Seaside Harmony Part 26

"I'll call Bill and ask him if he'll hang them for us," Gracie said. "I don't want to chance messing them up."

"Anyone want lemonade and maybe some lunch?" Sam asked, holding one sign. Gracie carried another, and Caroline tagged along up the stairs with the now-empty box. "Jamie's probably hungry too."

They followed Sam toward the kitchen, but stopped short when they heard Jamie calling out to them from the library. "We-or I should say you-have your first reservation!"

Food was completely forgotten. Sam was the first into the library, pulling a chair up next to Jamie, who sat at the desk with her laptop open wide. "Oh my," Sam said, her words a near whisper, "it's for the week of July Fourth. Two people. And they want the Periwinkle Room."

"Cause for celebration!" Gracie said, smiling widely. "Dinner out tomorrow night."

"Don't get so antsy for a celebration," Caroline said, sounding unusually practical. "The open house is just a few days away. We can celebrate then. As much as I like to eat out, we really need to economize. It's cost us far more to get this place up and running than any of us ever dreamed possible, so-"

"All right, Miss Stick-in-the-Mud." Gracie sounded gleeful at the role reversal. "No going out to celebrate. But maybe Sam will make Mom's prune cake for dessert tonight."

Sam nodded, her smile bright. "One of these days I really need to teach the rest of you how to cook. What will you do if I ever get sick when we have guests?"

"Wheel your bed into the kitchen so you can give us step-by-step instructions on how to do everything," Caroline said. She stood behind Jamie to peer at the computer over her shoulder. "I don't have my reading gla.s.ses handy. Did they say anything else? Do they have any special requests?"

"Let's see here." Jamie scrolled down on the online reservation page. "Here we go. 'The Misty Harbor Inn looks enchanting. My husband and I spent our honeymoon there, and now we're celebrating our fiftieth anniversary. We loved the Misty Harbor Inn then. I know we'll love it next summer.'"

"We'll have to do something special for them." Gracie said. "We'd all better put our thinking caps on. There's no time like the present to start planning the future."

It all sounds so wonderful, Sam thought. A July Fourth reservation. By this time, she'd been hoping they'd have the inn completely reserved for the full month of June, but it would take time. No doubt they'd have a few guests before then, and when July Fourth rolled around, they'd no longer be novices at running an inn.

They could even give their guests all sorts of ideas for what to do on Independence Day. They could even suggest getting their faces painted.

How much time do I have before the open house starts?" Caroline hollered, running through the kitchen. There must be at least a couple things she'd forgotten in her haste to finish up her share of open house ch.o.r.es.

"Fifteen minutes," Gracie said, arranging last-minute tulips and dahlias and lilies-their garden's April bounty. She was placing a vase in every room in the inn.

"Those look beautiful, Gracie."

"Thanks." Gracie tried to sound calm, but Caroline knew better. She was just as nervous as Caroline. "Where's Sam?"

Sam plowed through the kitchen door, looking even more harried than Gracie and Caroline. "I was out retrieving a platter of canapes that Max ran off with. The canapes are history; but this is my favorite tray. Honestly, Caroline, we've got to do something about that dog." Sam blew out a huff. "If anyone shows up early, I can whip up something else and get another tray of goodies on the table just in time."

"Need any help?" Caroline asked. The inn was spotless. Sam had the food under control. Gracie had nearly finished putting out the flowers. George was outside, parking the Packard in front of the house so everyone would see it. He had wanted to get another coat of wax on it before the guests started to arrive. "Oh, wait," she said. "Never mind. I nearly forgot something I have to do."

"What more could need to be done?" Gracie asked. "I mean really, Caroline, we've done more than enough already, don't you think?"

Caroline shook her head. "This is definitely necessary."

She raced up the back stairs to the attic, threw open some boxes, and found the exact dress she was looking for. It might have been white at one time, but age had mellowed it to a warm ivory. It was a stunningly beautiful long Victorian gown of satin and lace, with fold upon fold of fabric that created a bustle. The cuffs were a ma.s.s of pearls that that formed something like a wide bracelet. Pearl b.u.t.tons raced up the back to the very top of the high, stiff collar. The waist couldn't have been much more than eighteen or twenty inches. The woman who had worn it must have stood barely five feet tall. A tiny thing, for sure.

Could it have been Hannah?

No matter who had worn it, Caroline knew it would look perfect lying softly across the bed in the Periwinkle Room. It would be the perfect complement to the Battenberg lace canopy that draped over the high four-poster cherrywood bed.

Caroline shook out the gown. It had been wrapped in once-white tissue paper, as if someone had been readying it for a trip. A wedding trip, maybe? An elopement? It was wrinkled, but she was sure most of them would shake out. She headed down to the second floor and walked into the Periwinkle Room. She shook out the gown again and then laid it on the bed and smoothed out the sleeves, the bodice, the skirt. It was so incredibly beautiful. If she'd ever married . . . But no, that would never happen.

Downstairs she heard a familiar rapping on the door. Definitely a cane. Leave it to Shirley Addison to be early.

Caroline dashed out of the room, swept up a piece of newspaper she spotted on the floor, and made it to the foyer at the same moment as Gracie. They both took deep breaths, smoothed their hands over the simple pastel spring dresses they'd chosen for the event, and opened the door.

"About time you came to the door." Using her cane, Shirley made her way into the inn, all the way to the parlor, where she spotted her favorite chair and sat down.

"We're so glad you came, Shirley," Caroline and Gracie said in near-perfect unison.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Max came running then from out of nowhere, skittered across the parlor floor, and came to a dead stop next to Shirley's legs. She pulled a dog cookie from out of her purse, told Max to sit, and then held out the treat. Max took it gently and lay down on the floor to eat it quietly next to Shirley. Caroline and Gracie exchanged incredulous looks.

"Hope you don't mind if we slip out for a bit to help Sam with the last of the hors d'oeuvres?"

"Of course not. Be off with you now."

When they reached the kitchen, Sam was placing the last of the fresh batch of canapes on the tray.

"Anything we can help you with?" Gracie asked.

Sam shook her head. "No, I think it's all under control-at last. I just wish Jamie could have been here."

"And I wish I didn't have to go back home in a couple of days," Gracie said, "but I'll be back for the Daffodil Festival in May, and the rest of summer. At least this time I don't feel like I'm abandoning you. Not when the place looks so wonderful."

"It does look good, doesn't it?" Sam said, lifting the tray, ready to take it into the dining room.

"I can't wait to hear what our guests have to say." Gracie looked at her watch. "They should start arriving at any moment."

"Then let's get-" Caroline stopped, looking at her hands. "I've got to wash my hands first. Max must have dragged an old newspaper out from the attic or something. I'm glad I found it before our guests start roaming around."

Caroline tossed the piece of paper into the trash can, but before she could turn away, she saw the headline staring up at her: Robbery at Brant Point Lighthouse. Hannah Montague Disappears.

Caroline grabbed the piece of newspaper out of the trash and scanned it quickly. "This is impossible," she said. "Our Hannah was a thief after all."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked.

Another knock sounded at the door. "I'll tell you later. We've got to get going," Caroline said, looking up toward the front door.

"We can give it one more second," Gracie said. Caroline glanced at her sister to make sure she was serious, but then turned back to the newspaper. "Is that article really about Hannah?"

Caroline looked at it again. She nodded. "It looks like it's from 1880 and . . . I can't read it all right now, but it insinuates that Hannah Montague was a thief. That she stole money from the Brant Point Lighthouse-and then she disappeared."

"Not our Hannah."

"I don't want to believe it either," Caroline said. "But that's what it looks like."

"One mystery down," Sam said sadly, "And another mystery begins."

"You've done a wonderful job restoring the inn," Rex Lansdowne, the editor of one of the island's online newspapers, told Caroline and Sam. He had been wandering throughout the inn, taking pictures here and there. "I hope my article and photos, not to mention the ad you placed, will help fill your rooms this summer and fall."

"I love reading your newspaper," Gracie told Rex. "It was one of the first places we thought of when we were deciding where to place advertising."

"I was afraid I might have to exaggerate a bit about the facilities when writing my article, but that won't be necessary. The food alone is worth bragging about." He took a bite from a canape.

"Our sister Sam will be thrilled to hear that," Caroline told Rex before he walked away to talk to some of the other businesspeople on the island. They'd issued an open invitation to all the members of the press and the chamber of commerce as well as the folks from Harvest Chapel. They knew they wouldn't all show up, but for the past two hours there'd been a steady stream of people from the church Gracie and Caroline had come to call their spiritual home, plus friends and friends of their friends. It was spring, and Nantucket was still rather quiet, so people here were locals. It would be nearly a month before tourists started to arrive. They had one more month to prepare menus, test recipes, and maybe even catch a little bit of rest before the hoped-for summer rush began.

Bill Dekker, Pastor Wildes, Grandpa Folger, and Megan Folger-Wildes had arrived near the beginning of the open house, and each of them had helped in their own special way. They'd all become great friends these past few months, as had Shirley Addison. In fact, they were becoming some of the best friends Caroline had ever had.

Other than her family, she could only think of one person who'd been there for her more than their newfound Nantucket friends: George. Caroline looked across the room and saw him chatting with a few ladies in the choir at Harvest Chapel. He seemed perfectly at home and had made sure everyone got a good look at the Packard on their way in.

The open house was nearly over when Pastor Wildes stood near the beautiful old piano and drew the attention of all the guests. "It's a pleasure to thank Gracie, Caroline, and Sam for their wonderful hospitality today."

The gathering of guests and friends poured into the parlor, and the sisters moved toward the piano, linking arms, as they'd finally linked their lives. Caroline felt tears welling up behind her eyes, in spite of the happiness and warmth she felt.

"I hope you'll all join me in blessing our friends and their lovely inn. Proverbs 24 says, 'By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.' Our friends Gracie, Caroline, and Sam are treasures themselves, and they have breathed new life into the treasures that they found within these walls." Pastor Wildes folded his hands in prayer. "Lord, we ask that You fill the Misty Harbor Inn and all who dwell within with Your Spirit. Bless this new venture, and prepare for our friends a path filled with new friendships, new experiences, and new joy. And we ask, Lord, that You make this inn a safe haven, filled with Your love, now and always."

"Thank you, Pastor," Caroline said, taking his hands and then giving him a hug. Gracie and Sam did the same. They chatted for quite some time, and when they found Shirley asleep in her own special chair, with Max asleep at her feet, Pastor Wildes woke her gently, helped her up, and accompanied her home. It wasn't long after that everyone was gone and the inn was quiet at last.

Later that night, after the sisters had cleaned up, put away the dishes, and straightened all the rooms, Caroline and George went down to the beach. It was such a calm and peaceful night, with the moon sparkling down on the ocean. A light breeze blew. It should have been chilly, but she felt rather warm inside. She'd always felt that way when she and George walked side by side.

They talked about how many people had attended the open house and the good feedback they'd heard. Caroline was particularly gratified that so many people had commented on how nice the Periwinkle Room looked, and George had entertained Pastor Wildes for a half hour showing him the new, modern features he'd installed in the Packard.

"I can't believe you're going back to Annapolis again tomorrow," Caroline said. "I wish you could stay longer this time."

"I wish I could too, but I've got a huge project ahead of me. I'll have to make a couple of trips to London to work on the plans for an eighty-two-foot sailboat." He tucked an arm through Caroline's, and pulled her closer to his side as they walked. "Retirement's starting to sound better and better all the time, although I am looking forward to building this boat. My client wants a throwback to the fifties and sixties, with a lot of wood inside."

"It'll be kind of like working on the Packard again."

George nodded. "I have to admit, working on that car for so long has made Nantucket feel more like home than my boatyard."

"This place feels like home to me too. I actually feel almost settled, and never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd feel that way."

"I never thought you'd settle down either. You've seemed different here. You're happier."

"Really?"

Again George nodded. "Really."

They turned and walked back toward the inn. The sea gra.s.s, illuminated by the moon, swayed in the light breeze. George seemed to grow serious, thoughtful. He was never a laugh-a-minute kind of guy, but now he seemed to have something on his mind. Something weighing heavily on him. She wished he'd open up and let her be a part of whatever was troubling him.

The waves rolled up onto the sh.o.r.e, lapping softly, and George led her toward the steps they'd built to take visitors from the inn to the beach. From where they stood, they could see the inn, its windows lit up against the night sky. It was hers, and it was beautiful.

Caroline sat on one of the steps, looking out at the ocean. The moon still hung high in the sky, casting moonbeams across the water. George tucked his hands into his coat pockets, and then he knelt.

On one knee.

Caroline thought for sure her heart had stopped.

He drew his hands out of his pockets, and in the starlight, she could see the small velveteen box. He opened it slowly. The ring was a simple band of diamonds. Nothing fancy. George knew her too well for that.

He looked up into Caroline's eyes. "I've been in love with you longer that I thought it was possible to love someone. I didn't even know it was possible to love someone as much as I love you." He swallowed hard. "We've been together for thirty years, and I'm hoping for at least another thirty." Again he swallowed. "Caroline, will you marry me?"

She couldn't take her eyes off his. There was so much love there. She loved him too, but- "I love you," she whispered, hoping he could hear her words over the roar of the ocean and the heavy beating of her heart. "I've loved you since that first day we met. There's no one else in my life who could ever make me as happy, who-"

"You're telling me no, aren't you?"

Caroline drew in a deep breath. "I've never wanted to get married. You know that. You've always known it."

He turned again to look at the ocean. "I thought that might have changed. I've long hoped it would change. But"-he drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly-"I just couldn't be here any longer unless I knew. I don't want to leave, but-"

"You don't have to go, George. Why can't we just keep on as we have?"

"That's not what I want, Caroline."

She wiped a tear away from her eye. For a moment, the only sound was the waves crashing against the sh.o.r.e.

"Why don't you go back up to the inn," George said. "Tell everyone I had a great day, that I'm sorry I couldn't say good-bye, but I really need to go."

"Can't we talk?"

He shook his head. "We have. You want one thing; I want something else." He thrust a hand through his thick gray hair. "I'll watch you until you get back to the inn."

"You don't have to."

"Yes, I do. That's who I am, Caroline. You know me well enough to know that."

She did know him well, and as she walked up the stairs, knowing he watched her every move, she wondered if she'd ever see him again.

Caroline walked inside and shut the door behind her. She leaned against the kitchen counter and drew in a deep, ragged breath. She couldn't believe what had just happened. She had just lost her best friend. She had let him just walk away.

Caroline put her hands on the counter to steady herself. She knew she had done the right thing, but that didn't make it hurt any less.

"Is that you, Caroline?" Sam called from the parlor.

"Yes," she said weakly. "I'll be in there in a moment." She took a deep breath, pushed away from the counter, and tried to compose herself. She took a gla.s.s down from the cabinet next to the sink and filled it with cold water. She drank it down in one gulp and then refilled it, and slowly started toward the parlor. She hoped they wouldn't be able to see that she'd been crying.

"What happened, Caroline?" Gracie asked as soon as she appeared in the doorway.

There was no hiding something like this from her sisters.

"George just proposed." Caroline set her gla.s.s down on the mahogany table by the door.

"Finally!" Sam dropped her needlework into her lap and clapped her hands. "It took him long enough. Tell us all about it!"

"Oh, Caroline, that's wonderful!" Gracie jumped up and came toward Caroline, as if to give her a hug.

"I said no."

Gracie stopped dead in her tracks.