Page 51 of The Matchmaker Club

“I can arrange that.”

I turned the ignition and pulled the car to the side of the drive. “Ready for a walk?”

“Sure.”

We didn’t say much as we walked along the dirt road. By the time Mortimer bought this estate and had it fixed up, he could’ve afforded to pave it, but I like to think he was sentimental and wanted to keep it the way it was. Lucas absorbed the scenery and the maple trees along the grass. He looked up at the house as it started to reveal itself from beyond the bend.

“Strange how the house seems even bigger when you walk instead of drive.”

“Because you’re looking at it with a different set of eyes now,” I said.

“I suppose I am.”

I gave him a grand tour of the house. He stopped to admire my mother’s painting above the fireplace. I waited to hear his thoughts, but he didn’t offer any, and I didn’t tell him my mother had painted it.

When I took him down the path toward the garden, there was a big wooden sign to stop us from going any further.

Keep out of the garden until it’s done!

“I think we’d better turn around so we don’t ruin my aunt’s surprise.”

“Yeah, I’m a little nervous about that one.”

I laughed. “You should be.”

“If it’s that bad, my father would just have it done over again. Not a big deal.”

But it was to me.

My grandmother and I would keep the garden the way Lainey wanted it. It would be a way of having a piece of her stay on here after we were forced out.

“Does he have to?” I asked. “My aunt is working really hard on that garden.”

He turned away. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t touch it.”

“Thank you.”

Lucas pointed. “What’s that path down there?”

The muscles in my chest tightened. “You don’t want to go down there.”

“What is it?”

“A family plot.” I stuffed my hands into my pockets. “It’s where Marlena and my mother are buried.”

“They’re buried on the estate?”

I nodded. “My family didn’t have the money for a proper plot, especially after my mom got sick and was unable to work.”

He rubbed a hand across his mouth. “I’ll speak to your grandmother about what she wants to do. We’ll take care of it.”

An ache burrowed deep in my chest at the thought of my mother’s remains being dug up and moved.

“Well, the rest is just woods. You’re welcome to explore yourself if you’d like.”

“What about the cedar tree?”

“I’m kind of tired since we didn’t get much sleep. Could we do that another time?”