The silence in the cottage was profound.
Willow looked up from her snack at the kitchen table. “She sure talks fast, doesn’t she Mama?”
I bit back a laugh. “Yes, darlin’ she does.”
“I like her,” Willow said around a mouthful of oatmeal raisin cookie.
“So do I,” I admitted, and with a sigh, went to my bedroom and began to unpack.
It hadn’t taken long to put our things away. Thanks to the Drake’s thoughtfulness, the majority of our belongings were already hanging in closets or folded in drawers. I discovered a bowl of dried lavender potpourri in the bedroom. That explained the fragrance, I thought. While I rearranged a few of my clothes to suit my own preferences, Willow ran around the little cottage exclaiming over everything she found.
When it was time for dinner, I changed into dress slacks, low-heeled boots, and a new chunky knit sweater. I touched up my makeup, deepening the taupe shadow so my eyes appeared to be a darker shade of blue. After running a brush through my long dark curls, I spritzed on some perfume and called it good. Willow insisted on wearing her snow boots with her blue dress, and she was so excited that I had trouble getting her to stand still long enough for me to braid her brown hair down her back.
Eventually, I had the two of us bundled up, and we were able to leave the cottage. As directed, I followed the path that went from the back door and across the lawn. Solar lights ensured that the path was well lit, and I found myself holding my breath at the beauty of walking through the snowy gardens. We came to a tall brick wall which had been softened by ivy, and as we walked through the archway, I took in the pretty courtyard and the back door of the mansion.
“What will it all look like in the spring?” I wondered, studying the garden. The minute I took my eyes off her, Willow stomped into a deep pile of snow.
“It’s like where Elsa lives…” Willow breathed.
I grinned down at my daughter. Through her eyes, it did resemble a snowy faery land. Holding hands, I helped her out of the snow pile, and we made our way to the family entrance of the Drake mansion. The quick walk had been good for the both of us, and though the air was cold, it was bracing and helped to clear my head.
I needed to make a good impression on both Autumn and Duncan. I fully expected that the topic of dinner conversation would be on their upcoming wedding, and my part as the wedding coordinator. Which is why I had a small notebook and pen in my bag.
I knocked on the back door, that was painted an eye-popping shade of teal, and was surprised when Julian opened the door himself.
“Welcome,” he said, holding the door open.
“Hi Julian!” Willow said loudly.
“Wipe your boots,” I warned her, but it was pointless. My daughter stomped her feet once on the mat, and was hurrying straight across the parquet floors, leaving a trail of melting snow.
“I’m sorry about that,” I began and tried not to be intimidated by the sheer size and scale of the house. I twisted the antique ring I wore on my right hand. The ring had been a gift and was set in silver with pave diamonds arranged in a small crescent around a central blue sapphire. Fiddling with the ring was a nervous gesture that I’d never managed to break. Even as I made myself stop fidgeting, I remembered that sapphires were good for calming the mind and clearing away negative thoughts. Work your mo-jo, please. I thought to the ring.
“Don’t worry about the snow. It’s fine,” Julian assured me. He took our coats and ushered us to a dining room. I took my daughter’s hand, hoping to avert any disasters. As we walked into the dining room I had only seconds to gather impressions of the opulent space. Warm taupe walls with bright white trim and crown moldings, and a huge whitewashed fireplace where a blaze crackled. A tasteful crystal chandelier was centered above a massive dining room table that could seat at least twelve.
“Thank you, Nina,” Thomas was saying to a striking young woman with midnight hair as she placed a tray of roast beef, carrots and potatoes on the dining room table.
“Hi!” Willow said loudly. “We’re here for supper!”
Thomas, Duncan, Autumn, and the woman all turned our way expectantly.
I clutched Willow’s hand. Breathe, Maggie, I flashed a smile and reminded myself that I’d coordinated four-course dinners for some very posh and upper-crust weddings in my day. I wasn’t intimidated by a display of wealth.
“Breathe,” Julian whispered, and his fingers grazed my back in a supportive touch.
I shot a glance at him. I’d been intuitive all my life, and I put it to practical use when working with brides. It often kept me a few steps ahead of potential disasters at weddings. But while I was quiet about it, I’d rarely met anyone else who had the same kind of natural ability. Yet his comment, so similar to my own thoughts, made me wonder. Perhaps—not unlike the eye color—the intuition might be another family trait. I quickly set that all aside, as Thomas was there smiling and welcoming us to the table.
The woman was introduced to us as Nina Vasquez, and I was informed she’d recently taken over the house manager position for the Drake’s.
“We’re lucky to have Nina,” Julian said. “She studied at le Cordon Bleu Academy.”
Nina beamed at the praise. “Enjoy your dinner.” She nodded to us all and left the room.
The food was gorgeous, but thankfully it was served family style. As we passed around that pretty roast beef and vegetables, Thomas sat at the head of the table with Willow on his left. I sat beside Willow with Julian
