a while. How have you been?”
“Oh, just fine, Marjorie. Where’s your sister today?”
Marjorie pursed her lips. “She’s very busy. Couldn’t make it.”
Lucky’s ears went up. She couldn’t recall a day when the two sisters weren’t together.
Elizabeth picked up her order. “Have to run.” She stood and blew Lucky a kiss. “Marjorie, good to see you too. We’ll have to catch up some other time.” She smiled and walked over to the cash register.
“Tea and a croissant, today?” Lucky asked Marjorie.
“Yes, dear. That would be fine.” Marjorie wasnever talkative, but today she seemed nervous and upset.
Lucky carried the cup of tea and buttered croissant to the placemat. “Is everything all right?” she asked. Marjorie looked close to tears.
“Oh . . .” Marjorie shrugged her shoulders and took a deep breath. “Cecily isn’t speaking to me right now. We had a terrible row.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Lucky had always noticed the differingpersonalities between the sisters, but never remembered a disagreement between them.
Marjorie leaned over the counter and whispered, “That man we met here . . . he stopped in at the shop yesterday, just as we were closing. And he asked her to have dinner with him! Can you believe that?” Marjorie’s tone was indignant. “I didn’t say anything in front of him, but I told her later she was takingan awful chance having a date with a strange man.”
“Ah.” Lucky nodded seriously, in what she hoped was a neutral tone.
Marjorie continued. “After all, he’s a complete stranger in town. We really know nothing about him.” Lucky was relieved no one was sitting close to Marjorie who could overhear her remarks. Marjorie took a sip of her tea. “Cecily became very upset with me. And when I remindedher . . . you know, she had a terrible blow years and years ago. She . . .” Marjorie leaned closer. “She was jilted, almost at the altar. Well, not exactly, but another few days and it would have happened that way quite literally. Well, she just blew up at me. That’s the only way I can put it. Told me what she thought of me and my opinion.” Marjorie sniffed back a tear. She looked truly woundedto have her good advice rejected so vehemently.
“I didn’t know. What an awful experience for her to have. I’m so sorry,” Lucky commiserated.
“I realize my sister isn’t like me. I’m perfectly happy as a spinster. Never met a man I would have wanted to share my life with. Who really needs ’em, I say. But Cecily . . . she’s such a trusting soul. I just couldn’t bear it if my sister got hurtlike that again.”
Lucky was torn. She wanted to remind Marjorie that her sister was a free agent and shouldn’t spend her life in a bubble, but at the same time she could understand an older sister’s desire to protect a vulnerable sibling from hurt. “Oh, oh.” Lucky touched Marjorie’s arm. “Here comes Nate with that insurance investigator in tow.” Joe Conrad had obviously been successful inlocating Nate.
Marjorie took a last bite of her croissant. “I’m leaving now.” Without futher ado, she gathered up her shopping bag and purse. “I’d rather not have to deal with the man who caused our argument last night.” She stood and headed for the cash register.
Lucky watched as Nate paused on the sidewalk before coming into the restaurant. He was staring at Ernie White, who stood onthe sidewalk talking to the two men who had been with him at the restaurant. Nate leaned toward Conrad and made a remark. Conrad nodded in response, and then together the two men entered the restaurant.
Chapter 12
O NCE THE LUNCH rush died down, Lucky joined Jack, Nate and Joe Conrad at their table where they lingered over coffee. Janie manned the cash register while Meg cleared off the remaining tables.
“I guess you two have already met Joe,” Nate said.
Jack reached across the table to shake Joe’s proffered hand.
“Hello again,”
“Oh, just fine, Marjorie. Where’s your sister today?”
Marjorie pursed her lips. “She’s very busy. Couldn’t make it.”
Lucky’s ears went up. She couldn’t recall a day when the two sisters weren’t together.
Elizabeth picked up her order. “Have to run.” She stood and blew Lucky a kiss. “Marjorie, good to see you too. We’ll have to catch up some other time.” She smiled and walked over to the cash register.
“Tea and a croissant, today?” Lucky asked Marjorie.
“Yes, dear. That would be fine.” Marjorie wasnever talkative, but today she seemed nervous and upset.
Lucky carried the cup of tea and buttered croissant to the placemat. “Is everything all right?” she asked. Marjorie looked close to tears.
“Oh . . .” Marjorie shrugged her shoulders and took a deep breath. “Cecily isn’t speaking to me right now. We had a terrible row.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Lucky had always noticed the differingpersonalities between the sisters, but never remembered a disagreement between them.
Marjorie leaned over the counter and whispered, “That man we met here . . . he stopped in at the shop yesterday, just as we were closing. And he asked her to have dinner with him! Can you believe that?” Marjorie’s tone was indignant. “I didn’t say anything in front of him, but I told her later she was takingan awful chance having a date with a strange man.”
“Ah.” Lucky nodded seriously, in what she hoped was a neutral tone.
Marjorie continued. “After all, he’s a complete stranger in town. We really know nothing about him.” Lucky was relieved no one was sitting close to Marjorie who could overhear her remarks. Marjorie took a sip of her tea. “Cecily became very upset with me. And when I remindedher . . . you know, she had a terrible blow years and years ago. She . . .” Marjorie leaned closer. “She was jilted, almost at the altar. Well, not exactly, but another few days and it would have happened that way quite literally. Well, she just blew up at me. That’s the only way I can put it. Told me what she thought of me and my opinion.” Marjorie sniffed back a tear. She looked truly woundedto have her good advice rejected so vehemently.
“I didn’t know. What an awful experience for her to have. I’m so sorry,” Lucky commiserated.
“I realize my sister isn’t like me. I’m perfectly happy as a spinster. Never met a man I would have wanted to share my life with. Who really needs ’em, I say. But Cecily . . . she’s such a trusting soul. I just couldn’t bear it if my sister got hurtlike that again.”
Lucky was torn. She wanted to remind Marjorie that her sister was a free agent and shouldn’t spend her life in a bubble, but at the same time she could understand an older sister’s desire to protect a vulnerable sibling from hurt. “Oh, oh.” Lucky touched Marjorie’s arm. “Here comes Nate with that insurance investigator in tow.” Joe Conrad had obviously been successful inlocating Nate.
Marjorie took a last bite of her croissant. “I’m leaving now.” Without futher ado, she gathered up her shopping bag and purse. “I’d rather not have to deal with the man who caused our argument last night.” She stood and headed for the cash register.
Lucky watched as Nate paused on the sidewalk before coming into the restaurant. He was staring at Ernie White, who stood onthe sidewalk talking to the two men who had been with him at the restaurant. Nate leaned toward Conrad and made a remark. Conrad nodded in response, and then together the two men entered the restaurant.
Chapter 12
O NCE THE LUNCH rush died down, Lucky joined Jack, Nate and Joe Conrad at their table where they lingered over coffee. Janie manned the cash register while Meg cleared off the remaining tables.
“I guess you two have already met Joe,” Nate said.
Jack reached across the table to shake Joe’s proffered hand.
“Hello again,”
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