Elizabeth slumped in her seat. “Wow, you’re patient. And here I thought you were a New Yorker.”
She saw him lift his eyes to the rearview mirror. “Okay, girl? We’re almost there.”
Elizabeth whirled around and glimpsed a dog curled up on a blanket draped across the backseat. “Hey there,” she said softly. “Friend of yours?”
“Something like that, yes. This is, um, Princess Coconut.” Darcy cleared his throat. “Coco, for short.”
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows.Princess Coconut?“She’s a cutie. Shepherd-border collie mix?”
“More or less, yes.”
“Does she do all your biting for you?”
He grimaced. “Hardly. She’s quite easygoing.”
Elizabeth leaned back toward her, straining against the seatbelt. “Can I pet her?”
“Sure,” Darcy replied slowly. “Um, please don’t feed her anything or let her go into the woods.”
She looked up from the dog’s soulful brown eyes and regarded Darcy in the mirror.
“Dog rules? You’re a strict one.”
“Well, yes. Here we are,” he added, pulling into a long driveway and up to a flagstone house. Elizabeth eyed the porch swing, a tennis court, and a barn behind the house.
“Lovely,” she whispered. “Oh, this will do just fine.”
The interior of the sprawling home was equally lovely, full of expensive rustic furniture, hand-braided rugs, and polished copper pots no one had ever used. So beautiful, and so out of her reach in this lifetime.
After hugs, greetings, and a huge, delicious brunch, Elizabeth explored the grounds.
The outbuildings had been beautifully maintained, and she felt at home in the barn, which contained a few horses, two goats, a handful of chickens, and a dozen half-domesticated cats. Delighted to be among small creatures, Elizabeth found a milk can full of kibble and replenished their scattered dishes. She sat on a hay bale to watch them eat and was delighted when the smallest one, a glossy black male, curled up in her lap. She determined to ask Charles about table scraps for the brood.
After a few minutes, she heard claws clicking across the barn’s wood floor, and the cats scattered, disappearing into the hayloft. The kitten in Elizabeth’s lap shrank back and sank its claws into her denim-clad legs. She looked around and saw Coco approaching, followed by her owner, wearing riding boots and carrying a saddle.
“You took care of the cats,” he said flatly.
“Uh-huh. Is that a problem?”
He shook his head. “No, but don’t give them table scraps. The smell lures in wildlife. The raccoons here are bonkers.”
“Are you sure you’re not saving the good stuff for Princess Coconut?”
“Are you mad? I would never give her human food.”
“Okay then. Well, enjoy. I’m going exploring.”
She headed down the slope toward a small creek.How pretty.She planned to return later with her camera. In the distance, she heard mooing and set out to discover how truly bucolic this place was. Perhaps she could find a good place for a run.
About an hour later, as Elizabeth was returning to the house, she heard Jane calling her name. She found her sister sitting on the porch steps, petting Coco and watching Charles and Darcy—now in sneakers—kicking around a soccer ball.
The ball rolled toward her, and Charles cried out, “Over here, Lizzy! You’re on my team.”
“Two Yanks versus one Brit seems fair.” She smirked and kicked it to him.
Darcy jogged toward him and feinted a steal, but Charles quickly lobbed the ball to Elizabeth. Darcy bounded over and attempted to kick it away from her.
“Charles, help!” she cried. “He thinks we’re playing rugby!”
