Summer on Kendall Farm(26)

“I need a favor,” Jace said. He changed the subject to take his mind off Kelly’s hair.

“What is it?”

“I have to return the car. I hoped you could find it in your schedule to follow me to the airport and bring me back to the Kendall?”

“I forgot it wasn’t yours. Of course, I’ll drive back and forth. I can drop off some of the brochures I have along the way.”

“Brochures?”

“It’s one of my marketing ideas to get the Kendall to be self-sustaining. It’s been a lot of hassle, but I think it’ll be well worth it.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ve negotiated a deal with the Maryland tourism people to include brochures in all those places that people stop along the highway. When I go to the airport we’ll pass right by the tourism offices. I can deliver the brochures.”

Jace remembered the boxes in her office. “Why?” he asked.

“Why what?”

“Why are you distributing brochures for tourists?”

“Oh.” She smiled widely and leaned closer to him. “I’m opening the house for tours.”

“What!” Jace recoiled. “You can’t.”

“You forget,” she said. “I own the Kendall.”

* * *

AFTER EATING DINNER with Jace, Kelly was having second thoughts about him staying on at the Kendall. He came with baggage, lots of it. She knew it when he arrived, but she’d misjudged how much he could interfere with her plans. He’d grown up on the farm and was having a hard time thinking of it as belonging to anyone except him or his family.

Ari was the one bright spot, but she wouldn’t let her affection for the child obscure her vision. She was doing what had to be done if she wanted to not only live here but make the place successful again. She had to make Jace understand that. She’d worked through several plans and she’d had to discard most of them as not producing enough income to warrant the effort.

As soon as Ari was asleep, she’d asked Jace to come to the main living room. She had coffee set up on the small table and was prepared for the discussion. This was no different from the presentations she used to make when she was at her New York firm. Only this time she was speaking from the heart about something that had a lot of meaning for both of them. She was worried, too. If he didn’t agree with her, their employment relationship could be over.

Kelly poured coffee into her cup and added cream. Jace’s footsteps on the hall floor alerted her to his presence. Her heartbeat jumped and she took a long breath. He stepped inside the living room and stood there a moment looking at her. He’d changed his shirt, replacing the earlier short-sleeved one for a sweater.

“This is a pleasant room,” Jace said. “I see the furniture has been changed. I like this better.” He came forward and poured himself a cup of coffee. He drank it black and made a face at its taste.

“Isn’t it strong enough?” she asked.

“It’ll do,” he said. He didn’t sit, but carried it around the room as he appeared to inspect everything in sight.

“Should I apologize or should you make the coffee from now on?”

“I’m sure I’ll get used to it over time.”

Kelly frowned. “Time. That’s what I want to discuss.” Kelly stood up. “I mentioned that I have certain plans for the house. Plans you are opposed to.”

“It did come as a surprise. I never thought anyone would want to let strangers into their home and have them roam around.”

“They won’t be roaming around. All tours of the house and property will be escorted.” She waited.

Using both hands, despite the coffee cup, he signaled for her to continue. “I intend to open the house one day a week to tourists. I’ve hired a crew of college students who will be dressed in period costumes to provide the guided tours. As you know I’ve designed and printed brochures, and distributed them to tourist bureaus throughout Maryland and the four states that border it.”

“Just for the record, don’t expect me to don a costume and play lord of the manor.”

“I won’t, but I also expect that you won’t get in my way.”

He said nothing and his silence was irritating. Kelly decided to go on. “I also have plans in the works to help to attract events to the Kendall.”

“Attract events?” He stepped forward and set his cup of coffee on a table. She couldn’t figure out if he was closing his mind to everything she had to say. It didn’t matter. She didn’t need his approval.

“To begin, we have three weddings this summer. They will use the lawn for the ceremony and the ballroom and formal dining room for the reception. Photographs will be both inside and outside, weather permitting. There is a contract with a modeling agency in New York to use the Kendall for their next photo shoot. They will be here for three days, using the house and grounds to shoot an ad campaign for a fashion designer’s upcoming collection. The library, garden, small living room and the red room will be used.”