Read Online 03 Murder by Mishap by Suzanne Young - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Suzanne Young
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at an Impressionistic-style oil painting of a walled garden containing a profusion of flowers in bright yellows, reds, purples, greens and oranges.
“ Yeeesss ,” Edna drew out the word, thoughtfully, tilting her head slightly as she studied the work. Straightening to turn to her friend, she nodded to more artwork on an adjacent wall. “There are so many talented young artists in this room. I’m almost overwhelmed.”
Peg smiled and hooked her arm through Edna’s. “Then let’s get out of here and go have lunch. Are you ready?” Her smile faded and she looked momentarily apologetic. “I’m not rushing you, am I? I purposely took a long walk to give you time to enjoy yourself. I spent an afternoon here last week, so I knew you’d like it.”
“What did Stephen think of it?” Edna assumed Peg had attended with her husband.
“He hasn’t seen it yet. Lately, it seems he hasn’t much time for anything except his dusty old bank.”
Peg’s tone was light, but Edna detected a sadness in her words. When she looked at her friend, however, Peg’s expression was cheerful, as if she were determined to push negative thoughts away. “Come on. Let’s go over to the Capital Grille. I’m dying for some lobster bisque.”
Edna had to laugh at her friend’s enthusiasm, feigned or not. “It’s really the sherry they drizzle on it that you like. Admit it.”
“Never,” Peg said, her eyes shining. “The way you talk, people will think I’m nothing but an old lush.”
Even after one o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon, there was a good crowd at the Grille, but the women were seated almost immediately in the lounge area. It was cozily warm in the room and smelled faintly of cooking spices.
Peg was wearing a blue-gray jacket dress that complemented the color of her eyes. Once the waiter retreated with their orders for white wine and bowls of lobster bisque, she slipped off the jacket and draped it over her chair back.
Edna nodded at the sparkling pin on her dress. “Did you fix the clasp?”
“I bent it a little so it would hold, but I do need to take it to a regular jeweler to look at.”
“So Stephen hasn’t yet squirreled it away in the depths of his bank vault.”
Peg tucked her chin to look down at the brooch. “No, but I have to hide it from him. I’m sure he’d grab it, if I’d left it out on my dressing table.” She wrinkled her nose at Edna. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Fine with me.” Edna picked up her linen napkin, focusing her attention for a moment on opening it and laying the silky smoothness over her lap before asking, “What are you going to say to Cherisse ? Have you thought about it?”
Before Peg could reply, the waiter returned. She waited in silence as he carefully served them wine and water. He’d added a thin wedge of lemon to each water glass. When he was again out of earshot, Peg sighed heavily.
“I haven’t thought of much else since I learned Cherisse was still living. I had the impression she was on her way out when they returned from Florida three years ago. How do I tell her about Mother’s pin turning up, after all these years?”
“Literally turning up,” Edna said dryly, showing only a hint of amusement in her expression, but hoping to lighten Peg’s mood.
“Yes,” her friend replied with equally feigned solemnity, but her eyes regained some sparkle. She held her glass up in a silent acknowledgement of the pun before lowing it to take a sip. It was only after this small bit of drama that she looked at Edna more seriously. “I really have been thinking of what to say and I’m still not certain how to begin. I feel terrible for the poor woman, but fifty years have passed. Do you think I’m being wise to rake it all up again?”
Edna tasted her Chardonnay before speaking. “Virginia knows the pin has been found, doesn’t she?”
“Yes.”
“And she’s remained friends with Cherisse and the family?”
“Yes.” Peg gave another sigh.
“ Yeeesss ,” Edna drew out the word, thoughtfully, tilting her head slightly as she studied the work. Straightening to turn to her friend, she nodded to more artwork on an adjacent wall. “There are so many talented young artists in this room. I’m almost overwhelmed.”
Peg smiled and hooked her arm through Edna’s. “Then let’s get out of here and go have lunch. Are you ready?” Her smile faded and she looked momentarily apologetic. “I’m not rushing you, am I? I purposely took a long walk to give you time to enjoy yourself. I spent an afternoon here last week, so I knew you’d like it.”
“What did Stephen think of it?” Edna assumed Peg had attended with her husband.
“He hasn’t seen it yet. Lately, it seems he hasn’t much time for anything except his dusty old bank.”
Peg’s tone was light, but Edna detected a sadness in her words. When she looked at her friend, however, Peg’s expression was cheerful, as if she were determined to push negative thoughts away. “Come on. Let’s go over to the Capital Grille. I’m dying for some lobster bisque.”
Edna had to laugh at her friend’s enthusiasm, feigned or not. “It’s really the sherry they drizzle on it that you like. Admit it.”
“Never,” Peg said, her eyes shining. “The way you talk, people will think I’m nothing but an old lush.”
Even after one o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon, there was a good crowd at the Grille, but the women were seated almost immediately in the lounge area. It was cozily warm in the room and smelled faintly of cooking spices.
Peg was wearing a blue-gray jacket dress that complemented the color of her eyes. Once the waiter retreated with their orders for white wine and bowls of lobster bisque, she slipped off the jacket and draped it over her chair back.
Edna nodded at the sparkling pin on her dress. “Did you fix the clasp?”
“I bent it a little so it would hold, but I do need to take it to a regular jeweler to look at.”
“So Stephen hasn’t yet squirreled it away in the depths of his bank vault.”
Peg tucked her chin to look down at the brooch. “No, but I have to hide it from him. I’m sure he’d grab it, if I’d left it out on my dressing table.” She wrinkled her nose at Edna. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Fine with me.” Edna picked up her linen napkin, focusing her attention for a moment on opening it and laying the silky smoothness over her lap before asking, “What are you going to say to Cherisse ? Have you thought about it?”
Before Peg could reply, the waiter returned. She waited in silence as he carefully served them wine and water. He’d added a thin wedge of lemon to each water glass. When he was again out of earshot, Peg sighed heavily.
“I haven’t thought of much else since I learned Cherisse was still living. I had the impression she was on her way out when they returned from Florida three years ago. How do I tell her about Mother’s pin turning up, after all these years?”
“Literally turning up,” Edna said dryly, showing only a hint of amusement in her expression, but hoping to lighten Peg’s mood.
“Yes,” her friend replied with equally feigned solemnity, but her eyes regained some sparkle. She held her glass up in a silent acknowledgement of the pun before lowing it to take a sip. It was only after this small bit of drama that she looked at Edna more seriously. “I really have been thinking of what to say and I’m still not certain how to begin. I feel terrible for the poor woman, but fifty years have passed. Do you think I’m being wise to rake it all up again?”
Edna tasted her Chardonnay before speaking. “Virginia knows the pin has been found, doesn’t she?”
“Yes.”
“And she’s remained friends with Cherisse and the family?”
“Yes.” Peg gave another sigh.
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