Page 13

They left the marshal’s house in short order, the remaining gingerbread men they’d made earlier wrapped in a kitchen towel tied with a bow and leisurely walked to Lucy’s two-story house, one of the biggest in town, on the street behind the town hall.

It had to be the biggest. Doctor Ben, Lucy’s husband, had his practice there with his office and examining rooms accessed by a separate entrance.

One merely had to follow the arrow painted on the sign proclaiming, ‘Doctor.’ Lucy, as a photographer, took photographs here, too, in a room just off the formal parlor that she’d decorate for different occasions.

There was a dark room, too, where she developed the photographs.

They stepped up to the porch. “Are you ready?” Tresia asked just before she raised her hand to grab the brass door knocker.

Avery gave a quick nod, though it was in no way a confident one. She clutched the doll even closer to her chest, as if looking for comfort. Perhaps, she was.

Tresia used the knocker, let it rap on the brass plate, once, twice, then two more times.

After a moment, the door swung open and Lucy stood before them wearing a full apron with bib to protect the lovely pale green skirt and ivory blouse she wore.

There was flour on her cheek, but it didn’t dim the unmistakable happiness shining from her mocha-brown eyes as a wide smile of welcome appeared on her face.

“Tresia! Avery! What a lovely surprise!” She opened the door wider.

“Come in! Come in! Savannah and I just finished making Apfelku?chle .” She laughed.

“I was missing home so I made one of Hilde’s traditional German desserts,” she said, referring to the woman who’d come out to Montana del Trueno so many years ago with her Tia Evie.

Just the mention of Apfelku?chle had Tresia’s mouth watering. Apple slices, dipped in batter and fried to a golden brown then dipped in sugar and cinnamon was a favorite of hers though she hadn’t made them in quite some time. They’d been her mother’s favorite as well.

Lucy dropped her gaze and bent low. “Hello, Avery. Do you remember me?”

“Hullo,” Avery said.

Lucy straightened then ushered them into the house. “Come to the kitchen.”

She led the way, though Tresia didn’t need guidance.

She’d been in this house many times and felt the comfort she always did as soon as she walked through the door.

All the windows were open, the lacy curtains fluttering in the breeze and on the table were the fruits of Lucy and Savannah’s labor.

Indeed, on Savannah’s face was the evidence she had taste-tested more than one apple slice.

Savannah was maybe eight years old now and flew into Tresia’s arms and gave her a big hug, despite the sugar granules on her face…and hands…and shirt.

“Hello, Savannah!” Tresia pulled out of the embrace and picked up the end of the girl’s pigtail, giving it a slight tug in affection.

Out of all Lucy’s relatives, her niece, Savannah, the only girl, was her favorite though she held a lot of fondness for little Toughie who had a penchant for running around naked.

She was quite fond of Tia Evie as well…and everyone else who lived at Montana del Trueno.

“It’s been a little while since I’ve seen you! I think you’ve grown another inch.”

“That’s what Mama says!”

“And she’d be right.” She turned toward her charge. “Avery, this is my friend, Savannah.”

Savannah took her hand like a proper young lady. “ Tia Lucy has swings in the backyard. Grab an Apfelku?chle .” She pointed to the dessert on the plate. “And let’s go play.”

Avery looked up at her with big eyes, hesitant, leery.

“Go ahead. You can have one.” Tresia encouraged her.

“They’re good.” And to prove it, she delicately pulled an apple slice from the top of the pile and took a big bite.

The combination of tart apple and sweet sugar left an explosion of taste…

and memory…in her mouth. “Oh, they’re perfect.

” She swallowed and nodded toward Avery. “You try.”

Avery still hesitated, her hand hovering over the plate before Savannah nudged her. “Take one. It’s all right.”

She did finally and took a small bite. A look of pure joy came over her face as she chewed.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Tresia asked, her heart full of affection for her.

Avery nodded with enthusiasm and took another bite as Savannah grabbed her other hand and started pulling her toward the door, almost dislodging the doll clutched against Avery’s chest. “Come on, you can finish it outside.”

Avery allowed herself to be led away—though she really didn’t have much of a choice with Savannah.

The girls headed for the swings hanging from a wooden frame while Lucy cleared a place at the table, then poured two cups of coffee from the ever-present pot on the stove.

Tresia watched the two girls through the window as she took a seat and finished the Apfelku?chle, then licked her fingertips, getting every speck of sugar.

She placed her own dessert on the table.

“I brought gingerbread men, but it doesn’t look like you need them.

” She then pulled a folded sheet of paper from her drawstring bag and handed it to Lucy.

“I also worked on the layout for the lending library like you asked me. It’s just a rough sketch, but I think it’s what you’re looking for. ”

“Oh, good! I’ll study it later tonight and let you know if it needs any changes,” she said as she dropped the folded paper in the pocket of her apron.

“I’m sure it’s perfect, though.” She gestured to the bow-wrapped dish towel.

“As for the cookies, they won’t go to waste.

You know what a sweet tooth Ben has.” Lucy pulled out the chair opposite her and slid into it, expectation and curiosity in her expression. “Well?”

Tresia pulled her attention from Avery and stared at her friend. “You lied to me, Lucy Hart. Looked right in my face and straight up lied.”

Lucy laughed even as she schooled her features into a look of innocence. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Not handsome. No sense of humor. Admit it. You lied.” She stirred some sugar into her coffee, the spoon making delicate little tinkling sounds as it touched the side of the fine China cup. “I am not interested in finding someone. I told you that.”

“And I told you that I understood. I was not trying to match you with Marshal Goodrich, but I did think you’d fall in love with Avery. And I was right.”

Tresia glanced outside at both girls as they swung back and forth, the edges of their clothing fluttering in the breeze, the sound of Savannah’s one-sided conversation coming in through the open window. “Yes, you were right. She is a sweet little girl.”

“It was love at first sight, wasn’t it?”

She had to admit that it was.

“What about the marshal?”

“He seems like a genuinely nice man. He loves his daughter.”

“And you like him. You think he’s handsome.” Lucy raised an eyebrow as she lifted the coffee cup to her lips.

She didn’t answer, though the image of Devlin Goodrich standing in the doorway to the kitchen, shirtless, barefoot, popped into her brain.

She hadn’t seen a man half naked in a very long time, nor one so muscular, his broad shoulders and wide chest tapering down to a slim waist. Though she’d pretended to ignore that earlier, it was proving harder and harder to do.

“What is that look?”

“Nothing,” Tresia said and helped herself to another Apfelku?chle so she wouldn’t have to respond.

“Hmm, if it’s nothing, then why is your face turning red?”

“What do you know about him?” she asked.

If anyone knew anything, it would be Lucy.

Not only was she the leader of the Ladies Society and a matchmaker, she was the town busybody.

Not much happened in Serenity that she didn’t know about.

She wasn’t a gossip though. Whatever anyone said to her, stayed with her.

Secrets remained secrets, which was good because so many shared their confidences with her.

“He was an excellent marshal in Albuquerque, or so I’ve been told.

He has a sterling reputation. Above reproach, really.

Follows the law to the letter.” She quieted for a moment, as if searching her memory.

After a moment, she said, “And he’s a widower, but you already know that.

That’s all I really know. You’ll have to find out anything else for yourself. ”

Surprised, Tresia just stared at her. Lucy usually knew everything !

Her gaze roamed over Lucy’s face, looking for a clue that she might know more than she’d shared, but there wasn’t anything there.

She didn’t wink. She didn’t smile. She didn’t turn away.

She simply returned Tresia’s stare with one of her own.

It was Tresia who had to turn away. Why did she want to know about the marshal anyway?

When she’d told Lucy she wasn’t interested in being matched, she’d meant it.

She had a plan and it didn’t involve getting married again, at least, not until she accomplished her goal.

She was being paid to take care of Avery and, by extension, her father. That was all.

She glanced out the window to check on her charge.

The girls were no longer on the swings. Instead, they were crouched on the ground, intently inspecting something, but she was too far away to see what it was.

Whatever had drawn their attention, it was enough for Avery to release her death grip on her doll.

They talked about the library fundraiser for a while, then about the new dresses Leslie Carmichael, the dressmaker, had in the window at her shop, until Tresia said, “We should go. Dinner is not going to make itself and I still have to stop by the butcher.”

Lucy was giving her a straightforward stare, except this time, there was a happy little glow in her friend’s eyes.

“Stop thinking what you’re thinking, Lucy Hart.”

“I’m not thinking anything.” She held up her hand as if ready to take a pledge.

“I swear. Believe me, I learned my lesson with Tia Evie. I will never place an advertisement for a husband in the newspaper again, though that turned out rather well, but I’m not above a little gentle persuasion.

Still, I know that’s not what you want and I respect that. ”

Tresia watched her carefully, especially Lucy’s eyes and the corners of her mouth. If she was lying, that’s where she’d see it, but there was nothing. No tell-tale give-away. Not even a hint of something not true.

She rose from her seat, took a last sip of her coffee, then headed toward the back door.

Lucy did the same, following her out to the porch, closing the kitchen door behind her.

For a moment, they just stood there, watching Avery and Savannah, both now laying on their stomachs and studying whatever was crawling on the ground.

“It’s time to go, Avery.”

Avery popped up from her position and ran toward her. There was dirt on her cheeks and hands. Indeed, her little calico dress was coated, but there was a huge smile on her face.

“We found a caterpillar.” Savannah volunteered, her own clothes, hands, and face just as dirty as she joined them on the porch.

“Is that what you were watching so intently?”

Savannah nodded toward Avery. “I don’t think she’s ever seen one.”

“I’m sure you’ll see more, but for now, we have to go.” She brushed some of the dirt from Avery’s dress then gave up…she was only making it worse. “Go get Cecily.”

Avery ran back to grab her doll, which was no longer as clean as she had been, her little dress splattered with dirt as well as the remains of dried leaves.

There were even leaves in her hair and some of the curls were loosening.

It was obvious to anyone with eyes, Cecily was well loved and after only a day.

“Savannah, it was so nice to see you.” Tresia tugged once again on one of Savannah’s pigtails and laughed. “Stop growing up so fast.”

Savannah giggled. “That’s what Mama says.”

She gave Lucy a hug. “I’ll see you at the next meeting.”

Lucy squeezed tight. “You will.” There was something in her eyes when she let go, something Tresia couldn’t miss.

Despite the fact that she’d said she didn’t want to be matched, Lucy would do as she pleased.

She always did. And maybe, just maybe, this one time, it wouldn’t be bad if things didn’t go as Lucy planned.