White Lies and Sweet Compromise( 𝐁𝐖𝐖𝐌💕)

Chapter 10

Duncan Cove was at first a century-old plantation whose property had spread for many acres. It has over the years been plotted and sold to various families that have allowed for changes that caused it to now be a quiet though active town that boasted history and culture along with its modernized civility.

It was nestled in the vast countryside of North East New Jersey. It offered a wide variety of vineyards, orchards, and crop farming. Here friends are family and each one helps the other thus causing a grapevine that brings about all the current happenings in every household.

Wendy knew she was the topic on the grapevine. The majority of Duncan Cove's should-be busy housewives were awaiting her arrival but she took respite in the fact they were civil enough to hold off until they got to satiate their curiosity at the wedding on Sunday. However, her heart did a little dip as they approached the now-modernized Preston Manor.

She tried to calm her nerves as they drove over the stone bridge that led to the curved driveway that had the wide wrought iron gate that she and her cousins as children used to ride as they awaited their fathers' return from the fields.

The gate was promptly open as the car approached and Wilfred still strong and willowy as he did when she was a child smiled beamingly at her as he peered through the driver's window.

She waved gayly at him as he took off his hat clutched it to his overall-clad chest and grinned his greeting.

They continued up a gravelled path. On one side were larch and pine trees along the other rose shrubs dotted with rhododendrons that bordered the well-manicured lawn which glistened a rich green.

In a matter of minutes, the red brick three-story Manor was sprawled in all its glory. Wraparound upstairs balconies with white-rimmed wooden bay windows lined the middle and upper floor, and thick wooden doors some just plain oak others panelled with designed stain glass add it's an appealing touch.

The lower floor had a wide porch with a wooden stylish baluster of dark wood to offer security that led down to border a set of semicircular brick steps which had an evergreen on either side cut in a low dome shape design. On one side of the porch was a table with comfortable lounge chairs while the other had a matching set of lawn chairs of padded square whicker.

As they parked a woman clad in a white floral flowing dress clinched at a small waist by a wide plaited leather belt with a stylish buckle came carrying a pitcher and glasses on a tray to place on the table. Her hair was a startling red of cropped short curls teased to offer volume.

She was followed by a tall and regal woman with salt and pepper hair in a pixie cut that was less dramatically styled dress in a breezy chiffon Pancho dress that she styled with a yellow rope-like belting.

They both grinned as they watched Wendy and Deacon alight from the vehicle. In seconds the younger woman was engulfed by the two who gave delightful squeals as they pushed her slightly away and scrutinized her.

The woman with the salt and pepper hair and a dark face similar in appearance to Wendy's gleamed as she pulled the younger woman back into her embrace and kissed her cheek affectionately as she hugged her again.

"Mother," Wendy giggled as she made much of the two women in return "Aunty Precilla you both have beau's I know nothing about?"

"You know your Uncle John was the only man for me," her aunt said smiling as her mother just shook her head and moved away to go down the stairs to Deacon who stood smiling at them.

This was it, here it was.

This was the moment when she would pass out with anxiety. Her mother was not a harsh woman she was caring, supportive, and very open-minded but when it came to her only child she could be a force to reckon with and she found herself hugging her aunt close to her for support.