Chapter Twenty-Seven: Touring The Grant Estate – Part I

The next morning, bright and early, three Limousines lined up at the Bradford Estate.

Everyone was dying to see the former Toussant Estate, now the Grant Estate, belonging to two of their own!

Albert was leading the way in the first car with Nathan and Millicent, followed by the Bradfords and the Grants in the second car, who had both insisted the new couple travel alone for some private time, and then Richard and Margaret, along with William and Pippa, and Hendrix and Estella, in the third car.

Everyone, except Hendrix and Estella, was wearing their riding clothes.

"I'm afraid Miss Estella wouldn't be caught dead on a horse, Miss! She'd rather spend her time gauging the pros and cons of the new living space to determine whether or not her stamp of approval is warranted. So, I can do nothing less than help her! Although I would like to take a raincheck on the riding!"

Hence, that was exactly where Hendrix would be spending his time, too! In the kitchen, working alongside Miss Estella!

This was all the more magnanimous because Hendrix was an excellent rider, who dearly loved to ride!

"That has to count for something," declared Nathan, proudly patting himself on the back, that he had been right about the pair being a couple, all along.

"I hate to disappoint, Love! Hendrix may be afraid Essie might just one-up him!"

"Am I marrying a cynic?"

"No, a realist, where those two are concerned," she laughed. "They're just very hard to read when it comes to their personal lives! But, I will give you credit. I do agree there's something there!"

"Yes!" cried Nathan, thrilled to be at least partially right. "But you do know, I'm all in, now. You just wait and see. I'm telling you, they are going to end up a couple! Guaranteed!"

"And I'm marrying a romantic," she laughed and reached to kiss him. "But, don't you dare change! I wouldn't have it any other way!"

The Toussants were going to be gone for the day, to give them privacy and they had promised Edward they'd leave a set of labeled keys so they could access any area they wanted.

For all practical purposes, the Toussants had pretty much already moved.

Monsieur Toussant had also informed Edward, that he and his wife would have everything else they were taking with them, out by this Saturday at noon, as they had already moved most everything else, except for a few art pieces, which had to be carefully packed by special movers from the Museum.

They had already said their goodbyes to their staff, their home, their land, and their beloved horses, preferring not to prolong the inevitable.

Monsieur Toussant did express, however, that he would like to meet with Nathan and Millicent and their Financial Advisors to discuss the multiple businesses and their staffing in more detail.

Everyone was willing to stay on in their various capacities, but the legal contracts all had to be transferred, requiring signatures.

And it had to be done jointly.

The official meetings were set for Saturday afternoon at the Bradford Estate, but not until the Bradfords and the Grants had seen Estella perform in her most auspicious Saturday matinee!

Edward and Archie, along with a few of Edward's Financial Advisors and Attorneys who also handled Millicent's business affairs, had offered to sit in on those meetings, for which Nathan and Millicent were most grateful.

"Nathan, I've never been so happy! We actually have a home in the country!"

"Darling, I can't believe we have a home together! Much less such a beautiful and wonderful one," he reached to kiss her tenderly, with everything suddenly becoming very real.

"It's like a little piece of heaven on earth, Mil," he mused, playing with the tendrils falling around her face.

"It really is. Just think, we now have the most beautiful home for you, Allie, and me whenever we're ready for it! Although, I still think we need to be in Hope Valley, at least during the school year, till Allie graduates, with maybe summers here if she's willing."

"What would you think about us just talking to her about everything next week when we're all together, and get a feel for what she's thinking? She might surprise us! She was pretty fascinated by Montreal when we talked about it. In fact, she wants me to teach her French!"

"Really? Can I help, too? Of course, we should talk with her, but Darling, I don't want her to feel pressured in any way. I also don't want her agreeing to something because she's trying to please us. She's just a child, and I truly think it's a lot to put on her either way. I just want her transition to us as a family to be as easy for her as possible. And my gut says to not uproot her."

"Just the fact you feel that way so forcefully tells me you are going to be the best mother ever," and Nathan lifted her hand to his lip and gently kissed it.

"I hope and pray, but Nathan, this is completely foreign territory for me, and I'm sure I'll make a ton of mistakes. But I promise you every single one of them will be made with love, and rectified, as quickly as possible, with even more love! You both will have to help teach me, though, and be very patient with me as I learn!"

"I will give you all the patience in the world, Love. And if I know Allie, she will too. Don't forget, you're the one who's helped me get as far as I have with raising her. Just relax and be yourself, Mil, and everything will work out, I promise! Oh, that reminds me! She said she'd love some new books and a travel charm. Do you think you could help a guy out?"

"Of course, Love, but I have no idea what she's already read, unless we buy books that are brand new, so you'll have to help me with that! The charm is no problem at all. We should be able to pick that up on our way home tonight. If we go by Helmsley's, they'll engrave it, wrap it, and deliver it to the house by tomorrow. Can you think of something special I could get to take to her?"

"You, yourself, will be more than gift enough! I promise! She's going to be so very excited, Milli! I can't wait to see her face!"

"Oh! I just got the best idea! I have a gold heart and chain necklace that Colleen gave me when we were about Allie's age and it has our pictures in it at that age, too. Do you think Allie would like that? Or would it make her sad?"

"I think she would love it. She would relate to seeing you both as friends at her age, plus she would always have her two Mothers with her!"

"That's a beautiful thought, Love! I'll wrap it up then and pack it to go with us."

"You know what? We've still got our future to negotiate and plan, Miss Bradford, which means we have to go over our infamous lists! How about we stay in tonight and cook our meal together?" suggested Nathan.

"That's perfect. I actually got up early this morning and started on some things for our meal, thinking we might want to stay in after our trip North. We can just be comfy! Sort of like now, because I could get used to this," she said wistfully, as they were wearing their ranch clothes again today. "And I promise we'll make checking off our lists a priority right after dinner!"

"Hasn't worked so far," he teased mischievously. "But it's a date! I'll even help cook and I'll try really hard to be good!"

"You'd better," she laughed. "We're running out of nights! It's just that you're so awfully distracting!"

"My Dear Millicent, you are the Queen of Distraction!"

She laughed and playfully tousled his hair, and he quickly returned the favor, but in a much more serious way, running his fingers through her long blonde locks of curls.

"I love you, Millicent Bradford!"

"And I love you, Nathan Grant, with all my heart!"

Their lips found each others' without them even having to think about it, and their kiss took them to a place of serenity, cocooned in each others' perfect love.

They rode together, silently, with Nathan's arm around Millicent, and with her resting her head on his shoulder.

With his free hand, he caressed hers, and it dawned on him that he honestly didn't have a clue as to how he was ever going to leave her.

"Where do you want to start with our new farm, Nathan, Nate, Alex, Alexander Grant?"

"Very funny, 'Colleen'! You might not think this would be my first concern, but truthfully, Mil, I want you to brighten up the place, everywhere, and make it feel like ours. I think we start with the main house!"

She smiled up at him.

"You're starting there because that's going to be our home. I guess we won't have to live in the stables, after all," she teased. "You do know I'll be in heaven just fixing the place up for us! It's what I love to do, but I want you to help me choose things. Everything has to reflect both of us! And it has to reflect Allie, too! After all, it is going to be our home together!"

"I love the sound of that. And you're absolutely right! The house just feels so dark now, and that's not us. I'll admit I'm also anxious to see how my folks think we might improve the workflow in the stables. For some reason, it didn't quite feel they were set up for maximum efficiency. But those horses are incredible. I didn't even count how many, and every single one I saw was in excellent shape and very well pedigreed. However, I am concerned about how we're going to see that they are tended to adequately, while we're away."

"Well, Monsieur Toussant's staff will be staying on, thank goodness! But, we will need an Estate Manager if you will. Someone you and I can really trust to oversee everything and make sure the place is maintained to the highest caliber."

"About that...I have an idea," grinned Nathan.

"You do?"

Nathan glanced up and noticed that Albert had closed the partition between them to give them privacy.

So in a low voice, he continued.

"I was talking to Albert, and he told me his dream has always been to have a farm. He's saved enough for a small one but hasn't found anything that suited, because he wants to stay in this area. I asked him if he knew much about farming, reminding him that it was a full-time job and very hard work. He laughed, said he was raised on his Grandparents' farm and had done a little bit of everything, from crops to cattle, to horses, to sheep, and more. Do you think he might be ready to retire as a Chauffeur and try something new?"

Millicent answered, also in a low voice, so Albert wouldn't hear.

"Yes, actually I do. We've talked about it. He wants a nice place for his wife with some land, as they've always lived in apartments, and she wants to try her hand at gardening. She's apparently a member of several different garden clubs. He says she's constantly reading about it and is about to run them out of house and home with all her plants and flowers. Nathan, are you saying we should maybe let them live on the caretaker's property and let Albert manage everything?"

"Do you think that might work?"

"I trust him with my life, and he's a whizz at finance. Great people skills and you're saying he can farm! That's the part I didn't know. He just might be our man! And I love the idea that he and his wife would love the place just as much as we do. Do you think we might get a chance to talk to him about it today? I know the second house is vacant of tenants, and it's full of furniture that they say stays, as well."

"Let's just make it a priority to chat with him. And we need to be sure to let him see the house. But, I'm still wondering how you're going to charm Essie!" he teased.

"You, my Love, are going to do that," pronounced Millicent with a smug smile.

"I am, am I?" as he looked at her through narrowed eyes.

She giggled.

"You do know you have Essie in the palm of your hands!"

"Even when she's swatting me? You do realize you're paying her to swat me?"

They both laughed till Albert could hear them through the partition, and he started laughing too, even without knowing why!

Because whatever they were laughing about was infectious, and he wanted in on it!

When they finally opened the partition a crack and told Albert what they were laughing about, the laughter started out all over again in full force!

"I can almost see doing exactly that in my mind, Sir! But, boy, what I wouldn't have given to have seen the real thing!" laughed Albert.

"She made me feel like I was twelve all over again!" laughed Nathan.

After the three settled down, Nathan closed the partition again, and turned to the woman he was falling more and more in love with every single hour of every day…

"Mil, we've covered a lot of ground, but right now, the way I figure it, we have about one more hour in the car alone before we're bombarded by our entourage. And the fact is, I need you, just you, something terrible. How about we make this hour count as just you and me time, with no worries about the future?"

He looked so pitiful, she couldn't help that her heart was melting and almost breaking.

"I'm always up for you and me time! That, I'll never refuse! There's no other place anywhere I'd rather be than with you. And don't you ever forget that, Love!"

She kissed him, making him feel the depth of her love, letting him know that she needed him just as much as he needed her.

He whispered something silly in her ear, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing again.

"You, my Darling, are full of wicked mischief! Yet, I still love you so!"

He grinned as crookedly as he could, as he had gotten her again!

He sighed deeply, as she tenderly caressed his cheek.

It was that laugh of hers that sent him to a place of absolute nirvana!

And the beauty of it was, he knew from their lifetime together, he could pretty much elicit it at will!

He drew her to him, and kissed her longingly, while she responded in kind.

In some miraculous way, they were always in sync, knowing what the other needed when they needed it.

As they drew apart they smiled at each other, totally in the present.

She played with his hands and then drew them to her lips, and kissed them both, lovingly.

"You have beautiful hands, Love," she sighed.

"Wait a minute! Now, that's a first! I thought you had the beautiful hands and I had the rugged ones," he teased.

"That's what I mean - they're slender and long, firm and rugged, and strong, which makes them beautiful! I feel so safe with these hands. Do you know how very much I love you? It's so very, very much! I feel it all to the depths of my being. But it's so intense, I just can't describe it adequately."

"You don't need to describe it as long as you can show me like this, my Darling!"

And she did, all over again!

He whispered in her ear, caressing her with his kisses, lovingly placed, from the top of her head to the bottom of her chin and everywhere on her gorgeous face in between, back to her ears, down to her slender neck, and back up to her forehead leaving only her lips desperately hungry for him.

Leaving him desperately hungry for her.

"I love you…as high as the heavens…as deep as the oceans…as wide as the prairies…and as tall as the mountains…I adore you…as completely as the universe…because you, my Love…are my universe…you shine like the sun…glisten like the moon…and sparkle…brighter than the stars…above!"

She could only respond by finding his lips in her fog, igniting them with her fire, and letting him know she was fully his.

They sat there, contented together, realizing the immense and profound power each held over the other.

And that's how they stayed without words, just the miracles wrought by their touching each other.

When Millicent could finally speak, she whispered "That's so very beautiful! We're so very beautiful together!"

"Yes, we are…" and he started his sweet kisses all over again!

When they ended this time, wholly fulfilled, she giggled and he gave a low chuckle!

"I'm curious. Do you still write, Darling?"

"Why would you ask, Love?"

"Because, although at times you're a man of few words, you have a way with words, just like now. I notice it all the time, in the succinct way you say things, the unique words you choose. In the rhythmic pentameter, you sometimes use without realizing it. In the love letter, you wrote me."

He just continued to hold her, smiling over her head without saying anything, but she was smiling, too, against his chest, 'somehow knowing she was right.'

She knew he had journaled faithfully in his teen and early adult years, as Colleen had told her so.

Colleen knew because she had snuck peeks inside his journal, as sisters do, when Nathan hadn't known! And she had teased Millicent, mercilessly, as her name had appeared frequently throughout! That, more than anything, had given the young girl hope of something more, but as time passed with no overture, it just seemed they were somehow stuck in the friend zone forever!

Even outside of his journaling, all three of them, Richard, Colleen, and Millicent were always finding their quiet Nathan squirreled away somewhere with pen and paper, secretly writing something or other.

But whatever he was dabbling over, he would quickly hide, and change the subject, sidetracking them by suggesting some new adventure for them to all get into!

"It's nothing, really. Just a bunch of words," he'd say.

Then he would add…

"Let's go riding in the northwest fields!"

Or "Let's go hike that hill of Mr. Laslow's!"

Or "Let's go sailing on the river!"

Or "Let's go race those new stallions!"

As they were mere kids, they all jumped at any idea of adventure that was thrown at them.

So, of course, Nathan's writing was all but forgotten - that is till the next time, they found him alone, writing again!

Whatever it was, Millicent suspected he had stopped writing altogether, when they had lost Colleen.

Just as he had given up his music, and given up enjoying her art.

For now, she'd file it away to discuss later, when he was ready to talk about it.

But she was as determined he would heal in every aspect, as she knew Colleen, herself, would also be!

And that included writing again, singing again, playing his guitar, and dabbling at learning the piano again.

The latter, she could now help teach him herself!

She wanted him completely whole, and would do everything in her power to help make it so!

No matter how long it took!

She glanced up at him, feeling an overpowering love for him.

"You do know I'm nothing without you? I think it's always been like a part of me has been missing. And it was you all along! You make me complete, Darling, only you," she whispered.

"That's a very good thing. Because you're the only one who makes me complete. Oh, Mil, I've never felt like this. I honestly didn't know these feelings even existed! It's like part of me was lost. Like I just blotted you and me out, and I was trying to find my way alone, and just couldn't."

"It was exactly the same for me. Nothing ever felt right. Nobody ever felt right, because they weren't. It's all okay now, my Darling. We've found each other and now we're together forever. These feelings we have, prove beyond a doubt, it was always meant to be the two of us."

"I know without a doubt we're meant to be. It's you and me, Babe, against the world. And I have a sneaky feeling together, we just might conquer it!"

She laughed.

"At least our little corner of it!"

"Can you believe, we're about to arrive at our very own home? You know Mil, when I went to bed, I just kept thinking 'this is too much for our parents to do,' but sleeping on it, it's like Victoria said, I just feel their love. That they would do this for us, and do it together, is nothing short of remarkable!"

"It truly is. It's the most beautiful gift. They just want to fulfill a dream for us and see that we start out on a solid footing. We'll have the income from the farm immediately this way, and instantly be able to pour it back into the budget to improve things, even expand things, if need be! I love that they're a part of our new beginning!"

"You know our new home couldn't be more drastically different from my tiny rowhouse in Hope Valley!"

"I love your tiny rowhouse! It's cozy and warm. Why I'd be happy in a tent as long as you were there!"

"I think you really would be," he smiled. "You know, I never dreamed I'd end up as an entrepreneur. But with the farm, I think I like the idea! I can see family holidays there, and family visits throughout the year, at least when we're there. I can see us completely at home there for as long as we live."

She kissed him forcefully.

"I knew it, Love! The whole place just cried home to me, even when I saw it before I knew about us. But after you called, somehow, I just knew you would love it, that it was truly meant to be ours!"

"You were right! We'll fill that place with so much love! You know, at Thanksgiving, Bill said something about my decision affecting five people not four. I didn't understand him at the time, but it was you, Millicent. He saw us before we did! Come to think of it, the whole town did. I've never seen them fall in love with someone, so completely, so quickly! I can't tell you how many have asked about you after you left, even Rosemary and Lee."

"It's nice to be missed!"

"Well, I missed you horribly. Worse than ever before and crazy me didn't understand why. I was falling so deeply in love with you, not even understanding what was happening. You were my last thought when I went to bed, and my very first thought when I awoke. Good grief, you came to my mind all day long! Yet I was trying to be strong, in part, because Allie missed you so very much, and I didn't want to make it worse for her. Although, I did have to admit that I missed you, too! Just not to the vast extent that I truthfully did," he winked.

"I left feeling so strange. I couldn't really define it - as I told you, it felt like we were saying a final goodbye, and I literally couldn't bear the thought of it! I thought…"

"Hushhh, don't even say it!"

He brought his lips to hers, reassuring her, making her know it was only ever her!

It had just taken him a while to see it.

"I'm so sorry, Mil! So very sorry!"

"Shhh!"

Millicent leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Baby, let's never part with anything left unsaid! Let's never go to bed with anything left unsaid. Let's always just love each other through it all, even if we're having a tiff!"

"A tiff with you, never! I can't even imagine it! But I promise Babe, we won't leave anything unsaid, and we'll never go to bed upset. Our mantra is to solve all issues before night comes! At least as much as can be. It's a promise."

"I promise, too! Life's too short for fussing when you're in love! Why not just love instead?" she asked, looking up at him intently with her brilliant green eyes.

He was holding her tightly and she scooted down and laid her head down lower, on his shoulder, just low enough that she could hear his heart beating slow and steady, calming her.

And she knew without any doubt, that heartbeat was her lifeline.

Her reason for being.

He was her reason for being.

It was as though he knew what she was thinking and he reached down and kissed her forehead.

"I don't think it's possible for a man to love a woman more, Darling!"

"Or for a woman to love a man more!" she smiled up at him.

It was in a matter of moments they realized they were almost at their new home, and they both sat up straighter, with excitement on their expectant faces, still holding hands, wanting to take it all in.

"We're coming home, Mil, for the very first time…"

And he reached to tenderly kiss her.

As Albert turned to pull into their drive, all three were amazed!

"Well, look at this…" called Albert.

There were two golden, beautifully scripted G's on each wrought iron gate, swinging open, replacing the T's that had formerly been there, just yesterday.

"Someone's sure made this official!" noted Nathan.

"I bet it was my Father. When he does something, he does it quickly, paying attention to every single detail!"

"That's a huge part of why he's so successful!"

"I can't believe it! This is really ours! It's the Grant Estate, now, Darling!"

"The Grant Farm," he laughed.

He bent to kiss her, then held her waist to balance her, as she stretched over him watching the gate open, loving her child-like excitement!

"And we're about to become Constable and Mrs. Grant," he beamed.

"That's exactly what I think every single time I look at my ring! And it makes my heart feel like it's doing somersaults!"

"That ring is there to tell you I love you, Darling. Completely. And always!"

Then he got a gleam in his eye, "I suppose you could also say it's there to let the world know you're mine, and only mine!"

They kissed once more, but made it quick, as there was much to see!

Nathan winked as they passed the caretaker's house, both of them anxious to discuss the matter with Albert.

When they finally reached the main house, everyone got out of the three Limos, excitedly ready to begin their tour!

"Nate! I can tell you I already love it just from the drive to the house!" exclaimed Richard. "The two houses I've seen so far are gorgeous!"

"Wait till you see the stables! I'm threatening to live with the horses!" laughed Nathan.

"Son, so far, I'm very impressed! The land is beautiful as well as the stone fencing and the houses!" bragged Archie. "It's just phenomenal!"

"This is exquisite, Millicent! How did you ever find it?" asked Sophia.

"Monsieur and Madame Toussant donated quite a bit of money to one of our Children's Foundations that sponsors an Orphanage. I came out personally to help them set up their trust, which took several visits. We liked each other immediately, and the more time we spent together, the more I loved them and this place! I guess with me gushing about their estate so much, they finally told me they were considering selling. But they didn't want to put it on the market and sell it to just anyone. They both were determined they'd only sell it to someone who loved it as much as them! That was their most important criteria, as they don't have children to leave it to, and they already have all the money they'd ever want. I suppose I sort of became that person! And then, when Nathan saw it and fell in love with it, too, we knew this was our home!"

"This was meant to be, my Darling Daughter! I truly believe that," pronounced Victoria. "And so does your Father!"

"I agree, Mother. Monsieur Toussant instantly adored Nathan because his prized stallion, Black Feather, took to him immediately! And he loved that Nathan was raised on a Horse Ranch! I think it gave him confidence that at least one of us knew what we were doing with his beloved horses!"

"I don't know about you all, but Pippa and I are dying to see this house!" announced Margaret, inching her way to the front door. "I don't think I can wait a minute longer!"

"Coming Margaret!" called Millicent.

"How do you want to do this, Darling? The men are probably more interested in seeing the grounds," asked Nathan.

"You've got that right!" exclaimed Richard. "I'm ready to ride!"

"All right, hint taken, Richard! Are you okay, Mil, if we do that first? Then I'll take the men on a walk through the entire house when we get back!" promised Nathan.

"I think that's probably the best way to keep everyone happy, Love!"

"We'll head to the brook where we had our picnic, first, then follow pretty much the same path we took yesterday in case you Ladies want to join us!"

He came over to Millicent and kissed her, then kissed the rest of the women, and yes, Essie, was thrilled!

As the other men quickly gave their spouses kisses, Nathan snuck in more time wrapping his arm around Millicent!"

Though, when Nathan noticed Alfred was holding back, standing off to himself, he went over to him and put his arm around his shoulder.

"Would love you to join us, Albert! Want to know what you think of it all!"

"Of course, Sir! Would be happy to! Actually, I've been itching a bit to ride since we were here yesterday. Even wore my riding clothes!"

"Let's go, Albert!"

But Nathan turned back, as he couldn't resist stealing one last glimpse of Millicent.

He caught her attention, then grinned his crooked grin, and with a tip of his hat, waved, mouthing 'I love you!' yet he still couldn't seem to tear himself away, till he could vaguely hear the men, calling for him, with lots of laughter in the background.

"Brother, you are a goner, hook, line, and sinker! What are we doing, there? Waiting till Christmas?"

Unflappable, Nathan laughed and shot back with the happiest of smiles on his face.

"Save it, Bro!"

Which brought chuckles from all the men!

This was going to be a great day...