Less than two weeks later, Walter was gone. Per his last instructions, there was a great celebration of his memory and a memorial service during which his ashes were spread across the grave of his beloved. Bradley and Kay moved into the cold building that had been Walter’s home within days. The bedroom belonging to Walter had been cleared of all but the heavy old furniture, though the bed now awaited delivery of a new mattress and box springs.
“Kay?” a voice called to her from the doorway.
“Yes?”
“My name is Ivy. I was Walter’s caretaker.”
“Yes. Of course. I remember you.”
“Walter asked me to give this to you once he was gone,” she said, holding out a small box.
“What is it?” she asked as the woman handed it to her.
“I’ll let you discover that. He just told me to make sure you got it, along with the note that is taped to it. He dictated that to me, but I’ll let you read it for yourself.”
Kay thanked her and looked at the small box curiously for a moment before opening it. Inside was a rather delicate-looking locket containing the photos of a young man and woman. They were on opposite sides, facing so as to appear to be smiling at one another. She opened the note.
Dearest Kay,
Though I’ve not known you very long, I’ve fallen in love with your warmth and kindness. Your visits have truly been a treasure. I wanted to give you something special to me as a token of my deep affection. I had this locket made for my sweet Sarah before she was taken from me. It was to be a gift for our anniversary, but she was gone before it was finished. It has lain in my dresser for all these years and I’ve not been able to bear so much as a glance at it. Now, I want you to have it. I can think of none more beautiful to give it the life it has never had. You don’t have to keep the photos inside it. Replace them with your own, but I hope you will wear it and think of me and my Sarah.
All my best,
Walter
Kay stood there, crying, once again, for a man she hardly knew.CHAPTER SEVENLife on the ranch was nothing extraordinary. The nights were quiet, with Bradley in one room and her in another. While there were people about, they were the picture of happiness, but when everyone went home, they existed separately. Bradley worked long hours in the study that he had bothered to change very little from Walter’s previous inhabitance. It had mostly been occupied by Bradley due to his predecessor’s illness in recent months anyway.
The house, he had left up to Kay. Though they were both aware that she wouldn’t be here by the end of the year, Bradley had no inclinations toward interior design. He did, however, understand that the house could use a bit of freshening up and was content to let Kay have her way with it. She didn’t mind. It kept her busy, though it wasn’t her only job here at the ranch.
Among her jobs on the ranch was helping with the horses. She had never really been around horses and was surprised that they either couldn’t sense the shifter in her blood or didn’t care that they were among bears. They were content to let her clean and brush them, which she did happily. It was much preferred to the portion of their care in which she cleaned their stalls and put out fresh hay. The former stank, and the latter smelled rather nice but scratched her arms if she wasn’t careful.
Everyone in the clan was expected to pull their weight at the ranch and, in order to be accepted as a member of the group, she had been required to follow their lead. In return, all members benefited from the produce and profits. Kay was friendly with the other members of the clan, but she kept a part of herself from them. There was no good to be made of getting too attached to people she’d be leaving behind in a matter of months.
Once the ranch was put to rest for the day, everyone mostly returned to their homes. There were always some that came to the main house, the home she shared with Bradley, and so, she was required to play her part while they were present. Even at the end of the day, she and Bradley appeared to be in the same quarters to those that remained as in-house staff, but it was just more of their deception.
The large master bedroom they shared joined a private room that was off limits to everyone but herself and Bradley. Neither of them was sure what the purpose had once been of this room, but it served their current needs perfectly. They could adjourn to the main bedroom for the night and she could slip into the adjoining room through the bathroom that split the two without anyone knowing.