“It’s just ten miles.”
“Ten miles that you don’t make very often,” David said as he swung at the ball and hit it perfectly, then said quietly, “Has she asked about me yet?”
“No, not yet, but today she was pretty upset. Seems that Miss Edi left her no money.”
“I know. Alex supported her. Or, rather, he subsidized Bertrand, and gave Edi money to give away.”
“That’s what Ramsey’s dad told him. Rams handles the legal work, but he didn’t know about there being no money.”
“Yeah, well, we all agreed to lie to the second generation. Ben should have got the truth from his father before he died.”
“I think he tried to, but Uncle Alex wouldn’t tell.” Luke gave his grandfather a hard look as they walked. “So what is the truth?”
“There are some things that I’m not about to tell. Some things are better left alone.” He put up his hand when Luke started to speak. “What happened back then has nothing to do with today.”
“Except that Jocelyn has no money.”
“So? Who of us had at that age?”
“She has a monster of a house to take care of, and the thing eats greenbacks.”
“So let her marry Ramsey. He’s rich.”
“But—” Luke broke off without finishing his sentence.
“But what?” his grandfather asked. “Don’t you think they’re a good match? Ramsey’s money with the Harcourt house. It couldn’t be better.”
“I’m not sure she and Ramsey are good together.”
“From what I hear, they were made for each other. Her pearls match his ties. They’ll make that house into a showplace. It’ll rival the best in Williamsburg for perfection.”
“Perfection. Who wants that?” Luke put his hands in his pockets as his grandfather hit another ball. “They’ll probably put a swimming pool in and never let their kids play in the pond.”
“That pond always was a nasty, dirty thing,” David said as he started walking. “The bottom three feet of it are probably all duck poop.”
“Yeah? Maybe I’ll dredge it and get some fertilizer.”
“My point exactly. Who wants to let their kids swim around in manure?”
“It never hurt me,” Luke said, sounding sulky even to himself.
“You were an oddity, my dear boy. You loved the outdoors.”
“So did Ramsey when he was a kid.”
“No, he tolerated it. Ramsey was always neat and clean. When you played in the mud you jumped in and wallowed. Ramsey—”
“Carefully made little mud pies.”
“Just what I said. He and Jocelyn are perfect for each other. Their house will be beautiful, and their children will be clean and well mannered.”
“Why does that sound so awful to me?” Luke mumbled.
“I have no idea.”
Luke looked at his grandfather closely. “Are you laughing at me?”
“Great, huge horse laughs. I’m whooping it up at your expense. I’m not sure when I’ve had such a good time.”