Read Online A House to Die For (A Darby Farr Mystery) by Vicki Doudera - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Vicki Doudera
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him anywhere. He had a strong,
square jaw, and eyes that were very blue against his tanned skin.
His face was rugged-looking, but friendly, although perhaps a little
more lined than Darby remembered. He's still a heck of a handsome
guy.
He strode across the room to hug her and she caught a whiff of
suntan lotion.
"Darby Farr! I can't believe it's you." He flashed his grin again
and gave her an appraising glance. "You look fantastic. Still the
same beautiful girl you always were. Man, your dad would be so
proud of you. What was it he used to call you when we were racing? Wasn't it Little Bird?"
"Little Loon. He always said my mother was as graceful as a
swan, but that I darted through the water like a loon." She cleared
her throat. It felt raw again. "You look pretty good yourself."
Mark laughed. "Why, thanks. Have you seen my sister yet?"
"No. Will she be here?"
"Not a chance. Lucy likes these things about as much as a
hangover." He glanced around the room. "I, on the other hand,
find these exercises in democracy highly entertaining. So did your aunt." He paused. "I'll miss her, Darby. Lots of us on this island
will miss Jane Farr. I want you to know how sorry I am that she's
gone.
"Thanks" She forced herself to focus on the steady stream of
people filing in, hoping Mark didn't see the way she was fighting
to stay in control of her emotions. "How did you know she died?"
"Oh, you know life on an island. There are no secrets." He
pointed in the direction of the door. "Look, there's Peyton and
Emilio."
A tall woman with upswept brown hair and a handsome, curlyhaired man entered and surveyed the room. The woman's eyes settled on Mark and she gave a nod and a small smile. She indicated
where her partner should sit and then glided up to Darby and
Mark.
"Mark, darling, it's all so exciting." She gave him an air kiss and
turned to Darby with an eyebrow raised. "And you are ... ?"
"Peyton, this is Darby Farr, Jane's hotshot niece." Mark paused
a moment. "Jane passed away yesterday and Darby is taking over
for her."
Peyton seemed to make an effort to appear as if she cared. "I'm
sorry to hear that. Well, welcome Darby." She directed her glance
back at Mark. "Lot of people, aren't there? Considering it's just a
city council thing? Of course, there's hardly anything to do on this
island. Quaint and charming, but rather boring when you compare it to the city. The resort should bring a little life to the place
now won't it? We'll have some shows, and a martini bar, and a
first-rate restaurant, not like that blah little Hurricane Harbor Inn.
So pedestrian. As if all anyone wanted to eat was broiled haddock
night and day."
Darby listened, taking in the woman's expensive clothes and
careful makeup job. Peyton Mayerson was close to forty, she
guessed, and was already taking advantage of plastic surgery to
keep time at bay. Darby caught the scent of her fragrance, and
smiled in surprise.
"You're wearing Fleurettes," she noted. "It's lovely."
Peyton Mayerson raised her eyebrows in surprise. "That's correct. How in the world did you recognize it?"
"I love vintage perfume. My aunt used to wear Molinard's Ver-
veine" She paused, remembering the scent of Jane Farr as she'd
brushed by her niece so many times, off to list an island property
or meet with a buyer. "If I'm not mistaken, Molinard introduced
the two perfumes the same year, 1948."
Peyton pursed her lips. "Fleurettes was reintroduced in 1948,"
she corrected. "The fragrance first debuted in 1908." She gave
Darby a patronizing smile. "In case you're wondering, I'm wearing
the original."
"We'd expect nothing less," grinned Mark. He waved in the direction of Emilio Landi. "Why didn't you bring your fiance over?"
Peyton Mayerson tittered. "Hold your horses, Trimble ... we're
not engaged yet." She tilted her head in his direction. "Mark's talking about Emilio Landi, my Roman boyfriend. Gorgeous, isn't he?"
She blew a kiss in his
square jaw, and eyes that were very blue against his tanned skin.
His face was rugged-looking, but friendly, although perhaps a little
more lined than Darby remembered. He's still a heck of a handsome
guy.
He strode across the room to hug her and she caught a whiff of
suntan lotion.
"Darby Farr! I can't believe it's you." He flashed his grin again
and gave her an appraising glance. "You look fantastic. Still the
same beautiful girl you always were. Man, your dad would be so
proud of you. What was it he used to call you when we were racing? Wasn't it Little Bird?"
"Little Loon. He always said my mother was as graceful as a
swan, but that I darted through the water like a loon." She cleared
her throat. It felt raw again. "You look pretty good yourself."
Mark laughed. "Why, thanks. Have you seen my sister yet?"
"No. Will she be here?"
"Not a chance. Lucy likes these things about as much as a
hangover." He glanced around the room. "I, on the other hand,
find these exercises in democracy highly entertaining. So did your aunt." He paused. "I'll miss her, Darby. Lots of us on this island
will miss Jane Farr. I want you to know how sorry I am that she's
gone.
"Thanks" She forced herself to focus on the steady stream of
people filing in, hoping Mark didn't see the way she was fighting
to stay in control of her emotions. "How did you know she died?"
"Oh, you know life on an island. There are no secrets." He
pointed in the direction of the door. "Look, there's Peyton and
Emilio."
A tall woman with upswept brown hair and a handsome, curlyhaired man entered and surveyed the room. The woman's eyes settled on Mark and she gave a nod and a small smile. She indicated
where her partner should sit and then glided up to Darby and
Mark.
"Mark, darling, it's all so exciting." She gave him an air kiss and
turned to Darby with an eyebrow raised. "And you are ... ?"
"Peyton, this is Darby Farr, Jane's hotshot niece." Mark paused
a moment. "Jane passed away yesterday and Darby is taking over
for her."
Peyton seemed to make an effort to appear as if she cared. "I'm
sorry to hear that. Well, welcome Darby." She directed her glance
back at Mark. "Lot of people, aren't there? Considering it's just a
city council thing? Of course, there's hardly anything to do on this
island. Quaint and charming, but rather boring when you compare it to the city. The resort should bring a little life to the place
now won't it? We'll have some shows, and a martini bar, and a
first-rate restaurant, not like that blah little Hurricane Harbor Inn.
So pedestrian. As if all anyone wanted to eat was broiled haddock
night and day."
Darby listened, taking in the woman's expensive clothes and
careful makeup job. Peyton Mayerson was close to forty, she
guessed, and was already taking advantage of plastic surgery to
keep time at bay. Darby caught the scent of her fragrance, and
smiled in surprise.
"You're wearing Fleurettes," she noted. "It's lovely."
Peyton Mayerson raised her eyebrows in surprise. "That's correct. How in the world did you recognize it?"
"I love vintage perfume. My aunt used to wear Molinard's Ver-
veine" She paused, remembering the scent of Jane Farr as she'd
brushed by her niece so many times, off to list an island property
or meet with a buyer. "If I'm not mistaken, Molinard introduced
the two perfumes the same year, 1948."
Peyton pursed her lips. "Fleurettes was reintroduced in 1948,"
she corrected. "The fragrance first debuted in 1908." She gave
Darby a patronizing smile. "In case you're wondering, I'm wearing
the original."
"We'd expect nothing less," grinned Mark. He waved in the direction of Emilio Landi. "Why didn't you bring your fiance over?"
Peyton Mayerson tittered. "Hold your horses, Trimble ... we're
not engaged yet." She tilted her head in his direction. "Mark's talking about Emilio Landi, my Roman boyfriend. Gorgeous, isn't he?"
She blew a kiss in his
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