Читать книгу Haunting at Remington House - Laura V. Keegan - Страница 34

The next several days were spent in preparation for the arrival of Tom’s family. Mary Stevens was helping Nell and Nell’s two nieces, Linda and Gwenn, with some general cleaning. Windows needed washing. Furniture needed rearranging. Floors needed waxing. A household of chores needed to be done so Cassie could relax when she got here. Tom knew Cassie well—if anything needed doing, she would take over. He didn’t want that, he wanted her to have a restful vacation. Besides, Nell and the girls had happily stepped up.

While the women took care of the inside, Tom and Joe worked together on the outside, a needed break for Tom. “Heard any more from Nate?” Joe asked, his ax poised in midair as he prepared to chop more wood.

“Yeah, I talked to him last night. I guess he’s not going to make it up here for at least a few weeks. Until he can get around easily, he’s going to stay in Jamestown and work from our office there.”

“Sounds reasonable. You said your attorney is there, too?”

“Yes, his office is there but it’s on a different floor of the Werner Building. It’ll actually be good for me not to have to deal with the businesses very much while Cassie’s here. I’d like to relax with her and her family for a while. I’d like to spend some time planning the remodel. I want to get the gym built and start plans for remodeling the third floor. Think you have enough time to supervise the work, Joe?”

“You bet. Timing’s perfect for me. What are you planning for the upstairs?” Joe asked. “I don’t think you mentioned that before.”

“I’d like to put an office up there. And Nate will need space for his living quarters. I was thinking there’s enough room that we can have a guest suite for Cassie and Michael when they visit. I hope she’ll like it here and want to come often, kind of a home-away-from-home. Michael travels a lot, so it would make sense that she could have part of the upstairs to call her own. We’ll see. Either way, I want to make it pretty comfortable in the attic. Think we can get it done by late spring? Then maybe Cassie could stay up there this summer.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem,” Joe said. “I’ll get with Walt James; he’s an architect I used in New York. He loves old houses. He’s the most knowledgeable and experienced guy I know. He’s the one we need to draw up the attic plans. Maybe we can get him out here after the holiday. I’ll give him a call.” Joe brought the ax down with a whoosh, splitting the wood effortlessly.

Tom picked up the pieces and threw them onto the pile. “Mind if I give it a try?”

Joe handed him the ax. Tom raised the blade. Making an arc over his head, he quickly swung the ax down into the log, grinning as the wood flew onto the ground in two perfect pieces. “Always wanted to do that. Very empowering isn’t it?”

The men spent several hours chopping and stacking wood. Neither saw Sara come from behind the house. She hollered and waved to get their attention. “You guys sure are working hard. I’m impressed. There’s enough wood cut to last for months. Tom, I need to talk to you.”

“I’ll finish up here,” Joe said, slamming the ax blade into a log. “Go on. I have to get back to town in a while. I’ll see you later this afternoon.”

“What’s up?” Tom asked, taking Sara’s hand in his.

“I wanted to talk to you about Jimmy. Billy’s giving him such a hard time, worse than usual. His friend Alan was going to come for the week, but he changed his mind. Billy is seething. I wondered if you could find anything for Jimmy to do around here to get him away from his brother. Vivian always sides with Billy. So unfair.”

“What about their dad? Isn’t he supposed to be here?”

“He was, but I guess he isn’t even going to make it for Thanksgiving. So there’s nothing much going Jimmy’s way right now,” Sara said. “His dad, when he’s around, is fair and doesn’t take sides, but he’s hardly been around these past few months. In fact, Vivian said William left for Amsterdam this morning. She doesn’t know when he’ll be back.”

“Cassie’s daughter might be the solution. She’ll be the perfect excuse for Jimmy to hang out here. She’s eight, so they should have a lot in common. Lizzie is an only child—having someone to play with will be her dream come true. They’ll be here tomorrow night. How’s that sound?”

“I’m sure that will be great. But I meant today. Jimmy is miserable. Anything you could have him do around here?”

“Hey, Joe?” Tom hollered. “Any chance you could use a hand this afternoon? Jimmy needs to get away from Billy and his mom.” Tom and Sara crossed the yard to where Joe was covering the wood stack.

“Hmm. Well I guess he could ride with me into town. Don’t have anything for him to do, but he could hang out with me. Think that would be okay?”

Sara hugged Joe. “Let me call him. I bet he‘ll be thrilled. He likes you so much. Thanks, Joe.” She made a phone call on her cell. “Vivian said yes!”

After Jimmy and Joe had gone, Sara and Tom made a fire in Tom’s study, away from the hustle of the household. “I feel much better now. Thanks for being understanding about Jimmy.”

“You have any idea why Vivian’s so hard on him?”

“Sadly I do. Or I think I do. Jimmy was unplanned. I think Vivian knew she wasn’t cut out for the parenting thing. Billy was a handful, so when she had to take on the responsibility of two kids, it was too much. She loves them, don’t get me wrong, but they do interfere tremendously with her social life. And this town seems to bring out the worst in her for some reason. Not much social life here, I guess. With William gone so much, it’s a lot for her to have to deal with the boys all the time. She needs constant adoration—which she certainly does not get from her kids.”

“What a selfish women. Such a shame for her boys. At least they’re lucky to have you to stand up for them.” Tom smiled at Sara and brushed a stray hair from her lips. He pulled her to him, and they snuggled contentedly on the sofa. The fire was warm; the afternoon sun was beginning to shine into the room turning the oak paneled walls a soft, golden brown. “What about your family, Sara? Do you have anyone besides Vivian and the boys?”

“No, I was an only child. Both of my parents were killed in an auto accident when I was twenty two.”

“I’m so sorry. It must have been very difficult for you.” Tom stroked her hair gently.

“Yes, for a long time I didn’t know what to do, but I was always very independent—that helped. They left me enough of an inheritance so I was able to complete my college classes at Boston University and earn my teaching degree. I still miss them terribly, of course, but what can I do? We all have our crosses to bear.” Tom massaged her neck as she continued.

“I taught English and Math at a private school. But I hated it.” She smiled sadly. “I liked teaching, but felt too confined. Living on everyone else’s schedule, teaching only what they wanted me to teach, was too regimented for me.” She stared into the fire.

“Hold that thought. Let me get something for us to drink,” Tom said as he stood up and then disappeared through the doorway. He returned carrying a tray of coffee and muffins. “Mmm. Nell’s been baking. Have one.” He set the tray on the table in front of them. “Okay, now tell me, how did you go from teaching in a private school to working for Vivian?”

“I asked the school to terminate my contract. I was involved in a . . . situation.” She looked nervously at Tom.

“What happened?” he asked.

“I guess you should hear it from me, not Vivian. That way you’ll know what really happened. Vivian tends to put her own slant on things. Makes her life more exciting to add as many torrid, if untrue, details that she can.

“I was having an affair with one of the professors at the school.” She glanced quickly at Tom. He frowned slightly.

“Go on,” he said softly.

“It was a stupid mistake. And apparently I wasn’t his first—he had affairs with several other staff members. I didn’t know that at the time. Then I heard that he was dating one of my colleagues while he was seeing me. I reacted quite badly, waited to catch them alone together and confront them. The other woman was the school’s principal. She was livid. Like me, she had no idea he was seeing us both.”

Tom said, “What a mess. Must have been a pretty painful experience. Was he your first love?”

“Oh, I didn’t love him, and no, he wasn’t my first. I was lonely . . . and bored. I needed some excitement in my life. He was it. I wasn’t all that naïve. I should have known better. Anyway, it all blew up. I chose to keep quiet about the principal’s affair. In exchange, she agreed to terminate my contract and give me a good recommendation. It was a good reason to leave. I needed a major change in my life.” She took Tom’s cup from him. “That’s about it. Not very pretty, but a mistake I learned from.” She poured him another cup of coffee.

“I’ve made my share of mistakes, too,” Tom said. “Well, we can’t go back. Have to move forward, don’t we?” He reached out, grabbing her hand. “Are you glad you met me, Sara?”

“Yes! You are my knight in shining armor—as trite as that sounds.” She giggled. “I’m growing very fond of you, sir! I’ve even risked the wrath of Vivian to sneak time with you. Seriously, Tom, you are a joy to me.”