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Authors: Gail Z. Martin
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stainless steel appliances. A door under the stairs was likely a powder room. The place managed to feel homey and upscale without pretension.
“You must be Cassidy!” A trim woman in her mid-forties rushed from the kitchen at the sound of the door. Her very wavy brown hair fell shoulder length, setting off tasteful gold earrings and a discreet – yet expensive, gold necklace. She wore a blue t-shirt and jeans that looked as if they had been pressed, over Sperry’s without socks. Everything about her exuded warmth and welcome, except for the look of worry in her blue eyes.
I smiled. “Are you Rebecca?”
She nodded. “Yes. And thank you so much for agreeing to come.”
I still wasn’t convinced it was a great idea, but I was resolved to see this thing through. “Your B&B is lovely,” I said sincerely.
Rebecca’s good cheer dimmed. “Thank you. I really love this place. But if we can’t figure out what’s going on, I don’t think I can stay here. Maggie said you had a talent for dealing with these things. I don’t have a whiff of ESP, but unusual abilities do run in my mother’s family, so you’re not going to shock me.”
“How about if I put my bag in my room and then we sit down and talk?” I suggested. “I’d love a cup of that coffee; it smells amazing!” I paused. “Unless you’ve got other guests waiting.”
“Unfortunately, no.” She gave a sad smile. “It’s just you and one other couple for the next few days.
I’m afraid word might be getting out about the problem.” She gestured for me to follow her. “Come on.
I’ll show you to your room.”
I climbed the stairs, looking around at the foyer with its dark wood, beautiful balustrade, and antique furniture. A lovely cut glass vase was filled with hydrangea blossoms, and I recognized it as the funeral vase Teag researched. I resolved to come back for a closer look once I settled in.
Upstairs, I counted four rooms plus another set of stairs. “I live on the third floor,” Rebecca said as she led me down the hall. “It was originally the maid’s room.”
She stopped in front of the last door on the right. “This is your room,” she said, opening the door for me. “Every room has its own bathroom with a shower. It’s a little tight, but you don’t have to share.”
The room was charming. The walls were painted a pale blue with a stenciled border. The large brass bed was the focal point, with its plump throw pillows and chenille bedspread. A small white night stand with a lace doily stood to one side, complete with a brass reading lamp with a stained glass shade. Is that the lamp she bought from Trifles and Folly? I wondered, suddenly a little disquieted by the idea of having it next to my bed.
At the foot of the bed was a dresser with a tall mirror and a marble finish on the top. A fluffy white bathrobe was draped invitingly over the arm of a comfortable chair with an ottoman, below a perfectly angled floor lamp. I loved every piece, and the combined effect made me wish my stay was truly for rest and relaxation.
I set down my luggage and turned back to Rebecca. “The room is beautiful. Can you show me around the rest of the B&B, please? Then let’s talk about what’s been going on.”
Rebecca smiled, but I could tell she had a lot on her mind. I tried to set her at ease. “I always love to hear stories about old homes like this,” I said warmly. “And if you know the stories of any of the pieces that aren’t from our shop, please fill me in!”
“Most of the furniture in this room came from my grandma’s house near Savannah,” Rebecca replied.
“Everything except the lamp, which is from Trifles and Folly.”
“Your grandmother had good taste,” I said.
Rebecca’s smile grew reflective. “She got a lot of the furniture from her mother and grandmother, so it’s authentic Victorian. When I was a little girl, I loved sleeping in the big brass bed.”
“The linens look period, too,” I said. Later, I
“You must be Cassidy!” A trim woman in her mid-forties rushed from the kitchen at the sound of the door. Her very wavy brown hair fell shoulder length, setting off tasteful gold earrings and a discreet – yet expensive, gold necklace. She wore a blue t-shirt and jeans that looked as if they had been pressed, over Sperry’s without socks. Everything about her exuded warmth and welcome, except for the look of worry in her blue eyes.
I smiled. “Are you Rebecca?”
She nodded. “Yes. And thank you so much for agreeing to come.”
I still wasn’t convinced it was a great idea, but I was resolved to see this thing through. “Your B&B is lovely,” I said sincerely.
Rebecca’s good cheer dimmed. “Thank you. I really love this place. But if we can’t figure out what’s going on, I don’t think I can stay here. Maggie said you had a talent for dealing with these things. I don’t have a whiff of ESP, but unusual abilities do run in my mother’s family, so you’re not going to shock me.”
“How about if I put my bag in my room and then we sit down and talk?” I suggested. “I’d love a cup of that coffee; it smells amazing!” I paused. “Unless you’ve got other guests waiting.”
“Unfortunately, no.” She gave a sad smile. “It’s just you and one other couple for the next few days.
I’m afraid word might be getting out about the problem.” She gestured for me to follow her. “Come on.
I’ll show you to your room.”
I climbed the stairs, looking around at the foyer with its dark wood, beautiful balustrade, and antique furniture. A lovely cut glass vase was filled with hydrangea blossoms, and I recognized it as the funeral vase Teag researched. I resolved to come back for a closer look once I settled in.
Upstairs, I counted four rooms plus another set of stairs. “I live on the third floor,” Rebecca said as she led me down the hall. “It was originally the maid’s room.”
She stopped in front of the last door on the right. “This is your room,” she said, opening the door for me. “Every room has its own bathroom with a shower. It’s a little tight, but you don’t have to share.”
The room was charming. The walls were painted a pale blue with a stenciled border. The large brass bed was the focal point, with its plump throw pillows and chenille bedspread. A small white night stand with a lace doily stood to one side, complete with a brass reading lamp with a stained glass shade. Is that the lamp she bought from Trifles and Folly? I wondered, suddenly a little disquieted by the idea of having it next to my bed.
At the foot of the bed was a dresser with a tall mirror and a marble finish on the top. A fluffy white bathrobe was draped invitingly over the arm of a comfortable chair with an ottoman, below a perfectly angled floor lamp. I loved every piece, and the combined effect made me wish my stay was truly for rest and relaxation.
I set down my luggage and turned back to Rebecca. “The room is beautiful. Can you show me around the rest of the B&B, please? Then let’s talk about what’s been going on.”
Rebecca smiled, but I could tell she had a lot on her mind. I tried to set her at ease. “I always love to hear stories about old homes like this,” I said warmly. “And if you know the stories of any of the pieces that aren’t from our shop, please fill me in!”
“Most of the furniture in this room came from my grandma’s house near Savannah,” Rebecca replied.
“Everything except the lamp, which is from Trifles and Folly.”
“Your grandmother had good taste,” I said.
Rebecca’s smile grew reflective. “She got a lot of the furniture from her mother and grandmother, so it’s authentic Victorian. When I was a little girl, I loved sleeping in the big brass bed.”
“The linens look period, too,” I said. Later, I
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