Chapter 34
Archer
Getting in to see his aunt was a challenge. Bailey had told him she was too unwell for visitors every day for a week. He didn’t believe Bailey but didn’t blame him. His aunt was Bailey’s employer, so he was loyal to whoever paid his salary.
After a week of being sent away, he decided he would go around Bailey and speak with his aunt. Bailey was a creature of habit, and Archer could easily set up an accidental meeting. Getting up early and ignoring the splashes coming from the swimming pool, Archer crept along the outside of Turner Hall to the morning room. He heard Erica calling out his name, but he kept going. Nothing and no one was going to prevent him from seeing Aunt Cynthia.
While he felt shitty ignoring Erica, he needed to speak with his aunt before confronting Erica, and they worked through the situation.
He reached the side window he knew was never locked and fitted his bulky body through the gap. Archer would be waiting for his aunt when she came down for her morning tea. Like Bailey, his aunt was also a creature of habit. If she were genuinely unwell, she would stay in her room. Ten minutes later, the door opened, and Bailey stepped in, closely followed by his aunt in slacks and jumper. She clutched a shawl around her shoulders. He was sitting in the armchair opposite where she sat.
The maid followed with a tray of tea and biscuits.
“Good morning, Aunt Cynthia,” Archer said as he stood.
“Archer, how did you get in here?” Aunt Cynthia barked.
“The entry was unlocked.”
He wasn’t technically lying.
“I see,” she said, giving him a disapproving glance.
“Set the tea down, will you? That will be all.”
The maid glanced at Archer with concern and then hurried away. Bailey closed the door after her, and they were left alone.
“I don’t have long before Miss Shaw gets here. What’s on your mind?”
“You didn’t tell me Reverend Chivers had retired.”
“You never asked. Do you want me to list all the people who have left the island since you were here last?”
“You let me believe getting a booking with the reverend would be straightforward.”
“Did you not get a date set? I had a letter to say your marriage at the family chapel would happen in three weeks.”
“You could have warned me we might have had more trouble securing a wedding date.”
“Why would you have more trouble? You’re wildly in love with Erica Taylor, are you not? Whirlwind weddings are not uncommon.”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were making this more difficult. You are the one who put the stipulation in place for me to find a wife.”
“For you to gain something you are not entitled to yet.”
“You own the entire island. Why the hell are you making me jump through hoops to get to wedding business and cottages?”
“I don’t want to argue about this anymore, Archer. You have your wife-to-be. You have your wedding booked. So what exactly is the problem?”
His aunt dropped into her chair and pulled the wrap tighter around her body, seemingly weary. He didn’t buy it for a second. His aunt was a master manipulator and a bitter one at that.
“Are there any more surprises you will spring on me?”
A knock sounded at the door, and Bailey entered with a woman behind him.
“How are you today, Miss Turner?” the woman asked as she approached his aunt.
“You can go now, Archer,” his aunt said.
“Archer Turner?” the woman asked as she held onto Aunt Cynthia’s wrist, her fingers at the pulse point.
“Yes, that’s me,” he said, not recognising her.
“I’m Heidi Shaw,” she replied.
“Keith’s sister?”
“The very same.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t recognise you. How are you?”
“I’m doing great. It’s been years since I last saw you, probably when all four of you were together before Jason set off for college.”
“It’s been a while since Keith and Jason have talked.”
“Yeah. We came to your dad’s funeral but stayed at the back. We didn’t want to upset him on such an awful day.”
His aunt wrenched her hand out of Heidi’s hand, hiding it under her shawl. “Have you come to reminisce or check up on me?” she asked.
“I’ll get going. Congratulations on being the island doctor,” he said.
“I’m a nurse. The midwife, actually. I double up on the house calls for routine check-ups to take the weight off the surgery. Most of my time is in the car going to see the pregnant women on the island, so doing your aunt’s monthly check-up is no bother.”
“And if you stopped talking, you could get along with what you should be doing,” his aunt said.
Archer raised his hand to wave farewell and left the morning room. He was in no doubt his aunt was avoiding him all week.
By the time he’d gone outside to meet Ralph, the pool was empty, with no ripples on the surface. He doused down the disappointment of not seeing Erica, of missing her. Three weeks until they were married and three weeks until he got his hands on the business that would employ his siblings. He’d marry a woman who was only pretending.
It was what they initially set out to do. Unfortunately, Archer was the fool who fell for an actress.
Archer strode to the gardener’s shed at the foot of the lawns hidden behind the tallest trees to find Ralph. He was sitting in a deck chair, looking at a woman in a trouser suit.
“I’ll make sure he does his homework, Freya. I appreciate you coming out to the Hall to give me the assignments.”
“It’s no problem, Ralph. I caught a lift with Heidi. We carpool while I see students, and she sees the mums to be. ”
“Who is pregnant here?” Ralph asked.
“Heidi is doing Miss Turner’s check-up.”
“She’s strong as an ox and will outlive us all,” Ralph said.
Neither had seen him come in, and he didn’t want to eavesdrop anymore.
“You got that right,” Archer said and stepped further into the shed.
He pivoted to the side and took a look at who the woman was. He recognised her instantly as Freya Riley, high school teacher, and Luke’s childhood best friend. She was the only one Luke let close to him aside from his siblings.
“Oh, Archer, it’s great to see you. I got a postcard from Luke this morning. It’s from Spain, but who knows if he’s still there.”
She came over and gave him a big hug.
“To be honest, I don’t know where any of them are this week. We’ll catch up on Sunday. I’ll tell him you got his card.”
“No need, there is technology these days, and I can send him a text without having to send him a letter in return.”
“There’s always been the technology to do that, yet you both always insisted on writing to each other,” Archer said.
“I love getting random post. Then reading about his travels over a mug of tea. When I get home from teaching, it’s the best thing to do.”
“I shouldn’t keep you. My aunt will sail through her medical check-up and get Heidi to leave as soon as possible.”
“Yes, I need to get back to classes too. Good to see you, Archer. Hopefully will see you around town. Don’t be hiding up here like your aunt.”
“I’ll try to be sociable.”
Ralph laughed along with Freya. She said her goodbyes and left the shed. Archer had agreed to look at the lawn mower Ralph had said wouldn’t work. Trying to figure out what was wrong with it would take his mind off Erica, her smooth skin, and all-consuming kisses.