“God, I hope so,” Joanna said with a laugh. “So, where do we go from here?”

“Well, the first thing I need to ask is what you would like to keep?” Lucinda said. “Once I know that, I can work on some ideas to complement what’s staying.”

Joanna quickly looked around the room. “I actually like the pieces that match the bed. They are a little dark, but other than that I think they’re okay.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Lucinda said. “So you wouldn’t be opposed to losing all the odds and ends that are glaringly wrong for the room?”

“No, not at all.”

“Good,” Lucinda said. “And how about the sitting area by the windows?”

Joanna turned her attention to the two small chairs flanking a tiny table. “I don’t know. If we get them reupholstered, they wouldn’t be too terrible. I suppose.”

“Have you ever sat in one of them?” Lucinda blurted.

“Lucinda,” Samson said, his bass tone taking on a sudden sharpness. “Mind your manners.”

“Oh, please,” Joanna said with a wave of her hand. “She’s fine, Samson, and she’s right. I’ve never sat in one, but I will now.”

Marching across the room with a smile on her face, Joanna plopped down on one of the chairs, emitting the tiniest of squeaks when she found herself falling a few extra inches than she expected. “Wow. They are a bit low, aren’t they?” Joanna said as she leaned back to get comfortable. “And a little stiff.”

“Exactly,” Lucinda said, walking to the sitting area. “They are true Victorian, meaning they’re shorter than what we’re used to and without arms, like these two, they were called ladies’ chairs. Between that and those balloon backs, they are definitely great accent pieces, but if you want comfort, you won’t find it in those.”

“I can see that,” Joanna said, rising to her feet. “So, what are you thinking?”

“Well, we could use wing-backs, but this area is so large, I was thinking maybe a chaise or even a double with a sitting area off to the side. That way, you could enjoy breakfast, but also lounge in the sunlight if the mood struck. That is, once we get rid of those beastly curtains.”

Joanna grinned. “You’re hired.”

Samson’s pearly whites made an appearance when he glimpsed at his daughter, and as his chest swelled, he turned back to Joanna. “Well, it seems Lucinda’s got her work cut out for her, but other than a bit of plaster repair, paint, and replacing some fixtures, this shouldn’t take me long at all.”

“That’s what you think,” Joanna said as she motioned toward the doors leading into the bath and wardrobe. “You ready for another challenge?”

Chapter Thirty-Six