CHAPTER FIVE
The smell of grilling steak wafted on the evening air. The sound of laughter mingled with the tinkling of the courtyard fountain. Paul had arrived first, with flowers and wine. Raine had never left, instead heading straight to the bar, then out to sit alone by the pool, bundled up in her coat.
To Bailey, her sitting out there alone had felt weird. Logan had assured her that isolating herself was his sister’s way and that she would join them when she was ready. Or not.
She did, finally, her smile and behavior bright, but brittle. So brittle, Bailey feared the wrong words would shatter her into a million pieces. Paul, on the other hand, was affable and generous. Smiling at her, working to include her. Even so, she could see the strain around his eyes.
She wondered if he could see the strain around hers. If they all could. These people were so different than she. Beautiful and worldly. This place, so much … grander. Like a movie set, she decided.
She said so, and they all looked at her. Raine smiled, clearly delighted with her naivete. “And what kind of movie will this be, my surprise sister-in-law? A comedy? Or a tragedy?”
“Why, neither, of course.”
The man’s voice was silky and deep, with what sounded to Bailey like a European accent. They all turned.
“August,” Raine said, sounding amused. “You never miss the chance for an entrance.”
He kissed Raine’s cheek, then turned to Bailey. “And you must be the new Mrs. Abbott.”
Physically, he wasn’t a big man, yet in every other way seemed larger than life. Black hair pulled back in a ponytail, his dark coloring a dramatic contrast to the white silk shirt he wore. Tight jeans; a brilliantly white smile.
He caught her hand, met her eyes as he brought it to his lips. “Obviously, this movie is a romance. Epic, no doubt.”
Bailey smiled. “August,” she said, feeling everyone’s eyes on her and sensing this was a test, “you’re just as charming as Logan warned me you’d be.”
He laughed. “And you, Bailey, are as young and lovely as I expected.”
She wasn’t certain what he meant by that, but she wasn’t about to let him best her. “A testament to my husband’s excellent taste?”
“Something like that.”
Logan announced the steaks were done and they assembled around the grand dining room table. Bailey would have preferred a more casual evening, but Logan had insisted it was a celebration, so only the finest would do. So, they had set the table, using linens and china and lighting the long white tapers inside antique hurricanes.
After only a few minutes of polite conversation, the interrogation began. Bailey had been waiting for it. How could they not be curious? Here she sat, a stranger, virtually forced upon them.
And as she had also expected, it began with Raine. “Bailey, tell us about you. Where are you from?”
“Nebraska. A little town named Broken Bow.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “I’ve never actually met anyone from Nebraska.”
“Now you have. Finally, you can call your life complete.”
Beside her, Logan stifled a chuckle.
“What about your family?” Paul asked.
“I don’t have any.”
Raine made a choked sound and grabbed her water.
August leaned forward, eyes sparkling. “How very interesting.”
“I’m not certain what you mean by that.”
“He doesn’t mean anything by it,” Raine said. “He’s just trying to be clever.”
He laughed and went back to his wine and Raine refocused on her. “I’m curious,” Raine murmured, “how does one end up with no family at all?”
“I’m an only child, raised by a single mother. She—” Her throat closed over the words. She felt like an idiot and looked helplessly at Logan.
“Her mother passed away recently,” he said. “The loss is still very fresh.”
“I’m so sorry,” Paul said to her. “Forgive me for bringing it up.”
Raine stabbed a piece of steak. “Was it sudden?”
Bailey cleared her throat. “It depends on your definition of sudden. For me, it was. She was diagnosed with bone cancer, and six months later she was … gone.”
Logan laid his hand over hers. “Bailey withdrew from school to care for her.”
“What were you studying?” Paul asked.
“To be a teacher,” Logan answered for her. “Elementary education.”
“I’m going back.” Bailey smiled. “Logan tells me Southeastern has a good program. And that I could easily commute.”
“They do,” Raine interjected. “I’m a professor there. In the art department.”
“Logan told me.”
“Of course, Logan and I are Tulane grads.”
The subtle stress she put on the words made it clear Southeastern was fine for people like her, but not them. Bailey’s hackles rose. “Why’s that? It’s more expensive?”
“Catfight,” August murmured, bringing his glass to his lips.
“Yes, it is,” Raine responded. “But it was tradition that we should go. Mother and Daddy did, their parents as well. Things like that are important down here. Family things.”
Bailey bristled. “My mother studied at the school of hard knocks. And performed brilliantly.”
“Touché.” August looked at Raine expectantly.
But before the other woman could respond, Paul jumped in. “Do you ride, Bailey?” he asked.
“I used to. But haven’t in years.”
“A country girl like you?” Raine cocked an eyebrow, looking almost amused. “Why not?”
“Don’t laugh, but I’m afraid of horses. Terrified, really.”
No one laughed. A hush fell over the table.
“Well,” August said, lifting his glass in a toast, “there’s a first. Lady of the manor, ruling over all she sees, terrified of what she sees the most of. To you, Mrs. Abbott.”
“Shut up, August,” Raine snapped. “You’re such an idiot.” She turned to Bailey. “They’re the most beautiful, gentle creatures on the planet, how could they scare you? What happened?”
“I was thrown. Nearly trampled.” She looked at Logan. “When you told me what happened to Henry, it was all too real.”