'No lie there,' he said. 'Our lawyers are cousins, and they introduced us.'
She nodded. 'Yes, it's the truth, isn't it?'
The door to the conference room opened, and the partners in the company of Ray Pietro d'Angelo came back in.
'Lunch was okay?' Joe asked.
'It was lovely,' Ashley said. 'Whoever chose the menu did a good job.'
'Have you decided what you want to do?' Ray inquired of them.
Ashley looked at Ryan questioningly.
'You explain it,' Ryan said.
'Ryan and I thought it might be better if a relationship between us seemed normal. We're going to have a whirlwind courtship,' she said with a smile. 'We will tell everyone that we were introduced by our lawyers, who are cousins-which is, of course, the truth, isn't it? And I think sticking to the truth is best. We will date for a few weeks, then surprise everyone by getting married. Ryan has agreed to make his legal residence here in Egret Pointe. We'll be married at St. Anne's, because it will please his mother.'
'No,' Ray said. 'No church wedding.'
'Why not?' Ryan wanted to know.
'Because this marriage isn't going to be a long-term thing. It's just to save your asses,' Ray said. 'One day you could find the love of your life, and you'll want to be married in the church. You can't if you've already been married in the church and then divorced. For this marriage we'll want a local judge. I want it to be legal in this state, especially because otherwise your sisters are going to raise hell when they see all that money Jerry Klein has promised them going bye-bye. They may even threaten legal action, although they won't have a leg to stand on. All your dad said was, married by forty. He didn't specify how or to whom or even how long. Now, how long is this union going to last for you two? I'd suggest a two-year minimum.'
'That sounds fine to me,' Ryan said. He looked to Ashley. 'You?'
She nodded. 'Yes, that seems right.'
'Okay,' Joe said. 'We don't need you two now. We'll work out all the details. When we've got a working draft of the prenup we'll have you each look at a copy, make corrections, do a final draft, and you'll sign it. So when's the wedding?'
'August twenty-fifth,' Ashley said. 'And it will be extremely low-key.'
'What?' Joe teased. 'No twelve-piece orchestra? No thousands of dollars' worth of flowers? No catered feast? The hospital thrift shop is going to be very disappointed.'
'None of the above,' Ashley said. 'If we can't do it in church then we'll do it up at the hall. You, Rick, Ray, and your wives. Nina. The Byrneses. Joe's mom and favorite sister. A nice sit-down dinner in the dining room afterward. The flowers will come from the gardens, and if you want to dance afterward we'll put a CD on. After all, it's a sudden wedding after a whirlwind courtship, gentlemen.'
'Sounds good to me,' Ray said. He turned to his client. 'The limo will take you back into the city, Ryan. It was a good meeting, yes?'
Ryan nodded. 'Thanks for solving the problem,' he said.
'Would you have time to see Kimbrough Hall?' Ashley asked him.
'Why not? It's Friday, and I don't have to do the driving. Yes, I would very much like to see Kimbrough Hall. I never knew anyone who lived in a hall.'
'We'll call it our first date then,' Ashley said with a small smile. She turned to the partners. 'Thanks, guys. And Joe, call Tiff. If you wait until you get home there will be no living with her.' She turned to Ryan. 'We'll tell the driver to follow me,' she said. 'That way you won't have to drop me back in town later.' She led him from the boardroom and from the law offices of Johnson and Pietro d'Angelo.
Ryan went over to the limo and gave the driver his instructions. Ashley waved him over to her Solstice. He eyed the hot little car and climbed in on the passenger side. Ashley gunned the vehicle and they were off, heading back the way he had come, except when they came to a turn in the road she swung the car onto a narrow paved road. She moved so fast that he almost missed the stone pillars, and just barely caught a glimpse of two brass-and- bronze markers affixed to them. The trees thinned as they reached the top of the hill where the house sat. The view of the bay was spectacular.
The house was beautiful: brick with white trim, gracious and welcoming, with a portico of elegant white pillars in front. He could see the colorful gardens behind and around the house. Two greyhounds loped up to the car as it pulled to a stop. He felt as if he were in a 1940s movie. He hadn't thought houses like this existed anymore. All this land, and it was obviously hers.
'Welcome to Kimbrough Hall,' Ashley said as she stepped from the car, giving the dogs a pat. 'I hope you'll like it here, Ryan. I realize it is very different from the city. Is your apartment big?'
'No,' he said, getting out and letting the dogs sniff him. 'I have a one-bedroom in a prewar. Three apartments to a floor. I've got the C apartment with a view of the backs of other buildings. I don't need a view, as I'm there only at night and first thing in the morning when I get up. This place… it's incredible. And you grew up here? Wow!'
Ashley smiled. She was pleased that he liked it. 'I couldn't live anywhere else.'
She led him inside as Byrnes opened the door as if he had been waiting for her.
'Good afternoon, Miss Ashley, sir,' the butler said.
'Afternoon, Byrnes. This is Mr. Mulcahy. Would Mrs. B. bring us some iced tea out to the porch?'
'At once, Miss Ashley,' was the polite reply.
She led Ryan through the house, and he couldn't stop turning his head as he spotted valuable antique after valuable antique. The house was pristine, and everything belonged. It looked like a perfectly dressed movie set. He was fascinated by it all. The porch on the side of the house was filled with wicker furniture, the chair cushions done in a green-on-white fabric. 'Sit,' Ashley invited him.
'How big is this place?' he asked her.
'This floor, kitchens, pantry, living room, dining room, library, the ballroom, although it hasn't been used in years, and a small office. Second floor is bedrooms, bathrooms, a nursery wing. There's a wing over the kitchens for Mr. and Mrs. B. Attics above everything else. They used to be servants' quarters in the glory days of the house, along with storage. Three-car garage, but we use only two bays-one for my car, the other for the Byrneses car. The housemaid who cleans lives in town, as does the gardener.'
'Big house for just one girl,' he noted.
'I know,' Ashley said, 'but it's home, Ryan, and maybe one day I'll find the right man to share it with, and have lots of kids.'
'You want kids?'
'Oh, yes! It was such fun growing up with Ben, even if I was a lot younger than he was. He was a terrific big brother.'
Ryan saw tears well up in her eyes, but said nothing.
The butler brought in a small silver tray with two glasses of iced tea, and set the tray down. 'Will you require any thing else, Miss Ashley? If not I'll want to go to the garden and pick some peas for dinner.'
'No, this is lovely, Byrnes. Thank you,' Ashley said, and the butler withdrew.
'You have a garden?' He was surprised. With the supermarkets offering such a variety of foods today, he was fascinated that there was some sort of garden here growing vegetables along with the beautiful flowers.
'Byrnes and Tony, our gardener, love doing a vegetable garden every year,' Ashley told him. 'Who am I to refuse fresh veggies?' She smiled. Then she surprised him. 'Would you like to come out next weekend? I suppose we really ought to start being seen around Egret Pointe.'
He thought a moment, and then answered, 'Yes, I would. If I'm going to be living here I ought to get to know the village.'
'Bring a bathing suit. I have a pool, and it's heated,' Ashley said.
He was surprised, but why he was surprised he didn't know. She was obviously old money. Not the kind you
