Miss Impractical Pants (31 page)

A creepy feeling invaded her thoughts. She glanced around to see everyone staring at her.
What?!?
She made a snaking movement with her head to counteract the prickling sensation at the back of her neck.

“Okay, here’s the thing,” she began. “I can’t imagine this article is going to affect my life, but I feel horrible that it will affect yours, Sidney. The diamonds—”

“Oh pshaw,” Sidney interrupted. “So what if people find out I have some expensive jewelry? I’m glad for this…otherwise I never would have known what I own. It’s really quite something—unbelievable, isn’t it?”

Katie could feel Lucas’s eyes on her. Avoiding his stare, she said, “I’m sorry about Olivia. She has every right to be upset.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. None of this is your fault. Things turn out as they’re supposed to,” Lucas reassured.

“Even so, it still sucks big time.”

“Eloquently put, cousin.”

The arrival of Dr. Woods spared them from having to say anything more on the subject. The doctor had a different companion with him this time. Katie prayed this gentleman was not Richard. She didn’t feel up to meeting her assailant just now.

“Good afternoon, Katie. How are you feeling?” Dr. Woods asked gently, his old-school British a perfect match for his classic looks. “This is my friend Ian Caldwell, a fellow doctor.” He gestured toward his lanky companion. “Ian was back at the cart with Richard when we found you this afternoon.”

Katie was happy to note they were not wearing their golf attire. It would be hard for her to take any doctor dressed like a leprechaun
seriously. There was a polite round of greetings and introductions before the doctors turned themselves loose on Katie.

“It’s quite astonishing, really. What are the odds of someone getting clonked by
a golf
ball in her own garden—especially with that dense barrier of forest between the fairway and the private homes?” Dr. Woods calculated.

“With my luck lately, the odds are better than average,” Katie brooded.

“Looks like you’ve got a nasty bump there,” Dr. Caldwell pointed out the obvious, giving Bartholomew the Beacon a little tweak.

Ooowee! Son of a…
Now her filter flew up from out of nowhere, thwarting the myriad cuss words she was about to spew as the beacon raged in protest.

The two doctors continued their poking and prodding for not a minute less than Katie could endure. All the while, Bartholomew pounded his resentment.

At last, Dr. Woods proclaimed, “Well, young lady, I think you’re going to live.”

“Any instructions, doctor?” Sidney inquired, overly concerned for a man who had spent years in the military seeing wounds that would make Katie’s injury look like a paper cut.

“Just keep an eye on her. If the dizziness persists, bring her round to me. She should be fine to move about as soon as she feels up to it.” Dr. Woods presented Lucas and Sidney with his card.

As they all exchanged their thank-yous and goodbyes, Dr. Caldwell caught sight of the paper Lottie had placed on the floor. His prominent features sprang to life.

“May I?” he inquired of Lottie, motioning toward the paper.

“Be my guest,” she replied, a touch of mischief in her voice.

Lucas and Katie exchanged apprehensive glances as Dr. Caldwell presented the article to Woods.

“I was telling you about this earlier. It’s actually quite remarkable. The whereabouts of this extraordinary collection of jewels—the Chatworths, if you follow that sort of thing—have been untraceable for over half a century. Mysteriously, they turned up last night at the Waverlys’ do on some American woman that nobody other than Lady Waverly has ever heard of.”

Everyone watched Woods intently as he scanned the article. A look of recognition flitted across his face.

Caldwell prattled on. “It’s all Alice could talk about this morning. She’s quite upset that we didn’t attend the ball and catch a glimpse of the jewels and the girl wearing them.”

“Indeed?” Woods replied, his curious eyes searching Katie’s face, which was now half hidden under the quilt that draped her body. She tried to convey an anxious plea with her eyes as she gave a very discreet shake of the head.

He gave a slight nod, followed by a reassuring smile. “No doubt Alice missed an opportunity to meet a remarkable young lady. You must do something to make it up to her.”

Sidney breathed a nearly inaudible sigh of relief. Despite what Katie said, she knew he was anxious to postpone the barrage of phone calls and questions that would inevitably arise over the jewels.

“Shall we go then, and let this young lady get some rest?” Dr. Woods suggested. Shaking Lucas’s hand, he requested in an overly loud tone, “Will you bring Katie around next week? I’d like to do a follow-up.” Leaning in covertly, he added, “I’d also like to discuss
terms for surprising my wife with a holiday—it’s our forty-second wedding anniversary.”

Dr. Woods turned his attention back to Katie. “Your secret is safe with me—doctor-patient confidentiality.” To appease Dr. Caldwell’s questioning glance, he added with a playful wink, “Richard will be none the wiser. We’ll see you next week then?”

Geoffrey showed the guests out.

“Katie, you truly are good luck for me!” Lucas exploded. “Forget the foot—you’re the whole rabbit!”

“Well then, Rabbit, would you mind telling us what my son is running on about?” Lottie demanded of Katie, who could only respond with her usual naïve shrug.

Lucas jumped in, excitedly repeating Dr. Woods’ whispers. The news provoked an eruption of congratulatory cheers.

Katie watched intently as Lucas received pleased-as-punch hugs from his family. She couldn’t help but feel a lukewarm enthusiasm as she compared this mishmash family to her own. A stab of envy slashed through her as Mrs. Albright doted over Lucas. He shared a closer relationship with Sidney’s housekeeper than she had with her own mother.

The loneliness she felt under the umbrella of this family’s affection made her uneasy. She had an overwhelming desire to get away, to resume the quest to plunge into her Amazing Plan, to go searching for some meaning to her dysfunctional life. This time, however, the solution was easily attainable: She still had plenty of time to make her flight to Croatia.

As Katie tried to escape from the sofa, Bartholomew raged in protest, dashing her hopes for a subtle exit. She made it to a wobbly stand and noticed Lottie studying her.
             

“Where are you going, Rabbit?” Lottie asked.

Katie cringed, knowing Lottie had brought two fates upon her: making her the center of attention and bestowing her with a new nickname to add to the growing list.

Debating whether to express the curses that were racing through her mind, Katie steeled herself to meet Lottie’s taunting eyes. However, what she found in Lottie’s countenance was unnerving. Her smile was not menacing; it was warm. Her eyes, instead of teasing sparks, were a sympathetic sea of blue. When was the last time her mother looked at her with that much concern? Before Katie could stop herself, she was already wrapped in Lottie’s expecting embrace, tears flowing,
sobs
unchecked.

When Katie finally lifted her head, she could feel Bartholomew along with the rest of her head complaining loudly. She noticed that the others had cleared from the room and suddenly felt ashamed. Lottie held Katie’s face in her soft hands, wiping the last of tears with her thumb.

“Let’s get you upstairs. I’ll help you pack while you get cleaned up.”

***

Katie came bounding down the stairs two at a time, a large pack sitting lopsided on her back. The sob session and another shower left her feeling invigorated, despite the crushing ache in her skull and the weakness incurred by her day and a half of puking.

Lottie was not far behind, her wheeled carry-on thunking loudly against the stairs behind her. The noise created by the enthusiastic pair sounded like a parade of pachyderms on the staircase.
Alarmed by the commotion, the rest of the household raced over to meet the two at the base of the stairs.

In answer to their confused stares, Lottie trilled, “Bye all, we’re off to Croatia. See you when we see you.”

Katie giggled at Lottie’s nonchalance as the group gaped in disbelief, still trying to sort out what had taken place in the library. In an effort to avoid Lucas’s catlike stare, Katie threw her arms around Sidney. The weight of her backpack threw her off balance and, missing Sidney altogether, she reeled off the landing, gaining sideways momentum. She could see Lucas’s wide eyes in her peripheral vision as he braced for impact. The force of the collision left them in a tumbled pile on the floor. Lucas, on the bottom, was pinned by Katie flailing against his chest and held captive beneath the bulk of her pack.

She held her breath, anticipating Lucas’s stern reaction. Instead, he bellowed a laugh.
He’s laughing! Jared wouldn’t have laughed.
She had to resist the urge to wrap her arms around Lucas and hug him tightly.

Where did that urge come from?
Her neck and face began to burn, and it wasn’t because she’d just made a fool of herself. She really needed to stop comparing Lucas to Jared, and she really needed not to be lying chest to chest with her boss. The more she tried to get up, the more she flailed, and the more everyone laughed—except her. She was forced to remain in a heap on top of Lucas until Geoffrey and Sidney could gain control of their hysterics enough to offer a hand.

“Damn you, Katie, now you’ve made me wet me bloody trousers!” Lottie abruptly stopped her laughing and stormed back up the stairs.

Once Katie was set right again and Lottie had returned wearing new jeans, the mood turned serious, aided by Lucas’s foreboding expression. Lottie made a beeline for the Rolls-Royce, pulling Geoffrey with her. Katie hesitated at the front door before pulling a folded piece of paper from her back pocket and tucking it into one of Lucas’s balled fists.

“Good luck.” She couldn’t meet his eyes.

“Don’t go,” he whispered.

Okay!
That’s what she wanted to say, but what she told him instead was “I have to. I’ve had nothing but bad luck in this country.”

She headed for the car without looking back.

Lucas waited until he could no longer see the Rolls-Royce racing down the hill before he pulled the door closed and unfolded Katie’s note. Sidney and Mrs. Albright watched in silence at the range of emotions that played across his face. When he’d finished reading, his jaw set with resolve and he fumbled in his pocket for his car keys. Dropping the paper on the floor, he sprinted out the door without saying a word.

“Never a dull moment,” Sidney shook his head, smiling. “That boy is so much like his uncle Avery. Did you see the determination in his eyes? He’ll not rest until he has exactly what he wants.” He stooped down to pick up the discarded note and read its contents aloud to Mrs. Albright.

Lucas,

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work for you. I’m sorry it didn’t work out. Despite everything, I really did enjoy my few days as your employee. I wish you
every happiness
in your life. I haven’t known you long, but I know you deserve it.

Your cousin,