Tea and Sympathy

by Carol Cox

  Livvy waggled her eyebrows. “Does it really matter?”

  She carried the baking pan to the kitchen, where she placed large squares of the chocolate confection on dessert plates. Livvy sat on the couch next to Kate, and Paul and Danny took seats on the comfortable overstuffed chairs.

  Kate sampled a bite of the gooey treat and gave a sigh of sheer pleasure. “Those are amazing! Did you put chocolate chips in them?”

  “Mm-hmm,” Livvy mumbled around a mouthful. “A little chocolate syrup too.”

  “No wonder it’s so good.” The four of them finished their snacks and sat around in companionable silence.

  The doorbell rang. Paul raised his eyebrows and gave Kate a wink as he got up to answer it. She could tell what he was thinking: the opportunity for his longed-for nap had evaporated like the morning mist. But she knew he wouldn’t mind. Being around people seemed to rejuvenate him almost as much as a good night’s sleep.

  A cluster of people stood on the doorstep. It looked like a good share of the Faith Briar congregation had decided to pay a visit. Phoebe West, Betty Anderson, and Martha Sinclair were in the forefront, all bearing what looked like containers of food. At this rate, she wouldn’t have to cook for a month.

  Paul welcomed the new arrivals and directed those with food to set their offerings on the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room. Kate watched as the line of plates and pans grew. It was beginning to look like the start of one of their church potlucks.

  One after the other, their guests came over to talk to Kate and ask about her health; then they started chatting with each other with the ease of longtime acquaintances.

  Paul brought the chairs from the kitchen table and the desk chair from his study into the living room. Kate beckoned him over and whispered, “Maybe you should go out to the garage and bring in some of the folding chairs.”

  Paul lifted one eyebrow. “I think we have plenty of seating for everybody.” He looked around, doing a quick head count. Before he finished, the doorbell rang again.

  Paul admitted Sam Gorman and Eli Weston, then he looked at Kate and grinned. “I’ll be back in a minute. Danny and I are going to get some folding chairs out of the garage.”

  No sooner had the men left than Kate heard the doorbell peal again. “Would you mind getting that, Livvy?” she called above the buzz of conversation.

  Livvy opened the door, and Kate saw Camille Sheppard framed in the doorway. Camille seemed slightly taken aback to see all the people gathered in the Hanlons’ living room.

  Livvy darted a quick look over her shoulder. Kate nodded, then waved at Camille to come join her.

  Paul and Danny came in from the garage, carrying two chairs apiece. Once they had set them up, Paul walked over to Kate. “Good thing we have a sizable living room, eh?”

  Kate smiled at the scene around them. “It’s made to order for a gathering like this.”

  After threading her way through the group of chatting visitors, Camille took a seat on the edge of the couch next to Kate. She placed her handbag down beside her feet, then sat stiffly erect and smoothed her denim skirt with the palms of her hands.

  “I didn’t mean to intrude. I just thought I’d stop and say a quick hello. I didn’t realize you were having a party.”

  Kate watched Paul answer the door, this time greeting Abby Pippins, Emma Blount—who owned Emma’s Ice Cream—and the Cline sisters. She shook her head and laughed. “More like a spontaneous gathering. Since you’re here, you might as well stay and join in.”

  Camille’s shoulders relaxed, making her appear less on the defensive. Kate felt a sudden sympathy for the other woman. Camille had lived in Copper Mill for years but didn’t appear to feel nearly as comfortable among the people there as Kate did.

  Looking around the group again, Kate realized that Camille was right; it did look like a party. And a party called for refreshments.

  She beckoned to Livvy, who hurried over to the couch. “What did everyone bring this afternoon?” Kate nodded toward the counter with its array of dishes. “More main dishes?”

  Livvy shook her head and bent over to murmur in Kate’s ear. “I took a quick peek. There are plates of cookies, some nut bread, little sandwiches—it’s mostly finger food.” She looked at the gathering with an appraising eye. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

  Kate nodded. “Do you think anyone would mind if we share what they brought? It looks like they’re going to be staying awhile.”

  “And you can’t bear to see anybody going without food in your home.” Livvy straightened. “Say no more; I’m on it.”

  Kate settled back against the cushion, relieved that her friend had spent enough time in their home to know her way around the kitchen.

  A short time later, Livvy made the rounds with a platter of refreshments, and the gathering took on an even more festive air.

  Kate visited with Camille, pleased to see her looking more at ease as time went on. She saw Livvy bustling to and fro, brewing up a pot of coffee and pouring from a pitcher of iced tea she pulled from the refrigerator.

  Bursts of laughter punctuated the buzz of conversation, and the noise level in the room went up another notch. Kate saw Paul walk to the door. She hadn’t heard the bell, but apparently they had another new arrival. When Paul opened the door, Kate saw Lucy Mae standing there holding a tray and looking as nonplussed as Camille had.

  Lucy Mae handed the tray to Paul and made her way to the couch. Kate scooted over and patted the cushion beside her, but Lucy Mae shook her head. “I can’t stay. I just wanted to drop off some custard, one of my favorite recipes.”

  “That’s sweet of you.” Kate gave Lucy Mae’s arm a quick squeeze. “Are you sure you can’t stay for a while?”

  Lucy Mae shook her head and pinched her lips together. “I need to get home to Lawton.” She looked down at the floor, but Kate could see the sheen of moisture in her eyes.

  “Things aren’t looking good right now.” Lucy Mae twisted her hands together. “I don’t like to leave him too long and make him feel like he’s all alone. But I did want to thank you, Kate. Even though things haven’t worked out the way we’d hoped, I know you tried. I just wish...” Her voice broke off, and she choked back a sob.

  Kate reached over to take Lucy Mae’s hands in hers. “Don’t give up. It isn’t over yet.”

  A tiny flicker of hope flared in Lucy Mae’s eyes. “You mean you’ve found something that will help Lawton?”

  Kate tried to inject an upbeat note in her voice. “You know me; I’m not one to be deterred by a little thing like a flu bug.” Or whatever this may be, she amended silently. Lucy Mae didn’t need to know about the other concern that weighed on her heart. “There’s still time to look for evidence and find the truth.”

  Lucy Mae drew a deep breath and let it out on a shuddering sigh. “Thanks, Kate. I needed to hear that, and I’ll tell Lawton. He needs some shred of hope to cling to right now.”

  She squeezed Kate’s fingers, then pulled her hands away. “I want you to know how much I appreciate the fact that you didn’t automatically assume he was guilty like so many people have. We both do.” Without further comment, she slipped through the crowd and reached the front door without speaking to anyone else.

  Kate watched her leave, then turned back to Camille, whose rigid posture had returned. As Kate watched, Camille’s mouth twisted down at the corners.

  Kate blinked. “Is anything wrong?”

  A shudder rippled Camille’s shoulders, and she gave a quick shake of her head. “I guess I’m just surprised she has the nerve to come out in public, considering what’s happening with her husband.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Time seemed to stand still while Kate stared at Camille, hoping she had misunderstood. Surely her new friend hadn’t just uttered that scathing comment about the Briddles.

  “I believe a man is still considered innocent until proven guilty.” Kate tried to keep her voice even. “And nothing h
as been proven yet, not in a court of law, anyway.”

  Camille drew her lips together in a taut line. “I know we’re just beginning to get acquainted, and I probably don’t have the right to speak this way. But really, is there any doubt in anybody’s mind but yours? It pains me to say it, but the evidence against him just keeps building up.”

  Kate turned sideways on the couch, angling herself to block the rest of the group from view and create an illusion of privacy.

  Lowering her voice, she spoke in a gentle tone. “I don’t always see eye to eye with Lawton, but my efforts on his behalf aren’t so much for him personally as they are for the truth. That’s what I’m after.”

  Camille clenched her hands in her lap. “But don’t you think you’re carrying this idea of giving him the benefit of the doubt too far? Just listen to the talk that’s going around town. I don’t believe the man is worthy of your trust.”

  From the tremor in Camille’s voice, Kate felt sure that her comments stemmed from something far deeper than the latest gossip. Kate’s heart filled with compassion. She sent up a quick prayer for wisdom and chose her next words with care.

  “I’m not sure why you feel so strongly about this, but it isn’t my business to pry. Whatever the source of the problem may be, I want to urge you to find a way to forgive and let it go.”

  Camille swiveled to look directly into Kate’s eyes.

  Kate pressed on, feeling she had struck a responsive chord. She let a smile play across her lips. “I came across a quote once that made an impact on my life. For what it’s worth, I’ll pass it along to you: ‘Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.’”

  As soon as the words left her lips, she winced at the painful reminder. If her suspicions proved correct, she was all too aware of what it felt like to be poisoned.

  One corner of Camille’s mouth twitched upward. “Then you’re saying that we should all just forget the way Lawton has let Copper Mill down? That isn’t likely to happen.”

  Camille laced her fingers together and stared down at her hands. “Maybe I’m just stubborn, but you’ve heard what’s being said around the community. Are you saying that after all that, you’re still willing to keep on trying to exonerate him?”

  Kate lifted her shoulders in a small shrug. “Once I have a conviction, I tend to stick with it. I guess we’re both a little stubborn in our own way.” She smiled at Camille. “I don’t mean to pressure you. I just hope you’ll think about what I’ve said.”

  Camille blinked slowly. “I will. I can promise you that.” She pushed herself to her feet. “I think I’ll go see if Livvy needs a hand in the kitchen.”

  “I think she has plenty of help,” Kate said. “I’ve seen Phoebe and Martha handing out drinks and trays of food.”

  “Even so, I like to make myself useful.” Slipping her hands into the pockets of her skirt, Camille strode off toward the kitchen.

  Kate leaned back against the sofa cushion, feeling as tired as if she’d been waging some sort of battle. She saw Paul across the room, talking to Eli Weston, a member of Faith Briar and the owner of Weston’s Antiques. Paul looked her way and smiled. Kate summoned up the energy to wiggle her fingers in response. Paul gave her a curious look, then excused himself and walked over to her.

  Sitting on the cushion Camille had just vacated, he leaned over to give Kate a peck on the cheek. “How are you doing?”

  “Pretty good. I’m glad everyone came. I’ll admit I’m feeling a little tuckered out, though.”

  Paul slapped his palms on his thighs and stood. “Okay, that’s my cue.”

  “Wait a minute.” Kate grabbed at his sleeve. “They all look like they’re having such a good time. Don’t feel you have to run them off on my account.”

  Paul brushed his fingers across her hair. “I think you’ve had enough excitement for one afternoon. To tell you the truth, I’m about ready for the party to end myself.” He gave her a wink. “I’ll be nice, I promise.”

  Kate watched as he moved from group to group. From the smiles she saw, Paul was obviously being true to his word not to ruffle any feathers. Several people came over to say good-bye, while others waved their farewells from the door.

  Camille came back to gather up her handbag. “Thanks for letting me stay when I know I was unexpected company...again. I enjoyed the visit immensely.”

  Kate smiled, relieved that the other woman didn’t seem to have taken offense at what she’d said. “I hope you’ll come again when we have more time to talk, just the two of us.”

  Camille nodded. “You can count on it.” She turned to leave, nearly avoiding a collision with Livvy.

  “Oops! Sorry,” Livvy maneuvered out of Camille’s way, then turned to Kate. “I just realized that I’d served everyone but you. How about some custard?”

  Kate thanked Livvy and took the ramekin from her. “You’ve been running your legs off this afternoon. Why don’t you sit down and rest?”

  “In a few minutes,” Livvy called over her shoulder as she darted back to the kitchen. “I want to tidy things up in here first.”

  Once the crowd had left, Paul and Danny started picking up the folding chairs and restoring the room to order.

  Kate lifted the spoon from the ramekin and looked at the custard, where small blueberries glistened in a mound on top of Lucy Mae’s dessert. What an interesting presentation!

  She dipped the spoon through the layer of berries and picked up a sample of the custard underneath. She popped the spoonful into her mouth. Mmm. The crunch of the berries and the creamy smoothness of the custard made a delightful combination.

  She closed her eyes and chewed blissfully. She would have to remember this. Maybe Lucy Mae would be willing to share the recipe. Kate savored every bite and had just finished the last of the custard when Livvy returned from the kitchen.

  Kate handed her the empty ramekin with an apologetic smile. “I’ll bet you just finished cleaning up, didn’t you?”

  “Not a problem. It won’t take a minute to wash this up.”

  “No,” Paul told her, “you’ve done enough. Just set it on the counter, and I’ll take care of it later.” He sank into a nearby chair. “That was quite an afternoon.”

  “Not exactly the nap you’d planned for, was it?” Kate teased.

  “That’s okay. We know some really special people who care about us both. I’d rather have the house full of surprise visitors than be alone and forgotten.”

  Livvy joined Kate on the couch, and Danny resumed his seat in one of the overstuffed chairs.

  Kate looked over at Paul and bit back a smile when she saw his eyelids drooping lower and lower. It looked as if he was about to take that nap after all.

  “I wonder how the game is going,” Danny said. “The Braves are playing the Mets today.”

  Paul’s eyes flew open, all signs of sleepiness gone. “They can’t be much past the third or fourth inning. Where’s the remote?”

  The men focused on the baseball game while Livvy and Kate chatted, from time to time lapsing into the companionable silence shared by close friends who didn’t feel compelled to fill the void with idle talk.

  During the seventh-inning stretch, a knock rattled the front door.

  Paul got to his feet. “Who can it be now?”

  “Maybe somebody forgot something,” Kate said.

  Paul walked over to the door. He blocked Kate’s view of the doorway, but she heard a soft voice say, “Good afternoon, Parson. I came to see Miz Hanlon. Is she in?”

  Paul stepped aside, revealing Ruby Merton.

  “Ruby! How nice of you to stop by,” Kate called. “Come over here so we can visit.”

  Ruby crossed the room slowly, looking from side to side as if uncertain of her welcome.

  Paul turned the TV volume down, and he and Danny huddled closer to the set.

  “I’ll go wash up that custard dish.” Livvy headed for the kitchen, giving Kate some privacy with her shy visitor.

>   Ruby halted a few feet away and looked around the living room. Her gaze fastened on the print of Saint Francis of Assisi’s prayer: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

  “I don’t think I mentioned it the other day, but this sure is a purty house. You have a real eye for decoratin’.”

  Kate thanked her, wondering what kind of house Ruby lived in and whether she had any means of decorating it. Her heart went out to the other woman.

  “It’s purty out front too. I like your flower bed.”

  “Thanks. I haven’t spent much time out there lately. I tried to do a little weeding the other day, but I’m afraid I didn’t make much progress. I hope the dandelions don’t take over before I can root them out.”

  “Dandelions have their uses. You can use ’em to make a poultice to heal wounds, and dandelion tea makes a fine tonic.” Ruby stared at Kate. “You didn’t know that?”

  “Now that you mention it, I think I’ve heard some of that before, but I guess I tend to think of them as invaders rather than anything helpful.”

  Ruby nodded doubtfully. “That echinacea and hydrangea you have out there are useful too. But you’ve got to be careful with the lobelia. Tea from the leaves is good for a cough, but too much can harm a body. Same with the daffodils. They can help or hurt—cure or kill, as my granny used to say. You have to know what you’re doing.”

  Kate caught her breath. “Really?” She had always looked at her flower bed as an oasis of color. She’d never considered the plants she grew as a pharmaceutical source before. It underscored yet another difference between her life and the kind Ruby must lead, where people depended on nature instead of a drugstore to cure their ills.

  She gestured toward the chair Paul had vacated. “Please, have a seat.”

  Ruby stayed where she was. “I can’t stay but a minute. I just wanted to see how you’re doin’. Are you over your sickness now, or are you still feelin’ poorly?”

  “I’m better for the most part, but my energy level doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to get back where I want it to be.” Kate gave a little laugh. “I was hoping that dose you gave me the other day would set me to rights, but I’m sorry to say it didn’t.”