by Vikki Walton
Marie’s mouth dropped open as she sought to find a reply. “Well, she’s always been nice to me. In fact, I may head on over to the bookstore right now and see what new books have come in lately. Got to support our local businesses, right?”
“Exactly. We’re all one big family in this town.” Hope gestured with a wave toward the back door. “We’ll see you tomorrow. Say around eight, eight-thirty?”
“Yes, looking forward to it.” She set her cup in the sink.
After Marie left, the three women stood in silence waiting to hear Marie’s car startup. Once they heard the engine, they all broke down laughing.
Anne mimicked, “‘And she speaks so highly of you.’ Wherever did you come up with that snarky wit, Hope? It’s so unlike you.”
Hope pointed at Anne. “I learned from the best.”
Chapter Two
The morning had flown by. The guests were scheduled to arrive any time after three so Anne decided she would check the guest rooms one more time. She walked up the newly refinished wood stairs that led to the upstairs bedrooms. After they had started remodeling the old home, they found beautiful wood floors under the old carpet throughout. With Stewart’s help, they had turned the house into a showcase.
She checked the largest room first. There were two master suites. The largest suite faced the front of the house. Another smaller master suite looked out over the backyard with a beautiful view of the tree line and a sliver of the town’s lake shimmering in the distance.
Adjacent to this smaller suite were two rooms with an adjoining shared bath. Across the hall at the far end from the master suite was the largest of the separate rooms with a full bathroom. A much smaller room connected to that room. At one time, this may have been the nursery, and the room next door that of the governess or nursery maid. A powder room and storage closet were also on this floor. At the very end of the hallway was a door that led to a narrow tread staircase that went down to the kitchen and up to the attic. They hadn’t bothered doing much work in that area and a sign notified guests of No Admittance. Once the weather grew warmer, they planned to paint the steps and the walls a shiny white to help give the area a brighter, cleaner appearance.
Anne stepped to the window. If she looked out toward the right, she could catch a glimpse of snow-covered mountain peaks. Craning her neck out a bit further, Anne could make out the upper story of her own home. With the focus on the new bed and breakfast, she had only remodeled the downstairs and some areas of the top floor. With spring approaching, she hoped to get much more accomplished. If the homesteading fair had as many people attend as last year, she wanted to have rooms ready for any overflow from the bed and breakfast. But, at least she had moved out of the cramped bedroom next to the kitchen.
Anne went through and checked off the list in her head. A goodie basket filled with various locally-produced items as a welcome gift. A note of greeting accompanied the schedule for the weekend. A glass carafe filled with cold water and lemon slices sat on a small table. Beads of sweat had accumulated, and Anne wiped the carafe down with a cloth she had brought up with her. Next to the table, a cabinet held a hot pot with a box of gourmet cocoa and assorted teas. A French press pot with a jar of coffee stood at the ready. A small glass jar contained four of Kandi’s awesome melt in your mouth butter cookies. Anne reached down and checked the fridge which held some juice and sparkling water along with a jug of fresh cream.
Taking one last glance at the room, she heard a noise that sounded like footfalls moving down the hallway. She moved away from the cabinet and walked to the door. Anne called out, “Hello?” Neither Kandi nor Hope answered. She looked down the hall. Empty.
One thing about these old houses—they sure make strange noises.
I could have sworn I heard footsteps.
Anne ambled into the next bedroom and began her inspection. After her review of the bathroom, she heard what sounded like someone running down the hall and a door closing. Anne hurried out to the hallway, but again, it was empty.
The hair on her arms stood up. Okay, this is starting to creep me out a bit.
She strode to the banister and leaned over it, but no one was on the stairs. Anne called out again, but no answer returned from downstairs. Then she heard a big thud coming from the back stairs that the servants used. She jogged over to the door of the stairway and swung it open. The smaller landing was empty, as were the stairs.
She could swear she had heard someone running and a thud. She stepped back into the hallway and said aloud, “Look, Ralph, if you’ve decided to come back as a ghost, now’s not a good time, okay?”
“Who you talking to?”
Anne screamed.
Kandi burst out laughing. “What’s the matter? Did I, like, scare you?”
“No, you didn’t like scare me. You really scared me! I thought I heard someone running and—was that you?” She focused her gaze on Kandi. “Have you been hiding out up here?”
“Why would I do that?” Kandi emerald green eyes widened, and she glanced around the hall. “What did you hear? Ooohhhh, do you think it’s Ralph’s ghost coming back to, like, haunt us? Were you literally trying to commune with the dead?”
“No. I don’t commune with the dead. Literally or figuratively. You just snuck up on me and scared me. That’s all. But we do need to check everywhere to see if there’s a loose shutter or something else that’s making that noise. We don’t want to scare off our first guests before we’re even up and running.”
“Okay. I’ll get Stewart to take a look around.”
“Stewart, huh?”
Kandi lifted her hands into a mock action of choking Anne when they heard a car enter the driveway.
They grabbed each other’s hands. “They’re here!” The pair squealed and rushed down the stairs.
Hope met them at the bottom of the stairs. “Anne, you were right about adding that portico to the side of the house. Looks like they’re stopping there.”
The neighbors had been okay when Hope and Anne had proposed the bed and breakfast, but multiple cars on the street wouldn’t work for the cul-de-sac. While there was plenty of space for parking at the back, they didn’t want to welcome guests through the kitchen either. They flipped the dining and living rooms and installed a beautiful doorway in the covered area. This would also work well for finicky Colorado weather. The living room and the dining room both had working fireplaces, so they would be able to keep the ambience they wanted for the Inn.
The trio headed to the door where a sleek silver Mercedes sat idling in the driveway. Anne recognized the car, as it had been a desired dream car of her first husband; a two-hundred-thousand-plus dream. Anne spied a distinguished looking gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair behind the wheel. This must be Dr. and Mrs. Nelson.
A woman with brunette hair and blonde highlights emerged from the back passenger’s side door. Anne guessed the woman was probably Ms. Latham.
“Hello!” She waved. “Where should we park?”
Hope went down the short flight of stairs and stood by the car. The man looked at her but kept his window up. Hope answered and gestured toward the back, “You can park the car there, but for now, this is the place to unload your bags. We can help you take your bags up to your rooms.” She motioned toward Anne who stood at the steps. Kandi had gone off to plate up the welcome snacks and get drinks prepared.
The man squinted toward the spot Hope had indicated. He lowered his window. It didn’t look like he intended to leave the vehicle. Was he only dropping them off? Anne wondered.
Anne skipped down the steps and moved to where Hope and the woman now stood at the back of the car. The trunk opened. The man said something to the other woman in the front passenger seat which sounded like “Get out here and I’ll go park the car.”
The other woman exited the car, and Anne noticed her surreptitiously wiping her eyes. Was she crying? Oh no, the last thing they needed were marital issues on the first weekend. She glanced over at Hope, who nodded as
she had seen it too.
Hope and Anne each grabbed a bag. Mrs. Nelson appeared at the back. Where Ms. Latham’s hair was bottle-blonde, Mrs. Nelson was a dark golden blond with some strands of gray peeking through. As she pushed her sunglasses up on her head, her red eyes and blotchy face signaled that Anne had been correct. The woman must have realized how she looked because she opened with, “Hello, sorry about my appearance. I’m fighting some nasty allergies right now. Spring, right?” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“Allergies?” Kandi had appeared at the door, and Anne had to quickly intervene before there was a foot-in-mouth episode and they hadn’t even made it inside the house yet.
“Yes, those early spring allergies can be killer here in the mountains,” Anne replied.
Just then the man rolled his window down and spoke loudly, “Where’s the garage?”
Oh geez. Anne and Hope stole glances at each other, their minds on the same thing. Next project—guest garage.
“I apologize.” Hope went to his window and gestured toward the back area. “Since these are Victorian homes, they didn’t have garages. We don’t have one available. However, after the other guests arrive, you can certainly park your car under this portico if you’d like.”
He replied in a brusque tone, “I definitely would like. This is two hundred-thousand-dollar vehicle, and I don’t want it destroyed by a hailstorm or birds using it for a bathroom.”
Great. He’s a ray of sunshine. Anne bristled, but luckily Hope replied.
“I can certainly understand your concern. Colorado is known for its crazy weather patterns and its devastating hailstorms. A garage for guests is next on our list of things to incorporate, so thank you for making us aware of it.”
Anne had to give it to Hope. She could take any disagreement or surly attitude and smooth things over with her calm manner. No wonder she made a great doctor and herbalist. People knew she wouldn’t simply treat them; but would listen and respect them. When Hope’s business kept growing, the other doctors in town got concerned. They realized that big city practices of making patients wait for an hour or more, only to be seen for less than fifteen minutes, wouldn’t cut it in Carolan Springs. If they wanted their practices to not just survive but thrive, they had to return to practicing a more patient-friendly style of medicine. Younger doctors who preferred a hybrid and preventative approach were flocking to the area and starting up small practices which left them with a better life and work balance too.
Anne moved over and set a piece of heavy luggage on the steps to the house. Hope stood next to Dr. Nelson’s window, speaking in slow, soothing tones.
“Again, just for now, if you’ll kindly pull the car to the back until the others arrive. If you leave us the keys, we would be happy to move it for you.”
He grumbled under his breath about no one driving his car. Hope stepped back as he put the car in drive, the trunk still open.
Hope avoided looking at Anne and instead took in a deep cleansing breath, which Anne knew was Hope’s way of calming herself. Hope beamed at the two women who each held smaller bags. “Please ladies, follow me.” Hope grabbed two bags and headed into the doorway with the two women following. Anne waited and took up the rear. As the women mounted the steps, she saw Ms. Latham patting Mrs. Nelson’s arm and whispering, “It will all work out. Don’t worry.”
What will work out? Anne groaned inwardly at the prospect of walking on eggshells all weekend around the Nelsons.
Hope took Mrs. Nelson to the master suite facing the front of the house since it was the largest of all the rooms.
“Follow me.” Anne gripped the bag tighter in her hand and moved down the hall to the last room on the left. The woman followed her, glancing at the doors Anne pointed out along the way.
“This first door is to a smaller bedroom for when we have guests with children. It will be empty while you’re here.” Anne pointed to the next door. “That’s a small powder room.” She inclined her head toward the doors on the other end of the hall which led to additional guest rooms. They reached the end of the hall. The servant’s door had the NO ADMITTANCE plaque on it.
“Where does that go?” Miss Latham inquired.
“It’s the stairway that goes down to the kitchen and back office. We ask that guests not use these stairs as they are narrow, and the passage is dark. However, we don’t lock it because of fire safety. Should you need to exit this floor and the front staircase is blocked, you could use this one.”
“Good to know. You never know when you might need to escape.” She cocked her eyes back toward where the Nelsons would be staying and laughed. Anne forced herself to hide her smirk by opening the door to the room. After acquainting the woman with the room, she departed and met Hope on the stairs. They said nothing as they made their way downstairs to await the next round of guests. Kandi came in from the kitchen and joined Hope and Anne in the back office.
Anne spoke first. “What a jerk.”
“Don’t hold back now. Tell me what you really think.” Hope laughed.
“I hope he isn’t going to be like this all weekend. He didn’t even get out of his car to unload the bags or help his wife.”
“He may have been having withdrawals. I was looking out the kitchen window when he, like, pulled his car up to the back. He got out and went over between the gazebo and the lilac bushes. I saw that new kind of cigarette-thingy, so I think he wanted a smoke,” said Kandi. She wiped her hands on the towel she held and spoke to herself. “I hope it has, like, some ‘quit-being-a-jerk’ juice in it.”
“Hmmm, I think we can figure out that you think he’s a jerk,” Anne quipped. “Maybe he has a bad back or is all for women empowerment.”
“Whatever.” Kandi sat down on the bench by the window and tucked her feet up under herself. “You ever get a feeling that you just don’t like someone? That’s what I get with him.” She wrapped her arms around a pillow. “I hope he doesn’t, like, ruin our first weekend.”
“Well, at least she has her friend with her.” Anne pulled up the registration forms. “I wonder why he came at all if he didn’t want to be here.”
“Not a clue, but I’m sure we’re going to find out. Unfortunately.” Hope ran her hands through her pixie cut.
The sound of another car’s engine let them know the second group of guests had arrived. Both women stood together and crossed their fingers.
Outside, under the portico, a buxom lady with short curly hair of an indeterminate reddish color was extracting herself from the vehicle. She stretched her back with both hands situated firmly on her broad hips. She yawned loudly.
As she glimpsed the women stepping out of the Inn, the woman straightened her posture.
“Howdy.” She strode over to them and grasped Anne’s hand in a hearty handshake. “I’m Taylor. Where should I park the old girl?” The ‘old girl’ was an older model Jeep that looked like it had been around the block far more than a few times.
“You can park out in the back next to the Mercedes, but you can unload your bags here.”
“Did ya hear that, Lil? You can get out here.” Taylor walked to the back of the car and unlatched the back door. It swung up revealing an old duffle bag next to a smart new roller bag.
The passenger appeared at the edge of the vehicle. As different as night and day to the first woman, this woman was petite and slim with an ethereal beauty that shone out from some hidden source. Her blue eyes were set in a doll-like face with porcelain skin, and her white-gold hair shone like an angel. The woman wore no makeup or, if she did, it was minimal. Other than her friend, Eliza, Anne had rarely seen such a naturally beautiful woman.
As Anne and Hope gathered up their bags, a crash sounded behind them. Mrs. Nelson stood in the vestibule to the open door outside. Her gaze was fixed on Lil. At her feet, a broken glass dripped water on the floor.
A sharp intake of breath also came from Lil.
Anne and Hope locked eyes. This didn’t bode well for the opening
of the Brandywine Inn.
Chapter Three
Kandi emerged from the kitchen, saw the mess on the floor, and retreated back to the kitchen. She quickly returned with a broom and dustpan. Mrs. Nelson made a short apology and quickly vanished back to her room upstairs.
As Kandi cleaned up the glass, Hope and Anne escorted Lil and Taylor to their rooms. Anne hoped that Mrs. Nelson would be in her room, as it appeared that some issues needed addressing before the official start of the weekend.
Anne had returned downstairs. “What in the—! This group just keeps giving and giving—and not in a nice way!” she said to Hope and Kandi back in the office. She leaned on the door jamb. “What are we missing here? Something is definitely rotten in Denmark.”
“What’s Denmark, like, got to do with it?” Kandi asked innocently.
“You know, Hamlet, ghost,” Anne replied.
“What? You think she saw a ghost and it made her drop the glass?” Kandi’s lip quivered.
“No. Never mind, sweetie.” Anne faced Hope. “What’s your take on it, Hope?”
“Looks like someone was extremely surprised to see the other someone. Both Mrs. Nelson and Lil had very strong reactions at seeing each other.”
“What do you think is the best course of action?” Anne opened a drawer and dug around to find the house checkbook. She held it up. “Refund?”
“I don’t think we’re there yet, but we do need to find out what’s going on before the group meets up. Let’s have a chat with Taylor. She didn’t seem bothered and I think she may know something about what’s going on.”
Anne and Kandi nodded in agreement.
Hope rang Taylor’s room and asked if she would be available to come down to the library off the dining room for a welcome chat. “I’ll be back in a jiff. Just need to pop home for a minute.” Anne went to her house to check on Mouser and set up the kitty’s dinner treat in the timer tray. Turning on some lights for the evening, she went back to the Inn where she found Taylor and Hope sitting in seats across from one another. Hope was listening to something when Anne walked in.