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"Shall we have another drink?" Whitney asked

But before Jenna could answer, they all heard their phones buzz

"Text fro," Jenna said, the slight Irish lilt in her voice grave

"H to Alexandria?" Will asked

"Itat Jake

"I’ll pay the bill," Jake told them

They walked back to their hotel slowly and silently, each wondering what they’d discover in theti at last Ashley didn’t feel as if she’d slept at all The dreaal, leaving the house in the aftermath of the battle to find the bloody body of her husband And when she woke herself from the dream, she could have sworn that deceased Confederate soldier was sitting in the wingback chair by the doors to the second-story wraparound porch She wasawake

A shower helped revive her a little Dressed and ready for the day, she headed down to the kitchen Once it had been a gentleman’s den, and then it had been an office, and then, when it was no longer dee, it had becoht kitchen The walls were a pale yellow There was a center granite worktable with stools around it, and suspended racks that held several dozen shining copper cooking utensils A breakfast nook held a table that sat eight

Beth was just pouringpitchers "Coffee is on None of the guests have made it in yet," she said cheerfully

"What’s for breakfast?" Ashley asked

"Down-ho," Beth said "Corn bread, blueberry rits Want to grab a plate and eat before it starts getting crazy?"

"Sure," Ashley said She watched as her beautiful friend made art out of an omelet and shook her head as Beth handed her the plate full of light, fluffy eggs

"Grits are in the bowl, corn bread is sliced and in those baskets," Beth said

Ashley helped herself "I’ to waddle across the lawn soon," Ashley told her

Beth grinned "I doubt it You’re too fond of those awful creatures out in the stables You get plenty of exercise" She shivered

"I can’t believe that you’re afraid of horses" Ashley laughed

"I told you--one of the bastards bit me when I was a child!" Beth said

"Well, ours won’t bite you You should try riding Tigger She’s a twenty-year-old sweetie She moves like an old woman"

"Then she may be crotchety as one, too," Beth said "No, honey, you stick to your horses, and I’ll stick to cooking"

Ashley dutifully bit into her oan to strea to clear their tabs They’d be down to eight guests that night; the reenactment had taken place on a Sunday, and ed to take off the Monday if they had a regular eek By Monday night, they were usually down to just a few guests

She heard Frazier speaking with people on the other side of the stairway, his tone rich and filled with humor as he told old family tales and pointed out certain portraits on the walls

Ashley took her place at the desk to fill out the registry and books--by hand; people actually signed her guest book, and she wrote personal thank-yous--and then could have sworn that someone had approached her She looked up, but she was alone For a moment, her brows knit in consternation, but people hout the lower level of the house now and any one of theave her concentration back to the project at hand

She heard a throat being cleared then, and looked up--this time, someone was there Justin

He sat in the one of the period wingback chairs that faced the desk

She frowned "Are you checking out? I thought you were staying a few days"

"I a another few days, Ashley I just stopped to see how you’re doing," he told her

She liked Justin At forty, he was a er, though years before, he had brought his ith hireat relish They had been married for years before he had lost her to cancer But Justin still cairls?" Histo help Justin with his ten-year-old twin girls Hard to be a "fighting federal" and keep an eye on twins

"Yes Any word on Charles?"