“Who does?” Abby asked.
“Well, you, for one,” Barb said. “I could get behind a campaign for you to replace her.”
Abby smiled at her enthusiasm. “No way. For one thing, as long as this development is on the agenda, I’d have a huge conflict of interest. Down the road? I guess we’ll see.”
Barb lifted her cup of coffee. “Then here’s to down the road.”
* * *
On her way home, Abby stopped by Flavors. As soon as the customers had left, she smiled at Mary. “I gather our plan backfired.”
“Big-time,” Mary conceded with a sigh. “Sandra figured out right away what we were up to and pitched a merry fit. She even told off Kyle, who’d never heard a harsh word cross her lips in all these years, at least not directed at him.”
Abby winced. “Sorry.”
“Not your fault. At least he now sees what the rest of us see, that she’s not a misunderstood saint.”
“Someone just suggested to her that what she really objects to is that these houses will outshine the Whittier family home. Is that possible?”
Mary’s expression turned thoughtful. “You know, I never even considered that, but it makes sense. She takes an awful lot of pride in her founding family status. Being on the Christmas tour of historic homes every year means a lot to her. She acts like the island’s benevolent grande dame for a night. You should see her all dressed up as she greets everyone at the front door. The tour’s next week. You should come with Kyle and me. It’s a command performance for us.”
“And have her cut you both out of the will?” Abby asked wryly.
Mary waved off the worry. “Not that big a deal, believe me.”
“Well, I’ll definitely consider going, but I think I’d better show up on my own. You all don’t deserve the aggravation. You’ve done enough to try to help me.” She studied Mary. “What do you think will be accomplished if I do go?”
“Maybe it’ll give you some ideas about how you can preserve what she cherishes—that house—and still do what needs to be done with Blue Heron Cove.”
Abby could see how it might actually help. In fact, there was an idea in there that could work. If she pushed to make the Whittier home an official historic landmark, would that be enough to appeal to Sandra’s ego? Would she be reassured that her family’s place in the island’s history would be preserved forever? And would that be enough to get her past her objections to Blue Heron Cove?
Only one way to find out, Abby concluded. She’d start looking into the possibilities first thing in the morning.
19
Filled with trepidation, Seth walked into the kitchen at Seaview Inn at the end of the day. He’d never missed breakfast at the inn before this morning. He couldn’t help wondering what sort of aggravation he had in store.
Fortunately, Grandma Jenny was nowhere in sight. Kelsey, however, turned from the stove and grinned at him, her expression all too knowing. Before she could say whatever was on her mind, Isabella cried out from her high chair, holding her arms out toward Seth. He seized on the opportunity to distract her mom like the lifeline it was.
“How’s my favorite girl?” he asked, scooping the baby into his arms. She gurgled with delight, a mile-wide smile on her face.
“Favorite, huh?” Kelsey said. “Does Abby know she has competition?”
“Abby?” he repeated innocently. “No idea what you’re talking about.”
“Then you didn’t stay at her place last night?” Kelsey asked skeptically. “You certainly weren’t here.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Because Jeff went to your room to see if you wanted to join us for a game of Scrabble. No answer. And you hadn’t come in by the time we went to bed.”
“I could have come in later,” he suggested.
She leveled a look straight into his eyes. He’d seen that same penetrating look a time or two from Grandma Jenny, and from Hannah, for that matter. Must be a family trait, the ability to make people squirm.
“Did you?” Kelsey asked. A smile tugged at her lips. “And before you decide to fib to me, you need to know that my next question will be about why you missed breakfast this morning.”
“Has it occurred to you that guests might not appreciate this kind of interrogation?” he grumbled.
She waved off the question. “You’re not a guest. You’re family. That makes you fair game.”
“And that gives me even more incentive to find my own place,” he told her.
“Why bother,” she retorted, “when it’s entirely likely you and Abby will be moving in together someday soon?”
A little shiver that might have been anticipation—or panic—washed over him. “How did you make the leap to that conclusion simply from the fact that I may or may not have spent the night elsewhere last night? For all you know I could have been on the mainland with a patient. I might have missed the last ferry back.”
“Were you?”
Seth sighed. “No.”
Kelsey grinned happily. “So things really are heating up with Abby? That’s great news.”
“I thought you disapproved.”
“That was before I got to know her and before I realized that you were the key to keeping her away from Luke.”
“So you see this as a means to an end for your purposes,” he surmised. “It’s not my welfare that concerns you at all? Or Abby’s?”
“That’s not entirely true,” she said, trying to take Isabella from him so she could feed her. The baby clung to him for dear life, screaming at a level that could have registered her objections all the way over on the mainland. She wrapped her fists around clumps of Seth’s hair and held tight.
Kelsey frowned at her daughter and tried to pry her fingers loose. In pain, but impressed by Isabella’s strength, Seth waved Kelsey off. “Let me, please.”
“Hey, sweetheart,” he coaxed, slowly freeing her grip on his hair and shifting her in his arms so he could look into
