Aunt Dimity and the Summer King by Nancy Atherton Read Free Book Online

and I couldn’t have had a happier childhood.
    â€œNor could Will and Rib,” I declared angrily. I glared at the empty hearth, as if it had insulted my village, then muttered gruffly, “Sorry, Dimity. I didn’t mean to raise my voice to you.”
    No offense taken, my dear. I know how much Finch means to you. If you weren’t devoted to the village, you wouldn’t worry about its future.
    â€œI am worried about its future,” I acknowledged. “Will and Rob have lots of playmates at the stables, but what if Bess doesn’t care for horses? Where will she find friends? Local friends, I mean, children she can play with after school. If I could have my way, Dimity, I’d fill those empty cottages with young couples and babies.”
    I doubt that many young couples with babies can afford to own a country cottage, especially if the cottage is overpriced. I can’t imagine that any would wish to purchase a property that required an immense investment of time and money to repair.
    â€œI agree with you, Dimity,” I said, “but what can I do about it?”
    What can you do?
Aunt Dimity’s handwriting paused and when it began again, it dashed across the page in a flurry of royal-blue ink.
You can set a good example for your daughter. You can stand up and fight for her future as well as Finch’s because, as you so rightly indicated, the two are intimately entwined. If you want Bess’s childhood to be as happy as mine—as happy as your sons’—I suggest that you stop wasting your time on tantrums and tirades and start using it wisely. I suggest, in short, that you use your resourcefulness, your creativity, and your considerable intelligence to find a solution to Finch’s empty-cottage dilemma!
    If ink could yell, my ears would have been ringing. Aunt Dimity had never taken me to task quite so forcefully before, but I felt as though I’d earned a good scolding. I’d been bemoaning Finch’s fate as if I were powerless to change it, despite my firm conviction that no creature on earth was more powerful than a mother rising up to defend her young.
    â€œMessage received, Dimity,” I said, sitting bolt upright and squaring my shoulders. “I’ll find out who the estate agents are and whether or not they’ve priced the houses correctly. If not, I’ll have a word with them about local property values and the advantages of a speedy sale.”
    Lori.
    I glanced down at the journal and saw my name, but I was on a roll, so I continued, “I’ll ask Mr. Barlow about invisible defects. Our peerless handyman has been in and out of every cottage in Finch more times than I can count. If anything’s wrong with Rose Cottage, Mr. Barlow will know what it is and how to fix it. I’ll pay him with my own money to make sure that the cottage isn’t hiding any unpleasant surprises.”
    Lori?
    Again, I glanced down at the journal and again, I went on without stopping. It was as if my brain had awakened from a long nap and was raring to go. I couldn’t slow it down.
    â€œI’ll also speak with the headmistress, the teachers, and the other parents at Morningside School,” I said. “I’ll speak with Emma’s riding school parents, too. Someone is bound to know of someone who’s looking for a home in the country.” I looked at the clock on the mantel shelf. “It’s a bit late in the day to get started and I’d rather not pester people on a Saturday, but—”
    I broke off as Aunt Dimity finally managed to command my attention.
    AT EASE, LORI! Stand down! I don’t expect you to find three qualified home buyers overnight, my dear, though I’m glad to hear that you intend to find them. You’ve had four months of private bliss with little Bess. It’s time for you to take an interest in the world beyond the cottage. Finch needs you, Lori.
    â€œNot as much as I need