blinked. He couldn’t be serious. Wasn’t he going to photocopy it or something—?
Wait. Had the corner of his mouth hitched up a fraction of an inch, just for a second? Was Walker… teasing her?
No, she decided. Not him. Although…
No.
“That can’t be it,” she exclaimed, disconcerted by this whole situation. “This isn’t any way to hire a person.”
“Walker!” Craig said. “Let us in, man.”
“This is Chance Creek.” Walker seemed to think that explanation enough. “Three o’clock. Be ready.”
Three o’clock was right in the middle of her writing time. There wasn’t anything for it, of course. She wanted the job. She’d have to write in the evenings. If Walker’s grandmother left by five, she’d be on time for dinner down at Base Camp, anyway. She knew Renata would have things to say if she was late.
Nora looked down at her dress. “She’s going to think I’m pretty strange.”
“For fuck’s sake, Walker—” Craig said.
“It’ll be fine.” Walker turned to go.
“I’ll be ready,” she called out as he walked slowly down the stairs. He didn’t bother to reply. Craig and the others trailed after him as he went, the cameraman berating Walker. Walker kept going, as stoic as ever.
Nora shut the door, re-examining her feelings about taking this on. Here she’d finally gotten the opportunity to really give writing a go, and she was allowing a new responsibility to take a chunk out of her day. Was she sabotaging herself?
More like distracting herself, she decided. It was a project she could sink her teeth into. Maybe then she’d forget the anxiety twisting her innards into knots.
Besides, it was only temporary. She’d write up the curriculum under Walker’s grandmother’s tutelage, then return to her Jane Austen life.
Savannah cleared her throat behind Nora, and Nora spun around, startled. “Savannah! You scared me.”
“Sorry. I just finished the bedrooms.” She waved behind her to indicate the stairs. “Did I just hear you accept a job, Nora Ridgeway?”
Nora nodded, guilt flooding her cheeks with heat. She’d hoped to have time to craft an explanation that would make up for her breaking her vow. “It’s education-related—” She squeaked when Savannah hugged her. “What’s that for?”
“I know how much you miss teaching, so if you’ve found something that makes you happy, then I’m glad. Above everything else, we want you to stay here. Write if that makes you happy. Teach, whatever. Just… stay.”
For the first time in twenty-four hours, Nora smiled. She hugged Savannah back impulsively.
“Are you busy right now?” Savannah asked.
“Not really. I need to finish up the bathrooms, but—”
“I’m going stir crazy. I’d… like a new dress.” She blushed a little when Nora raised an eyebrow. “I know, I know, we’re supposed to be economizing, but I’m feeling frivolous. Is that really so bad?”
Nora shook her head, taking in the circles under Savannah’s eyes. Wrapped up in her own cares, had she missed something? Savannah didn’t look like she was sleeping well. “Of course not.” She wondered if this was about Jericho.
“Should I call James Russell or a taxi?” Savannah was keeper of the cell phone today and she pulled it out of her pocket.
“James.” Nora could use a carriage ride right about now. The slower pace suited her mood.
As usual, James was all too pleased to have an excuse to get out his horses, and in less than half an hour he was climbing down from his high seat to greet them and help them into the carriage. Nora swore the man would drive all over Montana in his barouche if he could.
“Cameras. Twelve o’clock,” Savannah said suddenly. Nora sighed when she turned and saw the crew hastening up the hill to catch up with them.
“Wherever you’re going, we’re coming, too,” William said, puffing with the exertion.
“Not in my barouche.” James straightened to his full height, and almost managed to
Wait. Had the corner of his mouth hitched up a fraction of an inch, just for a second? Was Walker… teasing her?
No, she decided. Not him. Although…
No.
“That can’t be it,” she exclaimed, disconcerted by this whole situation. “This isn’t any way to hire a person.”
“Walker!” Craig said. “Let us in, man.”
“This is Chance Creek.” Walker seemed to think that explanation enough. “Three o’clock. Be ready.”
Three o’clock was right in the middle of her writing time. There wasn’t anything for it, of course. She wanted the job. She’d have to write in the evenings. If Walker’s grandmother left by five, she’d be on time for dinner down at Base Camp, anyway. She knew Renata would have things to say if she was late.
Nora looked down at her dress. “She’s going to think I’m pretty strange.”
“For fuck’s sake, Walker—” Craig said.
“It’ll be fine.” Walker turned to go.
“I’ll be ready,” she called out as he walked slowly down the stairs. He didn’t bother to reply. Craig and the others trailed after him as he went, the cameraman berating Walker. Walker kept going, as stoic as ever.
Nora shut the door, re-examining her feelings about taking this on. Here she’d finally gotten the opportunity to really give writing a go, and she was allowing a new responsibility to take a chunk out of her day. Was she sabotaging herself?
More like distracting herself, she decided. It was a project she could sink her teeth into. Maybe then she’d forget the anxiety twisting her innards into knots.
Besides, it was only temporary. She’d write up the curriculum under Walker’s grandmother’s tutelage, then return to her Jane Austen life.
Savannah cleared her throat behind Nora, and Nora spun around, startled. “Savannah! You scared me.”
“Sorry. I just finished the bedrooms.” She waved behind her to indicate the stairs. “Did I just hear you accept a job, Nora Ridgeway?”
Nora nodded, guilt flooding her cheeks with heat. She’d hoped to have time to craft an explanation that would make up for her breaking her vow. “It’s education-related—” She squeaked when Savannah hugged her. “What’s that for?”
“I know how much you miss teaching, so if you’ve found something that makes you happy, then I’m glad. Above everything else, we want you to stay here. Write if that makes you happy. Teach, whatever. Just… stay.”
For the first time in twenty-four hours, Nora smiled. She hugged Savannah back impulsively.
“Are you busy right now?” Savannah asked.
“Not really. I need to finish up the bathrooms, but—”
“I’m going stir crazy. I’d… like a new dress.” She blushed a little when Nora raised an eyebrow. “I know, I know, we’re supposed to be economizing, but I’m feeling frivolous. Is that really so bad?”
Nora shook her head, taking in the circles under Savannah’s eyes. Wrapped up in her own cares, had she missed something? Savannah didn’t look like she was sleeping well. “Of course not.” She wondered if this was about Jericho.
“Should I call James Russell or a taxi?” Savannah was keeper of the cell phone today and she pulled it out of her pocket.
“James.” Nora could use a carriage ride right about now. The slower pace suited her mood.
As usual, James was all too pleased to have an excuse to get out his horses, and in less than half an hour he was climbing down from his high seat to greet them and help them into the carriage. Nora swore the man would drive all over Montana in his barouche if he could.
“Cameras. Twelve o’clock,” Savannah said suddenly. Nora sighed when she turned and saw the crew hastening up the hill to catch up with them.
“Wherever you’re going, we’re coming, too,” William said, puffing with the exertion.
“Not in my barouche.” James straightened to his full height, and almost managed to
Similar Books
