The Wild Card [Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands]

Chapter 9

Sabrina sat up in her bed, startled from her peaceful dreams. She was a morning person by nature, but something had awakened her almost half an hour before her usual waking time. She listened, and hearing nothing, shrugged and chalked it up to some sound she'd dreamt rather than heard.

She stretched and yawned, then went to her closet to select an outfit. The forecast was for another hot sunny day, so she chose a light blue floral sundress with a thin white cardigan to keep her shoulders warm until it heated up outside. Then she brushed out her long, dark hair and pinned some of it back with a barrette before heading downstairs—quietly, so as to avoid waking her father.

To her surprise, though, he was already up, standing in the foyer of their home talking in a low voice to someone.

"Will!" she squealed as she ran the rest of the way downstairs. She threw her arms around his neck, laughing happily as she hugged him tightly.

"Hello, Bitty," he replied with a smile as he mussed her hair. "I see you've grown a bit since I last saw you."

"What do you mean, 'Bitty? I'll have you know I'm eighteen now!" she protested, batting at his hand.

"Already? Well, well. Maybe I'll have to come up with a new nickname for you. How about...."

"You could just call me Sabrina," she pouted.

"All right, all right," Regis exclaimed in exasperation. "Sabrina, my dear, I have some business to discuss with Will. Why don't you make yourself a cup of tea and watch the sunrise from the terrace as you usually do, and leave us to talk in private?"

With a small sigh, Sabrina nodded and turned to walk away.

"Oh, one more thing, darling," her father called, and she looked back at him. "Your cousin wishes to... to be accepted by the local populace on his own merits, not because of his relationship with us. So for the time being, you are not to mention his connection to us, or even act as though you know him as anything more than a newcomer. Except when the three of us are alone here in this house—then you may temporarily drop your façade. Is that clear?"

She stared wide-eyed at her father. "I... I have to pretend not to know Will? My favorite cousin?"

"Yes, my child. It's what he wants. Isn't that so, Willem?"

"Hmmm? Oh, yes. Yes, I'm sorry, but it's for the best. Just for a while," Will agreed, though he couldn't quite look his cousin in the eyes.

Sabrina turned and fled to the kitchen, stifling a sob as she disappeared through the doorway. Shaking his head and sighing, Regis led the way back to his office, closing the door firmly behind them.

Dropping into a chair opposite to his uncle, Will said, "All right, Uncle Regis. Why did you call me out here? And what is with all that nonsense about hiding our relationship?"

"Just this: there is a newcomer here in the islands, and I find that she is... becoming a nuisance. She dares to interfere with my plans, and it simply will not do."

"Oh?" Will raised an eyebrow skeptically. "And where do I come in?"

"I prefer not to resort to any actually illegal means to deal with this problem. The risk is too great, in my opinion. I have my reputation, my name as well as my daughter's, to protect. So given your particular *ahem* talents, I believe the solution to my problem lies in your hands. Quite literally."

"Care to elaborate? And what's in it for me?"

"To answer your second question first, I believe I recall my sister ringing me several times recently, fuming over some debts you had accrued?"

"Ahh, yes. That would be why I was sailing hither and yon. Incidentally, I apologize for the delay in responding to your summons. It took some time for your letter to catch up with me, then of course the time to sail here."

"Understood. If you succeed in this... endeavor, I shall pay your debts as well as provide you with some additional remuneration. How does that sound?"

"Not bad so far. What is it you wish of me, exactly?" Will replied warily.

"I simply wish for you to... shall we say, change this young lady's mind? She refuses to sell me her land, and to add insult to injury, she negotiated for the mineral rights to the new island south of here before I had the opportunity to do so. If you can persuade her to sell me her land, I will pay your debts for you. Furthermore, if you can persuade her to sign over those mineral rights to me, I will give you a considerable bonus."

"And how do you expect me to do this? What sort of person is this newcomer?"

"She is a young woman, I would guess a little older than my Sabrina. She is stubborn and willful, at least in my experience, but she is not unattractive."

"Not unattractive?"

"Well, rather attractive, I suppose. Dark hair, tan, tall, and all that. She seems to be financially independent, as she has made a number of improvements to her ranch with no apparent source of income so far. As for how... well, you do have a certain reputation."

Will grinned at his uncle. "What can I say, Uncle Regis? Ladies do seem to be drawn to me, I confess. However, what if somehow I actually fall for her? What then?"

Regis scowled at him. "I don't care what you do with the blasted creature. Seduce her, abandon her, marry her—it's all the same to me, as long as you secure me the deed to that property and the mineral rights to the new island."

"Why do you want that land so badly, anyway? I can understand the mineral rights, since after all, one of your businesses is the Sinclair Mining Group. But why an old ranch?"

"I don't care about the ranch, obviously. No, I want the property to build a casino and resort. And with all the publicity the islands have attracted due to the emergence of that volcano, now is the time to act!"

"I see. Yes, that makes far more sense. And what is this young lady's name?"

"Nicolette Lamb, though she insists on being called Colette."

"Nicolette Lamb...." Will mused, frowning as he thought. After a moment, he smiled. "Well, uncle, I think I will very likely be able to oblige you. However, I am somewhat lacking in funds at this time, and there will be expenses—moorage fees, of course, and living expenses, not to mention whatever funds are required in my, ahh, activities on your behalf."

Regis snorted, then unlocked and opened a desk drawer. "Yes, yes," he said impatiently. "Here, will this satisfy your needs?" He pulled out a stack of bills and passed them to Will.

He thumbed through, rapidly calculating, then pulled out his wallet and tucked the cash inside. "Very nicely, uncle, at least for now. After all, there's no saying how long it will take to win her over, especially if she's as intractable as you suggest."

Looking at him sharply, Regis snapped, "Don't take too long, Willem. If you do, not only will I be inconvenienced, but no doubt you will find yourself surrounded by sharks—and not just those swimming in the sea, either."

Will blanched slightly, then rose and nodded curtly. "Understood, Uncle Regis. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe I have my work cut out for me."