Read Online The Dashwood Sisters Tell All by Beth Pattillo - Free Book Online
Authors: Beth Pattillo
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arrived, and I decided to put my worries over my sister aside long enough to eat. I examined my ploughman's lunch with appreciation. The plate overflowed with big chunks of fresh-baked bread, a hearty slab of Sussex cheddar, celery and apples, and a pickled onion.
“I feel like I’ve earned this,” I said to Tom with a grin.
“You have. We covered about six miles this morning.”
“Six?” I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. “How many more do we have to go today?”
Now Tom laughed. “Not nearly that many.”
We spent the rest of the meal in pleasant conversation. He was an intelligent, well-rounded man who could talk on almost any subject.
“Would it be rude to ask where you live?” I asked as we finished the meal.
“I’ll tell you where I live if you tell me why Daniel Edwards looks like he wants to clean my clock.”
I’d forgotten about Daniel, who was seated at the other end of the table next to Mimi.
“He's an old college friend, actually, but I haven't seen him in years.”
Tom gave me a long look. “An odd coincidence, both of you turning up on this tour.”
I reached for my glass and drained the remains of my diet soda. “Yes. Isn't it?”
“Are you stalking him or is he stalking you?” Tom asked with a twinkle in his eye.
“Neither. But I think we may both be the victims of some matchmaking from beyond the grave.”
“Your mother?”
“The original believer in Austen's happy endings. Even though her own marriage was a disaster.”
“Hope springs eternal, hmm? ”
“Something like that.”
“Seems like a nice guy,” Tom said but his praise sounded a bit cautious.
“He is. But college was a long time ago. People change.”
“Not always as much as you might think.” Tom's glance flicked toward Ethan again, and that look made me wonder again what he knew that he wasn't telling me.
Tom looked at his watch. “I should round up the troops. Time to ship out, since the taxi's here.” He nodded toward the door, and I could see a silver minivan next to the one belonging to the tour company. “We’ll ride from here to the Vyne,” he said.
Our conversation left me feeling unsettled. Mimi wouldn't like it, of course, my interfering in her budding romance, but I trusted Tom's judgment. When I saw her get up and walk toward the bathroom, I couldn't help but follow her.
Mimi turned when I entered the restroom. The tiny women's restroom held two sinks, two stalls, and a lot of humidity.
“Hey, sis.” She was beaming from ear to ear.
How could I do it? How could I crush her hopes? The fit she’d pitched about the facial the day before told me she was feeling insecure about her looks, but I had to choose. Was it better for me to make her angry by warning her about Ethan, or was it better to let Ethan break her heart?
“Meems, maybe you should…I don't know. Slow it down a little bit.”
Her shoulders went rigid. “Slow what down a bit?”
Of course she knew exactly what I meant, but it was part of the game we’d always played.
“With Ethan. I mean, we’re here for a specific reason. I don't want us to lose focus. We should be thinking about where we want to…leave Mom.”
Her eyes narrowed, which was never a good sign.
“Quit fretting,” Mimi said. Her eyes flashed. “Go find Daniel, give him a kiss that will rock his world, and tell him you want to get married and have lots of babies.” She laughed, but it wasn't a nice sound. “What could be simpler?”
“I’m not fretting,” I snapped.
Mimi flushed. “Don't be so sensitive—”
I turned on my heel and left the bathroom.
“Ellen! Wait!”
I bolted through the main door. On the way in, I’d noticed a garden to the side of the pub. I slipped through the open gate, but Mimi followed me.
“Ellen, wait.”
I stopped and slowly turned to face her.
“We have to talk,” Mimi said. “Sit down for a minute.” She stepped toward one of the wooden tables that dotted the garden. “I didn't mean
“I feel like I’ve earned this,” I said to Tom with a grin.
“You have. We covered about six miles this morning.”
“Six?” I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. “How many more do we have to go today?”
Now Tom laughed. “Not nearly that many.”
We spent the rest of the meal in pleasant conversation. He was an intelligent, well-rounded man who could talk on almost any subject.
“Would it be rude to ask where you live?” I asked as we finished the meal.
“I’ll tell you where I live if you tell me why Daniel Edwards looks like he wants to clean my clock.”
I’d forgotten about Daniel, who was seated at the other end of the table next to Mimi.
“He's an old college friend, actually, but I haven't seen him in years.”
Tom gave me a long look. “An odd coincidence, both of you turning up on this tour.”
I reached for my glass and drained the remains of my diet soda. “Yes. Isn't it?”
“Are you stalking him or is he stalking you?” Tom asked with a twinkle in his eye.
“Neither. But I think we may both be the victims of some matchmaking from beyond the grave.”
“Your mother?”
“The original believer in Austen's happy endings. Even though her own marriage was a disaster.”
“Hope springs eternal, hmm? ”
“Something like that.”
“Seems like a nice guy,” Tom said but his praise sounded a bit cautious.
“He is. But college was a long time ago. People change.”
“Not always as much as you might think.” Tom's glance flicked toward Ethan again, and that look made me wonder again what he knew that he wasn't telling me.
Tom looked at his watch. “I should round up the troops. Time to ship out, since the taxi's here.” He nodded toward the door, and I could see a silver minivan next to the one belonging to the tour company. “We’ll ride from here to the Vyne,” he said.
Our conversation left me feeling unsettled. Mimi wouldn't like it, of course, my interfering in her budding romance, but I trusted Tom's judgment. When I saw her get up and walk toward the bathroom, I couldn't help but follow her.
Mimi turned when I entered the restroom. The tiny women's restroom held two sinks, two stalls, and a lot of humidity.
“Hey, sis.” She was beaming from ear to ear.
How could I do it? How could I crush her hopes? The fit she’d pitched about the facial the day before told me she was feeling insecure about her looks, but I had to choose. Was it better for me to make her angry by warning her about Ethan, or was it better to let Ethan break her heart?
“Meems, maybe you should…I don't know. Slow it down a little bit.”
Her shoulders went rigid. “Slow what down a bit?”
Of course she knew exactly what I meant, but it was part of the game we’d always played.
“With Ethan. I mean, we’re here for a specific reason. I don't want us to lose focus. We should be thinking about where we want to…leave Mom.”
Her eyes narrowed, which was never a good sign.
“Quit fretting,” Mimi said. Her eyes flashed. “Go find Daniel, give him a kiss that will rock his world, and tell him you want to get married and have lots of babies.” She laughed, but it wasn't a nice sound. “What could be simpler?”
“I’m not fretting,” I snapped.
Mimi flushed. “Don't be so sensitive—”
I turned on my heel and left the bathroom.
“Ellen! Wait!”
I bolted through the main door. On the way in, I’d noticed a garden to the side of the pub. I slipped through the open gate, but Mimi followed me.
“Ellen, wait.”
I stopped and slowly turned to face her.
“We have to talk,” Mimi said. “Sit down for a minute.” She stepped toward one of the wooden tables that dotted the garden. “I didn't mean
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