she would worry about
all of this tomorrow and tomorrow would be here in just a few hours.
*
* *
“Miss Cross, I don’t want you to get your hopes up. This
still has to go to the committee but writing a loan for this much money,
especially when you don’t hold full interest in the property will be next to
impossible. Are you sure you can’t get your sister and mother in here to sign
with you?”
“I don’t know, I can ask.” She knew the answer would be no,
she just hated to admit it to this stranger.
“Well, do. I for one would hate to see the grand old
Windswept disappear.” He walked her out of the bank into the bright winter
sunshine. She was only a block or two from West’s office, but she didn’t feel
comfortable dropping this bomb on him. Madeline didn’t want him to think she
was asking for his help at a reduced rate or anything. Because she wasn’t. She
would rather let Windswept go than take advantage of anyone. For the first
time, Maddie started to consider what life might be like without her beloved
Bed and Breakfast.
Her only other option was to contact a lawyer and see if
there was any clause in the will or the deed that would help her at all.
Frankly, Maddie didn’t know of one and doubted the possibility—but again, she
had to try.
When she arrived home, things were hopping. Some of the
guests were staying for Mardi Gras and some were packing to go home. Madeline
stood at the desk and bid some farewell, booking several for weekends later in
the year. Late spring and early summer would see the beaches filled to
overflowing.
She wondered if Juliana and Hugh were still in residence.
Morgana always stayed with her, but their mother had separate quarters on the
first floor in the back with a private entrance. She didn’t want to think where
Hugh was sleeping. Since they’d arrived unannounced and hadn’t asked her or her
help for a key, they were undoubtedly sharing the suite—if not a bed. Maddie
shuddered.
News of her failure would reach their ears soon enough. She
really couldn’t see any way out of her dilemma, but she wasn’t one to leave a
sinking ship. If Windswept was going to go down, she’d ride it till the last
wave topped the widow’s walk. For a few minutes she just walked around,
surveying her home. There were many valuable antiques, but even if she stripped
the place and sold them all, it wouldn’t be enough. All of her assets were tied
up in this old mansion. Maddie didn’t have enough savings and her car wasn’t
new or worth enough to matter. She had no valuable jewelry, other than what
West had given her. She smiled and touched the heart. And its great value was
more in what it stood rather than the money it could bring. No, if her mother
and sister wouldn’t sign the loan, she guessed the Windswept would be replaced
with a shiny new Beaumont resort. To see such a great piece of the island’s
history vanish made her sad, but not as sad as knowing the last tie she had
with her father and his past would be gone.
“Phone, Maddie!” Elaine called. “Take it in your office.
It’s studmuffin!”
“Oh, Lord. I hope she had him on hold,” Maddie muttered and
several guests laughed. Anxious to hear his voice, she hurried and shut the
door behind her, sliding into the seat. “Hello?”
“Maddie-mine, how’s my girl?”
Smiling from ear to ear. “Better now that I’ve heard from
you. How are you?”
“Oh, I’m good. Missing you. When can I see you again?”
Now. “I can fix dinner for us tomorrow if you’d like to
come.”
“Sounds perfect, I’m meeting Dallas and Aiden tonight. I’d
rather see you, but I’ve already promised.”
“No, that’s good.” She liked that he was a man of his word.
“I have some things to do around here, dealing with family and such. Folks are
checking out and we have a writer’s group heading in. Several romance authors
are coming for some quiet time. They’re writing a series set in Galveston and
they
all of this tomorrow and tomorrow would be here in just a few hours.
*
* *
“Miss Cross, I don’t want you to get your hopes up. This
still has to go to the committee but writing a loan for this much money,
especially when you don’t hold full interest in the property will be next to
impossible. Are you sure you can’t get your sister and mother in here to sign
with you?”
“I don’t know, I can ask.” She knew the answer would be no,
she just hated to admit it to this stranger.
“Well, do. I for one would hate to see the grand old
Windswept disappear.” He walked her out of the bank into the bright winter
sunshine. She was only a block or two from West’s office, but she didn’t feel
comfortable dropping this bomb on him. Madeline didn’t want him to think she
was asking for his help at a reduced rate or anything. Because she wasn’t. She
would rather let Windswept go than take advantage of anyone. For the first
time, Maddie started to consider what life might be like without her beloved
Bed and Breakfast.
Her only other option was to contact a lawyer and see if
there was any clause in the will or the deed that would help her at all.
Frankly, Maddie didn’t know of one and doubted the possibility—but again, she
had to try.
When she arrived home, things were hopping. Some of the
guests were staying for Mardi Gras and some were packing to go home. Madeline
stood at the desk and bid some farewell, booking several for weekends later in
the year. Late spring and early summer would see the beaches filled to
overflowing.
She wondered if Juliana and Hugh were still in residence.
Morgana always stayed with her, but their mother had separate quarters on the
first floor in the back with a private entrance. She didn’t want to think where
Hugh was sleeping. Since they’d arrived unannounced and hadn’t asked her or her
help for a key, they were undoubtedly sharing the suite—if not a bed. Maddie
shuddered.
News of her failure would reach their ears soon enough. She
really couldn’t see any way out of her dilemma, but she wasn’t one to leave a
sinking ship. If Windswept was going to go down, she’d ride it till the last
wave topped the widow’s walk. For a few minutes she just walked around,
surveying her home. There were many valuable antiques, but even if she stripped
the place and sold them all, it wouldn’t be enough. All of her assets were tied
up in this old mansion. Maddie didn’t have enough savings and her car wasn’t
new or worth enough to matter. She had no valuable jewelry, other than what
West had given her. She smiled and touched the heart. And its great value was
more in what it stood rather than the money it could bring. No, if her mother
and sister wouldn’t sign the loan, she guessed the Windswept would be replaced
with a shiny new Beaumont resort. To see such a great piece of the island’s
history vanish made her sad, but not as sad as knowing the last tie she had
with her father and his past would be gone.
“Phone, Maddie!” Elaine called. “Take it in your office.
It’s studmuffin!”
“Oh, Lord. I hope she had him on hold,” Maddie muttered and
several guests laughed. Anxious to hear his voice, she hurried and shut the
door behind her, sliding into the seat. “Hello?”
“Maddie-mine, how’s my girl?”
Smiling from ear to ear. “Better now that I’ve heard from
you. How are you?”
“Oh, I’m good. Missing you. When can I see you again?”
Now. “I can fix dinner for us tomorrow if you’d like to
come.”
“Sounds perfect, I’m meeting Dallas and Aiden tonight. I’d
rather see you, but I’ve already promised.”
“No, that’s good.” She liked that he was a man of his word.
“I have some things to do around here, dealing with family and such. Folks are
checking out and we have a writer’s group heading in. Several romance authors
are coming for some quiet time. They’re writing a series set in Galveston and
they
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