Vanna looked it all over as if she couldn’t decide whether to answer Daisy’s question or fix her cup of tea. As if she decided she needed the bracing liquid, she used a spoonful of honey and squeezed in a lemon slice, setting the rind on her saucer and wiping her fingers on her napkin. “You do know how to serve tea,” she murmured.
Daisy smiled at the grudging compliment, thinking she’d take good vibes when she could get them. Vanna didn’t give her time to give thanks.
“You know, don’t you, that Margaret imported a lighting expert and a stage manager from New York City.”
“No, I didn’t know that. She didn’t want to use local talent?”
“Her attitude was that she couldn’t find local talent.” Lines around Vanna’s mouth became more evident as she frowned. “I don’t think she looked very hard. Glenda Nurmi, who wrote the play, believes she should be the director, not Margaret. After all, she is the playwright. But Margaret doesn’t agree with that.”
Daisy had heard the name of the play was Christmas in the North Woods. Now she repeated to Vanna something else she’d heard. “Heidi Korn, from the Rainbow Flamingo, is in the play as well as Arden Botterill, right?” Arden owned a shop called Vinegar and Spice.
Vanna let out a big sigh. “Since Heidi owns the dress shop, she wants to give Margaret advice on the fashions for the play. But Margaret, of course, won’t take it. Even when she was five she was right about everything.”
Daisy suppressed the urge to chuckle. Margaret definitely was an opinionated, take-charge woman.
“You know Daniel Copeland’s in the play too,” Vanna offered.
Daisy hadn’t heard that. Daniel was the assistant manager of the Willow Creek Bank. He had an attitude similar to Margaret’s. As soon as she thought it, Daisy chastised herself for judging the man. She didn’t know Daniel all that well.
“There are a few others from town,” Vanna went on. “As you know, Jonas is helping with the set design, not that he has any say in it. But he is helping to construct it.”
“He seems to be enjoying that.” Daisy had been dating Jonas Groft since last New Year’s Eve. Their relationship had experienced bumps, but some highs too. He was a former detective from Philadelphia who had seen enough of the seedy side of life. He now owned Woods, a furniture store down the street from Daisy’s Tea Garden. He crafted furniture to sell along with the other pieces he took in on consignment.
Daisy thought about everything Vanna had told her while Vanna seemed to relax a bit as she took a few sips of tea. When the secretary closed her eyes, Daisy put together the pieces and figured out what was probably going on.
After adding a half teaspoon of honey to her own tea, Daisy stirred it in. Vanna opened her eyes again.
Daisy guessed, “So what you’re telling me is that Margaret is upset because there are problems between her cast and the production staff?”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you. The cast seems to resent the people from New York telling them what to do, especially since Glenda doesn’t seem to have much input and she should. The New York duo, even though this is what they do—go on the road to help developing theaters—seem to resent the fact that the cast thinks their opinion should count. I stopped in at the theater yesterday, and to me it all seemed like a muddled mess. Margaret’s not sure everyone will pull together and that’s why she’s thinking about canceling the tea. Why should she go to the expense of a full-course tea service for everyone when they can’t seem to get along?”
“Why did Margaret wait so long to think about having the tea?”
“I don’t know. She’s not used to organizing. She’s used to acting. I was the organized sister. She was the flutterbug, though a determined one who followed the wind.”
Daisy imagined that that was resentment she heard in Vanna’s tone. Firsthand, she knew about sisters and resentment, but she definitely didn’t want to go there right now. She took a sip and then another of her tea, letting the warm brew calm and settle her. She’d opened the tea garden with her aunt because she wanted the residents of Willow Creek to have a place to come that was safe, calming, and a respite where friendships were formed and made stronger.
“Thank you for coming to me today,” Daisy said. “I think I should talk to Margaret myself. I’m going to need a final decision if my staff and I need to prepare for her tea. I need to know now. I’ll give her a call and see if I can meet with her.”
“There’s a rehearsal tonight, but I think she said she’d be at home most of the day. Maybe you can catch her.”
“I’ll do that. In the meantime, before you go back to your job, wouldn’t you like a muffin or a scone or a brownie?”
Vanna, gazing around the restful room, rethought her previous decision. “A brownie before noon. That sounds decadent, doesn’t it?” She had a twinkle in her eye. “I think I’ll have one since that’s as decadent as I get.”
Daisy took a few more sips of tea then rose from her chair. “Enjoy another cup of tea. Cora Sue will bring you a brownie.”
As Daisy was about to turn away, Vanna called her back. “I wish Margaret was more like you. I’d have a real confidante then.”
Daisy felt herself blush. “You can talk to me anytime, Vanna. You know that, don’t you?”
Vanna’s eyes seemed to mist over and she simply nodded.
Daisy was going to tell Cora Sue to serve Vanna an extra-large
