Country Roads(26)
“Gossip is the lifeblood of a small town. Sometimes it can be useful and sometimes it can be hurtful, but you can’t stop it. Does it bother you?”
“No, I’m flattered. I’ve caught the town’s most eligible bachelor in my snare.”
“Not the most eligible. That would be Rodney Loudermilk. He owns the Rhododendron Bank.”
“In that case, I’ll drop you like a hot potato as soon as I have Rodney in my clutches.”
“I have more hair than he does, though.”
She smiled and smoothed the sleeve of her new blouse, admiring the feel of the green-and-gold-patterned silk. The blouse was a little too fancy for a visit to the stables, but she’d wanted to try out her new clothes on Paul. “You have some great stores in Sanctuary. I had a wonderful time shopping.”
She’d enjoyed just strolling in and out of the medley of distinctive small shops. Some were old-fashioned, with a layer of dust on out-of-the-way shelves that held carved coal animals and hokey hillbilly postcards with yellowed edges. Others showed careful restoration of oak woodwork and freshly painted tin ceilings. Their shelves displayed vivid handmade quilts and artistically labeled local honey. The rich scents of fresh coffee and warm muffins had lured her into the Bean and Biscuit for a quick treat.
“We were voted Coolest Small Town in the USA last year.” His voice rang with civic spirit. “Is that pretty blouse from here?”
Julia felt a glow of smug satisfaction. “Bought it this morning.” In fact, she had maxed out her credit card to purchase it, since she had already loaded herself up with shopping bags. She tended to do most of her shopping online, so trying things on was a heady experience.
“Let me guess.” He did a quick assessment with narrowed eyes. “Annie B’s?”
“You’re good.”
“My mother used to work at the store.”
“Your mother lives in Sanctuary?”
“Not anymore. She moved out to Ohio to live with her sister.” He spoke with a slight edge that puzzled her. “She’s unusual that way. Most folks come to Sanctuary and never leave.”
“You make it sound like an episode of The Twilight Zone.” She deepened her voice to imitate Rod Serling’s portentous tone. “Mr. and Mrs. Smith didn’t just stop for a home-cooked meal. They stopped for the rest of their lives…in Sanc-tu-ar-y.”
He tossed a look in her direction. “Since you’ve asked me to be your legal advisor, I think we should talk about your uncle.”
The change of subject was abrupt; she’d touched a nerve. She sighed. “I bought him a gift this morning.”
“That’s generous of you, all things considered.”
“I still love him as an uncle, even if he’s messing with my career. He collects antique weapons, and I saw a Civil War–era sword in a store window.”
He coughed and laughed at the same time. “Don’t forget to wrap a penny up with it, and have him give it right back to you.”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t know the symbolism of a blade as a gift? It means you want to sever the relationship. Unless you exchange money along with it so it becomes a purchase.”
“So you don’t think I should give him the sword right now?”
“I think I’d like to see his face.”
She started to smile. “You know, I would too.”
“Back to business. If you confront your uncle, do you think he will tell you the truth?”
“That’s a good question.” She fiddled with the silver band she wore on her little finger. She thought so, but events might have proved her wrong.
“Would you know if he was lying to you?”
Julia turned to stare at the blur of trees passing by her window. “No, because it seems like he’s been lying to me all this time, and I didn’t know it. He told me no one would buy my work, when it turns out he wasn’t even offering it for sale. Even if he thought it was for the good of my career, he lied to me.”
His hand covered the white-knuckled knot of her fingers in her lap. “We all want to trust the people we love. It’s a terrible thing when they betray that trust.” He gave her hand a quick squeeze and returned his to the steering wheel.
“He nearly destroyed me.” Her voice was ragged. “If someone who loves me would do this to me, it feels like there’s no one I can trust.”
“You can trust me.”
The declaration was so simple. She knew it was almost as absurd as Mrs. Bostic having her and Paul marching down the aisle after one day’s acquaintance, yet she believed him. Then she realized what he meant. “You’re talking about that lawyer-client confidentiality thing.”