Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Luke
L uke was enjoying his morning coffee, sitting on a borrowed chair he’d hoofed down from Archer’s back patio area, drinking from the mug he took from Jason’s kitchen.
He needed to get furniture for his cottage, so he didn’t have to keep stealing his brothers’ stuff and annoying their wives. It was this thought of having his own wife that he spotted Bailey striding across the lawn to his place. Bailey didn’t waste any time getting the meeting set up.
He sighed tiredly, dropped his feet he had propped up on the low brick wall and placed his coffee mug on the floor. He hadn’t managed to procure a table yet. All the furniture would come when the house was emptied.
“Morning, Bailey,” Luke said, moving to the opening in the wall to greet him.
They shook hands.
“Morning, Sir,” Bailey replied .
“I’d invite you in for a coffee, but I only stole one mug and one chair.”
Bailey gave him a warm smile and a soft chuckle.
“I don’t have enough time to sit and put the world to rights, although looking at this view, it is very tempting. I’d forgotten how quiet it is here at the lodges.”
“You’re welcome any time, Bailey. No formality is needed with any of us over here. Maggie too. I hope you know that.”
“I do, and it’s really good to know you’re all coming back to live here. The Turner property needs it. It’s too old and too grand to leave to decay and ruin.”
They stayed silent for a minute while they gazed across the lawn that had been recently mowed and at the trees that were short enough that they could see the ocean.
“Has she set a date and time?” Luke said eventually.
He knew Bailey had to get back, but only because he always had a long to-do list with a building the size of Turner Hall. Bailey loved working the Turner estate, and he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise it.
“She has, Sir. This morning at ten o’clock in the morning room.”
“I’ll be there. Well, I’ll be there earlier so I can get Maggie to make me breakfast.”
“She is hoping you’ll do that. It’s her way of giving you strength.”
He needed to make sure he dropped in more often to see Maggie. He owed her a lot after his mother left the island.
“I’ll swing by at nine for a butty and a natter,” Luke promised.
“Right you are. I’ll leave you to it.”
Bailey didn’t wait for a goodbye from Luke and walked away. Luke bent to pick up his coffee, pressed a hip to the wooden post at the end of the wall, and rose to the latticework above the patio area. He held onto his ribs with one arm across his torso and the other hand raised the coffee cup to his mouth. This was done slowly, his way of calming his anxiety whenever his aunt was mentioned. He did not want to see her, but his upbringing and respect for Bailey would get his arse in her morning room to hear what she said.
It was still early, not long after seven. Luke had time for a run, a shower and a stroll to get to Turner Hall. So he did just that.
Arriving at the mouth of the kitchen, he heard Maggie’s deep chuckle. When he entered through the open doorway, he saw both his brothers sitting on the bench seat at the kitchen table. He felt his heart constrict at the show of support.
“I was just reminding Maggie of the time we all trooped into her kitchen with muddy feet ten seconds after she’d finished scrubbing the floor until it was gleaming,” Jason said, shifting up the bench seat.
“Oh man, you were so angry at us. You chased us around the kitchen with a broom,” Luke said.
“And that made the floor even muddier,” Archer said, throwing his head back laughing.
“I got my own back, making you lot wash down the floor,” Maggie replied.
“You did. Never did I enter this kitchen again with muddy feet,” Jason said.
“Fun times,” Luke said, plonking myself down on the bench next to Jason.
“What am I making you boys?” Maggie said, putting her cup of tea down.
“Finish your tea, Maggie. We can wait,” Archer said .
“It’s finished. Give me your orders,” she said, upending the cup to show it was empty.
“Bacon sandwich,” Luke said.
“Yeah, I’ll take one of those,” Archer said.
“Me too,” Jason replied.
“Well, that was easy,” Maggie said and marched off to the walk-in fridge in the small room adjoining the kitchen.
“What are you guys here for?” Luke asked.
“Moral support. We think we know why she’s summoned you, so we thought we would be here for you,” Archer said.
“He didn’t do this for me, I hasten to add, but I think we should stick together,” Jason said.
“Lord knows what will happen when Daisy gets the call,” Archer said.
“She won’t go. No matter how much she loves Maggie and Bailey, she won’t go,” Luke said.
“I wasn’t sure you’d go,” Archer said. “You don’t have to. Bailey will be fine with it.”
“She can’t hurt me any more than she already has. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Jason and Archer stared at him for a few moments, and then Archer spoke.
“What did she do to hurt you?”
“It doesn’t matter. It was a long time ago. It took a long time for me to understand why Mum left us and the island, but maybe she had the best idea. We left, didn’t we?”
“We did, and I am struggling to accept that I did. If I had my time again, I would’ve come back to spend more time with Dad,” Jason said.
“Yeah, me too,” Archer said.
Luke felt like he’d been punched in the stomach. His brothers didn’t know how much those comments hurt. If he had his time again, he’d try harder to save his dad’s life. Move more quickly, get the defibrillator on him faster. But he wouldn’t get his time back, and it was a fool who wished it.
“Are you sure you just want bacon? What about some cheesy scrambled egg on the side?” Maggie said, coming back into the kitchen, oblivious to the men’s conversation.
“I’ll take some scrambled eggs. I’ve already been for a run, so I’ve earned it,” Luke said.
“I went for a surf with Keith, so pile them on Maggie,” Jason said.
“I’ll stick with the sandwich, Maggie,” Archer said.
Luke looked over to the coffee pot and took Archer and Jason’s mugs for a refill. He took out his mug from the cabinet above the coffee machine, poured three mugs and set up the machine to make another pot. Taking them back to the table, he placed them within reach of his brothers. Archer and Jason were looking his way but not saying anything.
“Are you okay?” Archer asked.
“Yeah, I think. I’m feeling a bit lost, but I know I’m where I’m supposed to be,” Luke replied.
“Have you met Freya’s fiancé yet?” Jason asked.
“There is no fiancé, but I don’t have enough evidence yet to force her to admit it.”
“But you have a plan, right?” Archer said.
“I do. I will meet her after school every day until she is forced to confess her big fat lie or roll out the man of her dreams that put a ring on her finger.”
“Are you jealous?” Archer asked.
“Of a fictitious man? Hell no,” Luke said.
“But what if he’s real? Are you ready to give up your bestie?” Jason asked .
“Hell no again. If he does exist and doesn’t like the look of me, he will have to accept we come as a package deal.”
Archer barked out a laugh.
“You would never accept that as a deal if you were her fiancé, and she told you she had a male best friend who hugged her all the time and kissed her head.”
“Hell no, but we’re not talking about me being the fiancé. I’m the best friend.”
“Hmm, Jason,” Jason said into his coffee mug.
“Breakfast is ready,” Maggie said, giving Archer a wink and placing his sandwich in front of him.
Next came two plates for Jason and Luke.
“Whatever happens, boys, I hope Freya isn’t a stranger in this kitchen. I’ve got used to Heidi and Erica popping in. It will be nice to have Freya, too,” Maggie said.
“I’ll let her know, Maggie. Thanks for breakfast,” Luke said.
“Eat up before it gets cold.”
Once breakfast was eaten, more stories were told, and then it was time to head up to see Aunt Cynthia. Bailey came through to the kitchen with five minutes to go. Luke went to the bathroom to wash his hands and straighten his clothes, paying careful attention to stray crumbs.
Luke came back out and received nods from his brothers and a once-over from Bailey. He nodded, too, and they were good to go.
Luke followed him up the back stairs, across the marble foyer and entered the morning room after him. Once Luke was inside, Bailey closed the door, staying on the other side. Luke wondered if this was how it felt when someone was locked in a cell.
“Luke,” Aunt Cynthia said from the other end of the morning room .
She was on the threshold of the morning room and conservatory.
Wearing her uniform of green slacks and a twinset, she looked well-groomed and ready for battle. Luke wasn’t there to argue, but she knew he didn’t want to be there at all. The one thing on his side was he was an adult now, no longer the child she could bully.
“Aunt Cynthia,” he said, not moving.
“I’m not going to spend our meeting yelling at you. Come down this end, please,” she clipped out.
He walked thirty feet from the door to where she was standing. Her hands were clasped in front of her. He noticed her sapphire ring, which looked much like an engagement ring but with no wedding band. Had Jonathan given that to her? She had never mentioned a fiancé or a husband in all the time he’d known her. Trying to remember his childhood, he couldn’t recall if she’d always worn the ring. Making a mental note to dig out family photographs, he put his ponderings to the back of his head.
“Why am I here?” Luke said.
“Do I need a reason?”
“You never do anything without reason. You usually can’t wait to explain all your moves. So let’s get this over with.”
“Fine. Come into the conservatory. It’s time for you to choose.”
“Choose what?”
“You need to find a wife.”
“You have a selection waiting for me to pick in the conservatory?”
“Don’t be smart, Luke Turner.”
“I wouldn’t put it past you to have already picked my wife for me. That’s the Turner way, isn’t it? ”
His aunt gave him a glare that shrivelled his insides. She didn’t say a word as she moved to a large velvet box. She lifted the lid and placed it to the side.
“Time to pick a ring. When you’ve found the woman who will be a Turner, you are to bring her here to meet me before you propose.”
“No.”
“What?” she shouted.
“No. I am not picking a ring. My wife will not wear a Turner ring. You may have corralled Archer into picking a ring, but Jason didn’t put a Turner ring on Heidi’s finger, and I won’t either.”
“What do you mean? He chose the diamond solitaire. If it’s not on Heidi’s finger, where the hell is it? It needs to be returned.”
All the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Or more or less into place. The ring on Freya’s finger was Jason’s rejected ring. He smiled and gave a soft chuckle.
“You’d better take that up with Jason.”
“You tell him I want to speak with him.”
“Tell him yourself,” Luke replied, making a move to leave.
“You were always the disobedient child. I never understood why your father let you onto the rigs.”
“What do those two things have in common?”
“If you did as you were told, you wouldn’t have let him die.”
“How the hell did you come to that conclusion?”
“If you spent more time studying and getting better grades, you would’ve been a better medic. His death is on your hands.”
“Go to hell,” Luke roared and strode from the room .
Bailey had the door open and stepped to the side before Luke reached for the door handle.
“Never ask me to meet with her again, Bailey,” Luke bit out as he passed the man.
“Yes, Sir,” he replied to Luke’s back.
Luke, filled with rage, raced down the back stairs and into the kitchen. He came to a skidding halt seeing his brothers and Maggie. They stopped mid-conversation to look at him. He didn’t know the first fucking thing to say. His aunt had said what he was already feeling, what he thought, and it hurt like hell.
“What happened?” Archer said, getting up from the bench.
“She wanted me to pick a ring,” Luke said.
“What did you pick?” Jason asked.
“I told her no,” Luke replied.
“What else did she say?” Archer asked carefully.
“Nothing. I need to get back and change, then get to Edward Hall to make sure Stan and Opaline have everything ready for our new group arriving.”
Luke walked past them and headed for the open kitchen door. He heard Jason call out his name, but he ignored him. Luke had to escape before he roared with the pain in his chest. His aunt always knew how to push his buttons, and Luke had never learned how to ignore them. When Luke was living permanently at the Turner estate, he would run to wherever Freya was to get some good in his soul to eradicate the badness from Cynthia. Freya would be teaching right now, and barging into her class for a hug would be inappropriate, but he badly wanted her comfort.
Instead, he jogged to his cottage, headed upstairs, showered for the second time that day and changed into a suit ready for his working day .
Another thing he hated.
The only shining light of the morning was that now he knew for sure Freya was not engaged. She was wearing a Turner ring, and no Turner had proposed.
Yet.