The Marrying Kind by Judith Anne McCarthy

Author:Judith Anne McCarthy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, contemporary
Publisher: Crimson Romance, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc.
Published: 2012-12-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

The entire county was abuzz with the Dragon’s Ball just a few days away. Hannon parties were always exceptional. The Hannon property was so vast that the “locals” consisted of several village centers in Oldwick, Tewkesbury, Peapack-Gladstone, Far Hills, Bedminster, and Bernardsville of all economic strata. The area of Bedminster in particular, where unimaginably wealthy people had lived for generations — the lockjaws, as they were known even among themselves, but especially to those who merely earned money — anticipated the event with particular eagerness.

Jane was just letting the two-year-old colts out after their training session, which consisted of round penning them and getting them to look at her, then reverse directions by turning in toward her. With each little training session, these colts had built up their ability to communicate with Jane and to accept her leadership. Mac had been showing her how to handle them properly. “It’s better to train them together at first. Then, cut one away and work him while they’re both in the pen. That’s the first stage in separating them from each other. Next week, you’ll work them one at a time, with the buddy tied outside the pen, and the week after, you’ll increase the distance more, until you finally have them weaned off each other. Do it slow like that, and they won’t get traumatized.” Mac knew how horses think, and his advice was indispensable.

She was just turning them out to the field when she saw Nora and Robert driving down the gravel road to the stable. She couldn’t have been more eager to see them than if they had been her own parents. Sometimes she secretly and guiltily pretended Nora and Robert were her parents.

“Mr. and Mrs. Hannon! How good to see you both again,” she said smiling radiantly.

“Robert, do you hear this insolent girl? Whatever happened to ‘Nora’ and ‘Robert’ and hugs all around?” Nora said, as she kissed Jane warmly and told her, “I’ve missed you, Jane, and this place,” she said, surveying the immediate grounds. “Is everything going well?”

“Yes, but what brings you back? I thought you were up to your eyeballs sorting out the new farm,” said Jane.

“The party of course!” Robert asserted. “We got the invitation to the Dragon’s Ball and wanted to get here just a bit early.”

“Robert, let’s find that son of ours and have him help with the bags. Phillips too. Oh, I’ve missed this place, Jane,” she chattered, linking arms with her. “There will never be another Hannon farm like this one. This was the first. Can you come to the house for lunch? Have you eaten?”

“I’m always hungry. The farm has me stoking at least 3,000 calories a day — I’d be a blimp if it wasn’t for the work!”

“Well, let’s go in and eat then. Phillips is expecting us — I called him last night. But I wanted to surprise Mark.”

As they entered the house, Jane commented, “You must have missed Mark — that’s the real reason you came back.

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