Sebastian was forced to eat his own words when they stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the sight before them. The Princeton Estate was in full bloom with cherry blossoms. Clouds of pink flowers stretched endlessly beyond them, and the road leading to the manor was carpeted with pink petals.
"We don't have to go to Japan to see cherry blossoms in full season," Conrad said, smiling.
"It's nice," Nicolas remarked.
A gust of wind swirled past, releasing a myriad of flowers from the trees, petals raining down on the car, some landing on the windscreen. Sebastian was too stunned to turn on the wiper and continued driving until they reached the front courtyard of the two-hundred-year-old stately manor, which most foreigners liked to call the Grand Castle of St. Joseph Island, made of massive gray stone that had stood up against many winters.
The estate was immaculately maintained with lush, green lawn and neat, pretty flowerbeds their father loved. The water feature of cupids and fairies, their father's pride and joy, stood proudly in the middle of the courtyard for them to admire, though the brothers didn't notice it as they drove past.
"Phew!" Tristan voiced the moment he was out of the car. "We're finally here. Really need a drink."
"Non-alcoholic," Darcy said, remembering the hangover he had yesterday.
Beth Faber, a plump woman with a stern look on her face, came out and screamed, "Oh Mother of Heaven!"
The brothers turned to look at her, surprised by her voice.
"Beth!" Logan greeted. "Surprise!"
"My goodness! This is a very big surprise," Beth said. "Now I really have to get all your rooms ready."
Tristan chuckled. "As if that's hard for you."
"All seven of you, mind you," Beth replied. "And where's Miss Alaina and Tara?"
The brothers started filing into the house, causing the two maids, who were busy carrying trays of savories into the sitting room, to come to a standstill. They were shocked and at the same time pleased to see them. They simply couldn't believe the handsome seven brothers were back. It was going to be an interesting and entertaining spring, all right.
Hayden nodded at them, Logan winked, and Tristan blew them a kiss. Nicolas shook his head at his brothers' flirtatious nature and followed them into the room, followed by Conrad, who gave the maids a friendly wave and smile. Darcy—darkly handsome and totally hot with his I don't give a shit about the world look—nearly sent the girls to Nirvana. He glanced at them, which caused the maids' hearts to flutter with joy and their knees to turn into jelly.
"He's so handsome," Anna, with red hair and freckles on her face, said dreamily, her voice quivering with delight. The other maid, Helen, nodded in agreement, her eyes following Darcy strolling into the room.
Sebastian was the last to enter. When the girls saw him, they nearly dropped their trays simply because he was just so gorgeous, just like an archangel with blond hair and blue eyes.
Sebastian didn't pay them any mind and in fact didn't even see them. He headed straight into the sitting room to see his mother, Brenda Princeton, hugging and kissing her sons.
"I've missed you boys so much. It feels like years since you last came home," she said, tears in her eyes.
"Oh, come now, Aunt," Mary Collins, the bride-to-be, said from the other side of the room. "It couldn't have been that long since they last came home?" She turned to Sebastian. "What happened? I heard you caused an accident."
That was fast. Sebastian eyed Tristan, who winked at him. "Just a minor accident," he said mildly.
"Minor?" Conrad stated from the other side of the room. "You nearly killed her!"
"You'll have a lot to answer for if you did hurt her, you know," Tristan said.
"Don't scare your brother, Tristan," Brenda said, coming over to Sebastian. "Now give me a kiss," she demanded, tiptoeing so her cheek could reach his six feet and two inches height.
"No sooner than you're all here, there's trouble," James Princeton said at the door. At nearly sixty-five years of age, he still looked amazingly handsome, with a tall, lean body and charming, aristocratic demeanor. His eyes were still as sharp as ever and his wit even sharper.
He sat on the sofa near the window and grinned. Nicolas came to sit next to him. Side by side, they looked almost identical, except Nicolas was a younger version, and James had more lines on his face and a head full of gray hair instead of blond.
Finally, trays of savories arrived. The two maids nervously put them down on the coffee table. A moment later, Beth came in with coffee.
"Thank goodness," Conrad said, pouring himself a cup. "I'm dehydrated."
James looked none too pleased at the coffee. Brenda chuckled, and Beth noticed James's dark frown.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Princeton," Beth said, "but it's standard coffee this afternoon."
James sighed. "Well, there's always tonight."
The brothers didn't have a clue as to why their father was upset about the coffee. It didn't taste half-bad.
"We're expecting your grandparents for dinner tonight," Brenda announced to her sons.
"Yeah!" Conrad remarked. "I haven't seen them for ages."
"I suppose I better inform Sakura to prepare for seven more," Beth muttered to herself before she left the room. No one was paying any attention to her mentioning the name "Sakura" as they continued to enjoy their afternoon tea.
"So, Mary, where's Peter?" Hayden asked.
Mary put down her cup of tea and turned to look at her cousin. With lust brown locks, cobalt-blue eyes, and soft features, she was a pretty girl. She said, "Coming on Friday with Richard."
"Richard?" Tristan asked. "Haven't seen that old flirt for ages."
"He's not a flirt." Mary defended her older brother.
Tristan chuckled. "Come to think of it, you're right. He's not. He's so lousy at flirting that it's not flirting. Has he got a girl yet?"
"Ask him yourself when he's here," Mary said.
"Will do," Tristan replied.
"Mom, Dad, and Peter's parents will be here next Wednesday," Mary said. "Hope the weather is going to be nice on my wedding day."
Logan waved her worry aside with a flick of his hand. "It'll be fine. By the way, why spring? Why here on St. Joseph Island?"
"What do you mean?" Mary raised her brows.
"What he means is," Darcy said from where he stood near the window, his eyes fixed on the countless cherry trees outside, "why get married here in spring?"
"Yeah, why here and why spring?" Hayden asked. "Don't all you girls want to get married in summer when the weather is perfect?"
Mary chuckled. "I asked myself those questions many times, too. Why here on St. Joseph Island. Why in spring?" She turned to look at her cousins who were waiting for her answers. "I suppose I have to blame it on my dear friend. She's the one who started it off when we were in high school. Always going on about how beautiful it is here in spring. Then when I saw it a couple of years ago, I knew I just had to get married here in spring."
"I see what you mean," Darcy said. Because at that moment he had his back to everyone, they didn't see his face soften with understanding, nor did they see the slight smile on his lips and the peaceful look in his eyes as he gazed at the clouds of cherry trees outside. Yes, he loved them, for they brought forward a sense of joy that he desperately needed. The beautiful sight and exotic scent reminded him of something lovely, wonderful, and warm. Yet there was pain there as well. Though for the life of him, he couldn't think of why.
"Mom?" Conrad said. "Do you know who lives in that cottage down the road?"
The moment he mentioned the cottage, his brothers turned their undivided attention to their mother.
Brenda cocked her head to one side at the sudden interest from her sons. "Down the road? You mean the brick cottage?"
"Hmm." Conrad nodded.
"Ned Faber," James said.
"You mean Beth's younger brother?" Sebastian asked.
"Yes," Brenda said. "He lives there. Why do you want to know?"
Conrad chuckled awkwardly. "No reason." He returned to his coffee. So did his brothers when they realized their parents were looking at them oddly.