Free The Arrangement [Box Set] by Abby Weeks

Greenwood.
    —I’m glad to hear you say so.
    —Well I do say so. But on to sillier things. The girls and I are going shopping today and we want you to join us.
    —Oh, thank you, but I’m not sure I’m up to it today, Midge.
    —Nonsense. It’ll take your mind off it. We’ll pick you up in an hour.
    Midge hung up. April sighed. She looked at her watch. It was nine-thirty. She ran upstairs and had a shower, put on clean clothes and was just finishing with her hair and makeup when the maid came in to tell her the car was at the door.
    —Thank you, Carla, she said as she rushed past her.
    Outside, a black limo was waiting. Midge was already inside with Charmaine Wellington.
    —We always pick up Kit last, Midge said.
    —Of course, April said.
    —It’s a seniority thing.
    —I didn’t know we went in for that, April said.
    —Oh, you’ll learn, Charmaine said.
    They drove down to the road and then up the Kingsley’s private driveway. If April had been impressed by the houses she’d seen so far, her jaw literally dropped when she saw the Kingsley’s house. It was nothing like her own, or the Prentiss’s, which she’d seen on the night of the dinner party. The only way to describe the Kingsley’s house was to say it was a castle. It literally was. April was reminded of the grand houses she’d seen in England with Walter on their honeymoon. This house was every bit as grand and opulent as those houses were. There was a formal garden in front of the house with fountains and rows of neatly trimmed hedges leading the eye to the main entrance. From the air it would have looked like a runway directing planes to the front door. At night it would all be lit up like a fair. It was spectacular.
    —Wow, she said.
    —I know, Charmaine said.
    —Is your house like this? she said to Charmaine.
    —Not quite.
    —She’s being modest, Midge said. Her house is pretty close.
    Kit came down the steps and a man in uniform hurried behind her, carrying her bag. He opened the limo door for her.
    —Ready, girls? Kit said as she got in. She seemed excited to be going on an outing.
    April was impressed by how youthful and radiant she was. She hoped she would look that beautiful when she was in her sixties. She looked around at the three other women and appreciated how elegant they were. This lifestyle would certainly do a lot to promote and prolong her youth, she could see that much. The women would not have looked out of place in a fancy nightclub in New York. They really were stunning. She was sitting next to Midge. The two older women were sitting on the seat facing them with their backs to the driver.
    There was no doubt they were a good group of women to go shopping with. They all seemed to have impeccable taste, dressed as they were for a day on the town. Kit told the driver they were going to Georgetown and then she leaned back and pushed a button on the console in front of her. A small door with a black leather finish opened and April was thrilled to see that inside was an ice bucket and a bottle of champaign.
    —Allow me, she said and took the bottle from the ice. She struggled a little with the cork but managed to open it with a pop. Midge handed her glasses to fill.
    She filled four glasses and then leaned back in her seat and sipped the champaign.
    —I could get used to this, she said.
    Charmaine laughed.
    April looked up at her.
    —April, Kit said. It sure is nice to have you in the family. You’re very welcome.
    The girls all held up their glasses and they clinked them together.
    —Thank you, was all April could manage.
    Kit continued. —I know it takes a little getting used to. It’s certainly not the most conventional arrangement in the world but we find that it works. You’ll be settled soon enough. I promise, within a few days you’ll wonder how you ever survived before you came to us.
    April looked at her. She wondered how all this had come to be. How was it that these three women were here with her, and