After the mayor finally sat down, Ed Bryant, owner of the local movie theater, agreed to be in charge of the parade and carnival. And Maggie Sweeney, the town’s former librarian and my grandmother’s closest friend, took charge of the church bazaar.
Then Eleanor stood up.
“I thought it would be a lovely nod to our past to combine quilts, which as you all know is a tradition that predates the nation’s founding, with the celebration of our town’s history,” she said. “I propose doing a quilt show.”
Everyone applauded enthusiastically. If Eleanor was going to help, it wasn’t entirely unexpected she’d help by offering quilts. She was, after all, the owner of Someday Quilts, which had been drawing folks to town for more than thirty years.
While the small crowd was applauding, Eleanor leaned down to me and whispered, “How badly do you want to get out of here?”
“Badly.”
She nodded and stood up straight. “My granddaughter Nell is extremely busy with art school and working at Someday Quilts, so unfortunately she has to leave. But she has offered to take time from her schedule to organize the quilt show.”
I stood up and was about to protest.
“You can go now if you need to.” Eleanor took a deep and triumphant breath.
“This is why you dragged me here?” I asked her.
“I thought you might like to help your town.”
As others applauded my willingness to help, I whispered to my grandmother, “This isn’t over.”
Eleanor smiled. It was over and she knew it.
• • •
For a complete list of this author’s books click here or visit
www.penguin.com/odonohuechecklist
For more quilting and mystery in Archers Rest, check out Clare O’Donohue’s other Someday Quilts Mysteries, also available from Plume.
Visit www.clareodonohue.com
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