to Happy Hour Beach for a swim, but I think we need to try out this hot tub. I’ll ask Hector and Luna on my way back to the house.”
“Hector won’t go for it,” Dulcie said. “He doesn’t do anything fun. But ask Luna. She’ll want to. We’ll be back in a flash.”
“I’ll get there as soon as I can.” Colin couldn’t picture this kind of informal celebration ever taking place at MacDowell House in Glenbarra. The atmosphere there was serious, deadly serious. As he walked over to the temperature control and turned it down several notches, he thought about whether Luna would like MacDowell House at all.
It was a Scottish castle, an authentic one as opposed to the new, modernized version Henry had built for Geraldine. MacDowell House was the real deal and it had the balky plumbing and moldy storerooms to prove it. He loved the place, but he wasn’t sure if Luna, used to Whittier House’s conveniences, would.
And then there was the issue of the general mood of the place. His mother and father weren’t party animals, that was for sure. Duncan could be counted on to cheer things up, though.
If Colin showed up with Luna, and Duncan invited a lively female friend, the four of them might be able to blow the cobwebs out of the dreary old place. That was pure fantasy, of course. Luna wouldn’t want to go in the first place.
He needed to stop thinking about impossible dreams and enjoy her company while he could, along with that of her three partners in crime. Who knew? Maybe she’d worked miracles with Hector and he’d decide to hop in, too.
Colin approached the spot where Hector and Luna sat talking. “Hot tub’s ready,” he said. “Or I should say, warm tub’s ready. Dulcie and Sybil want to drink wine, so I turned the temperature down. We’re all invited to join them. I’m going upstairs to change into my suit.”
Hector stood. “Count me out. Not my thing.” He paused and studied Colin for a moment. “Luna seems to think I should stay on, even though you’re turning this into a fancy hotel. I say I’d be out of place.”
“Luna knows what she’s doing,” Colin said. “A smart Were would stick around.” Which didn’t make Colin very smart, now, did it?
“I told her I’d give it some thought. Well, time for me to be off. I’ll leave you all to your community bathtub.” He headed toward the small groundskeeper’s cottage he’d lived in for decades, but his step seemed lighter than it had a day ago.
Colin took Hector’s place on the stone bench. “Sounds as if you presented your case well, lass.”
“I realized that he’s been bringing teenagers here to work all these years, which makes him a draw for those who want to come back and reminisce about old times on Le Floret. He’s up to the third generation in some families. That’s loyalty.”
Colin gazed at her with admiration. “Brilliant concept, Luna. And I’ll bet it made him feel valued to hear you say that he was an important part of the operation.”
“I think so. He told me something interesting. George Trevelyan worked out here very briefly as a teenager, and according to Hector, George always considered himself in competition with my father.”
Colin digested that piece of information. “That doesn’t surprise me at all. I wish… ”
“What?”
He shook his head. “It’s pointless. I just wish I could be here to see how this shakes out with your grandparents and George.” He sighed. “But I can’t, so I should quit brooding about it and enjoy the time I have left with you.”
She reached over and squeezed his hand. “Go on and take care of your reservations, and then come down and join the party. We’ll keep you occupied for the first half of the night, and I’ll take it from there.”
He turned his hand over and wove his fingers through hers. “That sounds promising.”
“I don’t intend to waste a minute of the time you have left. You can sleep on the plane.”
“That’s fine for me, but you have to work after I leave.”
“And that’s what will keep me sane,” she said. “I’ll be so busy, I’ll barely notice you’re gone.”
“Really?”
“No, not really. But it’s the closest thing to a strategy I’ve got, so I’m going with it.” She slipped her hand from his and stood. “Time to get moving, Your Much Honoured Lairdness. I’ll meet you back at the hot tub.”
“Or we could run away together.” He hadn’t meant to say it, but she looked so beautiful standing in the sunlight, her eyes bright as emeralds.
She shook her head and gave him a tiny smile. “Don’t be daft.” Turning, she hurried toward the house.
So that was that. He’d asked her and she’d refused. Time to make those plane reservations.
Had he meant that? Luna couldn’t imagine that Colin had seriously asked her to run away with him. But she couldn’t get the question out of her mind as she pulled a one-piece bathing suit out of her drawer. Geraldine had talked her into this suit after meeting resistance on the purchase of a bikini.
Luna stepped into the emerald green suit, which had laces up each side. Once Luna had modeled it for Geraldine, she’d proclaimed it sexier than a bikini. Thoughts of Geraldine combined with Colin’s outrageous suggestion.
What would Geraldine have done? That was easy. She would have responded, Let’s go, instead of, You’re daft. Geraldine had, in fact, run away with Henry, or at least stayed with him in America when the MacDowells ordered her home.
Geraldine had thrown caution to the winds, laughed at everyone’s expectations, and made a life with the Were she loved. Had Henry suggested running away together in that same offhand, almost teasing way?
Luna sighed. “Geraldine, I wish you were here.”
Grabbing a towel and slipping her feet into flip-flops, she hurried out of the house and over to the hot tub, where the party was already in progress.
“Hey, Luna!” Dulcie waved at her from her spot in the bubbling water. “This is awesome! You and Colin picked out a great model!”
“That’s good!” She hurried across the croquet lawn. She smelled fresh lumber and a hint of pool chemicals as she climbed the sturdy steps to the deck area.
“Killer suit,” Dulcie added. “Will it to me, okay?”
“Sure thing.” Luna laid her towel on the decking.
Sybil lay in the water with her head propped on a towel and her eyes closed as she cradled her wineglass in both hands. “I’m in heaven,” she said. “If I’m not, don’t bother telling me. They should have hot tubs in heaven.”
“Amen to that.” Janet sat on one of the molded benches. Her lycra-covered br**sts bobbed in the water as she munched on a piece of cheese. “Oh, and not to worry. Dinner’s baking in the oven. There’s a salad in the fridge, and dessert’s in the freezer.”
Luna climbed into the tub next to Janet. “I never doubted that you’d have everything under control.”
“Have some wine, chica.” Dulcie handed Luna a plastic glass of white. “Fortunately I found these plastic doodads in the pantry. I’m not a big rules person, but we need some for this most excellent hot tub. No glass, for one thing.”