by Diane Noble
Kate told herself not to be bothered by Renee’s behavior and concentrated instead on the laughter and happy chatter that soon filled the little parsonage.
The women obviously knew each other well. Another advantage of small-town living, Kate thought. She could hear snatches of conversation about children and grandchildren and friends who had moved away. Of course, the ladies of Riverbend Community knew each other and chatted about the same things, but this seemed, well, different. It seemed like family.
Livvy caught Kate’s hand and squeezed it. “This is wonderful, Kate!” She gestured to the living room, where the ladies were taking their seats at the tables. “We’ve so needed something special to get our minds off the fire.”
Kate made her way to the front of the room and smiled at the little gathering. “Welcome,” she said. “It’s wonderful to see you all here. I’ve met some of you before today, and others for the first time, but I’m hoping we can all get better acquainted during this time of fellowship and fun. This tea party is simply my way of saying thank you for making me feel so welcome in your community—and in the Faith Briar family.
“Let’s ask God’s blessing on this occasion and on the food,” she said. “Then let the tea party begin!”
THE DAINTY FINGER SANDWICHES were passed around, tea poured, salad served. Fresh fruit and crème fraîche and petits fours.
The conversation turned naturally to the pumpkin festival with dozens of questions and comments and ideas being tossed back and forth among the tables. While Livvy then LuAnne gave the women the latest details, Kate and Phoebe took out fresh trays of the tiny puff sandwiches and served each table. The excitement seemed to grow as the women talked about sewing projects and baked goods they could sell.
The auction seemed of special interest, and as Kate poured fresh tea from her mother’s silver teapot at each table, the women peppered LuAnne with questions.
Livvy, who was helping Kate pour tea, sidled closer. “I’ve just had a brainstorm,” she whispered. “Why don’t you show the ladies one of your stained-glass pieces?”
The light dawned, and Kate smiled. “To get a buzz going for the auction?”
“How about the piece you showed me yesterday—the Tiffany-style lamp? Would you mind showing it? It might trigger some ideas. We’ve got other artists at Faith Briar. Phoebe paints with watercolors, Abby does ceramics. Maybe yours will encourage them.”
Livvy clinked her water glass with her spoon. “Ladies, we have a treat in store today. I’ve just asked Kate to show us the stained-glass piece she’s planning to donate for the auction. She doesn’t talk much about it, and she certainly doesn’t know I planned to say anything about her artistry today, but her artwork is exactly what we’re talking about that will bring in the kind of money we need to rebuild Faith Briar.”
“I’ll be happy to donate it,” Kate said. “Working with stained glass is a passion of mine, but since we moved, there just hasn’t been time. I’m hoping to get started again soon. I’d planned to put up one of my pieces for auction, but I couldn’t make up my mind which one”—she grinned at her friend—“until Livvy here mentioned the lamp.”
Kate stepped into the spare bedroom. Her supplies were still in boxes, but a few of her favorite pieces were on a high shelf in the closet. She opened the closet door, reached for the heavy table lamp, and held it close, almost as she would have a baby. How could she part with it? It was the last piece she made in San Antonio, in the studio she missed terribly and would never see, or use, again. A touch of homesickness nipped at her heart.
But the lamp would bring in more money than any of her other pieces of art. Hugging it close, she turned to go back into the living room.
She had almost reached the doorway but was still hidden from view, when she heard Renee’s voice.
Her breath caught in her throat as she listened.
“. . . and I don’t mean to criticize, but really, pots and pans hanging from the ceiling like she’s some sort of TV chef? And the antique china...and the silver? It’s Gorham, you know. Albemarle, and at least a hundred years old. Sterling. It must have cost a fortune. I can only imagine how the money could have gone to better use, like feeding the poor or something...Putting on airs, that’s what she’s doing. Trying to show us mountain women how highfalutin entertaining should be done.”
Kate halted midstep and frowned. Surely she wasn’t hearing correctly. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up straight; her cheeks turned warm. She counted to ten and ordered her feet to stay put, then took a deep cleansing breath.
It didn’t help. She increased the count to twenty and considered other options: locking herself in the bathroom, leaping out a window, tearing into the living room and confronting Renee.
All three were appealing. With a deep sigh, she dismissed them all.
Instead, she put her shoulders back and shot another prayer heavenward. Her prayer list was getting longer by the day: Grace, forgiveness, humor, and now strength and a healthy dose of patience.
She plastered a smile on her face and rounded the corner into the tearoom.
“Ah, there she is.” Livvy’s voice was unnaturally bright. “We were getting worried. And there’s that beautiful lamp.”
The women were subdued as they gathered around to examine her artistry. Kate did her best to keep the atmosphere upbeat, light, and joyful, and to keep from glaring at Renee. It was a struggle.
After Renee’s tirade and the resulting subdued mood, Kate expected the ladies to leave early, but surprisingly, most seemed genuinely reluctant to say good-bye. She was relieved when Renee excused herself, saying she needed to get Kisses home for his nap.
The atmosphere brightened considerably once Renee left. At least a dozen women stayed to help with cleanup. Millie, the church secretary with a vibrant smile, trotted to the sink and started rinsing the china.
“Honey, I love these dishes,” she said. “I just bet they were your grandma’s—or someone else special like that.”
Kate could have kissed her. She grinned. “Yes, they were. I treasure them. I use them for special occasions.”
“And the silver service?”
“A gift to my parents from their friends on their silver anniversary.”
“I thought so,” Millie said with a wink. “I think we all figured that.”
Livvy, LuAnne, and a handful of other ladies who had been working around the kitchen stopped to listen. A few others drifted in from the living room where they had been clearing the tables.
There were murmurs of understanding, words of support for Kate and Paul, and mentions of how glad they were to have them as part of the community. The ladies’ expressions of compassion and their gestures of love spoke louder than words.
Abby Pippins came over and gave Kate a hug. “We all figured you overheard the mean things that were said. But you need to know that Renee doesn’t speak for the rest of us.”
Kate took a deep breath. “Thank you all for staying to help, but more than that, thank you for understanding.” She paused. “Honestly, I thought the day was ruined. But your love—a reflection of God’s own—has done much to help me through a difficult day. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
LuAnne had tears in her eyes as she made her way through the tangle of women to stand by Kate. “This here is one classy lady,” she said to the others. “She’s worked tirelessly to put this tea together, and let me tell you, she’s diggin’ in scary places to see that justice is done in this arson case. And at great personal cost.”
She looked over at Kate. “Darlin’, can I tell them about the death threat?”
Almost as one, the women gasped.
“Death threat?” Abby said and put her hand to her rather ample bosom. “Oh my.”
“Like on TV?” Dotty wanted to know.
“Absolutely,” LuAnne said. “And is she gonna stop pokin’ her nose into this business? You can bet your sweet bippy she’s not. This lady is as smart as a whip, as brave as a m
ountain lion, and as sleuthy as Miss Marple.”
“As a what?” Dotty asked, cupping her ear. “A marble?”
“Miss Marple,” LuAnne said a little louder. “Miss Marple.”
Kate grinned and hugged LuAnne. Smart, brave, and sleuthy. Never mind that sleuthy wasn’t really a word. All in all, it wasn’t a bad image.
THAT NIGHT, KATE SAT ALONE by the fire, reflecting on the day. Her feelings were mixed. It had ended well, but she was still disturbed about Renee’s comments.
She examined her own heart, wondering what God was trying to teach her in this. Had her actions triggered Renee’s words? Was there any truth to the accusation that she was putting on airs?
In this little town, would it have been better to have put together a simpler gathering? Did it really offend Renee—or any of the ladies—that Kate seemed to have blown in from the city with her gourmet recipes, fancy cookware, and fine china? Did they feel she was trying to show them how things really should be done? Did they really think she was putting on airs?
She had told herself she wanted to put on the tea as a gift to Faith Briar in this desperate time of need. But in reality—and it hurt her to even consider it—had she wanted to show off her skills, her pretty dishes, her flair for cooking?
Was Renee right?
She bowed her head. Oh my, Lord! I prayed that you would refine me, that you would help me simplify my life, but I didn’t expect it to hurt so much. Help me do what I know must be done.
Paul was already asleep when she crawled into bed. She turned out her light, and lay there in the darkness, staring at the ceiling. Her knee ached from all the activity of the day. But it didn’t hurt half as much as her heart did.
Chapter Sixteen
Kate pulled up in front of Renee’s house at 8:15 Monday morning. She had called earlier to ask if she could stop by. Renee had sounded hesitant but finally said yes, albeit with an annoyed sigh.
Renee was waiting for her at the front door with the Chihuahua in her arms. Dark circles ringed her eyes, and rather than her usual morning designer warm-ups, she had on a worn duster and house shoes.
“Thank you for seeing me,” Kate said. “I think it’s important.”
Renee stood back so she could enter, fluttering her fingers as if Kate’s visit meant nothing.
Renee led Kate into the small, beautifully designed living room that Kate had seen from the entry hall on the night she came to choir practice. Now that she got a closer look, she was taken by the decor. The colors were mostly mauve, ivory, and pale green. If Renee designed it herself, she did a magnificent job. She told Renee so.
Renee sat down heavily without responding. Kisses hopped into her lap, circled around until he was comfortable, and began to snore. “It’s awfully early for a social visit,” Renee said.
“I want to talk to you about Saturday.”
Renee gave her a sharp look. “About what?”
“About what you said when I was out of the room...”
“I suppose someone told you. I should have known. And I’m sure they embellished—”
“I heard what you said. Every word. I was standing in the hall.”
“About your china and silver?”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t mean for you to overhear,” she said quietly and let her gaze drift away from Kate’s face.
“I do wish you hadn’t said what you did to my guests,” Kate said. “It wasn’t the time or the place.”
Renee jumped to her feet. The Chihuahua snorted and landed by her ankle, blinking his eyes. “I should have known you came here to chew me out. You should have warned me. I’m just not up to this today. I wouldn’t have agreed.”
Kate stood and said, “Let me finish. I didn’t come here because I’m angry with you.”
Renee picked up the little dog and let out a sigh. “Okay, let’s hear it. You may not be angry, but I’m sure you’ve got something unpleasant on your agenda.”
“I wanted to apologize to you, Renee. That’s why I’m here.”
“Apologize?”
“You were wrong about the china and silver and the implication that I spent too much money on them. They were gifts from my family—inherited. I enjoy using them because Paul and I never would have been able to afford anything that nice.”
“I’m sorry,” Renee mumbled, embarrassed. “I didn’t know.”
“But what you said about putting on airs...”
Renee let her gaze drift again, and her cheeks turned pink. “I don’t know what got into me...”
“No. Let me finish. You were right about that.”
“What?” she almost croaked.
“For a long time, I’ve been praying that God would help me simplify my life. When Paul and I decided to move here, I prayed even harder that God would show me exactly what that means.” She paused. “There’s nothing wrong in putting on a fancy tea for the people you love. But if you’re trying to impress them with your finery or cooking skills, well, that’s not right.”
Renee was gaping at her as if unable to believe her eyes...and ears.
“You told the women I was putting on airs.”
Renee swallowed hard. “I-I shouldn’t have done that. I was mad about the arsonist. I’d had a call the night before from my neighbor Lola. She heard it from her sister Maude, who heard it from Skip Spencer, who said you’d been to the jail, advising Jed to renege on his confession. I was spitting mad, if you know what I mean. Remember what I said about justice being done? Well, I haven’t changed my mind. He’s as guilty as dirt.”
“I don’t think he did it,” Kate said gently. “And the sooner the sheriff and everyone else understand that, the sooner we can find the real arsonist.”
“Sit down.” Renee fluttered her fingers toward the chairs they had just vacated, then added, “Please.”
Kate sat, and this time Kisses hopped onto her lap, circled a couple of times, then settled down to sleep.
“Tell me, who’s the perp if it isn’t the guy who’s in the pokey.”
Pokey? Kate stifled a smile, then she told Renee about everything, including the ominous e-mail threat.
“A death threat?” Renee sounded impressed. “Really?”
“Whoever sent it must believe I’m onto something, or they wouldn’t have bothered. That gives me hope that I’m getting close to discovering who did it.”
Renee bit her lip and nodded slowly. “Aren’t you worried?”
“A little. But I plan to be careful.”
“You’ll need to BOLO.”
Kate frowned. “BOLO?”
“That’s police lingo for ‘be on the lookout.’”
“Of course, I didn’t know.”
“You need someone to watch your back.” The look on her face said she wanted to sign up for the job.
Kate studied the little woman sitting in front of her. Whether she was wearing a worn housedress and slippers, a faux leopard-skin coat and spike heels, or a straw hat covered with roses, Kate couldn’t imagine for a moment that she could watch someone’s back. But the image did make her smile. Again. Maybe all those prayers for grace were beginning to be answered.
“You want a job?”
Renee’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
“I need someone to, well, go over details with and...ah...get input on ideas I have for...um...finding the arsonist.” She was making it up as she went along, but the look on Renee’s face was worth it.
“I watch Law and Order reruns every night, so I know the drill. I know how to nail those perps.”
“Hmm,” Kate said. “That’s great.”
“I’m sorry I got so mad,” Renee said, her raspy voice almost a whisper. “I don’t know what got into me. And I shouldn’t have said those things at the party. Can you forgive me?” She blinked rapidly as if to keep tears from puddling.
“You didn’t even need to ask,” Kate said. “It was done before I got here.”
“Would you like some...ah...coffee?”
“You have some in the house?”
Renee gave her a half smile. “I keep some in the freezer in case a friend stops by.”
“I would love some. Just black, please.”
While Renee was in the kitchen, Kate picked up a stack of three magazines from the coffee table. Two were put out by the American Kennel Club, and the third was called TEACUP, specifically for owners of miniature dogs. On its cover was a fancy teapot, circled by a half-dozen teacups, each with a miniature Chihuahua sitting inside, looking out at the world with big soulful eyes.
Kisses still snoring in her lap, Kate thumbed to the cover article: “Ten Ways to Build Self-esteem in Teacup Chihuahuas.” She read the first two tips:
1. Give your pet a dignified name. Don’t be tempted to be cutesy just because your dog is small. His or her ego is at stake. Your intonation when you speak your pet’s name can make or break his or her self-image. Suggested names for teacups are Gerard for a male or Genevieve for a female.
2. Don’t use baby talk when speaking to your pet. Your intonation as you speak these cutesy endearments can make a little dog feel even smaller...
Renee bustled back into the room, carrying a mug of coffee for Kate. She looked down at the magazine in Kate’s hands.
“It will be hard to give up calling him little umpkins,” she sighed. “And I adore dressing him in pink, but I may have to give that up too.”
She went back to the kitchen and returned a minute later with a cup of Earl Grey and three cubes of natural sugar for herself and a plateful of cookies for them both. She sat down opposite Kate and glanced down at the magazine, now back in place on the coffee table.
“I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about. Little um ... ah...Kisses seems to have quite a nice ego. You can tell by how he wags his tail and perks up his ears.”
“I would agree with you, except that after Eli Weston stepped on him, he slunk around here on his belly for days. It really scared him. I don’t think Kisses knew how small he was until then.”