Stately Diamond Manor

"Crap."

Harvey took his eyes off the road for a moment to look over at Bridget. She sat in the front passenger seat of his SUV, looking guilty.

"We forgot to call the cabin with an update," Bridget noted.

"Ah, yes, we did forget. Well, in our defense, we had other things on our minds," he responded.

"Wiener doggie!" Sean exclaimed from the backseat, where he watched the passing view.

"I promised to call Peyton this morning. I hope she's not worried," Bridget fretted. "Kind of strange she didn't call me," she added, checking her cell phone.

"You think they heard about the articles?"

"Oh, no. What if they did?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about your daughter's reaction. Sean didn't even consider the stories to be true for a second."

"Cockamamie bullsnot!"

"Maybe I should call them now?" Bridget wondered, ignoring the shout from behind them.

"I say wait. We'll see them in a little while. It'll be easier to deal with everyone at once rather than play phone tag," Harvey suggested.

"Yeah, that's probably a better option," she agreed. "Are you sure your staff will be fine with Sean? Graham seemed a little concerned."

"Frida will be fine. She likes to fuss over Whitney and her friends. Valeria's the one that might get miffed by his behavior, but I have a plan for that."

"Speaking of plans--"

"Pizza, pizza, pizza!" Sean cried from the back as they passed an Italian restaurant. "Stop!"

"Sean, it's too early for lunch. That place isn't even open yet. Maybe later after we get back from the cemetery," Bridget informed him, bringing about a groan of disappointment.

"You really want to take him into a restaurant like that?" Harvey queried with a smirk. The question received a small, firm shake of her head in response. "You were saying something about a plan?"

"Right, you mentioned to Graham that Willow is arriving later."

"Yes, she should be in this afternoon. Hopefully, the doctors will have an update on Whitney's condition by thing," Harvey remarked. "Any news to discuss might keep the tension down between the two of them."

"Still that bad?"

"I'm hoping Whitney will be discharged as well. Having her trapped in a hospital room with her mother will surely lead to trouble."

"I hate to break it to you, Harvey, but Whitney's almost certain to be held over for an additional night for observation. No one wants to take any chances," Bridget explained.

"I figured as much, but one can hope," he responded, moving the car to the right turn lane at the stoplight.

"They're pretty," Sean said from behind the driver's seat.

"Yes, they are," Harvey commented, checking out the two girls in the red sports coupe next to them.

"Hi! You're pretty!" Sean yelled as he lowered the window and waved at the two twentysomethings

"Sean!" Bridget shrieked, turning back and seeing her son leaning out the window. "Get back in here now. Sean, stop that! It's creepy!"

As the two women looked over in surprise, they appeared equally amused and horrified by Sean's attempt to talk to them while hanging out the window. Luckily, the intersection wasn't a no-turn-on-red one, so seeing an opening, Harvey made the right turn onto the next street. That left Sean to wave as they left the women behind.

"Bye!"

"Sean Seamus, get back inside here, right now!" his mother ordered him.

"But they were pretty," he complained, raising the window back up.

"And you'll see plenty of pretty girls once we get back to the cabin," Bridget reminded him. Then, noticing Harvey's beaming face of amusement, Bridget slapped his chest. "Maybe I should recommend that Whitney go on the same painkillers. I bet you wouldn't find it so funny when it's your kid."

"Maybe you should. Then I'll leave Willow in charge of Whitney for a few hours," he joked.

"Sure, do that. And then you'll have another crazy article on The Stinging Truth about your family."

Harvey didn't answer as he slowed the vehicle down, raising his hand up to push a button on a remote control. After the gates opened, he directed the SUV up the cobblestone driveway. That brought the full grandeur of Diamond Manor into view.

"Holy Batman!"

As she surveyed the majestic mansion, Bridget felt a touch of sadness that Harvey and Whitney, save for a few staff members, lived all alone in such a huge house. A place this size needs a large family to feel like a true home. And considering how often her dad travels, Whitney must feel lonely, far too much.

"I'm going to pull around toward the garage. The side entrance should be easier to get Sean through," Harvey informed Bridget. He assumed wrongly that her face showed concern over helping Sean up the front steps. Motioning toward the center of the console and the clock, he added, "We should have enough time to get him settled and time to shower for us."

"Good. I feel grimy," Bridget responded, sighing in anticipation of a hot shower. "Still, I wish I had time to run home. A change of clothes would be just as nice."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. I think--"

"Squirrel!"

Sean's shout caused both front seat passengers to jump in their seats. Both adults even swung their heads in time to see two squirrels race each other up a tree. Flabbergasted over her son's lack of impulse control this morning, Bridget mumbled to herself.

"I hope he sleeps most of the time here."

"Ah, here we are," Harvey announced, parking the SUV on the driveway in front of the garage.

Like clockwork, the side door opened, and out stepped a heart-stopping vision. Although not looking her age at all, the thirty-year-old woman had long, straight dark brown, green eyes, firm medium-sized breasts, and an ass that could crack eggs. A tall, willowy woman, she showed off her long legs with a pair of high heels and a tan pencil skirt. An exaggerated cowl sweater in cream finished off the outfit. Displaying remarkable agility, she had no problems strutting quickly on the cobblestone driveway in her high heels.

"Good morning, sir," she greeted Harvey as he climbed out of his SUV.

"Good morning, Valeria," he responded, turning to open the rear driver's side door. "Were you able to find my grandfather's wheelchair?"

"Of course, sir. It was in the south side storage room as I expected."

"Good, cause we're going to need it," Harvey stated as Sean nearly flopped out of the vehicle. Pushing the teen back inside, the dark-haired man raised his eyebrows at his employee.

Steely faced, Valeria spun on her heels to face the manor, snapping her fingers several times in clear annoyance. As a result, the side door burst open. A flustered young man flew out the door, pushing a wheelchair in front of him.

"Sorry, sorry! I thought you would come through the front doors," the young blond-haired man in his mid-twenties apologized.

"Spencer, I'm surprised to see you here," Harvey commented, glancing curiously to Valeria.

"I surmised that we might need a hand in lifting the boy. With Bud on vacation, I made a call, and Mr.Vine was recommended as an eager employee of Diamond Corp," Valeria explained. "And I also had concerns over your choice of help making it to the manor on time."

"I told you that wouldn't be an issue, Valeria," Harvey reminded the woman, who didn't appear to share her employer's faith. Then, noticing that Bridget watched Valeria in curiosity and that Sean drooled over her, Harvey realized he hadn't made introductions.

"My apologies. Bridget, Sean, this is Valeria Katona, my major-domo for the manor. You'll find her to be highly organized and competent, if not a tad bit too serious."

"My duties don't allow for a flippant attitude, sir."

"I'll break you of that someday, I promise," Harvey responded with a wink. Turning, he motioned to the young man who gripped the wheelchair tightly while looking very nervous. "And this young man, Spencer Vine, is a promising member of Diamond Corp. A good man who I expect will one day be a top executive under Whitney."

Spencer appeared uncomfortable at the praise from a member of the Diamond family. Despite working at Diamond Corp for two and a half years, Spencer still seemed unsure about Harvey, the well-talked about playboy. He wanted to believe the reassuring words his idol and role model, Dalton Pierce, said about his good friend. Yet, Spencer also heard the stories around work about the wild ways of the older Diamond brother. So unsure how to respond to the unexpected praise, he merely nodded at the man, who was technically one of his bosses. Or maybe not.

"And this is Dr. Bridget Tarver, an old family friend from my teenage years, and her son, Sean. Sean's a classmate of Whitney's and the young man that risked his life to pull her from the icy lake. If it wasn't for his bravery, I don't know how much worse of a condition Whitney would be in at the moment."

"Hello," Bridget greeted Harvey's two employees. "Thank you for your help with my son. I appreciate you taking the time from your day."

Waiting for greetings from Sean that never came, his mother noticed that he stared in awe at Valeria. Shaking her head at him, Bridget offered apologies for her son's rudeness.

"Sean broke a couple of bones in his foot during the ice incident. As a result, he's been prescribed some strong painkillers. I fully apologize in advance. They've made him far too chatty and inappropriate. Actions that are not like him at all."

"Oh, they've been quite amusing if you ask me," Harvey remarked. "I'm sure that Valeria, of all people, could use a bit of refreshing entertainment."

Ignoring Harvey's attempt to tease her, Valeria motioned for Spencer to bring the wheelchair over near the vehicle and Sean. Together with Harvey, the young man helped lower the teenager from the high SUV into the chair.

"Can you handle this, Spencer?" Harvey asked, meaning his pushing of Sean into the manor.

"Yes!" squeaked the flustered young man.

"You okay, honey?" Bridget inquired, leaning to check on her son.

"Mom, his Alfred is fucking hot!" Sean attempted to whisper but failed.

Taking a deep breath to control herself, Valeria waved her hand at Spencer. "Come along, Mr. Vine. It's too cold to waste time."

Harvey held the door as Spencer pushed Sean toward it. Bridget accompanied the wheelchair from the side while Valeria walked in front of them. This put her front and center of Sean. With his head cocked to the side, the teen continued to watch Valeria in fascination. The tight, tan pencil skirt displayed her toned ass as it swayed back and forth.

"I'm too sexy, like a model on the catwalk. Yeah, on the catwalk. I'm too sexy; shaking that little tush on the catwalk," the loopy teen sang softly.

"Sean, can you please behave?" Bridget asked her son in exasperation.

"Actually, Sean's on the mark. Valeria used to model when she was a teenager," Harvey informed them. Raising his voice, he asked his employee, "It was for about five years that you modeled, right?"

"Roughly, yes. I began when I was almost fourteen and quit to attend college not long after I turned nineteen."

"Brains and beauty wrapped into the same package. I'm very fortunate to have her in my employ," Harvey commented before shifting over to asking his major-domo a question. "Did you have any problems with your other task?"

"Not at all, sir. Dr. Tarver's options are in the second-floor guest room, the first one on the left."

"My options?" Bridget asked in confusion.

"Yes, when I made my calls earlier, I asked Valeria to pick up a couple of clothing options for you. I knew you wouldn't want to wear yesterday's clothes to the cemetery."

"Harvey, you didn't have to do that," she protested.

"It's not a big deal."

"Well, it is for me. So thank you, and thank you too, Valeria," Bridget insisted.

"It's part of my job, but you are welcome," the leggy brunette replied.

Something in her answer led Bridget to assume it wasn't anywhere close to the first time that she had picked up clothing for a woman at Harvey's request.

"I've set up an area in the study for the boy to rest," the major-domo continued.

"I've changed my mind. Sean, here, is a big reader, so he might enjoy the library more. The chaise in there is quite comfortable."

Only a flicker of annoyance crossed Valeria's face before she recovered. "Very well, sir. Mr. Vine, we'll be going this way now."

At that moment, a familiar face appeared, beaming with joy at seeing the Tarvers. Moving forward quickly, Frida's somewhat large bust shook in her red blouse, drawing Sean's eyes away from Valeria's ass.

"Dr. Tarver, Sean, welcome to Diamond Manor," she greeted them before kneeling down near Sean. "And don't you worry. We're going to make sure our little hero is well-cared for and pampered."

"Hot and spicy!"

"Thank you, Frida. Sean's still a little out of it," Bridget said.

"Would you like something to drink or eat, Sean?" the manor's chef asked.

"Milk, big milk," Sean uttered, staring at Frida's breasts.

"A big glass of milk? You got it, hero," Frida said. "So, you're putting him into the library? I'll stop in the study and send your helper over. I'll be back shortly."

"Helper?" Bridget asked as Harvey and Spencer moved Sean onto a plush chaise couch.

"As Graham put it correctly, Valeria doesn't put up with silliness." Valeria firmly nodded at Harvey's statement. "So, I decided to ask for help from someone who will enjoy Sean's current state."

"Where would you find a person that could enjoy Sean's gibberish?" Bridget inquired in bewilderment.

"Galloping gremlins! Look at all the books," a cheery voiced exclaimed as it entered the room.

"And here she is," Harvey said, noticing the new arrival. "Any issues getting back from the cabin in time, Chastity?"

"No siree, sir! I had enough time to run home and get changed."

"Good, good. I wasn't sure if any more branches fell last night," Harvey remarked, highly thankful that Chastity left early enough this morning to help out further. In fact, he'd hadn't realized that she took his words yesterday to mean that she should stay over an additional night. I'm going to have to find a special thank you gift for her. Something that fits her personality.

Wearing a tight, festive holiday sweater that showcased her very large breasts, Chastity gave a big, wide wave to everyone with a welcoming smile plastered over her face. Suddenly, her smile vanished, turning into a look of **** worry.

"Goodness gracious, you look like a truck hit you!?" Chastity exclaimed, staring at Sean's leg.

"Good morning, Chastity," Bridget greeted, moments before the honey blonde launched over to deliver a firm hug. "Um, nice to see you too."

"Poo on a stick. People are meanies!"

"I see that the articles made it up to the cabin," Harvey nodded in understanding. Bridget only realized what Chastity meant after his comment. "So, how was everyone at the cabin last night?"

"So, so sad. And a lot of cuddling noises. Holy Mackerel!"

Harvey and Bridget looked at each other in confusion. Finally, a light bulb went off in his head.

"Ah, yes, cuddling," Harvey nodded. Lowering his voice, he leaned over to the still confused Bridget. "I'll explain in the car."

"Thank you for offering to help us by watching Sean," Bridget said. Still, she had a wary feeling over the young woman's reliability. "Are you sure you're okay with watching him in his condition?"

"Boy, am I ever! I love babysitting, and I always liked playing nurse. This is going to be sauce-berries!"

Seeing Bridget's worried demeanor, Harvey leaned over to whisper into her ear as Chastity bounced over to Sean, Spencer's eyes following. "Sean will be fine. But just to make sure, we'll leave Frida in charge of his meds."

"Hiya, Seanie! Remember me, I'm Chastity."

"Titties!"

"Close! It's Chas-tity. No letter s at the end."

Across the room, Valeria shook her head and sighed.