Chapter 9
Archer
Teddy wouldn’t let Archer leave the kitchen without him. He jumped and ran around his legs as Archer tried to inch out the kitchen laden with two plates of food for lunch and dinner. Maggie knew him well enough that he would stay in his cottage until he’d decided his future. His siblings’ future. It was as if Teddy knew Archer needed him.
“I guess I have a dog now,” Archer said, bending down and scratching behind his ears. “Do you know what breed he is, Maggie?”
“He’s a Dobermann, a big dog when he’s an adult and lots of exercise. So think carefully before you accept him,” Maggie said.
“Okay, understood. I’ll take him overnight while I work out what I’m going to do,” Archer said.
“Take him for a couple of hours, keep him outside, then bring him back. You’re in a guest cottage. We don’t want dog hair over all the carpets and furniture.”
“I’d better leave him here if you’re okay with that? I’ve already got to fix the electrics in the cottage, probably not the place for a dog, anyway.”
“What happened?”
“I turned on the shower and blew a fuse. I flipped the fuse, but there has to be a reason it happened.”
“Good job, we have an electrician here, isn’t it?” Maggie said as she gave him a grin.
“Are you sure you’re okay with Teddy?”
“Positive.”
Maggie whistled for Teddy to come to her, and he did. Archer left the kitchen by the back door and walked back to Emma Lodge. The grounds were simple but expansive. To his surprise, the outdoor pool was still there and looked like it was fully functioning. Wandering across the lawn, Archer expected his aunt to yell at him to get off her grass through the window. In the opposite direction, a man walked towards him carrying a rake. They met by the side of the pool.
“Hi, I’m Archer,” he said, holding out his hand.
The man looked to be in his forties. With a head of thick wavy fair hair and a tanned face, the man pulled off his gardening glove and shook Archer’s hand. “I’m Ralph, the gardener. Good to meet you. Bailey talks about you and your brothers and sister a lot.”
“I bet he’s shared some stories,” Archer said good-naturedly.
“A few. Are you coming back to live here?”
“It’s a possibility. Is the pool fit for swimming?”
“Sure. Miss Turner arranged for the pool to be overhauled a couple of weeks ago. Bailey says she’s never stepped a toe in the pool, so we’re not sure why she wanted it ready.”
Archer suspected why, two weeks ago was when they’d got notice to leave the island, and he’d organised a meeting with his aunt. He’d spent most of his youth in the pool, and so had Jason, Luke, and Daisy. His dad had lectured them they needed to be able to swim if they lived on an island. He hammered home the point that they needed to be able to swim better than anyone because they never knew when someone might need help.
His dad had always worked on the oil rigs. Archer had never known him to do anything else. As children, they’d grown used to seeing him for three weeks and not seeing him for another three. He’d learned to swim in the swimming pool. They all had.
Their dad wouldn’t let them swim in the sea until he was satisfied they could handle the ocean, currents, and riptides. He’d taught them to recognise the dangers of the sea. Demystified it, but at the same time respectful of mother nature.
“Good to know it can be used. I might take a dip later,” Archer said.
“Of course, Mr Turner. I live in the town, so if you want to go for a beer, let me know, and I’ll bring you up to date with what’s happening.”
Archer took in the man, he looked familiar in his green overalls.
“Thanks, Ralph. Please call me Archer. Have you worked here long?”
“A few years. My father and grandfather worked here as gardeners. My grandfather is long passed, but my father is still alive and cantankerous. He’s retired but can still tell me what I should be doing on the grounds.”
That was why he looked familiar. Archer remembered his father and grandfather.
“My advice? Write it all down. Record him, absorb everything you need to know. You never know when you’ll need to know something, and he won’t be there to ask.”
Ralph dropped his chin, and Archer silently begged him not to say it. “Yes, I will. I’ll bear that in mind. I never met your father, but I hear he was a fantastic man.”
And there it was. It was the kindness that brought a lump to Archer’s throat.
“Thank you, he was amazing. I’m sorry to hear about your grandfather. He was fabulous with all us kids running over his lawns. I’ll see you around.”
Archer nodded and walked away, instantly regretting pointing out that life wasn’t forever. Just because his dad had died early, he didn’t need to remind everyone else. Sending a group message to his siblings, he arranged to have a family call in an hour. Hopefully, the time differences wouldn’t be too hard on them. As far as he knew, Jason, Luke, and Daisy were all in Europe.
Archer couldn’t find an obvious problem with the electrics in the cottage. The shower didn’t trip the second time he switched it on. He changed into his board shorts to take a dip in the pool, hoping his aunt would permit it. She would never directly come out into the grounds to tell him off, but she would send someone to advise him. At least now, she had the excuse of age and the extensive grounds, but back when they were kids, there wasn’t any reason she couldn’t come and tell them off personally.
Archer checked in with Bailey and Maggie to be on the safe side to ensure it was okay. He swam laps until he was worn out thinking about his aunt’s condition. The far end of the pool neared the edge of the grounds overlooking the cliffs and out into the Atlantic Ocean. Swimming up to the edge and hauling himself up, he looked out to sea. Working on the rigs seemed so long ago, even though it was only a week. He knew in his heart he would agree to his aunt’s deal, but he still needed to hear what his siblings had to say.
Climbing out of the water and snatching up a towel, he dried his skin and walked back to his cottage.
Setting up his tablet on the table in the rear of the cottage, he sank into the outdoor armchair and logged into their online meeting room.
Luke was already online.
“Hey, where are you?” Archer asked.
“Barcelona. How’s Copper Island?”
“Interesting. I haven’t been into town yet, but the house hasn’t changed at all since I was last here.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. Is she going to give us the business to run?”
“That’s what I want to talk to you about. Where are the other two?”
“Physically, Daisy is in Rome and Jason—” Luke said.
“Is here. Keep your pants on,” Jason said as his voice came through before his live feed flashed up.
“You look like hell, Jason,” Luke said.
“Let’s just say it was a good night. But, cut short this morning by this meeting. A bit formal, isn’t it? Turner Hall rules already rubbing off on you?” Jason said.
Daisy came into view, and the screen split into four squares. “Hey, guys, how are you all?” she said.
She grinned wide when Jason gave her an eye roll. “It’s been a week Daisy.”
“I know, but it’s the longest I’ve been away from you since University,” she replied with a pout.
“True,” Archer said. “Look, we can catch up later. But, first, I need to let you know what the deal is here.”
“Is she going to let us run the business?” Jason asked .
“She will,” Archer said, and cheers went up in all three windows. “But,” Archer added and raised a finger.
Like a set of dominos, they all slumped one after the other. “What are the conditions?” Daisy asked.
“She isn’t going to give us control of any land on Copper Island.”
“That’s okay. We don’t want the land until we inherit it,” Luke said. “Is that it?”
“Not exactly,” Archer said. “We’re not allowed to have anything to do with the running of Turner Hall.”
“So long as Maggie can cook for me, I don’t care about that,” Jason said.
“Maggie is excited you might be coming back. I’m sure she won’t have any trouble feeding you. Strangely she’s permitted use of the swimming pool, recently had it overhauled,” Archer said.
“Aww, she still has a soft spot for us,” Daisy replied.
“I don’t think she’s capable of such things,” Luke said.
“Still. Turner Hall is off-limits apart from sleeping. Edward Hall is still the hotel and venue for the business, plus the five cottages are with the deal.”
“They’re for the wedding parties, aren’t they?”
“As far as I can tell, they’re rented long term, rather than for the weekend. So I’m not too sure what’s going on there. The one I’m staying in is clean enough, but it hasn’t been used for a while. Plus, I nearly electrocuted myself on the shower electrics.”
“Good job you’re an electrician then,” Jason offered.
“That’s what Maggie said,” Archer replied.
“Amazing. What about Bailey?” Daisy asked.
“He’s still there, too, as well as Jennifer.”
“Christ,” Jason replied. “She must be eighty by now. ”
“There is one more proviso to have the business,” Archer said.
Jason, Luke, and Daisy waited expectantly, staring at him and then looking at each other on the screen. Archer scrubbed his face with his hands and blinked away the blurring he’d caused.
“She thinks I am my father’s son and says we can only take over the business if I get married.”
Luke burst out laughing.
“Fuck,” Jason replied.
“No way,” Daisy said.
Archer let the news sink in for a few minutes as they talked over each other, arguing whether Archer should take the deal.
“You’re a catch. I’m sure you’ll find a wife,” Daisy said, bringing her phone into view.
“What are you doing, Daisy,” Luke asked.
“Setting up a profile for Archer on a dating app,” she said.
Luke laughed and sat back with a smug smile.
“Put the phone down, Daisy. I need you all to be serious for a moment. She wants me to get married in the family chapel. Not just engaged, married. That’s serious stuff, just because she thinks I’m going to whore my ass around the town and get half the single women pregnant,” Archer said.
“Shit. She said that?” Luke asked.
“Yep.”
“But dad loved mum. It’s not like it was a one-night stand. They got married as soon as they found out she was pregnant with you, Archer.”
“In the family chapel,” Jason added.
“I know that, and you all know that, but I think when mum walked out, Aunt Cynthia assumed he was forced into it because she didn’t hang around.”
“Can we not talk about our mother?” Jason asked.
“Sure. Let’s go back to the deal. Did Aunt Cynthia mention any clause about not getting divorced?” Luke asked.
“No, she didn’t mention it at all, in fact,” Archer replied.
“So, find a wife, get married, and get divorced if it doesn’t work out. Get her to sign a pre-nuptial agreement first,” Luke said.
“It sounds so cold,” Archer muttered.
“Look, brother, you don’t have to do this. We’ll inherit eventually. We can return to the rigs overseas and chance our luck in getting the same place for all of us. We’re young enough to wait it out,” Daisy said.
“Get a fake wife,” Jason said.
“Luke,” Archer said, “what about you?”
“I don’t know, man, it’s a lot for her to ask you to give up. You’ve always been someone who wanted to marry once and forever. Marrying for a transaction seems beneath you,” Luke said.
“Right, you’re all saying I have to make my own decision?”
All three of them nodded. “Yes,” they said.
“Is it a profitable business?” Daisy asked.
He smiled for the first time in fifteen minutes. Daisy had gained her accountancy degree while on the rigs but had yet to do the final exams to qualify. Her main job on the oil rig they worked on was as a forklift driver.
“I have no fucking idea, Daisy,” Archer said and laughed. “Does it matter?”
“It may swing your decision,” she warned .
“Okay. I’ll let you know in the morning what I’ll do. In the meantime, do not send me pictures of your fabulous locations. I don’t want to see them,” Archer said, sounding grumpier than he was.
“If you want to talk later, Archer, call me,” Daisy said.
“Don’t call me,” Jason and Luke said simultaneously.
Somehow, they were able to bump fists on screen. It lightened the mood how little they wanted to be involved but would ultimately do whatever Archer asked them to do.
“If I agree to her terms, you’ll all come home?” Archer asked.
“I’ll be on the next flight,” Luke said.
“Absolutely,” Daisy said.
Jason did his one-shoulder shrug. “Sure,” he answered.
“I’m going to take you at your word. Love you all,” Archer said.
He ended the call and sat back in the chair, slouching as he pondered if he could marry for money and not love.