Read Online Homecoming by Elizabeth Jennings - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Jennings
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some asinine syllabus.”
“Actually,” Federica smiled, “I read you under the covers at night with a flashlight.”
Horace Milton cackled. “That’s more like it. Who are you, girl?” He looked around. “Come on, who is she? She’s pretty. I want her.”
“Horace Milton, meet Federica Mansion.” Lilly’s voice was quiet in the deepening darkness.
“ Mansion !” The bantering tone was gone. Horace Milton took another long look at Federica, all the flirtatiousness and good humor vanished in an instant. Milton stared at Jack accusingly. “You didn’t tell us at the meeting that this Mansion monster was a woman.”
“We didn’t know he was a she, either.” Jack answered evenly.
Milton scooted his chair closer.
“You listen to me girl, and listen good.” He pressed a nicotine-stained finger into her chest. “I know the Mansion Hotels. Godless, soulless places, all of them. Well, we don’t want that here. We don’t want any truck with your kind of commercialism. This is one of the last unsullied spots left on Earth and we all want to keep it that way. And as long as I’m alive, I’ll fight you to my last breath. I don’t care if I die in the process. You get me?” He jabbed hard at her chest and Newton half-rose in his seat. “Do you understand me, girl ?”
Federica shook her head at Newton, then turned to meet Milton’s hostile, black-eyed gaze. “Yes,” she said quietly, “I understand.”
Horace Milton turned in his chair and surveyed the Sutters and Norman, glaring at each in turn.
“And you —you should be ashamed of yourselves. Aiding and abetting the enemy. You know what this place will turn into if the Mansions ever get hold of Harry’s Folly. The whole town will change. We’ll be overrun by business types and they’ll start laying down rules and regulations to protect their investment and we’ll be prettified and regulated out of existence. They’ll take the town over. Don’t you remember what we said at the caucus?” Milton stared at his half-empty wine glass and pushed it away in disgust. “Lost my taste for it. Can’t drink when I’m upset. Spoils the spirit of wine. I’ll be back when we’re in better company.” After a sharp hostile glance at Federica, Horace rose slowly and hobbled away, leaving a long, uncomfortable silence.
Federica stared down at her uneaten steak. The air had grown suddenly chilly and she shivered.
“I’m sorry, Federica,” Lilly said gently into the silence. “But no one can stop Milton when he wants to have his say. No one has ever been able to shut him up, and that includes the government. We wouldn’t want to shut him up even if we could.” She drew in a long breath. “That’s part of why he likes it here in Carson’s Bluff. Everyone is free to do and say exactly what they please here.”
Everyone’s free to do and say exactly what they please here . The words burned like acid in Federica’s mind. She hadn’t drawn a free breath in eight years.
“That’s okay, Lilly.” Federica smiled wanly. It was as if some giant black hole had opened up over Northern California and had sucked out all the pleasure and ease of the night. “Well.” She placed her hands on the table and stood up. “It was a lovely dinner, Lilly, thank you. Wyatt, please congratulate your father on his wine for me.” Congratulations from a Mansion , she thought. That ought to go over big . “Newton, I wonder if you could—”
“I’ll drive you back, Federica.” Jack already had her sweater on her shoulders and a hand at her elbow.
“If Miss Federica wants me to take her up, then that’s what I’m doing.” Newton towered over Jack, and his deep voice sounded threatening.
“That’s all right, Newton.” Federica laid a hand on his arm. Sweet, loyal Newton. His evening had been spoiled, too. Well, tense evenings in a hostile atmosphere were what being a Mansion was all about. Newton should know that by now. “I’ll go up with the
“Actually,” Federica smiled, “I read you under the covers at night with a flashlight.”
Horace Milton cackled. “That’s more like it. Who are you, girl?” He looked around. “Come on, who is she? She’s pretty. I want her.”
“Horace Milton, meet Federica Mansion.” Lilly’s voice was quiet in the deepening darkness.
“ Mansion !” The bantering tone was gone. Horace Milton took another long look at Federica, all the flirtatiousness and good humor vanished in an instant. Milton stared at Jack accusingly. “You didn’t tell us at the meeting that this Mansion monster was a woman.”
“We didn’t know he was a she, either.” Jack answered evenly.
Milton scooted his chair closer.
“You listen to me girl, and listen good.” He pressed a nicotine-stained finger into her chest. “I know the Mansion Hotels. Godless, soulless places, all of them. Well, we don’t want that here. We don’t want any truck with your kind of commercialism. This is one of the last unsullied spots left on Earth and we all want to keep it that way. And as long as I’m alive, I’ll fight you to my last breath. I don’t care if I die in the process. You get me?” He jabbed hard at her chest and Newton half-rose in his seat. “Do you understand me, girl ?”
Federica shook her head at Newton, then turned to meet Milton’s hostile, black-eyed gaze. “Yes,” she said quietly, “I understand.”
Horace Milton turned in his chair and surveyed the Sutters and Norman, glaring at each in turn.
“And you —you should be ashamed of yourselves. Aiding and abetting the enemy. You know what this place will turn into if the Mansions ever get hold of Harry’s Folly. The whole town will change. We’ll be overrun by business types and they’ll start laying down rules and regulations to protect their investment and we’ll be prettified and regulated out of existence. They’ll take the town over. Don’t you remember what we said at the caucus?” Milton stared at his half-empty wine glass and pushed it away in disgust. “Lost my taste for it. Can’t drink when I’m upset. Spoils the spirit of wine. I’ll be back when we’re in better company.” After a sharp hostile glance at Federica, Horace rose slowly and hobbled away, leaving a long, uncomfortable silence.
Federica stared down at her uneaten steak. The air had grown suddenly chilly and she shivered.
“I’m sorry, Federica,” Lilly said gently into the silence. “But no one can stop Milton when he wants to have his say. No one has ever been able to shut him up, and that includes the government. We wouldn’t want to shut him up even if we could.” She drew in a long breath. “That’s part of why he likes it here in Carson’s Bluff. Everyone is free to do and say exactly what they please here.”
Everyone’s free to do and say exactly what they please here . The words burned like acid in Federica’s mind. She hadn’t drawn a free breath in eight years.
“That’s okay, Lilly.” Federica smiled wanly. It was as if some giant black hole had opened up over Northern California and had sucked out all the pleasure and ease of the night. “Well.” She placed her hands on the table and stood up. “It was a lovely dinner, Lilly, thank you. Wyatt, please congratulate your father on his wine for me.” Congratulations from a Mansion , she thought. That ought to go over big . “Newton, I wonder if you could—”
“I’ll drive you back, Federica.” Jack already had her sweater on her shoulders and a hand at her elbow.
“If Miss Federica wants me to take her up, then that’s what I’m doing.” Newton towered over Jack, and his deep voice sounded threatening.
“That’s all right, Newton.” Federica laid a hand on his arm. Sweet, loyal Newton. His evening had been spoiled, too. Well, tense evenings in a hostile atmosphere were what being a Mansion was all about. Newton should know that by now. “I’ll go up with the
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