Her mother was shaking her head. “That is not ‘I stayed out in the open wilderness’ hair.”

“I took a shower at Guidry’s.”

Her mother continued like she hadn’t said a thing. “That is ‘I rolled around on a bed for a long time’ hair.”

Sylvie touched her head. “It is not. My hair is perfectly respectable.”

Her mother’s arms crossed over her chest in that way that let Sylvie know she was in for a hearty lecture. “I thought you were going to wait. I know you did not sleep with Rene on the ground. I raised you far better than that. You would not look so relaxed if you spent the night huddled under a tree. You got some sleep. Good sleep. Sleep-on-a-man sleep. And Rene wouldn’t have that possessive look in his eyes if he’d huddled under a tree all night.”

She should have known her mother would realize something was going on. She quickly outlined the situation, telling her mother about how they made it to the cabin and the visitor they’d had this morning. “So we need to keep the truth quiet. If Charles finds out we were there, he’ll check the bid and find out we switched it.”

“I can hex that boy,” her mother promised.

“I’ll handle it, though if you want to try to send some bad luck his way, I wouldn’t mind. Is Cricket all right?”

Her mother looked like she wanted to get back to her original point, but she sighed and started walking toward the house with Sylvie. “She was very worried. She’s lost a lot. Louis calmed her down considerably. Is he in on this secret? Because he said he went out early this morning and didn’t find you. He was going to the old fishing cabin to see if you made it there.”

That was news to her. “When did he go?”

“He left early this morning but he said he didn’t find anything. It was after the storm settled down, but before dawn,” her mother explained. “Cricket begged him to go. She was worried the two of you had drowned. Lucky for us by the time he got back, Armie had called.”

Sylvie didn’t like the sound of that and thought Rene wouldn’t like it, either. “What do you know about Louis?”

Her mother stopped short of the stairs to the front porch. “I know he’s been in love with Cricket for most of his life, if that’s what you’re asking. They were childhood friends, but they never connected that way. She married Rene’s father after Louis introduced them. If what I saw last night is any indication, they’re getting closer. He hugged her for far longer than was friendly, and he’s been holding her hand. I suppose it could be for comfort, but that wasn’t what it felt like to me.”