“No, I’m going to sleep until lunchtime. That’ll give the staff time to make the house pristine again. I don’t want to see it until then.” She yawned again, then her breathing became regular.

Stone was not far behind. He dreamed about Peter and Hattie and, maybe, a grandchild. Then there was something unpleasant, something shocking, but when he jerked awake he couldn’t remember what it was. It took him an unusually long time to get back to sleep, and when he awoke the following morning he was tired, as if he hadn’t slept at all.

Chapter 50

50

Stone showered, dressed, and went downstairs to the kitchen, where he sat, alone, at the long table and waited for his breakfast to be cooked. Then Peter and Hattie joined him and placed their orders.

“Beautiful day outside,” Stone said.

“Great day for riding,” Peter replied.

Hattie was quiet.

“Did you sleep well, Hattie?”

“All right, I guess.”

“Ready to greet the new day on horseback?”

“Sure.”

“Did you two have a good time at the party?” Stone asked.

“Oh, yes,” Peter said. “But I knew hardly any of those people.”

“Don’t worry, you won’t have to spend any time with them. I think your mother had the housewarming just so that they wouldn’t be angling for invitations to see the house.”

“Get it all over at once, huh?” Peter said.

“Right.”

“Hattie, did you meet anyone you liked?”

“Not really,” Hattie replied, “but I met someone I didn’t like.”

“And who might that have been?”

“That architect fellow.”

“Ah, yes. I don’t think you’ll be seeing him again.”

“Why? Did someone shoot him?”

“Not yet,” Stone replied.

Peter laughed. “Mom didn’t seem to be very happy to see him.”

“Had you met him before?” Stone asked.

“Just once. He came over when I was home from school last Easter to talk to Mom about how the house was going. I didn’t like him then, either.”

They finished breakfast and left by the rear door to walk over to the stable. A groom had their horses saddled, and they mounted and walked down the trail through the woods, warming up the horses in the chill air before leaving the woods and cantering across the fields.