Stephanie got the giggles. They were probably a result of her nervousness, but once she started it was nearly impossible to stop. Jonas laughed with her, and with his arm linked around her waist, he led her through the wide double doors of the house.
The minute they were inside, Stephanie’s amusement vanished. The floor of the entryway had probably cost more than her family’s farm in Colville. Marble, Stephanie guessed, and probably imported from Italy. Maybe Greece. A large winding stairway angled off to the right; its polished mahogany balustrade gleamed in the sun.
“Jonas, is that you?” An elegantly dressed woman appeared. She was tall and regal-looking, with twinkling blue eyes that were the mirror image of Jonas’s. Her hair was completely gray, and she wore it in a neatly coiled French roll. She held her hands out to her son. Jonas claimed them with his own and kissed her on the cheek.
“Mother.”
They parted, and Jonas’s mother paused to greet Stephanie. If she disapproved of Stephanie’s attire, it wasn’t revealed in the warmth of her smile. “You must be Stephanie.”
For one crazy second, Stephanie had the urge to curtsy. “Hello, Mrs. Lockwood.” Even her voice sounded awed and a bit unnatural.
“Please call me Elizabeth.”
“Thank you, I will.”
“I can see you’ve had a full day on the lake.” Elizabeth glanced at her son.
“It was marvelous,” Stephanie confirmed.
“I hope you’re hungry. Clara’s been cooking all day, anticipating your arrival.”
Jonas placed his hand along the back of Stephanie’s neck and directed her into the largest room she had ever seen.
“Who’s Clara?” she asked under her breath.
“The cook,” he whispered. When his mother turned her back, he kissed Stephanie’s cheek.
“Jonas,” she hissed. “Don’t do that!”
“Did you say something, Stephanie?” Elizabeth turned around questioningly.
“Actually... no,” she stuttered, glowering hotly at Jonas who coughed to disguise a laugh. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Would either of you care for a glass of wine before dinner?” Elizabeth asked, taking a seat on an elegant velvet sofa.
Stephanie claimed the matching chair across from her, and Jonas stood behind Stephanie.
“That would be fine, Mother,” Jonas said, answering for them both. “Would you like me to serve as bartender?”
“Please.” Elizabeth folded her hands on her lap. “Jonas has spoken highly of you, Stephanie.”
“He... has?” she sputtered.
“Yes, is there something unusual about that?”
Jonas delivered a glass of wine to his mother before bringing Stephanie hers. He sat beside her on the arm of the chair and looped his arm around her shoulder.
“Clara will never forgive you if you don’t say hello, Son,” Elizabeth informed him. “While you do that, I’ll show Stephanie my garden. It’s lovely this time of year.”
“I’d like that,” Stephanie said, standing. She continued to hold her wine, although she had no intention of drinking it. All she needed was to get tipsy in front of Jonas’s mother.
“I’ll be back in a minute,” Jonas whispered as he left the room.
A small, awkward silence followed. Stephanie looked down at her soiled jeans and cringed inwardly. “I feel I should apologize for my attire,” Stephanie began, following Jonas’s mother out through the French doors that led to a lush green garden. Roses were in bloom, and their sweet fragrance filled the air.
“Nonsense,” Elizabeth countered. “You’d been sailing. I didn’t expect you to arrive in diamonds and mink.”
“But I don’t imagine you expected jeans and purple tennis shoes either.”
Elizabeth laughed; the sound was light and musical. “I believe I’m going to grow fond of you.”
“I hope so.” Stephanie studied her wine.
“Forgive me for being so blunt, but are you in love with my son?”
Stephanie raised her eyes to Jonas’s mother’s and nodded. “Yes.”
Elizabeth placed her hand over her heart and sighed expressively. “I am so relieved to hear you say that.”
“You are?”
“He loves you, child.”
Stephanie opened her mouth to argue, but Elizabeth stopped her.
“I don’t know if he’s admitted it to himself yet, but he will soon. A few minutes ago, when you came into the house, I heard Jonas laugh. It’s been years since I’ve heard the sound of my son’s laughter. Thank you for that.”
“Really, I didn’t do anything... I—”
“Please forgive me for interrupting, but we haven’t much time.”
Stephanie’s heart shot to her throat. “Yes?”
“You must be patient with my son. He’s been hurt terribly, and he is greatly in need of a woman’s love. He probably hasn’t told you about Gretchen; he loved her deeply, far more than the wretched soul deserved. She left him after the accident; she told him she couldn’t live with a cripple, even though it was she who had caused it with her carelessness.”