Page 27
"Oh, hush," she says, waving away his embarrassment. "I've known you since you were in diapers, Riley Carter. Can't shock me. Now, why don't you two get dressed while I make some coffee? Then we can have a proper conversation."
Without waiting for a response, she bustles into the kitchen, leaving Riley and me to exchange bewildered glances.
"Is she always like this?" I whisper as we hurriedly collect our scattered clothing.
"Pretty much," Riley confirms, pulling on his t-shirt. "She's... unique."
We dress quickly, and by the time we make it to the kitchen, Mrs. Abernathy has coffee brewing and is arranging bread rolls on a plate.
"So," she says brightly as we enter, "I take it the power outage brought you two together? How romantic! Just like in those novels I read."
"Mrs. Abernathy," Riley begins, but she cuts him off again.
"Edith, please. If you're sleeping with my tenant, we can be on a first-name basis."
I can't help the laugh that escapes me, partly from nervousness and partly from the situation's absurdity. Riley looks at me, and after a moment, the corner of his mouth twitches upward.
"Coffee?" Edith offers, holding out mugs to each of us.
We accept, and for a few minutes, the kitchen is filled with the sounds of breakfast being assembled and consumed. Once we've eaten, however, I decide to seize the opportunity.
"Edith," I say, "since you're here, there's something we want to ask you. About the town's history."
Her eyes light up. "My favorite subject! What would you like to know?"
I glance at Riley, who nods encouragingly. "It's about the founding families. The Mitchells, specifically. My father was James Mitchell, and I recently found out our family was one of the town's founders."
Edith's expression shifts to one of keen interest. "James Mitchell? You're James's daughter?"
"You knew my father?" I ask, surprised.
"Of course! He grew up just two streets over from me. Such a serious boy, always with his nose in a book. Left town right after high school, didn't he?"
I nod, eager for more information. "What can you tell me about the Mitchell family? And..." I hesitate, then press on, "what happened between them and the Carters?"
Edith's gaze moves between Riley and me, understanding dawning in her eyes. "Well now, isn't that something? A Carterand a Mitchell, together after all these years. Your grandfathers would be turning in their graves."
"Why?" Riley asks, leaning forward. "What happened?"
Edith takes a sip of her coffee, clearly relishing having an audience for her historical knowledge. "It was 1889. The lumber mill had been running successfully for years, a joint venture between the Carters, who owned the timber rights, and the Mitchells, who ran the mill operations. The Abernathys—my husband's family—handled the financial side."
She pauses, making sure she has our full attention. "Then one night, the mill burned down. Completely destroyed. And each family blamed the others."
"Why?" I ask. "Was it not an accident?"
"Some thought it was arson," Edith explains. "The Carters accused Samuel Mitchell—that would be your great-great-grandfather—of setting the fire for the insurance money. The Mitchells claimed Jacob Carter—Riley's ancestor—had done it out of jealousy, as Samuel had recently been named president of the town council over him."
"And the Abernathys?" Riley prompts.
"Stepped in to buy out both families' interests in the rebuilt mill, effectively ending their partnership and their friendship." Edith shakes her head sadly. "From that day forward, Carters and Mitchells didn't socialize, didn't do business together, and certainly didn't marry each other. It was an unwritten rule in Cedar Falls for generations."
"So that's why my father never talked about his family here," I murmur, pieces falling into place. "He was carrying on a century-old grudge."
"Not exactly," Edith says, surprising me. "Your father was different. He questioned the feud openly in his teens, even befriended young William Carter—Riley's uncle—much to both families' dismay."
Riley's head snaps up. "My uncle Will? The one who died in the car accident?"
Edith nods solemnly. "The very same. James and Will were best friends in high school, inseparable despite their families' objections. Until the accident."
Without waiting for a response, she bustles into the kitchen, leaving Riley and me to exchange bewildered glances.
"Is she always like this?" I whisper as we hurriedly collect our scattered clothing.
"Pretty much," Riley confirms, pulling on his t-shirt. "She's... unique."
We dress quickly, and by the time we make it to the kitchen, Mrs. Abernathy has coffee brewing and is arranging bread rolls on a plate.
"So," she says brightly as we enter, "I take it the power outage brought you two together? How romantic! Just like in those novels I read."
"Mrs. Abernathy," Riley begins, but she cuts him off again.
"Edith, please. If you're sleeping with my tenant, we can be on a first-name basis."
I can't help the laugh that escapes me, partly from nervousness and partly from the situation's absurdity. Riley looks at me, and after a moment, the corner of his mouth twitches upward.
"Coffee?" Edith offers, holding out mugs to each of us.
We accept, and for a few minutes, the kitchen is filled with the sounds of breakfast being assembled and consumed. Once we've eaten, however, I decide to seize the opportunity.
"Edith," I say, "since you're here, there's something we want to ask you. About the town's history."
Her eyes light up. "My favorite subject! What would you like to know?"
I glance at Riley, who nods encouragingly. "It's about the founding families. The Mitchells, specifically. My father was James Mitchell, and I recently found out our family was one of the town's founders."
Edith's expression shifts to one of keen interest. "James Mitchell? You're James's daughter?"
"You knew my father?" I ask, surprised.
"Of course! He grew up just two streets over from me. Such a serious boy, always with his nose in a book. Left town right after high school, didn't he?"
I nod, eager for more information. "What can you tell me about the Mitchell family? And..." I hesitate, then press on, "what happened between them and the Carters?"
Edith's gaze moves between Riley and me, understanding dawning in her eyes. "Well now, isn't that something? A Carterand a Mitchell, together after all these years. Your grandfathers would be turning in their graves."
"Why?" Riley asks, leaning forward. "What happened?"
Edith takes a sip of her coffee, clearly relishing having an audience for her historical knowledge. "It was 1889. The lumber mill had been running successfully for years, a joint venture between the Carters, who owned the timber rights, and the Mitchells, who ran the mill operations. The Abernathys—my husband's family—handled the financial side."
She pauses, making sure she has our full attention. "Then one night, the mill burned down. Completely destroyed. And each family blamed the others."
"Why?" I ask. "Was it not an accident?"
"Some thought it was arson," Edith explains. "The Carters accused Samuel Mitchell—that would be your great-great-grandfather—of setting the fire for the insurance money. The Mitchells claimed Jacob Carter—Riley's ancestor—had done it out of jealousy, as Samuel had recently been named president of the town council over him."
"And the Abernathys?" Riley prompts.
"Stepped in to buy out both families' interests in the rebuilt mill, effectively ending their partnership and their friendship." Edith shakes her head sadly. "From that day forward, Carters and Mitchells didn't socialize, didn't do business together, and certainly didn't marry each other. It was an unwritten rule in Cedar Falls for generations."
"So that's why my father never talked about his family here," I murmur, pieces falling into place. "He was carrying on a century-old grudge."
"Not exactly," Edith says, surprising me. "Your father was different. He questioned the feud openly in his teens, even befriended young William Carter—Riley's uncle—much to both families' dismay."
Riley's head snaps up. "My uncle Will? The one who died in the car accident?"
Edith nods solemnly. "The very same. James and Will were best friends in high school, inseparable despite their families' objections. Until the accident."