A Sweet and Spicy Kind Of Love (8 page)

Rose’s reply was grave “Of course we do not have anyone here and I think it is high time that we did. The boy is all grown up and if you wish for him to be a part of this community and marry a girl from the town, you need to have some of her friends here. Invite her family. Let them all get to know the area so they can feel like this would be home. Keeping the distance as you do will not help Julian’s prospects with Valeria.”

Lionel stopped short.  He had not considered that option and as always Rose knew exactly what to do. “What do you suggest then?”

Rose tried to keep a straight face. It was amazing to see Lionel bowing to her advice. If she didn’t know better, she would swear he was mellowing with age. “I will organize a picnic this weekend and I will get a nice buffet prepared. We will invite Valeria, her family and her friends. This will give her a feel for the place and Julian may appreciate her in this natural setting.”

Lionel nodded. “I agree. Let’s do it. I will let the boy know.” When he turned towards the study Rose was curious “Aren’t you going out somewhere?”

He shook his head “Nah, I will wait until after this weekend. Perhaps things will work out and my distasteful task will not be necessary.”

Rose shrugged and made her way to the kitchen. Let him keep his secrets if he wanted to.

Chapter 8

Julian called the Bloomfield International chili cook-off, curious about the competition and what it was all about. He had decided to sponsor and host the event on the grounds of Templeton Manor and he spoke to the organizer, a man by the name of Ethan Brommel, who appeared quite content with Julian’s invitation, if his effusive reply was any indication. “Thank you so much Mr. Chambers for your offer. We don’t know what to say! We are overjoyed to have received such an esteemed call from a man such as you. A man of upstanding character and well known even in international circles. Yes indeed, we are very pleased with your offer. As a matter of fact, we were thinking of moving it to another town, but of course we would be happy to keep it in Sunnyvale.”

“Wonderful. Can you let me know what the rules and regulations will be and who it will apply to? Who can participate and all that sort of thing?”

“Of course sir! Of course we will. I will send it to your email and then you can review and let me know if you have any questions about anything.”

Julian smiled. If only the women in his life were that easy to figure out. Shocked at the tenure of his thoughts, he shook his head as though to clear the brain fog away.
Women in his life? Wait a minute…where had that thought come from?
With a rueful gaze he returned to the matter at hand. Making the ‘woman’ and only ‘woman’ in his life content. What a hard task that was turning out to be. Putting his hand over his eyes, he rubbed them softly and picked up the phone. It was time to call Valeria and break the news. No doubt she would be ecstatic. A picnic on Saturday. All friends and family invited to share a banquet in honor of the future Mrs. Chambers. Just the thought made him swallow uncomfortably. Valeria Chambers. The future was decidedly gloomy.

~~~

Valeria danced around her room and giggled as her faced beamed. A picnic at Julian’s estate. An official invitation to friends and family, to visit with the estate and share a meal under the blue skies. Finally, finally Julian was coming around. It was about time. There was no way he could continue to coddle that red head floozy, who thought of nothing better than the next soup dish.

When her mother entered the room, Valeria screamed with delight as they embraced. Both of them danced together in wild abandon. “Mother can you believe it? He has invited my friends and family! That can only mean one thing. He is ready to ask me to be his wife. Bet you he will do this Saturday. It is important that I look my best.”

Daisy agreed with breathless gasps “Yes you have to and white will suit quite nicely. I already have the outfit in mind. In the meantime get your hair made up, your face and your nails. You must look flawless and get him to give you his word. That way you need not worry ever again. He must agree to marry you and as a gentleman he will honor that pledge. Can you do it? Can you bring him to heel?”

Valeria nodded tongue in cheek. “Of course I can mother. There is no doubt about it.”  When her mother left, Valeria glanced at the mirror and noted her flush cheeks and glowing eyes. Julian had to commit and this time she would not take no for an answer.

~~~

Belinda was leaving for Templeton Manor with a look of contentment on her face which caused Molly some concern. “Mother I can’t believe you are going to work there in the gardens of all places. Julian will think I am trying to trick him or something.”

Belinda shook her head and ignored her daughter’s concerns. “Nonsense my dear. I will be as quiet as a mouse and will simply do my work as I have been hired to do. You worry needlessly and if the young man does catch my eye, I will treat him with kindness and respect. There is nothing wrong with, is there?”

Molly did not trust her mother’s innocent expression, but there was no legitimate reason why she couldn’t work at Templeton Manor. “All right Mom, but please don’t anger him in anyway. He is finally looking at me for a change and I don’t want it to end. I really don’t.”

Belinda hugged her daughter and kissed her forehead. Cupping Molly’s face between her soft hands, she cautioned her child as gently as she could “Molly, I don’t want you to get hurt, again. Remember that Julian’s future is pretty much mapped out. Don’t fall so hard that you cannot recover. Promise me that and I will go with a clear conscience.”

Molly’s reply was somber “Yes Mother. I will not fall so hard that I cannot recover.” Then with an impish grin she whispered “But please make him like you, all right?”

Belinda smiled content to see the sparkle return to her daughter’s gaze “Of course I will. As I’ll be living at the estate, I will call you with all of the juicy details. Now be good while I am gone.”

Molly jumped up and glanced at her watch “I have to go myself. Got a nice lunch to prepare today. We’re having visitors for some kind of competition and they will be here for a couple of weeks checking things out. Daisy wants to impress them with my culinary arts as she calls it, so I better do some great cooking. Love you Mom. Take care!”

~~~

It was the perfect day for an outdoor picnic. The sun shone brightly under blue skies, as a gentle breeze flowed across the green grass and the scent of cherry blossoms lingered in the air. Rose had arranged for the kitchen to lay out a simple meal of fried chicken drumsticks, potato and lettuce wild salad, topped with tomatoes and green avocados. Desert was pumpkin pie with a dollop of whip cream and slices of strawberry on top.

As the group enjoyed the meal, Julian was happy to note that Valeria was on her best behavior. Dressed splendidly in a white, flared, peasant skirt with a white, ruffled top she seemed every inch the lady of the manor. And yet there was a childlike innocence in her gay laughter and sparkling eyes. Julian sighed deeply. Why couldn’t he commit to this woman? What was holding him back? It was a puzzle he couldn’t seem to decipher and that bothered him. He decided it was time to do something about it and there was no time like the present.

Getting up he walked over to Valeria as she chatted with her friends. Six of them had accompanied her and were busy giggling like schoolgirls over some snippet of conversation he barely caught. Something to do with ‘a red head that didn’t know where to fit in.’

Annoyed for an unknown reason, Julian stopped in his tracks. Changing his mind, he returned to the house in search of Rose. She always had something to talk about and it didn’t include belittling others. As he got to the kitchen he was surprised to find her deep in conversation with a woman he did not know. All of the household staff was known to him so this woman must be new. “Hello there Rose. Can I have a moment?”

When the other woman turned towards him, Julian caught his breath. Molly’s hazel eyes were staring at him from an older face. Surprised he walked forward and held out his hand with a welcoming gesture “Hello there Ma’am…and you are?”

Belinda smiled and shook Julian’s offered hand. At least he had some sort of manners. “My name is Belinda Makepeace. Molly’s mother to be precise.”

Julian nodded “Of course. You do not look like her exactly, but the eyes are unmistakable.”

“Why thank you. My daughter will be pleased to know we have something in common after all.”

Intrigued by her comment, Julian forgot about Valeria and the guests as he sat down with a puzzled expression “What do you mean by that?”

Belinda shrugged lightly “Well my daughter and I are very different as you may have noticed. She is full of life, vibrant, easily happy and just as easily sad. As you may have noticed she wears her heart for all to see. I on the other hand am quite different. More reserved shall we say and not that easily read.”

Julian agreed as his eyes twinkled. “Yes it does appear that way, but I have no doubt you could get quite emotional if you chose to do so.”

Belinda’s lips lifted in a genuine smile. He was such a charmer. No wonder Molly was crazy over him. “Perhaps I can young man, but right now I have a job to do and your father will not pay me for loitering about. Another day we shall talk again, if you wish to do so. Rose thanks for everything. You know where I’ll be if you need me.”

As he watched her depart, Julian turned to Rose with an inquiring look. Her face was deceptively blank which raised his suspicions that something was up. “Care to tell me exactly what is going on around here?”

Rose raised her hands and shook her head “My dear boy, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Please leave the kitchen as you have found it. Talk to you later.”

Julian was left alone with a stunned look stamped upon his face. It was clear that he needed some kind of advice to deal with the females in his life. With a wry grin he returned to the picnic. No doubt Valeria would be looking for him. She seemed to get in a virtual panic attack, if he wasn’t around at all times. Life was certainly getting more complicated by the day.

~~~

The dinner was finished and Molly was relieved that it had gone well. When Daisy came to the kitchen to tell her they wanted to meet the chef, Molly was honored, but she was dead on her feet. “Mrs. Trenton, I am really tired and can barely string two sentences together. Can I take a rain check and meet them another day?”

Daisy’s eyebrows shot to her hairline as her eyes widened in apparent horror “Of course not! That is the most ridiculous notion I have ever heard of. It is not every day that we get some international, chili competition group in Sunnyvale young woman. This could put our little place on the map so to speak. So you will come and meet with them. Fifteen minutes is not going to kill you. Get going now. Quickly! These people do not know how to wait. It is simply not in their vocabulary.”

With a frustrated sigh, Molly removed her soiled apron, washed her hands and face and tried to make herself presentable. She saw tired lines around the corner of her eyes and mouth, but there was nothing to be done. Duty called and to duty she would have to respond. Hopefully it would only take a moment to greet them and then she would make her exit as quickly as possible.

~~~

A group of seven people that sat around the table rose as she approached and Molly greeted them as warmly as a tired soul could. After meeting each one and receiving their congratulations for a great meal, the organizer who introduced himself as Ethan Brommel offered to take her home. With a grateful smile Molly accepted. She really needed to get into bed as she had no energy to make her customary walk home.