A Groom wirh a View

children while putting the freshly cleaned linens on the first four beds. They were four-year-old twins, a boy and girl, and Jane and Shelley were amazed to learn their total birth weight was over thirteen pounds. Layla’s waist nipped in and her stomach was as flat as a breadboard. Further proof that Life Isn’t Fair.
    “Have you known Livvy long?“ Shelley asked.
    “In a way. We were friends in high school, and kept in touch during college, but I hadn’t heard from her in a good seven years until she called and asked me if I’d be her bridesmaid. I was surprised, but so eager to have a little vacation from my family that I accepted.“
    “Maybe she just wanted to renew the friendship,“ Jane said. “You both live in the Chicago area.“
    “Oh, yes. But I haven’t heard from her again since she called.“
    “That’s very odd, isn’t it?“ Shelley asked, expertly making a hospital corner with a sheet.
    “It would be odd for me, but not so much so for Livvy. She’s always been dead set on being a good businesswoman and never socialized much. I don’t even remember her having a single date in high school. She was always studying.“
    “What business is she in?“ Shelley asked.
    “Her family’s, I imagine,“ Layla said. “At least that was her aim then. She’s an only child whose mother died when she was very young. She used to be determined to be both daughter and son to her father. I never met him and she never said anything outright, but I got the impression he was very demanding and never quite let her forget that she was a mere girl, something of a disappointment.”
    Jane nodded. “I’ve only met with her four or five times to work out wedding details, and I never asked about her personal life, but I can well imagine that what you say of her is still true. She’s remarkably bland and self-controlled. Almost entirely detached from the wedding planning, really. And the only suggestions I made that were rejected were because ‘Daddy wouldn’t like that.’ In fact, her wedding dress is a very simple style because Daddy doesn’t like ruffles and lace.“
    “I wonder if Daddy likes the groom?“ Shelley said.
    Jane shrugged. “I’ve never met either Dad or the groom.“
    “Then you’re not a relative?“ Layla asked.
    “I’m hardly even an acquaintance,“ Jane admitted. “She just hired me to take care of all the details. She mentioned having a couple of aunts, but when I asked why they weren’t helping her, she just said they weren’t suitable.“ Actually, Livvy had said they were a couple of old bats, but it didn’t seem tactful to repeat the exact wording.
    Shelley cocked an eyebrow. “Unsuitable aunts? That’s a bit scary. Say, Layla, the florist mentioned something about a treasure here. Do you know what he meant?“
    “A treasure? No, I don’t— Oh, maybe I do. Let me think. I believe her grandfather was extremely wealthy. This was his place, you know. A bunch of us were invited here once in high school for a dance not long after the grandfather had died and somebody asked her about a treasure. Livvy pooh-poohed the idea. Apparently he hadn’t left as much money as her aunts expected and they’d been telling people he’d hidden the rest of his fortune somewhere.“ Layla took another sheet out of its packaging and snapped it open. “At least, I think that was the gist of it. I only remember that much because I was sixteen and this seemed the kind of spooky place where there might be a hidden treasure. I guess I’d read too much Nancy Drew as a child.”
    They finished making the bed and Layla added, “Oh, I know who could tell you about it. Livvy’s father and his best friend and hunting buddy both had daughters the same age. I can’t remember her name at the moment, but Mrs. Crossthwait mentioned her as being one of the other bridesmaids. Mrs. C. was complaining about all the fancy stuff on the dress.“
    “Oh, that’s Eden Matthews,“ Jane said.
    “That’s right,“ Layla replied. “Livvy sometimes whined about having to spend so much time with Eden because their dads were friends. Eden is a bit on the earthy side, I assume.“
    “She complained about her and still picked her as a bridesmaid?“ Jane asked.
    Layla laughed. “My bet is that she was another decision that Daddy made.”
    Shelley fluffed up one of the limp pillows and stuffed it into a pillowcase. “Why do I have the feeling that we’re not all going to be real crazy about