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Authors: Hope Ramsay
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disturbing the angels who’ve been watching over this town for a hundred and fifty years.” She stopped rocking. “You know about the angels, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes, Caroline was very thorough with her briefing. I told her we needed to get the angels on our side.”
Miriam huffed a laugh. “Lord a’mercy, you are a funny man. But honey, that may be harder than you think.”
“Why not? The factory will create jobs. If the angels are interested in protecting the town, wouldn’t they see that?”
“Hmmm. Good point. But you see, the angels are probably on the side of the environmentalists. And even if they aren’t, I’m thinking Elbert’s angels are more interested in having people learn their Bible by playing golf than helping with the unemployment situation. And that’s why we formed our committee. The golf course could easily save the town. It is a marvel, and well, there is only one Golfing for God, and there are factories everywhere.”
“That’s a very good point. I wonder if it would be possible to move the golf course.”
“Move it?”
“Hmm. Yes, all the statues and whatnot.”
The old woman leaned forward. “Hugh, honey, have you seen the golf course?”
“No. I gather Caroline is trying to schedule something for tomorrow.”
Miriam chuckled. “You know, I wouldn’t count on Rocky being entirely on your side on this.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I’m not counting on her.”
“No?”
He shook his head. “She’s conflicted, of course. I’m certainly not above using her local knowledge. But I’m not foolish enough to trust her.”
“If you don’t mind my saying so, I think you had better count on the fact that you aren’t going to get that land. You’d have to convince God, and He’s on Elbert’s side, I believe.”
“That’s too bad for the people of Last Chance, isn’t it? Because I’m very close to losing my patience. I could very easily return home to the UK, marry Lady Ashton, and forget about this project altogether.”
Miriam turned and pulled her glasses down and rested them on her nose. They were thick trifocals, upturned at their corners and decorated with rhinestones. They reminded Hugh of Aunt Petal’s eyeglasses, although Miriam’s frames were a steely blue and Aunt Petal wore frames the color of a male gnome’s hat—holly berry red.
Miriam eyed him through the glasses as if seeing him for the first time, which was probably the case given the thickness of the lenses. He braced himself for the well-worn suggestion that he should find another site for his factory.
But Miriam surprised him when she said, “Lady Ashton? Really? Is she rich?”
“Well, yes.”
“So did someone tell you that you should be looking for a woman who will bring you a fortune?”
“Well, to be honest, Mrs. Randall, my forebears have made a science of doing that sort of thing. You know, I come from a long line of aristocrats, who were not a particularly talented bunch, unless you count picking the right brides.”
“Right brides? All of you? Do you have the sight then?”
“The sight? No, we’re just a practical bunch. Every one of my forebears going back ten generations or more has picked a bride who has brought wealth to the family.” He hesitated for a moment. “Except my father, poor sot. His marriage was a disaster and then he died quite young. My father, I’m afraid, was a failure.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, honey.”
Hugh shrugged. “Well, I was only three at the time. I don’t remember my parents. Before I went off to school, I was raised by my grandfather and my Aunts Maude, Petunia, and Petal. I am well aware that marrying the right woman is important for a person such as myself. Lord knows Granddad drilled that point into my head relentlessly. Marrying well is practically a duty in my family.”
She reached over and squeezed his arm. “Hugh, honey, listen to me. You should be looking for a wife who will help you find your fortune. Just remember that, and
“Oh, yes, Caroline was very thorough with her briefing. I told her we needed to get the angels on our side.”
Miriam huffed a laugh. “Lord a’mercy, you are a funny man. But honey, that may be harder than you think.”
“Why not? The factory will create jobs. If the angels are interested in protecting the town, wouldn’t they see that?”
“Hmmm. Good point. But you see, the angels are probably on the side of the environmentalists. And even if they aren’t, I’m thinking Elbert’s angels are more interested in having people learn their Bible by playing golf than helping with the unemployment situation. And that’s why we formed our committee. The golf course could easily save the town. It is a marvel, and well, there is only one Golfing for God, and there are factories everywhere.”
“That’s a very good point. I wonder if it would be possible to move the golf course.”
“Move it?”
“Hmm. Yes, all the statues and whatnot.”
The old woman leaned forward. “Hugh, honey, have you seen the golf course?”
“No. I gather Caroline is trying to schedule something for tomorrow.”
Miriam chuckled. “You know, I wouldn’t count on Rocky being entirely on your side on this.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I’m not counting on her.”
“No?”
He shook his head. “She’s conflicted, of course. I’m certainly not above using her local knowledge. But I’m not foolish enough to trust her.”
“If you don’t mind my saying so, I think you had better count on the fact that you aren’t going to get that land. You’d have to convince God, and He’s on Elbert’s side, I believe.”
“That’s too bad for the people of Last Chance, isn’t it? Because I’m very close to losing my patience. I could very easily return home to the UK, marry Lady Ashton, and forget about this project altogether.”
Miriam turned and pulled her glasses down and rested them on her nose. They were thick trifocals, upturned at their corners and decorated with rhinestones. They reminded Hugh of Aunt Petal’s eyeglasses, although Miriam’s frames were a steely blue and Aunt Petal wore frames the color of a male gnome’s hat—holly berry red.
Miriam eyed him through the glasses as if seeing him for the first time, which was probably the case given the thickness of the lenses. He braced himself for the well-worn suggestion that he should find another site for his factory.
But Miriam surprised him when she said, “Lady Ashton? Really? Is she rich?”
“Well, yes.”
“So did someone tell you that you should be looking for a woman who will bring you a fortune?”
“Well, to be honest, Mrs. Randall, my forebears have made a science of doing that sort of thing. You know, I come from a long line of aristocrats, who were not a particularly talented bunch, unless you count picking the right brides.”
“Right brides? All of you? Do you have the sight then?”
“The sight? No, we’re just a practical bunch. Every one of my forebears going back ten generations or more has picked a bride who has brought wealth to the family.” He hesitated for a moment. “Except my father, poor sot. His marriage was a disaster and then he died quite young. My father, I’m afraid, was a failure.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, honey.”
Hugh shrugged. “Well, I was only three at the time. I don’t remember my parents. Before I went off to school, I was raised by my grandfather and my Aunts Maude, Petunia, and Petal. I am well aware that marrying the right woman is important for a person such as myself. Lord knows Granddad drilled that point into my head relentlessly. Marrying well is practically a duty in my family.”
She reached over and squeezed his arm. “Hugh, honey, listen to me. You should be looking for a wife who will help you find your fortune. Just remember that, and
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