Always in My Dreams by Jo Goodman

is Hank Ryder, and he has a place for himself in the carriage house. There must be at least three other people who comprise the help, but none of them showed a face while I was touring. I suspect they've gone home for the evening. You may as well know that no one was particularly pleased about the idea of you and your son living at the house. Mr. Parnell accepted it, but Mr. Caide tried to change his mind."
    Annie nodded. "I understand. We won't be any trouble or call undue attention to ourselves."
    "I'm certain you won't."
    "What exactly is it that the other man does?"
    "Mr. Caide, you mean?"
    "That's the one."
    "I'm not certain. He's rather odd. Enigmatic, actually."
    Annie covered her mouth as she giggled.
    "Why are you laughing?"
    Her pale complexion suffused with color. "I really shouldn't say, but since you asked, I thought he was a handsome one."
    "You're right," Skye said evenly. "I don't think we should discuss it."
    Annie straightened. "I'm sorry." Her gray eyes clouded as she looked warily at Skye.
    It was the fear tingeing Annie's expression that made Skye realize the power she wielded. They hadn't reached the mansion yet and Annie was already thinking she might be dismissed. "Please, Annie, don't give it another thought. I'm the one who said he was odd. I shouldn't have said it." Skye thought Annie seemed at least a trifle relieved.
    "What about Mr. Parnell?" Annie asked. "Do you know anything about him?"
    "Not a thing. It wasn't discussed in my interview. What about yours?"
    She shook her head. "I heard in the village that he's some sort of inventor. Do you suppose that's true?"
    "It may be. He retired to his workroom while I was there."
    "I never worked for an inventor before."
    "Neither have I," Skye said. "If you think about it, he's just a tinkerer who's been luckier than most." That description probably gave Jonathan Parnell's talents short shrift, but Skye was not certain she wanted to think kindly of him—not without knowing what his role was in Jay Mac's plans. Walker Caide seemed to think he knew the reason Parnell had hired her and it wasn't a reason Skye would have considered on her own. If it were true, perhaps it absolved Jay Mac. In some ways it was a little flattering.
    Skye shook her head, wondering where the truth lay. It would have been just like Jay Mac to suppose that Jonathan Parnell might make a suitable son-in-law. He was steady and serious, qualities her father would have liked to see settled on her. The score of years difference in their ages might have given Jay Mac some concern, but he would put it aside if he thought Parnell could rein in his daughter's impulsive nature.
    Skye sighed. Jonathan Parnell was interesting, even attractive to her, but they would never suit. She wondered if she could possibly sit through another dinner with spinach between her teeth.

 
     
     
    Chapter 4

     
    By the time Skye's head touched a pillow, she was exhausted. Not so surprisingly, she found sleep elusive. She turned on her back, stared at the ceiling, and began counting the day's successes instead of sheep.
    She did not number acquiring a job as one of her accomplishments. She did, however, believe that getting work for Annie as well as a place for her and her son to stay was one of the best things she'd ever done. She had also managed to scrub down the small suite she was shown for her own use, put clean linens on the bed, and set a good fire in the fireplace. As she burrowed into the thick feather mattress, these things seemed like remarkable achievements.
    She had met Mrs. Reading and established her position in the house by insisting the cook prepare a special meal for Annie and her son since it was late when they returned to the house. The grumbling in Skye's stomach reminded her that she'd satisfied her own hunger with only a cup of warm milk and some bread. The sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar had added flavor, but not much substance. Graveyard stew, her mother had called it, and she had