“How’s she doing?”
“She’s dedicated to this job. I’ve offered her one of the rooms upstairs while she gets to work on the guest house where Samuel lived.”
“Is she going to take you up on your offer?”
“I think so.”
He traced her collarbone with his finger. “You make pie sexy.”
She laughed. “You aren’t listening to me, are you?”
He kissed her. “I caught every word.” And between more kisses, he said, “Megan. House. Pie. Renovation.”
“Rick has a tendency to show up when she’s here. He’s always got a question or tidbit about the bones in the well. What’s the deal with them?”
“Can’t say.” Hank just grinned and ran his hand down to her waist. “What are you doing for the next hour?”
A delicious wave of excitement raced through her. “Packing up furniture.”
“Ah, sounds like hard work.”
“Hey, eyes up here. I’m assuming you received your financial backing?”
“I did.” His voice was now barely a whisper, and he seemed to be tamping down excitement as he placed his hands on her shoulders. “We’ll be moving forward with clearing the additional parcels of land in the spring.”
“That’s very exciting. You’ve got to be proud.”
“Between you and me, it’s scary as hell. I’m betting the farm—your farm—to make this happen.”
“Go big or go home.”
He hugged her close. “You make me think it really will happen.”
“It will.”
“Natasha is at school, correct?”
“Until three thirty.”
“And Megan?”
“In town running errands.” She was starting to care less and less about packing those boxes. “I thought you had vineyard work this morning?”
“I do. Soon.”
“Well, I was planning to wrap the smaller pieces for the movers who are coming in two hours.”
“And if I helped you later today, would that free up some time?”
“Maybe.” She smoothed her hand over his chest. The longer she was in this house and this town, the more settled she felt. Even though her life was busier than ever, the bone-weariness that had dogged her for a long time had lifted. “How shall I fill the time?”
He ran his hand up her sweater, and a thrill of excitement shot through her body. “I have an idea.”
She laughed. “I think I’m going to like this.”
READING GROUP QUESTIONS FOR MARY ELLEN TAYLOR’S WINTER COTTAGE
Both Claire and Beth were forced to leave their homes at a young age. How would their lives have been different if they’d stayed in Cape Hudson?
Claire believed that fashion had the power to transform anyone’s life, but did it get her the life she truly wanted?
Did Hank take it too far when he committed Lucy’s name to the new financial deal he’d negotiated with the bank?
Do you have a favorite passage or moment in Winter Cottage?
The winter season is an important part of Winter Cottage’s setting. How do you think the season relates to the characters?
If a movie were made of this book, who would you pick to play Claire, Lucy, Hank, and Natasha?
If you had to write an ending for Claire and Jimmy, what would it be?
Lucy strikes a truce with her father. Is this something that can last, or is this tentative peace doomed to fail?
How does this novel leave you feeling? Did you feel a sense of hope for Claire? What about Hank and Lucy?
How do you think the pending renovations for Winter Cottage will go? Do you think it holds more secrets?
Winter Cottage Apple Pie
For the Filling
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
½ cup of white sugar
½ cup of brown sugar
7–8 Granny Smith apples
Peel and thinly slice the apples. In a bowl, toss the apples with the sugars and the cornstarch. Set aside.
For the Crust
1 cup of butter, chilled and cubed
½ teaspoon of salt
3 cups of all-purpose flour
4–5 tablespoons of ice water
Place the cubed butter, salt, and all-purpose flour in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles a fine meal. Still pulsing, add water one tablespoon at a time until the dough forms a ball. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
To Assemble the Pie
After one hour, roll out half the dough into a circle and place in a greased pie pan. By now the apple filling will have given off some of its juice. Strain the apple filling and arrange it on the bottom crust. Roll out the other half of the dough and drape over the filling. Pinch the top and bottom sections of crust together. Slice two slim vent holes in the top. Bake in a 425-degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 35–45 minutes.
Lucy’s Chocolate Cake
For the Cake
2 cups of sugar
1¾ cups of all-purpose flour
¾ cup Dutch process cocoa
1½ teaspoons of baking powder
1½ teaspoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs
1 cup of milk or buttermilk
1 tablespoon of espresso powder
½ cup of vegetable oil
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 cup of hot water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Blend together the eggs, milk, espresso powder, oil, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Stir in the cup of hot water. Bake for 30–35 minutes until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Chocolate Icing
½ cup of butter, softened
⅔ cup of cocoa
3 cups of powdered sugar
⅓ cup of cold coffee
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Cream the butter until it is silky, then add the cocoa, powdered sugar, coffee, and vanilla. Whip until smooth. Ice the cake when it is completely cool.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2017 Studio FBJ
A southerner by birth, Mary Ellen Taylor’s contemporary stories intertwine her love of women’s fiction and the history of her home state of Virginia. When she’s not chasing her three dachshunds, she writes romantic suspense under the name Mary Burton.
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