Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 96833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
“If you left and went back to the States at this point, I’d be right behind you.”
I laughed. “That’s true. I have a brigade now, don’t I?”
“The Benedictus Brigade.”
“I can’t wait to be a Benedictus.”
We planned to get married sometime in the next year, a traditional wedding with a slew of guests and all the fanfare. I’d already picked out my dress. We just needed to set the date and get our shit together. We’d been too busy adjusting to our new life.
“Speaking of you becoming a Benedictus,” he said. “There’s a possible wedding venue in Westfordshire I’d like to show you. Maybe in the next couple of weeks.”
“Oh, that sounds like fun. Can we scoop up Lavinia? I miss her.”
Since we stayed in London during the week and all of Alex’s things were here, we only got out to the inn about every other weekend. My old bedroom there had been converted into a weekend nursery for Alex.
“Of course we can,” he said. “We’ll take her to the pub for lunch, too.”
As much as I loved London, anytime we went back to Westfordshire, I felt nostalgic. It felt like my English home.
***
A couple of weeks later, we finally took that drive out to the countryside. After scooping up Lavinia, we stopped at a property in Westfordshire that looked almost like Leo and Felicity’s. It had acres and acres of farmland surrounding a large brick house.
“This is right down the road from Leo’s, isn’t it?” I asked.
“Yes, about a half mile,” Sig said.
“This is the most similar property I’ve seen to Brighton House. They’re renting it out for weddings?”
“Not exactly.”
“They’re making an exception for us?”
“Actually, it’s not really a venue. It’s a residence.”
“Whose house is it?”
Sig flashed a crooked smile. “Ours.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I bought it.”
“How could we afford this? I mean, I know you do well, but this is…” The words escaped me.
“We can more than afford it.” He looked over at Lavinia. “But I was also thinking of selling the inn.”
Lavinia’s ears perked up. “Selling the inn?”
“Don’t worry, old woman. I won’t do anything you don’t want. But I was thinking you might prefer to live here with us, in the guest house. It’s next to the main house. You’ll have your own space, but it’s close enough to walk over if you need something. You don’t need the responsibility of the inn anymore. And I know Abby would love your company without having to trek everything to the inn every other weekend.”
Sig and I had talked about eventually having Lavinia move in with us.
She looked between Sig and me. “You want me to live with you?”
“Only if it’s what you want,” he said.
“Of course I would want to live on this beautiful farm. But why are you so good to me?”
Sig placed his hand on her back. “I’m not doing you any favors, Lavinia. I want you here. But if you must know… You were there for me in a way no one else was at the time in my life when I needed someone most.” He winked. “Besides, like I always say, you’re a good drinking chum.”
“Well then, I’d love to.”
“I thought you might.” Sig turned to me. “There’s plenty of room for your dad, too, should he ever decide to move here. There are six bedrooms in the main house, more than we would know what to do with.”
My father wasn’t quite ready to retire yet, but I was hopeful he’d decide to relocate here when he finally did. I shook my head. “I never imagined getting to live in a place like this.” I adjusted my son’s sunhat over his face. “And Alex will get to grow up close to his cousins Eli and Eloise.” My excitement grew with each second. “Can we get animals?”
“Of course! What’s a property like this without animals?” Sig scratched his chin. “But you’re assuming there aren’t any here already.”
I looked around. “Are there?”
“There’s one, actually.”
“There is?”
He lifted his chin. “Follow me.”
Sig led us to a small fenced-in area out back that featured an open, three-sided shelter. There was a lone, large…bird standing in it. It had beautiful dusky, grayish-brown feathers that were black at the ends.
I covered my mouth. “Is that an ostrich?”
“An emu, to be precise. A while ago, you said if a man were to gift you with an outrageous animal like Leo did Felicity, you’d choose an ostrich. Unfortunately, come to find out, ostriches are quite violent animals. They attack with their beaks. I didn’t want you to get your finger bitten off in the name of love. The emu is a much nicer alternative.” Sig brushed his hand along the bird’s feathers and said, “Meet Loco.”
“That’s his name?”
“Yeah. His previous owner named him.”
“Where the hell did you get him?”
“That’s a story for another day. Let’s just say, I owe someone a huge favor in Australia. Loco’s been here for a week now.”