Crossthwait's exacting standards, but well enough to precede Livvy without looking bedraggled and half dressed. Mr. Willis set out a 'do-it-yourself' luncheon of sandwich makings, green and pasta salads, chips, dips, and an assortment of drinks ranging from white wine to sodas to coffee. The growing crowd at the lodge helped themselves.
Jack Thatcher had assigned himself and his downtrodden assistant the job of hauling the nonresident guests back and forth from the hunting lodge to their motel. Jane tried at first to sort out who everyone was, having hand- addressed all the invitations, but soon gave up. They fell into identifiable categories though. Some of the older, better-dressed men appeared to be business associates of Jack's. A few younger women were either their middle- aged crisis replacement wives — or friends of Livvy's who were gathering for the bridal shower in the afternoon. Most of these stylish young women were probably serving in both roles, Jane thought, since Livvy seemed to be a bit short on close personal friends.
There was also a handful of young men who greeted Dwayne with slaps on the back and mildly raunchy jokes. They were friends of his who would be attending the bachelor party later in the evening.
Shelley and Jane stood by the door, introducing themselves to the newcomers as they arrived and helping them find their friends. During a lull, Shelley said, 'Remember the high school rule? The prettiest girl surrounded herself by ugly friends so she could really shine in comparison.'
“Hmmm. You mean that wasn't coincidence?' Jane asked with a grin.
“Seems that Dwayne has done the same,' Shelley said.
Jane glanced at the small knot of young men surrounding Dwayne where he stood in a Lord of the Manor pose in front of one of the fireplaces. Jane had seen Jack Thatcher strike the same pose only hours earlier. Shelley was right: none of Dwayne Hessling's friends matched him for sheer good looks, although most of them were alittle too well-dressed. Trying, she guessed, to fit in among the upper crust to the best of their budgets. Dwayne's good luck in combining romance and finance might rub off on them, they might have thought.
Jane leaned against the doorjamb and said, 'I wouldn't go back and be that young now for anything. All that struggle to get ahead in life, to figure out what and who you want to be.'
“And it's harder now,' Shelley agreed. 'Even a college degree is a requirement instead of an extra leg up in the business world. I'll bet half those boys are spending their evenings slaving away at night classes in business management or computer technology at the junior college.'
“Except for Dwayne,' Jane said. 'Dwayne is marrying into management.' She glanced around to make sure they couldn't be overheard. 'And his mother isn't very happy about it.'
“I'd think she'd be thrilled,' Shelley said. 'I sure wouldn't mind if my kids married well.'
“She's too sensible to be blind to his faults, it seems.' Jane repeated what she could remember of her conversation with Mrs. Hessling. 'I really think she likes Livvy better than her son. No, not 'likes' exactly. But feels more protective. Even she seems to have caught on that Livvy's marrying to please her father, not herself. And that Dwayne is going to be every bit as domineering as her father.”
Shelley frowned. 'It's hard for us to grasp, being of somewhat pit bull mentality ourselves, but maybe that's exactly what will make Livvy happy, Jane. There are people, men and women both, who are perfectly content to abdicate responsibility. There have to be followers or nobody can be a leader.'
“Waxing a tad philosophic, are we?' Jane said. 'Are you suggesting Livvy's really madly in love with Dwayne?”
Shelley shrugged. 'Maybe as madly as it's possible for her to be.'
“Why is it I can hardly say her name without putting the word 'poor' in front of it?' Jane mused.
“Because you're a tough old broad?' Shelley suggested.
“Look who's talking!' Jane said. 'You're the one who makes school principals shake with fear and car salesmen go paralytic when you walk onto the car lot.”
Shelley preened a bit. 'But you're getting there, Jane. You did a pretty good job of standing up to Jack Thatcher's rudeness.”
Jane spotted Eden at the top of the stairs, smiling and signaling for Jane to join her. 'We've got them done,' Eden said when Jane and Shelley got there. 'Want to see?”
The bridesmaids staged an impromptu fashion show and Jane was impressed. This wedding might not turn out to be such a catastrophe after all. Layla and Eden were young and glamorous. Kitty was young and Jane searched for the right word and could only come up with 'healthy.”
Their cherry-colored silk dresses literally brightened up the drab room Mrs. Crossthwait had been assigned.
“You're gorgeous! All of you. I'm so sorry you had to pitch in this way,' Jane said.
“Not your fault,' Eden said. 'Unless you pushed Mrs. C. down the steps.'
“Pushed her down the steps!' Kitty exclaimed. 'Why do you say that? She just fell, didn't she?'
“I was kidding,' Eden said. 'Don't look so upset. It was in poor taste. Sorry.”
Kitty did look offended, and didn't acknowledge the apology, but turned to Jane. 'I understand the gifts have been put out on display somewhere. I brought mine along.”
Jane remembered Kitty's arrival and wasn't surprised she'd brought her wedding gift along. From the looks of her luggage collection, she'd brought nearly everything she owned. Besides the two large suitcases Jane had helped her carry in when she arrived, she'd later seen Kitty bring in three cartons as well. 'They're in the room where the bridal shower's going to be,' Jane said. 'Get back into your regular clothes and I'll show you.”
A few minutes later, Jane pushed open the door of the room in question and she and Kitty were treated to the sight of Livvy and Dwayne embracing. Dwayne was kissing Livvy, who didn't appear to be participating with much enthusiasm.
“Oh, I'm sorry,' Jane said. 'I didn't know anyone was here.”
Livvy blushed scarlet, but Dwayne just grinned and said, 'Come on in. We can behave ourselves for a while. At least until tomorrow.'
“Oh, Dwayne,' Livvy simpered.
“Kitty brought her gift to set out,' Jane explained.
“Oh, Kitty! How really lovely,' Livvy said, pulling away from Dwayne and examining the cut crystal fruit bowl Kitty was holding. Livvy took it from Kitty and held it up against the light from the window. 'It's just beautiful, Kitty. How good of you.”
Kitty's face was utterly blank. Apparently she wasn't any better at reacting to compliments than she was at coping with bad jokes. Jane would have to remind Kitty to smile during her bridesmaid duties. Jane took the bowl from Livvy, rearranged a few other items to make room for it where the sunlight could catch in the facets, and went back to door duty with Shelley.
“The dresses are done,' she said. 'The girls look lovely. Even Kitty. If she'd just smile occasionally.'
“Mel's here,' Shelley said. 'Turned up just as you went upstairs. He's in the kitchen.'
“Let's assume we've done enough greeting and grab a bite of lunch before it's all gone,' Jane said.
Mel was at the kitchen table, watching Mr. Willis and one of his local helpers put the luncheon leftovers away. He greeted Jane and Shelley with a rather more solemn manner than they'd expected.'Is something wrong?' Jane asked quietly.
He shook his head. 'Not a thing,' he said, turn? ing and making a subtle shushing motion.
“Jane, let's get some food and eat outside,' Shelley suggested brightly. 'Mel, have you eaten? Why don't you join us?”
Mr. Willis was so eager to get them out from underfoot that he quickly prepared plates for the three of them and shooed them out the door. There was a disreputable picnic table under some trees just behind the lodge and they settled there.
“So what's wrong?' Jane said before anybody could get a bite of food.
“I stopped in town to introduce myself on the way here,' Mel said, looking longingly at a deviled ham sandwich. 'The local police are a bit on the gabby side. Took my word for who I was and told me some interesting things.' He lunged at his sandwich, determined to get at least one good mouthful before Jane started the inevitable inquisition.
“Like what?' Shelley and Jane asked as one voice.
He chewed luxuriously for a moment, took a sip of his soft drink, and sighed. 'The most important is that it
