that?"
Katy flushed and speared a piece of corn cake. "No."
"I didn't think so. Katy, things are tense enough between us. For both our sakes, I suggest you don't spend a lot of time baiting me."
Katy wasn't certain how to take that so she kept quiet.
To her surprise, matters seemed to stabilize during the next two days. She went out of her way to be polite and businesslike when she was with Garrett, and he reciprocated with a remote civility that didn't quite mask his dissatisfaction. Katy got the feeling he was determined to give the situation time. She thought about telling him that time wasn't going to make any difference but thought better of it. He was right—baiting him might be a dangerous pastime.
Nadine Bracken, a dour-faced woman who appeared to be in the same age range as her husband proved helpful, if not particularly talkative. When Katy praised her for taking such excellent care of the main house she just shrugged.
"Been takin' care of this house for as long as I can remember. I've always had a feeling for this place," she had said. "I went to work for the Atwoods when I was in high school. Emmett did, too. The Atwoods always made us feel like we were family, if you know what I mean. I even thought we might be family, one day." She'd favored Katy with a strange look. "Emmett and I thought our girl, Felice, would wind up livin' here in this house."
Katy hadn't quite known what to say to that, so she'd changed the subject. "I gather the interior designer Garrett hired made several changes."
Nadine had stared balefully at the new furniture in the living room. "She did. Acted as if no one important had ever lived here. Had no respect. Just came through and tore the place up from one end to the other."
"It looks lovely now," Katy had said, feeling an odd need to defend Garrett's choice of interior designers. Garrett had given the orders to redo the place because he had wanted to please his new wife. Katy felt a familiar twinge of emotion at the thought. She was going to have to try harder to avoid those guilt pangs.
Royce Hutton dropped by to introduce himself on Katy's third morning in her new home. Garrett was out taking a look at the final preparations for Red Dazzle at the time, and it was Katy who answered the door to find a tall, rangy, good-looking man in his late thirties on the doorstep. His grin was infectious.
"You must be the new Mrs. Coltrane. I'm your neighbor, Royce Hutton. Came by to introduce myself properly and then kick myself one more time around the block for missing out on this piece of property. Hope you're enjoying your new home."
Katy was unable to resist the humor in Royce Hut-ton's hazel eyes. After the tension of living with Garrett's grim, remote mood, she found it was a relief to speak to someone who was obviously intent on being charming. "Please come in, Royce. I heard you wanted the house and land. It is a beautiful setting, isn't it?"
"You can say that again." Royce followed her into the living room, his eyes sweeping over the furnishings. "Hey, Coltrane really went first-class in here, didn't he? I heard he spent a fortune having this place redone. Looks like something out of a magazine."
"Yes, it does, doesn't it? Garrett wanted it to be polished and perfect. Can I offer you a cup of coffee?"
"Sounds great."
Nadine Bracken materialized silently behind them, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "I'll get the coffee, Mrs. Coltrane."
Katy smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Nadine."
Royce raised an eyebrow as the unsmiling woman disappeared. "The Brackens have been here forever, you know," he murmured. "They took it hard when old Silas got rid of the place. Is Garrett going to keep them on?"
"As far as I know," Katy said carefully. "Garrett hasn't said anything one way or the other, but things seem to be working out. Please sit down."
"Thanks." Royce threw himself casually into a white leather chair. The action revealed the fine tooling on a pair of handmade boots. "Heard
Katy flushed and speared a piece of corn cake. "No."
"I didn't think so. Katy, things are tense enough between us. For both our sakes, I suggest you don't spend a lot of time baiting me."
Katy wasn't certain how to take that so she kept quiet.
To her surprise, matters seemed to stabilize during the next two days. She went out of her way to be polite and businesslike when she was with Garrett, and he reciprocated with a remote civility that didn't quite mask his dissatisfaction. Katy got the feeling he was determined to give the situation time. She thought about telling him that time wasn't going to make any difference but thought better of it. He was right—baiting him might be a dangerous pastime.
Nadine Bracken, a dour-faced woman who appeared to be in the same age range as her husband proved helpful, if not particularly talkative. When Katy praised her for taking such excellent care of the main house she just shrugged.
"Been takin' care of this house for as long as I can remember. I've always had a feeling for this place," she had said. "I went to work for the Atwoods when I was in high school. Emmett did, too. The Atwoods always made us feel like we were family, if you know what I mean. I even thought we might be family, one day." She'd favored Katy with a strange look. "Emmett and I thought our girl, Felice, would wind up livin' here in this house."
Katy hadn't quite known what to say to that, so she'd changed the subject. "I gather the interior designer Garrett hired made several changes."
Nadine had stared balefully at the new furniture in the living room. "She did. Acted as if no one important had ever lived here. Had no respect. Just came through and tore the place up from one end to the other."
"It looks lovely now," Katy had said, feeling an odd need to defend Garrett's choice of interior designers. Garrett had given the orders to redo the place because he had wanted to please his new wife. Katy felt a familiar twinge of emotion at the thought. She was going to have to try harder to avoid those guilt pangs.
Royce Hutton dropped by to introduce himself on Katy's third morning in her new home. Garrett was out taking a look at the final preparations for Red Dazzle at the time, and it was Katy who answered the door to find a tall, rangy, good-looking man in his late thirties on the doorstep. His grin was infectious.
"You must be the new Mrs. Coltrane. I'm your neighbor, Royce Hutton. Came by to introduce myself properly and then kick myself one more time around the block for missing out on this piece of property. Hope you're enjoying your new home."
Katy was unable to resist the humor in Royce Hut-ton's hazel eyes. After the tension of living with Garrett's grim, remote mood, she found it was a relief to speak to someone who was obviously intent on being charming. "Please come in, Royce. I heard you wanted the house and land. It is a beautiful setting, isn't it?"
"You can say that again." Royce followed her into the living room, his eyes sweeping over the furnishings. "Hey, Coltrane really went first-class in here, didn't he? I heard he spent a fortune having this place redone. Looks like something out of a magazine."
"Yes, it does, doesn't it? Garrett wanted it to be polished and perfect. Can I offer you a cup of coffee?"
"Sounds great."
Nadine Bracken materialized silently behind them, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "I'll get the coffee, Mrs. Coltrane."
Katy smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Nadine."
Royce raised an eyebrow as the unsmiling woman disappeared. "The Brackens have been here forever, you know," he murmured. "They took it hard when old Silas got rid of the place. Is Garrett going to keep them on?"
"As far as I know," Katy said carefully. "Garrett hasn't said anything one way or the other, but things seem to be working out. Please sit down."
"Thanks." Royce threw himself casually into a white leather chair. The action revealed the fine tooling on a pair of handmade boots. "Heard
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