April of Enchantment (Sweetly Contemporary Collection) Read Online Free PDF

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    “Nichols, Laura Nichols,” Laura supplied, unsurprised that her name had been forgotten.
    “Laura, then. As I was saying, this means so much to me that if you should be able to help me convince Justin that what I want is feasible, there may be a handsome bonus under the table for you. My father is not a poor man, and he likes to see his daughter happy. Or better yet, it would be marvelous if Justin could be persuaded that the idea for these little amenities came from you.”
    “I couldn’t do that,” Laura said, an edge to her voice.
    “Couldn’t you? Too bad. It would have made things so much easier.” The other woman drew her fur coat closer around her face, a hard look descending over her features.
    “I think it would be better if you discussed the changes you have in mind with your fiancé. If he okays them, then I suppose something will have to be done.”
    Myra Devol opened her green eyes wide. “But I already have, and he paid no attention.”
    “Then there’s nothing I can do.” The relief at being able to make that statement was tremendous. Laura was only just able to prevent herself from a smile of triumph.
    “Oh, I’m sure there’s something, if you will just think about it and about the bonus I mentioned. At least you can look the other way while I put in my improvements. It was nice having this little chat with you, Laura, but for now I’ve had enough of this cold storage. Besides, I have an appointment with my hairdresser this afternoon, which is why I brought my own car, that and a strong suspicion that once Justin came out here he would be hard to pry loose again. Tell him I will see him back in the city, will you?”
    Laura moved to the window in time to see the crimson sports car wheel out over the lawn, leaving tracks in the long brown grass before it shot away down the drive. The nerve of the woman, actually offering her a bribe to help push through the changes she wanted, even suggesting that she pass off the other woman’s bad taste for her own. If it wasn’t for Crapemyrtle and the way she felt about the great old house, she would be strongly tempted to tell both Justin Roman and his bride-to-be what they could do with their restoration project.
    At the thought of any one of the rooms of the mansion turned into a game room, complete, no doubt, with pinball machines, a pool table, computer games, and a Jukebox with stereophonic sound and flashing lights, a shudder of horror ran over her. These things weren’t bad in themselves; they just simply did not belong in a house like this. Almost as bad was the prospect of a modern pool with chrome tubing and shiny bright tiles. If she had her way, nothing like that would be allowed within miles of the grounds.
    Laura turned back to the fire. It had been built using pine kindling left in one corner of the fireplace by the previous owners, along with rotten limbs that had fallen from the live oaks outside. The flames had died down, leaving a bed of coals. Myra had not even troubled to put more wood on the crumbling metal grate. It was probably just as well, since there was no screen to prevent the coals from popping out onto the yellow heart-pine floor beyond the slate hearth, marring the surface, if not starting a conflagration that could bring the house down around their ears.
    Laura reached up to run her hand over the cool smoothness of the top of the rose-red-marble mantel, wiping away the dust. Marble mantels were not so uncommon in this area, but most were either black or white. This one and the small sitting room where it stood were favorites of Laura’s. The plaster medallion in the ceiling was outstanding in its depiction of roses and cherubs, rather than the stylized leaves or sunburst designs usually found. An added feature was the plaster pieces of roses and trailing ribbon in each corner to match the medallion. According to the diary, this room, done in shades of cream and palest rose, had been the province of the ladies