TWO
Tyler didnt miss the relief on Rachels face at the interruption. The speed with which she went into the living room was another giveaway. She might not know what drove him, but shed picked up on something.
Or else hed been careless, pushing too hard in his drive to get this situation resolved.
He followed her and found her greeting the newcomer with some surprise. Phillip. What are you doing here?
The man raised his eyebrows as she evaded his attempt to hug her. Arent you going to introduce me? He held out his hand to Tyler. Phillip Longstreet. You may have noticed Longstreet Antiques on Main Street in the village.
He was in his late forties or early fifties at a guess, but he wore his age wellfit-looking, with fair hair that showed signs of gray at the temples and shrewd hazel eyes behind the latest style in glasses.
This is Tyler Dunn. She glanced at him, and he thought he read a warning in her eyes.
Nice to meet you. Were you looking for Ms. Hampton?
Its always pleasant to see Rachel, but no, I wanted to meet the new owner. Longstreet shrugged, smiling. I like to get in before the other dealers when I can.
How did you know? Rachel sounded exasperated. If we had a party line, Phillip, Id suspect you of eavesdropping.
I have to be far more creative than that to stay ahead of the competition. If you want to keep secrets, dont come to a village. Emmas son, Levi, delivered the news along with my eggs this morning.
It was an insight into how this place worked. Are you interested in the contents of the house, Mr. Longstreet?
A local dealer might be the best choice before putting the house on the market, but Longstreet was obviously trolling for antiques, probably hoping to get an offer in on anything of value before his competition did. Or possibly before Tyler realized what he had.
Phil, please. Id like to look around. Longstreets gaze was already scoping out the few pieces left in the living room. Sometimes there are attractive pieces in these old farmhouses, although more often its a waste of time.
Im afraid your time was definitely wasted this afternoon. He gestured toward the door. Im not ready to make a decision about selling anything yet.
If I could just take a look around, I might be able to give you an idea of values. Longstreet craned his neck toward the dining room.
Tyler swung the door open and stepped out onto the porch, so that the man had no choice but to follow. Ill be in touch when Im ready to make a decision. Thank you for stopping by.
Yes, well, thanks for your time. Longstreet stepped gingerly over the broken step. Rachel, Ill see you at the meeting tonight.
Rachel, coming out behind him, bent to snap a leash onto the dogs collar. Fine.
Tyler waited until Longstreet had backed out of the driveway to turn to her. Is that one of the reputable dealers your grandmother might recommend?
Grams probably would suggest him. His uncle was an old crony of my grandfather.
But?
Her nose crinkled. Phils nice enough, in his way. Its just that every time he comes to the inn, I get the feeling hes putting a price on the furniture.
Im not bad at showing people the door, if youd like some help.
I run an inn, remember? She smiled, her earlier antagonism apparently gone. The idea is to get people in, not send them away. Are you a bouncer in your real life?
Architect. Showing people the way out is just a sideline.
She looked interested. Do you work on your own?
He shook his head. Im with a partner in Baltimore, primarily designing churches and public buildings. Luckily Im between projects right now, so I can take some time off to deal with this. Which brought him back to the problem at hand. Well, if your grandmother recommends Longstreet, Ill still be sure to get offers from more than one dealer.
That should keep him in line. Hes probably easier to cope with when he wants to buy something from you. Im on the Christmas in Churchville committee with him, and he can be a real pain there.
He pulled the door shut and turned the key in the lock.
Are you sure youre finished? You didnt look around upstairs.
Ive had enough for the moment. He tried to dismiss the negative feelings that had come with seeing the place again. This was a fools errand. There was no truth left to find herejust a moldering ruin that had never, as far as he could tell, been a happy home.
The dog leaped down from the porch, nearly pulling Rachel off balance, and he caught her arm to steady her.
Easy. Does he really need to be on the leash?
I wanted to discourage any more digging around the porch. Im afraid you may have something holed up in there for the winter.
Whatever it is, let it stay. He took the leash from her hand and helped her over the broken step to the ground. I wont bother it.
She glanced at him as they walked away. You must be saddened to see the place in such a state.
He shrugged. I only saw it twice that I recall. It would have been worse for my mother than for me. She grew up here.
Do you think She stopped, as if censoring what shed been about to say.
Thats why she let it fall to pieces? He finished the thought for her. I have no idea. Id have expected my dad to intercede, but he shrugged I didnt know she still owned the place until a few weeks ago, and by then she was in no shape to explain much. Maybe she just wanted to forget, after the way her father died.
Rachel scuffed through frost-tipped dead leaves that the wind had scattered over the road. I dont think Ive ever actually heard how it happened.
From what my mother told me, he apparently confronted someone breaking into the house. There was a struggle, and he had a heart attack. He wasnt found until the next day.
She shivered, shoving her hands into her pockets. Its hard to think about something like that happening here when I was a child. It always seemed such an idyllic place.
They walked for a few moments in silence, their footsteps muted on the macadam road. He glanced at her, confirming what he heard. Youre limping. Did you twist your ankle getting off that porch?
It wasnt that. She nodded toward the bend in the road ahead of them, the wind ruffling her hair across her face so that she pushed it back with an impatient movement. I had an accident just up the road back in the spring.
He frowned down at her. It must have been a bad one. Did you hit a tree?
She shook her head. I was jogging, too late in the evening, I guess. A car came around the bend She stopped, probably reliving it too acutely.
That explained why shed stepped back into the trees when hed come down the lane last night. How badly were you hurt?
Two broken legs. She shrugged. Could have been worse, I guess. It only bothers me when Im on my feet too long.
I hope the driver ended up in jail.
Hit and run, she said briefly.
Obviously she didnt want to talk about it any further. He couldnt blame her. She didnt want to remember, any more than he wanted to think about the way his grandfather died, or the burden his mother had laid on him to find out why.
Hit and run, she said briefly.
Obviously she didnt want to talk about it any further. He couldnt blame her. She didnt want to remember, any more than he wanted to think about the way his grandfather died, or the burden his mother had laid on him to find out why.
I guess this place isnt so idyllic after all.
Bad things happen anywhere, people being people.
Yes, I guess they do. Of course she was right about that. It was only the beauty that surrounded them that made violence seem so out of place here.
Rachel was thankful when the business part of the Christmas in Churchville meeting was over. The strain of mediating all those clashing egos had begun to tell on her after the first hour.
Now the battling committee members wandered around the public rooms of the inn, helping themselves to punch and the variety of goodies placed on tables in both the back parlor and the breakfast room. Shed figured out a long time ago that if you wanted to keep people circulating, you should space out the food and drink.
She and Grams had put cranberry punch on the round table next to the fireplace in the back parlor, accompanied by an assortment of cheeses, grapes and crackers. The breakfast room had coffee, tea and hot chocolate on the sideboard, along with mini éclairs and pfeffernüsse, the tiny clove and cardamom delicacies that were her grandmothers special holiday recipe.
Would Tyler come down? Thinking of him alone in his room, shed suggested he join them for refreshments. Hed know when the business meeting was over, shed told him, when the shouting stopped.
Her committee members werent quite that bad, but they did have strong opinions on what would draw the holiday tourists to spend their money in Churchville.
She checked on the service in the parlor and walked back toward the breakfast room. Tyler was in an odd position herepart of the community by heritage and yet a stranger. He probably wouldnt be around long enough to change that. Hed sell the property and go back to his life in Baltimore.
Hopefully he wouldnt leave problems behind in the form of whoever bought his grandfathers farm. The neighbors disliked seeing it derelict, but there were certainly things theyd hate even more.
Rachel, there you are. Phillip intercepted her in the doorway, punch cup in hand. Fortunately the cup made it easier to escape the arm he tried to put around her. I wanted to speak with you about the Hostetler place.
So does everyone else, but I dont know anything. Tyler hasnt told me what his plans are for the property.
You know Im all about the furniture, my dear. I remember a dough box that my uncle tried to buy once from old Hostetler. If theres anything like that left
You saw the living room. Most of the furniture is already gone.
I didnt see the rest of the house. His voice turned wheedling. Come on, Rachel, at least give me a hint whats there.
Sorry, I didnt see anything else. She slipped past him. Excuse me, but I have to refill the coffeepot.
Phillip was nothing if not persistent. That probably explained how he managed to make such a success of the shop. His uncle had been a sweet old man, but hed never had much of a head for business, from what Grams said.
She snagged a mug of hot chocolate and a pfeffernüsse for herself, turning from the table to find Sandra Whitmoyer bearing down on her. As wife of Churchvilles most dedicated, as well as only, physician, Sandra seemed to feel the chairmanship of the decorating subcommittee was hers by right. Luckily no one else had put up a fight for it.
Rachel, we really must keep our eyes on the rest of the shop owners along Main Street. It would be fatal to allow anyone to put up a garish display.
Im sure youll do a wonderful job of that, Sandra. She had no desire to turn herself into the decorating police. I have my hands full already, preparing the inn and organizing the open house tour. Maybe a little flattery was in order. You have such wonderful taste. I know everyone will be seeking your advice. And theyve all agreed to go along with the committees decisions.
Well, I suppose. Sandra ran a manicured hand over sleek waves of blond hair. She was dressed to perfection tonight as always, this time in a pair of gray wool slacks that made her legs look a mile long, paired with a silk shirt that had probably cost the earth.
Glancing past Sandra, she spotted Tyler standing in the doorway. So he had come down. He looked perfectly composed in the crowd of strangersself-possessed, as if he carried his confidence with him no matter where he was.
Shed seen him ruffled at moments that afternoon, though, and shed guess he didnt often show that side to people. The derelict house had affected him more than shed expected.
And there had been an undercurrent when he talked about his mother, something more than grief, she thought.
Sandra had moved to the window, peering out at the patio and garden. I suppose youll be decorating the garden for the open house.
White lights on the trees, and possibly colored ones on the big spruce.
It would be more effective without the security lights, Sandra said. You could turn them off during the house tour hours. And maybe put a spotlight on the gazebo.
I dont want to draw attention to the gazebo. Id be happy to demolish it completely.
You wouldnt have to do something that drastic.
She turned at the sound of Tylers voice, smiling her welcome. What would you suggest, other than a stick of dynamite? Sandra Whitmoyer, Id like to introduce Tyler Dunn. He owns the Hostetler place, down the road from us.
Sandra extended her hand. Welcome to Churchville. Everyone is curious about what you intend for the property. Well, not my husband, of course. As a busy physician, he doesnt have time for many outside interests.
Bradley Whitmoyer was as self-effacing a man as shed ever met, but his wife had appointed herself his one-woman press agency.
Tyler responded, politely noncommittal, and turned back to Rachel. I wouldnt recommend high explosives for the gazebo. You wouldnt like the results.
I dont like it the way it is.
He smiled down at her. Thats because its in the wrong place. If you moved it to the other side of the pond, it would be far enough away to create a view.
Well, I still think you should decorate it for the house tour. Sandra put down her cup. I have to go. Theres Jeff looking for me. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Dunn. She nodded to Rachel and crossed the room toward the hallway.
Is that her husband, the physician? Tylers tone was faintly mocking.
No, his brother. Jeff Whitmoyer. He has a small construction company. It looks as if he didnt find it necessary to change before coming by for Sandra.
Jeffs blue jeans, flannel shirt and work boots were a sharp contrast to Sandras elegance. There was a quick exchange between them before Sandra swept out the hallway.
Rachel dismissed them from her mind and turned back to Tyler. About the gazebo
Single-minded, arent you? His smile took any edge off the comment. It might be possible to move it, rather than destroy it. If you like, Ill take a look while Im here.
Id love to find a solution that makes everyone happy. Grams never liked the gazebo at allshe feels it doesnt go with the style of the house. But Andrea thinks it should stay because Grandfather had it put up as a surprise for Grams.