And its your job to keep everyone happy? The corners of his mouth quirked.
Not my job, exactly. Every family had a peacemaker, didnt they? She was the middle one, so it fell to her. My sister says I let my nurturing instincts run amok, always trying to help people whether they want it or not.
Its a nice quality. Those deep-blue eyes seemed to warm when they rested on her. I wouldnt change if I were you.
Thank you. Ridiculous, to be suddenly breathless because a man was looking at her with approval. And thank you for the offer.
He shrugged. Its nothing. Were neighbors, remember?
It was what shed said to him, but he seemed to invest the words with a warmth that startled her.
Careful, she warned herself. It wouldnt be a good idea to start getting too interested in a man whod disappear as soon as his business here was wound up.
Rachel did not like climbing ladders. Any ladder, let alone this mammoth thing that allowed her to reach the top of the house. Unfortunately, there didnt seem to be another way of putting up the outside lights anytime soon.
Grams had suggested hiring someone to do the decorating, but Grams didnt have a grasp on how tight money was right now. Rachel could ask a neighbor for help, of course, but this was a business. It didnt seem right if she couldnt pay.
But she really didnt like being up on a ladder.
She leaned out, bracing herself with one hand on the shutter, and slipped the strand of lights over the final hook. Breathing a sigh of relief, she went down the ladder. In comparison to that, doing the windows should be a breeze.
Reaching the ground, she took a step back, reminding herself of just how many windows there were. Well, maybe not a breeze, but she could do it.
And what difference would it make, the voice of doubt asked. You have one whole guest at the moment.
Tyler had gone off to Lancaster this morning to see the attorney whod handled his grandfathers estate. Hed seemed eager to resolve the situation with the farm. Well, why not? He probably had plans for Christmas in Baltimore.
Once he left, shed have zero guests. There were a few people scheduled for the coming weekends, but not nearly enough. Theyd hoped for a good holiday season to get them through the rest of the winter, but that wasnt happening.
If she could get some holiday publicity up on the inns Web site, it might make all the difference. Andrea had intended to do that, but the rush to get ready for the wedding had swamped those plans. And she could hardly call her big sister on her honeymoon to ask for help. They had already invested all they could afford in print ads in the tourist guides, and the Web site was the only option left.
She fastened a spray of pine in place, taking satisfaction in the way the dark green contrasted with the pale stone walls. This she could do. Decorate, cook gourmet breakfasts, work twenty-four/seven when it was necessarythose were her gifts.
Her gaze rested absently on the church across the street, its stone walls as gold as the inn. Someone had put evergreen wreaths on the double doors, and the church glowed with welcome. That was what shed sensed when shed come back to Churchville. Welcome. Home. Family. Community. Shed lost that when Daddy left and their mother had taken them away from here.
She paused with her hand on the burgundy ribbon she was tying. Lord, this venture cant be wrong, can it? It seems right. Surely You wouldnt let me have a need so strong if it werent meant to be satisfied.
Rachel, you look as if youve turned to stone up there. Are you all right?
She glanced down from the window to see Bradley Whitmoyer standing on the walk, eyeing her quizzically. She scrambled down from the stepladder.
I guess thats what they mean by being lost in thought, Dr. Whitmoyer. What can I do for you?
She saw him occasionally, of course, when she took Grams for a check-up, at church, at a social event, but hed never come to the inn.
Bradley, he corrected. Im on an errand. He gave her his gentle smile, pulling an envelope from the pocket of his overcoat. My wife asked me to drop this off on my way to the office. Something to do with this Christmas celebration youre working on, I think.
She took the envelope. You shouldnt have gone out of your way. I could have picked it up. She knew how busy he was. Everyone in the township knew that.
No problem. He drew his coat a little more tightly around him, as if feeling the cold. Ive been meaning to see how youre getting along. This is an ambitious project you and your grandmother have launched.
Yes, it is. He didnt know how ambitious. But Grams is enjoying it.
Thats good. His eyes seemed distracted behind the wire-rimmed glasses he wore, his face lined and tired.
He wore himself out for everyone else. People said hed turned down prestigious offers to come back to Churchville and become a family doctor, because the village and the surrounding area needed him.
I understand you have old Mr. Hostetlers grandson staying here. He rocked back and forth on his heels. I suppose hes come to put the farm on the market.
I dont know what his plans are. Probably hell sell the land. The house is in such bad shape, Im not sure anyone would want it.
He should just tear it down. Every old house isnt worth saving, like this one. Youre doing a fine job with it.
Thank you. She resisted the urge to confide how uncertain she was about her course. She wasnt his patient, and her problems werent medical. She waved the envelopeno doubt Sandras notes on the town brochure. Please tell your wife Ill get right on this.
Ill do that. He turned, heading for his car quickly, as if eager to turn on the heater.
Even as he got into his sedan, she saw Tylers car pulling into the driveway. If hed arrived a few minutes earlier, she could have introduced them.
Was that a new guest? Tyler came toward her across the crisp grass.
Unfortunately not. That was Dr. Whitmoyer. You met his wife last night.
So thats the good doctor.
He really is. Good, I mean. Hes the only doctor in the village, and in addition to carrying a huge patient load, hes doing valuable research on genetic diseases among the Amish.
Ill agree that hes a paragon if youll come inside for a few minutes. He was frowning. I need to talk to you.
Now that she focused on him, she could sense his tension. Something was wrong.
She put down the ribbon shed been holding. Of course.
The warm air that greeted her when she walked inside made her fingers tingle. She led the way to the library, shrugging out of her jacket, and turned to face him. What is it? Can I help you with something?
He shoved his hands into his pockets, frowning, and ignored the invitation to sit. I saw the attorney whos been handling things since my grandfather died. According to him, your grandfather tried to buy the farm at least six times since then.
She didnt understand the tone of accusation in his voice. I suppose thats true. The neighbors werent happy to see the place falling to pieces. It would be natural for my grandfather to make an offer for it.
It sounds to me as if he was eager to snap up the property once my grandfather was out of the way. According to my mother, he and my grandfather had been feuding for years.
It sounds to me as if he was eager to snap up the property once my grandfather was out of the way. According to my mother, he and my grandfather had been feuding for years.
She planted her hands on her hips. There werent many things that made her fighting mad, but innuendos about her family certainly did. Im not sure what youre driving at, Tyler. I dont know anything about any feud, but if it did exist, its been over for twenty years or so. What does that matter now?
His eyes seemed to darken. It mattered to my mother. She talked to me about it before she died. She said her father told her someone was trying to cheat him out of what was his. That she didnt believe his death was as a result of a simple robbery. And that she believed the Unger family was involved.
THREE
Rachels reaction to his statement was obvious. Shock battled anger for control.
That was what hed felt, too, since the attorney told him about old Mr. Ungers attempt to buy the place. Hed hoped the lawyer would say his mother had been imagining things. Instead, his words seemed to confirm her suspicions.
Rachel took a breath, obviously trying to control her anger. She held both hands out, palms pushing away, her expression that of one who tries to calm a maniac. I think you should leave now.
And give you time to come up with a reasonable explanation? Id rather have the truth.
Her green eyes sparked fire. I dont need to come up with anything. Youre the one making ridiculous accusations.
Is it ridiculous? My grandfather claimed someone was trying to cheat him. Your grandfather tried repeatedly to buy his property. How else do you add those things up?
Not the way you do, obviously. Theres a difference between buying and cheating someone. If your grandfather thought the offer low, he didnt have to sell. She flung out a hand toward the portrait that hung over the fireplace mantel. Look at my grandfather. Does he look like someone whod try to cheat a neighbor?
Appearances can be deceiving. Still, he had to admit that the face staring out from the frame had a quality of judicious fairness that made the idea seem remote.
She gave a quick shake of her head, as if giving up on him. This is getting us nowhere. Im sorry for your problems, but I cant help you. Ill be glad to refund your money if you want to check out. She stood very stiffly, her face pale and set.
Hed blown it. Hed acted on impulse, blurting out his suspicions, and now he wouldnt get a thing from her. Time to regroup.
Look, Im sorry for coming out with it that way. Can we sit down and talk this over rationally?
Anger flashed in those green eyes. Now you want to be rational? Youre the one who started this with your ridiculous accusations.
He took a breath. He needed cooperation from Rachel if he were going to get anywhere. Believe it or not, I felt as if Id been hit by a two-by-four when I heard what Grassley, the attorney, had to say. Just hear me out. Then Ill leave if you want.
Rachel looked as if she were counting to ten. Finally she nodded. She waved him to the sofa and pulled the desk chair over for herself. She sat, planting her hands on its arms and looking ready to launch herself out of the chair at the slightest wrong word.
He sat on the edge of the sofa, trying to pull his thoughts into some sort of order. He was a logical person, so why couldnt he approach this situation logically?
Maybe he knew the answer to that one. Grief and guilt could be a powerful combination. Hed never realized how strong until the past few weeks.
You have to understandI had no idea all this was festering in my mothers mind. She didnt talk about her childhood, and I barely knew her father. Id been here once, before I came for my grandfathers funeral.
She nodded. You told me that. I thought then that there must have been some breach between your mother and your grandfather.
So shed seen immediately what hed have recognized if he werent so used to the situation. I never knew anything about it. My father may have known, but he died when I was in high school.
Im sorry. Her eyes darkened with sympathy, in spite of the fact that she must still be angry with him.
My mother had always been He struggled to find the right word. Secretive, I guess youd say. After my father died, she started turning to me more. Change the lightbulbs, have the car serviced, talk to the neighbors about their barking dog. But she never shared anything about her finances or business matters. I knew my father had left her well off, so I didnt pry. Thats why I didnt have any idea she still owned the property here.
I suppose she let the attorney take care of anything that had to be done. Im surprised he didnt urge her to sellto my grandfather or anyone else. Her voice was tart.
He did, apparently, but he said shed never even discuss it. She didnt with me until her illness. It had been hard to see her go downhill so quickly, hard to believe that none of the treatments were doing any good.
What was it?
Cancer. When she realized she wasnt recovering, thats when she started to talk. He paused. Shed left it late. She was on pain medication, not making much sense. But she said what I told youthat her father had insisted he was being cheated, that everyone was out to take advantage of him.
That sounds as if he feltwell, that he thought he was being persecuted. How can you know that any of what he told her was true?
I cant. But she thought there were things about his death that had never been explained. She regretted that shed never attempted to find out. She demanded my promise that Id try to learn the truth.
His hands clenched. Hed told Rachel more than hed intended. If she knew about what had happened thenbut that was ridiculous. Shed been a child twenty-two years ago. At most, shed oppose him now out of a need to protect her grandfathers reputation.
I can understand why you feel you have to honor her wishes, she said, looking as if she chose her words carefully. But after all this time, how can you possibly hope to learn anything?
I thought I might talk to your grandmother
No! She flared up instantly at that. I wont have my grandmother upset by this.
A step sounded from the hallway, and they both turned. That is not your decision to make, Rachel. Rachels grandmother stood in the doorway, her bearing regal, her face set and stern.
Rachels throat tightened. Grams, standing there, hearing the suspicions Tyler was voicing. Shed like to throw something at him for causing all this trouble, but that wouldnt help.
Now, Grams She had to think of something that would repair this situation. Protecting Grams was her responsibility.
She stood and went to her, the desk chair rolling backward from the pressure of her hands. She put her arm around her grandmothers waist.
Grams didnt seem to need her support. She had pride and dignity to keep her upright.
Dont now, Grams, me, Rachel Elizabeth. I know what I heard, and I dont require any soothing platitudes.
Rachel shot a fulminating glance at Tyler. At least he had the grace to look unhappy at this turn of events. Hed look worse when she finished telling him what she thought.