Essie (Daddies Of Ferguson’s Folly #1)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Essie Ferguson removed her black hat as she climbed the stairs to the entrance of the imposing manor house.

The corners of her mouth tilted up in a faint smile as she remembered racing up the stairs as a child to throw herself into the welcoming arms of her Aunt Esther Ferguson.

She’d loved coming to Ferguson’s Folly all her life.

Essie’s best memories of her childhood had happened here.

Today, the massive building had lost some of its sparkling appeal.

The flowers out front still bloomed as gloriously, filling the air with a delightful scent, as they had in her memories.

Essie missed the lovely woman who’d greeted her so eagerly each and every time she’d arrived.

They’d been like kindred spirits despite the forty-year difference in their ages.

“Thank you, Sara,” Essie murmured as she walked through the door the solemn housekeeper held open for her. She smiled at Sara who had supported her through all the arrangements.

“Your guests have taken up residence in the library, Essie. Would you like me to serve tea or open the bar?” Sara asked.

“Is Nelson in there?” Essie whispered, nodding toward the library door from the foyer.

“Yes, miss.”

She rolled her eyes at the knowledge that Nelson would have automatically helped himself at the bar. “Then I suspect my cousin has already made that decision, Sara. Bring tea and your delicious treats for everyone not already guzzling Uncle Edmund’s expensive cognac.”

Sara’s sad expression brightened slightly as the corners of her mouth twitched. “You’ve got Nelson figured out.” With a nod, the housekeeper excused herself to follow Essie’s wishes.

Essie paused long enough to straighten her clothes and slough off her annoyance at her cousin’s proprietary attitude in the privacy of the hallway.

With her composure restored, she headed into her late uncle’s former office, which Esther had rebranded as the library.

She passed by a large portrait of Esther and Edmund Ferguson, smiling at their obvious love for each other.

“I wish I’d had a chance to meet you, Uncle Edmund,” she whispered.

“Whoever captured Aunt Esther’s heart had to be special.

” The couple had always felt like a life goal to her.

Finding a dedicated relationship like they’d shared couldn’t be easy, but Essie found herself comparing possible life partners to the descriptions her aunt shared about her husband.

Somehow all the guys she dated fell horribly short of that high standard.

“Thank you, Essie,” a deep voice said from behind her.

Essie whirled, losing her balance in the fancy leather-soled high-heeled pumps she’d worn to the funeral.

Automatically grabbing at the nearest table to steady herself, Essie missed the marble top.

Her fingers latched onto the decorative silver tea tray under the portrait and swept the entire service onto the floor with an obnoxiously loud clatter.

Essie stared at the almost transparent figure standing before her, and her heart raced inside her chest. “Uncle Edmund?” she whispered.

“Good God, Essie. You are the clumsiest,” Nelson bellowed from the doorway of the library. “If you’ve damaged that set, I’ll have to charge you for its repair.”

She barely kept her eyeballs from popping out of her head this time at Nelson’s latest obnoxious comment. “I so appreciate your concern, cousin. I’m fine. No reason to worry about my health.”

Essie peeked back at the space where Edmund had stood seconds earlier. Empty.

“Let me help you, Essie.”

Zander Templeton stepped around the others gathered in the doorway.

She tried not to ogle him as he walked to where she still sat on her bruised bottom and battered self-confidence.

Who would have ever guessed that tall, skinny ZaZa, as she’d called him as a child, would grow up to look like this.

Broad-shouldered and devilishly handsome with those ice-blue eyes and jet-black hair…

Hell, he wasn’t even balding. Of course, he had inherited the large estate next door and made his mark on the cattle market, according to Aunt Esther.

She’d been quite proud of his accomplishments.

“Essie. Take my hand,” Zander requested, making her realize he’d stood there as she’d stared at him.

“Oh, sorry. I was checking to see if I’d hurt myself,” Essie quickly explained and put her fingers in his.

Zander didn’t struggle at all to tug her onto her feet. She teetered on her heels, and Zander wrapped an arm around her waist to stabilize her. She inhaled the spicy scent of his cologne. Zander had definitely improved his personal hygiene. He smelled so good.

“Thank you, Essie. Your aunt stopped making me leave my stinky, teenager sneakers outside on the porch when I was seventeen,” Zander told her.

“I didn’t say that out loud, did I?” she whispered furiously.

“Just the smells good part. Did I miss something?” Zander asked in a low voice only she could hear.

“No. Absolutely nothing else.” Essie rushed to reassure him as Sara appeared to restore the silver tea service to the tray’s usual place. Remember, he’s not your childhood friend anymore.

“My condolences on the loss of your aunt. She was very special.”

“She definitely was. Thank you, Zander.”

Zander stood there for a minute looking at her as if he had something else to say. When Essie didn’t add to their conversation, he nodded and headed back into the library.

“I’ll be right in with refreshments, Miss Essie,” Sara assured her as soon as he’d rejoined the others.

“Thank you, Sara. Why is Zander here?”

“Didn’t your aunt mention he’d inherited his family’s estate that borders your aunt’s land a few years ago when his mother died?

He’s implemented some very profitable changes since he’s had control.

He visited Ferguson’s Folly often before you arrived.

Your aunt enjoyed his company. For several years, he’s run cattle on the back fields of Ferguson’s Folly that run along his property. ”

“I didn’t know that. Taking advantage of an older lady, huh?” Essie guessed.

“I didn’t get that impression at all. He paid her well. Zander even repaired fences and reseeded the areas your aunt had left unused for years,” Sara corrected her gently.

Thinking of Zander in a positive light was too confusing in the middle of the bustle of the final services for her aunt.

Essie fled into the library, remembering her manners to stop and thank the half dozen people filling the chairs and settee in the cozy room again for coming to her aunt’s funeral.

She’d hosted a luncheon before the late afternoon funeral for the family and friends who’d attended.

This smaller group had returned to meet with the lawyer.

Thankfully in the flurry of getting everyone settled with a post-funeral snack and beverage, Essie was able to gather herself.

She sat in Esther’s favorite knitting chair and smoothed a hand over the basket sitting nearby.

Marmalade, Esther’s beloved cat, climbed out of the soft balls of yarn to settle on her lap.

Essie stroked her fingers over the orange creature’s soft fur.

Sara hovered in the room, tending the refreshments.

“If I may begin, Essie?” Mr. Woods addressed her a few minutes later.

When Sara headed for the door to give the family privacy, Mr. Woods stopped her. “Sara, please stay.”

“The servants don’t need to know our business,” Nelson protested with a sneer.

“Sara is much more than a servant,” Essie interjected, frowning at her cousin. He’s such an ass.

“Sara, your attendance is necessary,” the attorney said. Sara nodded and hovered by the door, appearing uncomfortable.

“Go ahead, Mr. Woods. I’d love to hear my aunt’s last wishes.” Essie glared at Nelson, who harrumphed and smacked his plate down on a table nearby.

The attorney completely ignored his tantrum and cleared his throat to draw everyone’s attention back to him.

“First off, I’d like to share that I met with Esther Ferguson several times over the years.

Her mind was sound, and her focus never wavered.

With that established, we’ll begin. I will read her wishes as she dictated them. ”

To my faithful servant, Sara, I leave a permanent place in my home without condition of future work. I also leave Sara an annual stipend from an account accessible only by her and funded for fifty years.

“Oh, my. She didn’t need to do that,” Sara said, visibly shocked.

“Sara’s already old. She won’t last fifty more years. Does the money revert to the estate when she dies?” Nelson asked bluntly.

An audible gasp filled the room from everyone except Mr. Woods. Obviously, his recent interactions with Nelson had prepared him for the wildly inappropriate comment. Essie bristled and opened her mouth to come to Sara’s defense, but Mr. Woods answered first.

“No. Sara will need to designate a recipient at her death.”

The lawyer looked toward Sara. “I can handle that for you, Sara. My fee has already been taken care of for that process,” Mr. Woods told her kindly. “Now, moving on. To Nelson….”

Essie’s vile cousin leaned forward. Had Esther left the estate to him?

Mr. Woods cleared his throat before announcing, “Esther suspected Nelson would prosecute if he were left out of her Will. I do not doubt that would have been the case. He had scheduled several meetings with me before her death to attempt to access funds early.”

“I did nothing of the sort, sir,” Nelson blustered indignantly.

The lawyer met Essie’s gaze and nodded slightly to underline the truth of his previous statement before continuing.

To Nelson Ferguson, I leave a lump sum of one hundred thousand dollars with the proviso that if he legally challenges the will, that amount will drop to one dollar. The funds will be held in the local bank and dispensed at ten thousand dollars annually for ten years.