Authors: Mariah Stewart
Had her mother cooked when she was here? Ellie had vague recollections of Lynley making breakfast or dinner but only when her father was away. He liked having a professional cook live in, and once he’d hired someone, Lynley practically never made so much as a cup of tea when he was around. But when Clifford was away—that was a different story. Even now, if she closed her eyes she could taste—smell—grilled cheese sandwiches and homemade tomato soup.
Where had that memory come from?
There’d been a time when she was home on a school
holiday—Christmas, maybe?—when Lynley arrived from her latest photo shoot two full days before Clifford returned from a business trip. Lynley had given the surprised cook those two extra days off and had spent what to Ellie’s mind had been forty-eight glorious hours at home, just the two of them. They’d baked Christmas cookies and drunk hot chocolate while watching a marathon of holiday movies together:
The Muppets Christmas
and
The Christmas Toy
, and
Miracle on 34th Street. A Claymation Christmas
and
A Christmas Story
and
It’s a Wonderful Life
. Having two whole days with her mother had been the best present Ellie could have received, and she’d cherished the memory of Lynley singing along with Burl Ives while
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
played on the TV that was built into the kitchen wall so the cook could watch her soaps in the afternoon.
Dear God, that seemed so long ago.
Was
so long ago.
She wondered if her mother had baked cookies here, made hot chocolate and grilled cheese sandwiches to share with Lilly.
She pushed the past aside and forced herself to focus on the pots and pans that were in the cabinets.
There was a large pot that had a wire contraption that fit inside it and a lid. She had absolutely no idea what it could be used for. She added it to the closet where she’d stacked things to ask Nita about.
The doorbell rang, so she dried her hands and went tentatively to the front door. From the living room window she could see her visitor. Jesse Enright’s
fiancée—Brooke?—stood on the step with something in her hands.
Damn
.
Ellie debated whether or not to answer the door. Finally, she opened it, feigning surprise to see Brooke.
“Hey, Brooke,” she said as pleasantly as she could.
“Ellie, I’m embarrassed that it took meeting you this morning to remind me that I hadn’t stopped over to welcome you to St. Dennis.” Brooke handed her a plate that was covered with aluminum foil.
“Oh, Brooke, you didn’t have to.…” Ellie protested even as she held the plate which could only contain cupcakes.
“I wanted to.”
Convention and manners dictated that Ellie invite Brooke in. It also occurred to her that she’d have an opportunity to perhaps determine just what Jesse had told Brooke about her and how she’d obtained the property.
“Do you have a minute to come in?” Ellie heard herself asking. She lifted one corner of the foil and glanced at the cupcakes. “Wow, these are gorgeous. You’re going to have to eat one of these. I don’t dare eat them all myself.”
She stood back so that Brooke could enter, then closed the door behind her.
“This was so nice of you,” Ellie said.
Brooke glanced past her into the living room.
“Wow, not much has changed.” She pointed into the room. “Except Mrs. Cavanaugh always had plants on that table near the window. She had tons of house-plants.”
“She did? Wait, you knew her, too?”
Brooke nodded. “Sure. Everyone knew her. She was a real sweetheart. No kid ever missed Cavanaughs’ on Halloween. She always had the best homemade caramel apples to give out. Sometimes she even dipped them in chocolate and rolled them in peanuts. I swear, she knew every kid in this town by name.” Brooke walked into the living room uninvited and gazed around. “She didn’t used to keep the decoys there, though. I think those were always on the bookcase.” She pointed to the wall of shelves.
“And by now, I’m sure you heard that her … niece? second cousin?—whatever—was Lynley Sebastian.”
Ellie nodded. “I did know that.”
“Oh, of course you would, since you bought the house from her estate. Crazy about her husband, though, right?”
“Did you ever meet her? Lynley?”
“No. Wish I had, though.” Brooke pointed to a chair that stood near the front window. “Supermodel, actress. I used to watch her in that TV show … I can’t remember the name of it now but I’m sure you know the one I mean …”
Ellie did but she didn’t volunteer the information.
“… and I’d daydream that she’d be in St. Dennis one day and we’d meet her and she’d be real friendly and she’d become friends with my mother.” Brooke laughed self-consciously. “Silly, huh?”
“You’re probably not the only person in town who wanted to meet her.”
“That’s for sure.” Brooke pointed to a chair near the front wall. “Mr. Cavanaugh used to sit in this
chair and look out the window, the year he fell ill. He’d wave to all us kids when we went past to go crabbing off the old dock that used to be out there. It fell into the Bay after a big winter storm one year.” She smiled at the memory. “He was such a nice man. They never had kids of their own—I mean, I know they pretty much raised Lynley—but they were really nice to all the kids in town.”
Ellie’s ears perked up. “Wait, did you say they raised Lynley? Mr. and Mrs. Cavanaugh?”
Brooke nodded. “That’s my understanding.”
“Really.” Ellie was stunned. She’d never heard such a thing. She’d never met her maternal grandparents, who’d died in a boating accident before she was born. Her father had told her they had lived in California but she assumed that Lynley had lived with them.
“So Lynley lived here …? She went to school here?”
“At some point, but I don’t know how old she was when she arrived and I don’t know how old she was when she left. If you’re interested, you could ask someone like Grace Sinclair—you met her at Cuppachino this morning. She’s lived here forever, and her family’s owned that newspaper for longer than that. It’s the only newspaper St. Dennis ever had. If anyone knows the story, I’d expect it would be Grace.”
The two women had gravitated back toward the entry, and Ellie’s mind was racing a mile a minute.
“Can I offer you some tea?” she asked.
“Sure. That would be great. I have to watch my time, though. I left my mother in charge of the bakery
and told her I’d be back in an hour.” Brooke glanced at her watch. “Which gives me about twenty-five minutes, so sure. Tea would be nice.”
Ellie led the way to the kitchen, and once there, apologized for the mess.
“I started cleaning out the cupboards this morning. I don’t know what I was hoping to find. Except maybe a coffeemaker,” she added drily.
She ran water from the faucet into the ancient stainless-steel kettle and placed it on the stove.
“Why do you need a coffeemaker when you have the pot?” Brooke asked.
“What pot?”
“This one.” Brooke picked up the old coffeepot and waved it.
“I thought that was a pitcher.” Ellie frowned.
Brooke popped off the lid and removed the basket and stem from inside.
“Coffee goes into this little basket with the holes in the bottom, basket sits upon stem. Water goes into the pot. Put it on the stove, boil the water, and let the coffee percolate.” Brooke demonstrated as she spoke. “When it stops perking—bubbling—it’s done.”
“I feel like an idiot. We always had those drip coffeemakers at home.…” Ellie could feel her cheeks start to burn. She could have added that she’d rarely had to make her own coffee at home but she let that pass.
“Do you have any ground coffee?” Brooke asked.
Ellie shook her head.
“Pick some up next time you’re out. These things
make great coffee. My dad always made his in one just like this.”
“Thanks. I’ll be off to the market later this afternoon and I’ll try it first thing in the morning.”
“So if we never see you at Cuppachino again, I guess it will be my fault for telling you how to make your own morning joe.”
“I doubt anyone would feel the loss.”
“Are you kidding?” Brooke’s eyebrows raised. “Everyone’s intrigued by the city girl who moved to St. Dennis to renovate the home of one of the town’s favorite ladies. Lilly Cavanaugh was very well liked and had an army of friends, and of course, Lynley was a legend. Like a goddess.”
“How do you know I’m a city girl?” Ellie turned the conversation from her mother and Lilly. “Is it that obvious?”
“No, but Jesse said you bought the house through a law firm in New York, so I just assumed …” Brooke confessed.
“I thought maybe my city roots were showing.” Ellie glossed over it. “I did live and work in New York for years.”
“How did you find out about the house being available?” Brooke pulled a chair out from under the table and sat.
“I’d worked with someone who knew someone at the law firm that represented Lynley Sebastian. My friend knew I’d lost my job in a corporate downsizing and had been thinking about investing in a property that might need some work that I could turn over for a profit, so she called me when the firm decided to sell
the place.” Ellie recited the story she’d known she’d need sooner or later.
“Oh, like a handyman’s special. I am addicted to those TV shows where people buy a run-down place, work miracles, then sell and make a killing.”
“I imagine the killings were a little bigger a few years ago.” The teakettle shrieked and Ellie turned it off. “Though everyone says St. Dennis is still a good market.”
Brooke nodded. “Without question. Plus, this house is so wonderful. Spacious and those high ceilings and all those windows and fireplaces.” She sighed. “It’s the house I’d like someday, but I guess there are a lot of people in town who feel that way.”
“I sure hope so, since I’ll be selling it.” Ellie was tempted to add that Cameron O’Connor had first dibs, but she didn’t know Brooke well enough to engage in what could be considered gossip. And for all she knew, Cameron wasn’t broadcasting his interest in the house.
Ellie prepared two cups of tea and placed one in front of Brooke, then took a seat across the table from her.
“So tell me what your plans are for the house.” Brooke blew across the top of her cup to cool the hot tea.
Ellie went over what she had in mind for the downstairs, and they pored over the paint-color brochures briefly, agreeing that a creamy wall color would be perfect in every room on the first floor.
“Except maybe the dining room,” Ellie said. “I really like a little drama in there. Maybe red …”
“Red dining rooms are fabulous.” Brooke turned her wrist to look at her watch. “Oops. My hour is up. Thanks so much for the tea and the conversation and for letting me sit and relax with you for a time. It’s been so nice.” She rose and Ellie did as well.
“Damn, I forgot about your cupcakes.” Ellie made a face. “We should have had them with our tea. I am so not a gracious hostess.”
“I’d have declined anyway, but thanks.” Brooke laughed. “I have to taste a little from each batch to make sure all’s well.”
“Wow. A real hardship job.” Ellie escorted Brooke to the front door.
“The hardship comes in keeping my work product off my hips.”
“You could probably get someone to help you with that.”
“Jesse and Clay are always happy to chow down. But when I’m experimenting with a new flavor, I need a more discerning palate, so I get together with the girls.…” Brooke opened the door and turned. “You’ll have to come to one of my cupcake-tasting nights which are really just an excuse to get together and kill a few bottles of wine. They’re always a good time.”
Before Ellie could respond, Brooke went on.
“Have you been to Scoop yet? One Scoop or Two, the ice-cream shop down near the marina?”
Ellie shook her head. “I saw the sign, but I haven’t been. Is it good?”
“Best ice cream you will ever eat. Steffie MacGregor owns the place and she makes all her own flavors.
She’s been written up in magazines and she’s had ice-cream companies try to lure her away and offers to franchise her stuff.”
“But she’s declined?” When Brooke nodded, Ellie asked, “Why?”
“Because she says all she ever wanted was to live in St. Dennis and make the best ice cream ever and marry the love of her life and raise a family here.”
“How much of that has she done?”
“All of it, except raise the family. She just got married last year—to my brother’s partner in beer—so she’s working on that. Her best friend just had a baby a few months ago and I think it’s inspired Steffie.”
Brooke stepped outside and Ellie followed.
“Seriously, you need to come one night. Everyone’s really friendly. It’s a small group, but a dynamic one. Dallas MacGregor even comes sometimes.”
“Dallas MacGregor? The movie star?”
Brooke nodded. “She used to summer here as a kid, then moved back last year and married her old sweetheart. Who happens to be the brother of the previously mentioned Steffie.” Brooke continued to her car, which she’d parked on the street near the mailbox. “Steffie, to make things even more incestuous, is married to Dallas’s brother, Wade.”
Ellie nodded as if she’d followed, but in truth, she was thinking how drinking wine with a group of local women could be a disaster. Who knew what might slip out? Loose lips and all that.
“I’ll give you a call next time we get together. I promise, you’ll like everyone. They’re just regular girls, like you and me.” Brooke got into her car and turned it on.
“Thanks again for the cupcakes,” Ellie said. “I really appreciate it.”
“Enjoy them.” Brooke made a U-turn in the road and waved as she passed by.
Ellie checked the mailbox and pulled out a handful of junk mail, underneath which sat a plain white envelope with her name neatly printed on the bottom. Through the paper she could feel the shape of a key. Cameron must have dropped it off, she realized, without letting her know he’d been there. She ignored a twinge of disappointment and tried to focus on Brooke’s visit. She’d seemed very sincere and very nice, but Ellie couldn’t help but wonder if she’d stopped by for something more than simply a welcoming gesture. Something like what, Ellie didn’t know. She wasn’t used to small-town life and she wasn’t sure if the visit was exactly as it seemed, or an attempt by someone in the gossip chain to find out more about her purchase of the house. Ellie was pretty confident that Jesse’s lips had remained sealed, as he’d promised. She’d expected as much from him.