“That may be true when Sammy’s a little older,” Iris said. She had been in the living room and came out to greet everyone. “But he’s less than a week old, and Vi’s still getting used to a routine.”
The look that Iris exchanged with Rose made Daisy wonder what tension lay between those words. Rose looked as if she were biting back a comment, something like, But you’ve never had any children so how do you know? However, Daisy’s mom restrained herself, which was a surprise in itself.
Daisy’s dad waved at her from the living room, then started into the kitchen.
Daisy went to give him a kiss and a hug.
“How is Vi, really?” he asked.
“Doing a little better,” Daisy said. “She talked to Willa again this afternoon. She’s going to join a mommy group.”
This couple had a lot to adjust to. They only had a little over three months of marriage before Sammy had been born, and that time had been more about the pregnancy than about them.
There was a knock on the kitchen door, and Rose went to answer it. Tessa had been invited to dinner too. She shared many holidays with them, and Thanksgiving was no different.
When the oven timer went off, Jonas asked, “Should I get that?”
Daisy nodded, not knowing what would come up at their family meeting. Something always did.
Rose had made one of her famous baked chicken pies, and Daisy knew the chicken, potatoes, carrots, onions, and peas in a thick white sauce surrounded and covered with a pie crust would taste delicious. Another casserole was sitting on top of the stove. Daisy picked up potholders to take that to the table. It was her mom’s baked cinnamon apples. They’d enjoy dinner if an argument didn’t break out.
A half hour later everyone had pushed their plates aside and were enjoying second cups of coffee or tea.
Rose said, “I’ll roast a turkey for Thanksgiving and Daisy can roast one too so neither of us has to handle a large one.”
Her father added, “Thanks for inviting us all to your house for the holiday, Daisy. You have a lot more room than we do here.”
Daisy’s first floor was more of an open concept, so she could easily fit everyone in. She said to Iris, “Can Russ come?”
“He’s planning on it,” Iris answered with a wink.
“Camellia says she’s driving down from New York the day before and she’s going to bring her latest beau,” Daisy’s mom informed them.
Camellia dated often, but she didn’t spend more than three months with any one man, at least that’s the way it seemed to Daisy. It could be interesting to meet her new boyfriend.
Tessa spoke up now. “I thought I’d ask Cade to come along. Is that okay?”
Cade Bankert was a real estate agent who’d gone to high school with Daisy and Tessa. He’d sold Daisy the property that the barn was located on before she’d renovated it. He’d also sold her and Iris the Victorian where the tea garden was housed. She and Cade had gone on a couple of dates, but that hadn’t developed into anything more than friendship.
“Of course he’s welcome,” Daisy said. She glanced at Jonas, but he didn’t seem to mind.
“I’m not the best cook,” Jonas told Rose, “but I can bring an extra table and chairs to Daisy’s. That way you can make sure everyone has plenty of room and a chair to sit on.”
Daisy reached over and took his hand and squeezed it. She felt more comfortable doing things like that now. After all, they were steadily dating.
Everyone had signed up for something to bring, so Daisy didn’t have to handle more than a turkey and acting as hostess. There would be more than enough food probably even for the week after Thanksgiving. In fact, Daisy was relieved with the interactions with everyone today until . . .
At the head of the table, Daisy’s dad was around the corner from her. His voice was low when he asked, “When the police questioned you, was it factual or did they push for more?”
“The police questioned you?” Rose asked. “About that tea at Margaret Vaughn’s house?”
Daisy hadn’t told her mother that she’d found the body. Before she could signal to cut the conversation, Jazzi said, “Mom found Mrs. Vaughn. She walked right into the crime scene. Of course, the police had to question her.”
Looking stunned for a moment, Rose shook her head. “I didn’t know you found the body. Why didn’t you tell me about it?”
After demanding that question of Daisy, she turned to Iris. “But she told you all about it, didn’t she?”
Without hesitating, Daisy stood and put her hand on her mom’s shoulder. “Mom, let’s go talk in the kitchen.”
When Rose didn’t stand right away, Daisy asked, “Please?”
Rose tossed her napkin onto the table, stood, and followed Daisy into the kitchen.
Daisy started right in. “I didn’t tell you I found the body because I didn’t want you to become upset. You always do when I’m involved.”
“You shouldn’t be involved.”
“Mom, I was serving tea for Margaret and the cast of the play. I went to the butler’s pantry and there she was. It wasn’t like I went looking for trouble. I really didn’t want to upset you.”
Rose seemed to accept her explanation, but she still looked hurt. “I understand it was just part of your business and you found her. You should be used to dealing with the police by now.”
Daisy didn’t retort. She bit her lip on any words that might make things worse between them. She didn’t know how to make her relationship with her mom better except by always agreeing with her.
But as soon as that thought manifested itself, she also knew she couldn’t do that.
Chapter Seven
Daisy had once heard a mausoleum described as a magnificent tomb. On Tuesday morning, Daisy studied the structure where Margaret would be buried, and she didn’t know if it was grand or not. It was fashioned of stone. What she did know was that
