Chapter 27

Harry led them up to the third floor, remarking to Bob Davis as they went that the building had once been a small, very exclusive hotel. "If you look at maps of Washington from the 1940's, you'll see it marked as the DuPont Circle Hotel," he said. "My mother bought it after the war and turned it back into a private residence; she needed space for her design studio, and this fit the bill perfectly."

"What did she design?" Sue asked.

"Clothes, Susan. She was Eleanor Van Valkenburg, but she designed as Ella Kent. It sounds like 'elegant', you see."

"Oh, my stars, Harry, I had one of her evening gowns back in 1948, when Bob and I were courting at West Point! I found it in a tiny little dress shop in Nyack, New York; the owner told me it was a sample that she'd picked up in New York because she loved the style, but it was so small that nobody could wear it. It fit me like it was made for me, and when I wore it to the next cadet hop, well…"

"I'm glad you have happy memories of her creations, Sue."

"Oh, I do."

Harry introduced them all to the board and then asked everyone but Matt to remain in the reception area. "Please help yourselves to the drinks and bakery items," he said.

"What would you like, Princess Abigail?" Jamie asked.

"Oh, just water, please."

"Still or sparkling? There's Perrier."

"I had that once; the bubbles got up my nose and made me sneeze."

"Oh, live a little; nobody minds if you sneeze."

"Okay, I'll try it again."

They weren't left waiting for long; within fifteen minutes, barely enough time for Abby to finish her little bottle of Perrier, Harry came back out and said, "The board has voted unanimously to appoint Matthew as our next executive director. If you would please come in, all of you, we have a presentation to make to Miss Abigail Kozal."

Abby looked confused; she had been told to expect an apology, but what was this about a presentation?

"Abby, that's your cue," Kendra said softly. "You go, girl."

Abby took a deep breath and followed Harry into the board room, where all of the board members – six men and six women- were on their feet.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present Miss Abigail Kozal of Alliance, Nebraska. Had it not been for a series of circumstances involving Miss Kozal, we might never have known just how far interns Allred and Veasey had gone in violating foundation policy regarding illegal drug use. I am very sorry that you were attacked last night while you were jogging, Miss Kozal, but I'm glad that Kendra, Phillip and James were there to help you, and that the incident let to the discovery of the THC -laced brownies in the apartment you had to share with the violators for two weeks. The board extends its sincerest apologies to you."

"That's really not necessary, Mr. Thornton, but thank you."

"And now, on behalf of the board, we are prepared to offer you a choice of a fellowship once you finish your degree at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln or, if you prefer, a full-time permanent position here with tuition assistance so that you can finish your degree at Georgetown, GWU, or George Mason. We don't expect an answer now, of course, but know that whatever you choose, we will be happy to have you here."

"Oh, my goodness… Mr. Thornton, I don't know what to say except… well, I'm honored, and overwhelmed, and I thank you all very much."

Everyone applauded.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, I've reserved a private room for us at L'Ornate; please join us for lunch," Harry said.

Jamie was already packing up his cameras. Harry came over to tell him that Lee and Amanda would be meeting them at the restaurant, and then he moved off to talk to Bob Davis.

"Well, Princess Abigail, how do you like them apples?" Jamie said. "We can talk about all this on the way to the restaurant, which is very upscale."

"It sounds like it. Will we be eating snails?"

"Not unless you order them; they make an excellent coq au vin, and the onion soup is world-class."

"That sounds more my speed than snails."

Down in the garage, he saw her into the car and went around to slide behind the wheel. "I'd like to offer congratulations, but there are too many people in this garage," he said. "It will have to wait."

"Offer… oh. Oh."

He winked at her and started the engine. Once he was on Connecticut Avenue and headed north, he said, "From what Phillip tells me, Harry Thornton doesn't make those kinds of offers every day. You must really have made a good impression on him."

"I didn't do anything special."

"He disagrees. It's a great opportunity, and you wouldn't have to worry about a place to live; Mom and Lee would love to have you come and stay with them, or you and Kendra might be able to get a place together, something like that."

"A year from now Kendra may not still be in Washington, though."

He glanced at her, but quickly had to turn his eyes back to the road. "Aren't you going to take the job now?"

"No, I have to finish my degree."

"He said they'd help you with tuition assistance so you can finish here."

"Schools here are expensive, especially if the student isn't a resident. At UNL, my scholarships pay for almost everything, and besides, if I transfer to a school here, I might lose a lot of credits."

"You're going back to Nebraska at the end of the summer?"

"Yes, of course; I have to finish my degree, Jamie."

"But you'd be a thousand miles away!"

"Closer to 1200, and that's just to Lincoln, but yes."

"By all means, let's be accurate on the distance," he snapped. "Twelve hundred bloody miles, and that's just to Lincoln; you'll be halfway across the damn country."

"Watch your language," she snapped back. "What are you getting so riled up about?"

"What am I getting riled up about? What do you think?"

"I don't know; that's why I'm asking!"

"You have a chance to move to D.C. to finish your degree, with a guaranteed job at the foundation, and you're going back to Nebraska in August."

"Yes, I am!"

"Is there someone in Nebraska, someone you haven't told me about?"

"James King, you have no right to ask me that question! We have known each other for less than twenty-four hours, and I certainly don't answer to you about my friends – male or female."

He said something unprintable under his breath and she said, "If you keep acting like this, we're not going to be friends anymore."

"Well, since you're planning to move halfway across the damn country so we'll never have a chance to see each other, I don't suppose it much matters, does it?"

He pulled into the restaurant parking lot, parked, and shut off the engine. He got out of the car and went around to open her door, grabbed his camera bag, and locked the car. "Jamie," she said, her voice almost pleading. "Try to understand. I like you, I really do, but I need to finish what I started, and I need to finish it in Nebraska."

"So you say. Let's go in; they'll be waiting for us."