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“I haven’t seen Rose about the place for a long time. I only see her daughter, striding here, there, and everywhere.”
“I’ve not met her,” Lucie replied, but something about that description niggled her.
“How was Rose when you spoke to her?”
“Oh, erm,” Lucie stuttered, unsure what to say. “She seemed well enough.”
It was the answer closest to the truth without saying too much. Sue didn’t appear to have any idea that Rose was unlikely to resemble the woman she’d once known.
“Good,” she said. “She always treated us right.”
Sue turned away as a man walked in and greeted her. Lucie was grateful; it gave her a minute to digest everything. So the neglectful daughter of Rose was the owner of Winterbourne Hall and technically — the realization dawned — her boss.
“Are you okay?” Mandy asked.
Lucie hesitated, then whispered, “I think Rose has some form of dementia. When I met her today, she was sitting on a bench in the cold with no coat on, waiting for a shooting party to return.”
Mandy scrunched her face.
“Who knows where her daughter was,” Lucie went on.
“Running the hall by the sounds of it.”
Lucie hummed. “I walked her home, but it doesn’t feel right ignoring the situation. I feel like I should say something or at least check if she is being cared for properly.”
“I wouldn’t get involved, especially if she’s your boss,” Mandy said carefully. “You know how complicated people’s domestic situations can be when dementia’s involved.”
Hadn’t she already crossed that line by stepping in? It was going to be hard to forget about it. On the other hand, she was only going to be there for a short time, and the chances were low that she would see Rose again, let alone ever meet her daughter. It really wasn’t her business.
Mandy eyed her for a moment, then shifted the conversation. “So,” she said lightly, “did you meet any cute ladies up at the hall?”
Lucie raised an eyebrow at her. “No. I only met the other elves on my team, and they are a lot younger than I am. Probably all in their twenties,” she replied, having just realised that fact. “Well, except one, who is closer to my age but the wrong sex for my liking.”
“Darn. We need to get you back in the saddle.”
Fearful of letting slip that her eye had fallen on someone — quite literally — she turned the conversation back on Mandy. “Says the woman who hasn’t dated in years either.”
“I’ve been on a few dates, nothing serious.”
Lucie interpreted this as meaning she’d had sex with a few blokes, but none of them was the type she wanted to settle down with. Probably because they weren’t Pete, Lucie’s dad.
“Why don’t you just ask Dad out?” Lucie said casually, playing with the stem of her wine glass.
“What!”
Mandy’s expression of faux horror confirmed everything Lucie needed to know, just as her dad’s reaction had.
“Oh, come on. You’re not exactly subtle.”
Mandy shrugged. “We’re good friends... best friends, that’s all. It works. Pushing for more would likely ruin everything.”
“I don’t think it would take much pushing,” Lucie snarked, causing Mandy to raise an eyebrow of her own. Quickly clarifying herself, she added, “I mean, I’m sure he feels the same way.”
“Well, if he does, he doesn’t give much away. Anyway, I don’t need to remind you that your dad is my boss and my landlord. If things didn’t work out, I could lose everything.”
“You could gain everything too.”
“I’m not Cinderella. I don’t need a Prince Charming to sweep me off my feet.”
