Chapter 29: Greetings

Present Day

“Just how much longer will this take?” asked Jenny Brownell. She was in the third row of the minivan, and not amused.

Her brother Nick rolled his eyes at the complaint. One or the other of his sisters had been whining about the drive for hours. “Give it a rest, Jenny.” He was in the center row so that he could pass along any final directions to his father.

“Shove it!” she grumped.

“Yeah, really. Are we even still in North Carolina? Are we lost?” asked his other sister, Mandy. She was sitting behind her mother

“Okay, you two, knock it off!” said their father from the driver’s seat. “Just because you two missed your beauty sleep doesn’t mean you get to whine like spoiled brats! According to the GPS we’ll be in Springwater in just a few minutes.” Adam Brownell looked over at his wife Megan and rolled his eyes.

Megan simply shrugged. The two girls, fifteen and sixteen, were not what could be called morning people, and they had been up since well before dawn for the trip. It was nine-and-a-half hours from Philadelphia but adding in pit stops and gas fill-ups it had stretched it out to eleven-plus. On the other hand, flying wouldn’t have saved any time. Between showing up two hours early for security check-ins, boarding delays, picking up luggage, renting a car, and then driving at least another hour to Springwater, it would have taken just as long and cost three times as much. They were all tired and getting a bit cranky.

Any further thoughts were interrupted by the voice from the GPS telling them to turn off the highway at the next exit. “Take a right when we get to the end of the ramp. Springwater is about five miles more,” said Nick.

Mandy and Jenny spent the next five minutes complaining to each other about the horrors of rural North Carolina in general, and Springwater in particular. Adam and Megan didn’t even try arguing with the pair; Springwater looked to be a perfectly nice place, but their daughters considered civilization to begin and end in suburban Philadelphia.

Nick began pointing out the turns as the GPS system called the turns. When they were on the final stretch, he said, “Now, when we get to the base of the hill, you turn left after the distillery.”

“They live at a distillery?” asked Megan.

Nick laughed. “Not quite. They own the entire mountain and the distillery at the bottom of it. Don’t worry, it will make sense after you see it. Watch for the sign. You’ll love it!”

“They own a mountain?” asked Jenny.

Her brother shrugged. “Not really. It’s more than a hill, though, at least to me. What’s the difference, anyway? What’s the definition of a mountain?” That train of thought ended when he pointed and said, “There’s the distillery, so bear to the left. Slow down so you can read the sign.”

Adam passed the entrance to the industrial-looking buildings and spotted a pair of signs on a large post in front of a stone entranceway. The top sign said,

No Trespassing Allowed - Entrance By Invitation Only!

The more interesting sign was the second, under the first.

Go Ahead! Try It! Coyotes Have To Eat Too!

Adam laughed. “I love it! Now I know where to send you girls the next time you start complaining!” Megan reached over and squeezed her husband’s hand as she joined in laughing at her daughters.

“Very funny!” replied Mandy.

“Do they really have coyotes around here?” asked Jenny.

“I know a good way to find out,” answered Nick. He ignored their outrage and said, “Just drive on up the driveway. At least I’m here by invitation. The rest of you might be in trouble, but I’m safe.”

Adam snorted as he continued up the driveway. “Just remember, boy, I don’t have to be faster than the coyotes. I just have to be faster than you.”

The driveway snaked through dense woods up the side of the hill only to break out into the sunlight at the top. Then they could see a large mansion in a very large field, with a circular driveway in front and a branch heading out back. Nick directed his father to the front of the mansion.

Megan looked at the house. “My God, Nick! You are really moving up in the world!”

Nick’s father parked the car and said, “I assume Ashley lives in the house and not in the servant’s quarters out back? And I thought I was doing well...”

Nick laughed and got out of the minivan. “Don’t worry, Dad. After the wedding, I’ll make sure they treat you peasants properly.”

“Smart ass,” was the muttered response.

The rest of the family climbed out of the minivan and stretched. Megan debated going up to the front door and knocking when it flung open and a young woman in shorts and a tank top came tearing out. “You made it! You made it!” She leapt down the steps and ran to Nick. She jumped into his arms and wrapped herself around him. “I have missed you so much!”

Nick hugged Ashley Culverin tightly and kissed her lightly. “I missed you, too.”