“I am sorry, Laura,” said Ann. “I really am. If there’s anything Joe and I can do…”
Laura’s head shot up. “Joe? Are you and Joe…”
Ann nodded. “We’re together. He’s been wonderful. He’s always been wonderful,” she added pointedly.
Laura gave a small smile. “Good. I’m glad for you, then.” She paused. “I’m sorry, Ann, for steering you wrong all those years ago. I was too focused on the things that don’t matter. I screwed up your life and mine. Look where my ideals got me. Married to a murderer.”
Fresh tears flowed down her face. Ann went to hug her. “It’s going to be okay, Laura. You’ve got us. We’re your family. We’ll always be here for you.”
I eased out of the room to give them their privacy and went to wait on the front steps. The day was gloriously clear, although there was now a distinct chill in the air that had been absent all week. The lingering warmth of the summer was gone. I rubbed my hands together and waited for Ann. A little while later, she came out. “Is she okay?” I asked.
“As well as can be expected,” Ann said sadly. “This has been such a shock to her. On more than one level.”
I nodded. “Are you okay?”
Ann smiled at me. “I am, actually. Better than I’ve been in years. I feel terrible for saying it, but it’s true. I feel like I’ve been given a gift, a second chance with Joe.”
“Good,” I said, returning her smile.
“I don’t know how to thank you,” she said. “You were amazing. If this doesn’t convince Kit that you have a real talent for solving crime, I don’t know what will.”
I laughed. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that. Kit thinks she should get the credit because it was her idea to watch
“Well,
I told her my decision.
She nodded. “I can see your point.”
Who can be in doubt of what followed? When two people are in love, they are pretty sure by perseverance to carry their point. Joe and Ann picked up almost exactly where they had left off eight years earlier, and I anticipated that I would be eating cake at their wedding in the very near future.
As for me, I told Peter that I needed more time to decide about moving in. I loved him and was pretty sure I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, but was this really the way to start that life? I didn’t want my current situation of not having a job or decent place to live to be the impetus of our moving in together. Although I wasn’t, to quote Jane Austen (oh, please, don’t act surprised), pursuing a man merely for the sake of a situation, I still was bothered by the circumstances surrounding his proposal. So much had happened over the past two weeks that I guess I just needed time to sort it out. Peter took it well, saying that he understood. And although he swore that he wanted me to move in regardless of my employment status, I remained unsure.
A few days later, Aunt Winnie called. She was back on Nantucket. I had barely answered the phone when she shouted out to me, “Elizabeth! You’ve got to pack. I just scored us tickets to the Jane Austen Festival in Bath!”
“Are you kidding me? How’d you get tickets? I thought those were nearly impossible to get!”
“Friend of a friend. I’ll tell you when I see you. I’ve booked us a flight, but you have to get your skinny ass up here by tomorrow. We leave in two days!”
I stared in disbelief at the phone. Bath. I was going to Bath for the Jane Austen Festival!
For once in my life, words failed me.
