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The front door opened and Hensley’s grandmother, Mrs. Lonsdale, stepped outside, closing the door behind her. “Hello, Blake. How nice to see you. I’m afraid to tell you that Hensley isn’t feeling well.”

He removed his cowboy hat and raked a hand through his hair, his brows furrowing. “I was afraid you’d say that. And I think it’s all my fault.”

Mrs. Lonsdale tilted her head to one side. “Come, sit with me on the porch. It’s a lovely afternoon, but there’s trouble in the household. Why don’t we chat?”

He nodded, following her, unsure of what to expect. Would she tell him that he’d failed her granddaughter miserably and ask him not to return? Surely, she already knew that he’d shown up late for the dance and had broken Hensley’s heart in a thousand ways.

He wasn’t too sure he could handle a lecture, but he probably deserved it.

He’d have to grin and bear it. She patted one of the cushioned chairs facing the front lawn and he sat where she indicated.

But she’d mentioned trouble in the household.

Maybe she alluded to something else. So, he repeated her words. “Trouble in the household?”

Mrs. Lonsdale nodded. “Lula didn’t come home from the dance last night.

Wickham allegedly escorted her to the dance, according to what we’ve been able to piece together.

I guess he managed to pick her up in that limousine of yours at some point, according to Kit.

I don’t know who he found to drive it or if he drove it himself and left her sitting in the back all by herself.

But everyone is in prayer, hoping she will be returned to us unharmed.

It is likely that our reputation and hers will surely suffer a great deal of damage, at least in the eyes of the church.

Tongues will wag. Unless we can keep this to ourselves and find her quickly, that is.

But knowing Lula, someone has spotted her by now. She’s kind of hard to miss.”

He did his best not to chuckle at the last remark, under the circumstances, but Mrs. Lonsdale cracked a smile.

This news explained some things, like the fact that his limo had probably not come home, and that it had been used without his permission to take Lula to the dance.

But it did not explain everything. For instance, how had Hensley been waiting for it if it had arrived earlier to pick up Lula? And where was it now?

Evidently, Hensley didn’t know it had arrived earlier or that Wickham had absconded with her sister.

Surely, she would have mentioned that minor detail if she’d known about it.

But no, she’d specifically said she had waited for him to arrive in the limo as he’d said he would, had his flight been on time.

It was all part of why he was as late as he was.

The limo was not at home and did not meet him at the airport.

He’d taken a taxi home, changed into his tux, and driven his truck to the dance.

And if he’d seen Wickham at the dance, he’d have knocked him silly.

“That is deeply concerning, Mrs. Lonsdale. The limo didn’t come home last night either, from what I can tell.” He could tell her that much. “And I’m not sure where Wickham is. Which is why I drove the pickup here.”

She glanced at his truck, parked a few feet away in the gravel driveway. “And there’s more. It seems Bing and Jenny have broken up, and that Caroline may have something to do with that incident.”

Blake sighed. He wasn’t sure what he could say about that. But he knew how difficult Bing’s sister could be. She’d disposed of that porcupine puffer belly fish within the first few hours of her arrival.

“And I’m sad to say that I’m not sure if Hensley is ready to see you. She is very upset, but we all know that you don’t control the airlines.” Mrs. Lonsdale reached over and patted his hand.

At least she spoke with reason. That gave him some hope.

Maybe he should ask for her advice. “Mrs. Lonsdale, I bought an engagement ring for Hensley. But I haven’t found the right moment to ask her or give it to her yet.

I should probably ask her father first. But it seems I’ve made a mess of things. Do you have any words of wisdom?”

She smiled, and nodding, leaned toward him from her seat. “Well, if I were you, I’d pull a Darcy move.”

“A Darcy move?” He blinked, not understanding.

“I see you are not all that familiar with Mr. Darcy.” Mrs. Lonsdale glanced at him with a question in her eyes.

“I’ve seen the play, but I’m not sure if I’m following you,” he confessed.

“In literature, he is the best of the best where heroes are concerned. And my granddaughter, Hensley, as her mother will tell you, tends to live in a daydream world made up of all things Darcy, like many girls do. I’m sure I did at her age.

She’ll respond to someone who behaves like a perfect gentleman would, like Mr. Darcy. ”

He blinked again and tilted his head. He didn’t have a clue about this Mr. Darcy other than he was wealthy, the ladies seemed to like him, and he was somewhat arrogant in the beginning.

He had behaved heroically by the end of the play.

But maybe, if he could keep her talking a little while longer, he could figure out her definition of what a Darcy move was all about, at least in this case.

“Ladies all seem to have a particular idea about what constitutes how a gentleman would behave. Do you think you could give me some specific examples, I mean, uh, in this particular situation?”

She nodded. “Oh, yes. Most definitely. I’d start by finding that wicked boy, Wickham, and what he’s done with my granddaughter, Hensley’s sister, our silly Lula.

If he’s compromised her, and he has in my opinion by not bringing her home by her midnight curfew without a good reason—like a tornado, for instance—well, then he should have to make it right by her.

He’s ruined her reputation, though I know these days, a great many young ladies behave in a far worse manner. ”

He couldn’t disagree, so he nodded. Probably best not to linger on the topic of modern women and how some of them behaved.

“And then, I’d straighten out the matter with Bing and Jen.

If anyone hurts her sister Jen, Hensley won’t have anything to do with them.

They are very close, you know. And then, I’d do everything in my power to get Caroline back together with that boyfriend of hers.

Or at least put her on the next flight out of Dodge.

Maybe she’d buy a wedding dress from Hensley.

That might go a long way to setting things to right, but then we need to get that young lady on an airplane headed east. Or south.

Or southeast. Or somewhere. Anywhere but here.

She is somewhat conniving and problematic, as I’m sure you are aware, having known her most of your life. ”

He chuckled, nodding. Conniving Caroline. And problematic. That was all true. Mrs. Lonsdale didn’t miss a thing. “I do not disagree with you about Caroline. She means well, but it usually comes out all wrong. And then what would you do?”

“Then, I’d talk to Hensley’s father at some point.

Maybe when you find Lula and Wickham. I’d make sure you are willing and able to support my granddaughter’s goals, dreams, and ambitions.

Without a vision, the people perish. If you can’t give her wings to fly, you won’t measure up to Mr. Darcy.

” Mrs. Lonsdale folded her hands neatly in her lap and smiled at him with a mischievous gleam in her eye, like the one he’d seen the first time he’d met her.

“And after all of that, I think you stand a good chance of becoming my grandson by marriage. That is, if you keep Hensley informed along the way, via a few texts as you check off the boxes.”

He nodded. “Understood. I’ll do my best, but consider it done. I should get to work on it right away.”

“I’ll be praying for you.” She rose from her seat with a smile, her blue eyes dancing.

Now he knew why Hensley had blue eyes.

“I won’t delay you any further. But I should mention there is a nice little church called Wildwood Chapel in Gatlinburg.

My son-in-law is the pastor there once a month on Sunday afternoons.

They do drive-thru and in-house weddings.

He’ll be more than happy to officiate a marriage between Lula and Wickham.

They’ll need a license, but maybe you can figure a way around it.

They can have something public later perhaps, after her parents aren’t quite so disappointed with her and Wickham’s behavior.

But that chapel is only open until five o’clock in the afternoon on Sundays, so you may want to step on the gas pedal a bit.

I’d best get back inside and see if I can get anymore prayers through to Heaven. ”

“Thank you, Mrs. Lonsdale.” He slid his hat back on his head. “I’ll need all the prayers I can get to pull off this Mr. Darcy thing.”

In other words, she expected him to get Wickham and Lula to the altar, and ‘right quick-like,’ as his Wyoming friends Logan, Jed, and McGuire would say.

“I believe you’re almost there. If anyone can do it, you can.” She winked at him and disappeared inside the house.

He sighed but appreciated her vote of confidence. He sure had his work cut out. First, to find Lula and Wickham. Where would they have gone? It couldn’t be that hard to find them, considering it was not easy to hide a limo, or Lula for that matter. She was too bold and cantankerous to hide.