Page 60 of The Runaway Bride of Blossom Branch

“Yes, Mother. For a few days at least.” He offered Cate a chair and took the one beside her. “This is Cate Penland. She’s a friend of Jason’s. Cate has plans to open a gift shop in Blossom Branch. I’m helping her with a few architectural details. Cate, this is my mother, Georgia Harrington.”

“Hello, Mrs. Harrington,” Cate said, hoping her nerves didn’t show. Cate was no stranger to a variety of societal occasions and expectations, but this was whole-other-level stuff.

Harry’s mother studied Cate. “Penland. Who are your people?”

“Mother...” Harry’s tone held an edge.

“It’s okay, Harry.” Cate smiled at his mother. “I grew up here in Blossom Branch until I was twelve. That’s when we moved to Atlanta. My parents are Gillian and Reggie Penland.”

“Ah, yes. Your father came from desperately straightened circumstances as I recall.”

“Mother!” There was a definite snap in Harry’s voice now.

His parent paid him no mind. “It’s fine, son. Cate’s father has much to be proud of, especially given the extreme poverty of his birth.”

Cate gaped in shock. She had never heard anyone offer such a sly, stinging, backhanded compliment.

Before Harry or Cate could say another word, Georgia tapped her chin. “But wait. That meansyouare the jilted bride. Poor dear. That must have been dreadfully humiliating.”

Harry dropped his sunglasses and leaned over to pick them up, his face toward Cate. “I tried to warn you,” he said, sotto voce.

Cate managed a strained smile as she reacted to Harry’s mother. “It wasn’t one of my best days, that’s for sure.”

“Well, don’t see this house and get any ideas about courting my rapscallion of a son. Prescott has made it very clear he won’t take a penny from this estate. Of course, when I’m gone, he’ll do as he pleases, I’m sure.”

Cate couldn’t think of a single suitable response, so she kept her mouth shut. This was awful. No, worse than awful. Harry’s mother was a Flannery O’Connor character.

Georgia rose to her feet with some difficulty. She was as wide as she was tall. “We’ll adjourn to the dining salon,” she said, her tone regal.

The next room was as ornate as the first. Three places had been set at one end of a polished mahogany table that could easily seat twenty. Cate recognized the china pattern. One of her college friends owned an antique store in Atlanta. Those plates went for a hundred dollars a pop.

Beneath a baroque crystal chandelier, heavy silver with intricate designs gleamed. The pieces would be a bear to clean.

Moments later, Justine appeared with the soup course. Fortunately, this part of the visit was a home run. The gazpacho must have been made with fresh vegetables from a nearby garden. It tasted like the best of summer.

Next was a salad course, followed by lamb with mashed potatoes. Cate wasn’t a huge fan of lamb, but she ate enough not to offend. By the time the dessert came around, Cate was stuffed, and Harry was clearly flagging. She had to get him out of this ridiculous house.

They both ate half of their chocolate ganache cake.

“That was a lovely meal, Mrs. Harrington,” Cate said.

Georgia dabbed her lips with a linen napkin. “Thank you, my dear. I would, of course, prefer to have a French-trained chef, but we make do with what we have here in the backwoods. Justine does her best.”

Since poor Justine was standing no more than six feet away, Harry’s mother had to know her remark was overheard. Maybe Justine was used to the careless insults. Her expression revealed nothing of what she might be thinking. “May I get anyone drink refills?”

Harry smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. He looked like a man at the end of his rope. “No thanks,” he said. “Cate and I need to be going soon.”

Georgia pretended to protest. “But you just got here,” she said.

Harry’s veneer of congeniality iced over. “I know how much you enjoy your afternoon soaps and game shows. We don’t want to interrupt your schedule.” He looked straight at the housekeeper and not at his mother. “Thank you, Justine. The meal was incredible.”

“Thank you, Mr. Harry. I hope you and Ms. Penland will come back for another visit soon.”

Clearly, Georgia didn’t like her son fraternizing with the hired help. “We won’t keep you,” she said, rising to her feet. “Cate, I’m pleased to have met you. Hopefully your fortunes will take a turn for the better. A woman with your looks will find someone else soon.”

The remark was crass and totally rude. When Harry bristled, Cate put her hand on his arm. “I think we’ll be on our way. Harry was just at the hospital last night, so he needs to take it easy. I suggested that he could cancel, and you would understand, but he didn’t want to disappointment you.”

Cate gave Georgia a stern look to let her know that Harry had someone else on his side. He wasn’t alone in fielding his mother’s nonsense.

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