"It was a whirlwind courtship," Ashley said.
"Actually, I'm having a ring made for Ash in Italy by a jeweler friend," Ryan said. "My business requires that I travel now and again."
Now Ashley drew Lila away from the pictures, saying, "Lila, dear, I hope you won't think us terribly rude, but we're on our honeymoon this week. Ryan has to go back into town on Tuesday. It was so sweet of you to stop by." She began leading their guest from the porch through the living room and out into the foyer of the house. -
"Then you'll be moving to the city, dear?" Lila said.
"My dear Lila-I may call you Lila, mayn't I?" Ryan murmured as he took her hand and put it through his arm. "We would never trade Egret Pointe and this beautiful home for a city apartment. I may go in a day or two a week, but I can easily run my business from here." He smiled down at her, pleased when a glazed look overcame her.
Lila Peabody sighed. "You have just gone and married the most charming man, Ashley, dear," she said. "I hope you will bring him to tea one afternoon this autumn."
Before Ashley could answer, Ryan did. "I would be delighted to take tea with such a lovely lady, Lila," he told her. "Just give me a little time to settle in, my dear."
Byrnes was opening the door, and Ashley stood spellbound, watching as her husband saw the now awed Lila Peabody to her car and stood in the drive before the house, waving her off.
Byrnes was chuckling softly. "I think you've married a dangerous man, Miss Ashley," he told her with a smile.
"I suspect you are right," Ashley agreed. "I've never seen that wretched woman managed so well, and she didn't utter a word about SSEXL."
"Yes, she did," Ryan said, coming back into the house. "When I kissed her hand and tucked her in her Ford Taurus, she told me coyly that SSEXL's loss was certainly Egret Pointe's gain." He laughed. "Now if only the five harpies could be handled as well."
They spent the remainder of the week and the long weekend alone, eating, drinking, and making wild, passionate love. When Tuesday came Ashley found she was unhappy to be letting him go.
"When will you be home?" she asked him as she stood by his car.
"Thursday night," he promised. "Don't make any plans for the weekend. I want you all to myself. Now that I've had a little taste of married life I find I like it."
"Don't go all possessive on me, Ryan," she teased him. "What you really like about marriage is fucking the ears off of me between naps."
"Yes, I do," he agreed amiably, and raced his engine several times. "You are a very receptive partner, and I expect by Thursday night you will be well rested, and ready to pleasure me once again, woman."
"Yeah, sure!" She laughed. "You're going to miss me, big guy, and every time you think about us you'll get hot. Drive carefully, husband."
He grinned, blew her a kiss, and drove off down the driveway.
Ashley got into her Solstice and drove down into the village to her shop. It was almost ten when she arrived. Nina had already opened up, but the mornings were traditionally slow. Most women in Egret Pointe would be hurrying to get last-minute school supplies and clothing for their children, because school started tomorrow. "Hey," she greeted Nina as she came in the back door of the shop.
"How was your time off?" Nina asked her.
"Strangely wonderful," Ashley said. "It seems that we're very compatible."
"I'm glad you're here," Nina said. "Odd little man came in first thing this morning. He wanted to know if I was you. I told him no, and asked if I could help him. He said no, and left. But I've seen him across the street, and I think he's taking pictures of the shop with his camera phone."
"Where?" Ashley asked.
"There." Nina pointed.
Ashley picked up the shop phone and dialed. "Bobby, it's Ashley at Lacy Nothings. Funny little guy came into the shop before I got here and started asking Nina all kinds of questions. He's across the street, in front of the pharmacy, taking pictures of the shop right now. Can you send someone around to check him out? Thanks, Bobby."
"Wow, you play rough!" Nina said.
"Ryan's five older sisters are very unhappy," Ashley told her. "I suspect this has something to do with them. Oh, look. There's the cop car."
They watched as the local patrolman got out of his car and faced the man down. The cop took the guy by the arm and marched him across the street into the shop. "This the guy, Nina?"
"That's him," Nina said.
"He's a licensed PI from the city," the cop said, looking at Ashley.
"Would you like to tell me why you were looking for me, and why you are photographing my assistant and my shop?" Ashley said.
"I'm on a case," the man said. "It's confidential."
"Well," Ashley replied, "you tell whichever of my husband's sisters who hired you that if they attempt to invade my privacy again I will take legal action against all of them. Now, I am going to call Ryan and tell him of this incident. I'm certain that shortly after I do you will receive a call to cease and desist your harassment. Got it?"
"Got it," the man said.
"Shall I escort him out of town, Ashley?" the cop asked.
"If you would, Bill, I would appreciate it. And tell Bobby I said thanks."
"You got some pull here, lady," the private detective said.
"My family helped found the town," Ashley told him. "Now, that's something you can tell your employer. You won't be going back empty-handed."
The man gave a short laugh as the cop escorted him from Lacy Nothings.
"What was that all about?" Nina said. "Why would his sisters set a private detective on you? What did you do?"
"I married their brother. They were expecting to come into his wealth in a few more months, and I've spoiled it for them. They told Ryan they were getting a lawyer. It won't do them any good, but they're unhappy."
"Geez," Nina exclaimed. "What a bunch of bitches. The mother likes you, and so does the sister called Frankie. What's the matter with the rest of them?"
"Ryan and Frankie call the older ones the five harpies," Ashley said with a chuckle. "I'd better call him now. Hold down the fort while I go back to my office." She already had her cell out, and it was programmed to reach his cell.
"This is Ryan," his voice said. "Talk fast. I'm on thg parkway."
"Your sisters set a private investigator on me," Ashley said. "I've had the cops escort him out of town. Call them when you get into your office. I'll talk to you later."
"Shit!" he said as she hung up.
Ashley laughed out loud. What was that old saying about being able to pick your friends, but not your relations? She was glad Ryan's mother and youngest sister liked her. She liked them. But the older five, she suspected, would never be her friends. They would always consider that by marrying Ryan she had cost them his money. It had been an incredible ten days with her new husband, but this incident this morning had been irritating and downright annoying.
She managed to put it out of her mind for the rest of the day, but once she was home again it nagged at her to the point where she couldn't sleep. There was no television in the bedroom she shared with Ryan. Getting up, she went down to her old bedroom and climbed into bed. Taking up the remote, she pressed the button that slid open the panel covering the television screen. She clicked the set on, went to channel sixty-nine, and after a moment or two of silent debate she pressed A and enter. And she was back in her villa in Rome, and the sex slave, Quinn, was kneeling before her, offering her the strap she would shortly use on his bottom. But she didn't want the handsome slave. She wanted her tribune, Maximillian Alerio Patronius. And she wanted him now!
Chapter 7
"Where is your master?" the lady Cordelia asked W Quinn. "You are not supposed to show yourself if he is in the house."