Free The Wedding Night by Unknown Page B

the surrounding mountains and was sparkling on Jade Lake.
    Angie considered the prospect of breakfast with Owen and his relatives and decided she would rather take a walk around the small island.
    She hurried into the hall and nearly collided with Betty.
    "Oh. Good morning, Betty." Angie smiled distractedly.
    ‘"Morning." Betty eyed her sharply. "In a hurry?"
    "Just going to take a walk," Angie explained.
    Betty nodded grimly. "Don’t blame you. This house can start to close in on a person. Been working here for over thirty years, so I’m used to it, but I expect it’s a little hard on someone like yourself. Hear you come from Tucson. You’re used to a lot of sun, I’ll bet."
    Angie examined the woman curiously. "This place is a little dark, isn’t it?"
    "In more ways than one. But there ain’t anything wrong around here that couldn’t be fixed up just fine if the right man and the right woman was to set their minds to it," Betty declared firmly. "All this house needs is some love."
    "Love?"
    "Yep. Houses need love just like their owners do. Owen Sutherland’s gone a little short of a woman’s love for too much of his life. Mother died when he was just a baby, you know. Father was all right in his way, but tough as nails, if you know what I mean. Raised his son to be just like him. Never give an inch. That’s the motto of the Sutherland men."
    "I see."
    "Yep. Like I said, ain’t nothing a good woman can’t fix. You going to attend to that problem, Mrs.
    Sutherland?"
    Angie was so startled by the personal question she did not know what to say. She blinked. "Uh… Betty, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to be on my way."
    Angie fled down the long staircase and out the front door. She spotted none of the Sutherlands as she made her way across the lawn, through the gardens and to the boat house. Jeffers, the combination gardener and handyman, waved and went back to work on an outboard motor.
    Angie waved back then turned and started walking along the shoreline. The fresh morning air felt clean and exhilarating. As she strolled along the pebbly beach she got her first good look at her surroundings.
    Yesterday she had been too upset about the mess she was in to note much.
    Today she could see a sprinkling of cottages and the small town of Jade on the shore of the lake. There were several boats scattered on the shimmering, smooth surface of the water. Early morning fishermen, no doubt. It all looked very picturesque, Angie decided as she heard footsteps approaching from
    behind. She knew without turning around that whoever it was, it was not Owen.
    "I saw you walk down here," Helen said coldly as she came up behind Angie. "Thought I’d join you. I always take a morning walk, myself."
    "Good morning, Mrs. Fulton," Angie said quietly.
    "You may as well call me Helen. Owen will insist upon it. Owen’s just like his father was. He usually gets his own way."
    Angie shrugged. "Whatever you prefer."
    "What I would prefer," Helen said, gaze sharpening, "is that this whole merger business had never occurred. But it appears we’re all going to be obliged to go along with it. It’s going to be a long three weeks, isn’t it?"
    "It certainly will be if we all work at it." Angie smiled grimly as she turned to face the older woman.
    "I’m sure that with a little effort we can all make each other perfectly miserable. You Sutherlands seem to have a talent for it."
    Helen’s eyes narrowed angrily. "You don’t know what you’re talking about. Take my word for it, whatever ability we Sutherlands have for causing unhappiness pales in comparison to the skill you Townsends have. I, for one, have not forgotten what happened thirty years ago."
    "Really? What did happen?"
    "That’s none of your affair. It is family business, and I am not about to dredge it up at this late date merely to satisfy your curiosity. My brother wanted it buried forever, and I intend to respect his wishes.
    I just wish Owen had consulted the rest of us before