I abandoned my dream of a peaceful hour spent reading in my room and walked back into the kitchen to question Alicia. Maybe I could pry enough information out of her to dismiss Lincoln Delamont’s hints of scandal.
“I just had the most unpleasant encounter.”
“With that Delamont fellow?” Alicia asked, without glancing up from a short stack of lunch-request forms.
“Yes, how did you know?”
“Saw him head for the library right after breakfast. Figured he was going to check out the books, being a dealer and all.” Alicia looked up at me, her dark-brown eyes narrowed. “He’s a right royal pain, if you ask me.”
“I have to agree with you on that point.” I crossed to the counter where Alicia was working and rested my hip against the lower cabinet. “I was just wondering—you worked for my great-aunt from the beginning, didn’t you? I mean, from the moment she converted this house into a bed-and- breakfast?”
Alicia tapped the pen she was holding against her palm. “Yes, she hired me in 1983, right before she opened the doors to guests.” She fixed me with an intent stare. “Why are you asking?”
“Oh, Lincoln Delamont mentioned something …” I shook my head. “He seems to think there are some skeletons rattling around in Great-Aunt Isabella’s past. Some stuff that could be damaging if the truth were to be exposed. You don’t have any inkling as to what that might be, do you?”
Alicia dropped her gaze as well as the pen. “Nope. Can’t think of a thing.”
“I just thought … well, if there was something, maybe I could take care of the situation before Mr. Delamont decides to spread rumors.” I tapped my fingernails against the charcoal-gray soapstone countertop, hoping to draw the housekeeper’s attention, but Alicia kept her gaze focused on the lunch requests. “I appreciate your loyalty to my great-aunt, but it’s really better if I know, whatever it might be. I mean, if there are any scandals in her past.”
“There aren’t. Leastwise, I don’t know of any.” As Alicia tugged on the hairnet again, the plastic gemstones flashed in the bright light falling from the tall kitchen windows.
I stared at the older woman’s implacable profile. Alicia was always more than willing to tell me how Isabella had done things, especially in terms of managing the bed-and-breakfast, but getting any other information from her was like wringing water from a stone. “If it makes any difference, I already know Isabella had something of a wild past. At least if what my Grandma Ruth always said is true.”
Alicia cast me a side-eyed glance. “Nice way to talk about her own sister. Anyway, I wouldn’t know much about that. As I said, I didn’t start working for Isabella until 1983. She must’ve been close to sixty at that point, and while she was always spry, even up until right before she died at ninety-two, she was never what I’d call wild. Energetic and charming, yes. But not wild.”
I did a quick mental calculation. “Yes, she would’ve been fifty-seven in 1983.” I tapped the countertop with my fingers. “Funny, I never thought about it before, but she started a business when most people would be about ready to retire.”
“Necessity, I always figured,” Alicia said, her focus back on her lunch requests. “Ran out of cash or something, so she decided to turn her home into a paying concern.”
“Grandma’s theory was that Isabella was just bored, but you could be right.” I gazed around the impressive kitchen. “Even though, according to Grandma, the house was paid for, I suspect maintaining this place without any return on investment could drain a bank account pretty fast.” I frowned, thinking of Lincoln Delamont’s insinuations. “If you want to know the truth, my family never figured out how she was able to buy this place and live here for twenty-five years without any real income. Especially since she was supposedly a social butterfly who threw lavish parties.”
“Don’t look at me, I have no idea. Although I do remember the parties.” Alicia shot me a quick glance. “Not that I ever attended any, of course. But my mom worked for a local catering company when I was teenager. Mama used to serve at some of Isabella’s parties, and she’d come home and tell me and my sisters about the rich and famous people she saw here. Actors and politicians and wealthy businessmen and folks like that.” Alicia shook her head. “In little old Beaufort, no less.”
“Really?” I stood up straighter. “I knew she gave a lot of parties in the years before she turned the house into Chapters, but I had no idea she was entertaining celebrities. I wonder how she met them?”
“That’s the question all of Beaufort was asking, back when I was young,” Alicia said. “Isabella was beautiful and charming, but she must’ve had some connection who introduced her into such circles. I mean, this town has a long and respectable history, but it’s not exactly cosmopolitan.”
I considered this for a moment. “Maybe part of the attraction was getting away from the city? Enjoying a taste of small-town life near the sea?”
Alicia laid aside one lunch request. “Could be. I just know it always baffled us regular folk in town. While it was going on, but even more so when it all stopped. Just like that”—she snapped her fingers—“no more parties. Then Isabella up and converted her house into a bed-and-breakfast about a year later. Which is why I figured it was a money issue.”
“That’s certainly possible, I suppose.” I traced a figure eight on the countertop. “But if there were numerous wealthy and famous people at these parties, maybe this secret scandal is related to one of them somehow.”
“Could be, but again, I wouldn’t know anything about that.” Alicia picked up the paper she’d set aside and waved it at me. “Now excuse me, but I need to get to work on this request. Mr. and Mrs. Rowley wanted to pick up their lunches early.”
“All right, don’t let me keep you.” I gave Alicia a brief nod good-bye before I headed for the hall. Preoccupied with thoughts of Isabella’s mysterious past, Lincoln Delamont’s cryptic threats, and his daughter’s angry comments, I almost collided with Todd and Kelly Rowley, who’d walked into the front hallway from the porch.
Plastering on a smile, I faced the couple. “I hope you’ve had a good time this morning?”
“Oh yes,” Kelly replied. “The town really is quaint, and it’s still quiet, at least right now.”
“It’ll get a lot busier later when all the Big Rock tournament participants and visitors return for dinner and drinks at the restaurants near the docks. Fortunately you won’t have to fight the crowds this evening, since you’re having dinner here.”
Todd Rowley glanced at his wife. “We’re excited about that, aren’t we, sweetheart? Kelly had a beautiful costume made,” he added, turning his gaze back on me.
“That’s great,” I said, thinking about everything I had to do before I could don my own costume, a hand-me-down from Isabella I’d found while rummaging around in the attic.
Jennifer Delamont clattered down the stairs, stopping short when she noticed me and the Rowleys. “Oh, hello. Have any of you seen my husband? I can’t imagine where he’s gotten to.”
“He was in the library, Ms. Delamont.” I noticed the lines creasing Jennifer Delamont’s brow and softened my tone. “But that was a little while ago. I’m not sure if he’s still there.”
“He’s not,” Kelly said, with a toss of her long braid. “Todd and I were just out walking and saw him dashing off somewhere when we turned onto this block.”
“Really? He didn’t tell me he was going out …” Jennifer Delamont bit her lower lip as if to stop herself from saying anything more.
“He was in a hurry.” Todd winked at Jennifer. “Maybe he wanted to sneak out and get you a gift before you realized he was gone?”
“I doubt that,” Kelly said sharply. As Jennifer turned a myopic gaze on her, the younger woman twitched her lips into a smile. “I just mean, not everyone is as sentimental as you are, Todd.” Kelly slipped her arm around her husband’s waist before turning to me. “He spoils me. Always buying me little surprise gifts.”
“You deserve it,” Todd said, patting Kelly’s hand.
“No, that wouldn’t be it,” Jennifer Delamont said, her shoulders slumping. “Well, thanks anyway. I guess I’ll catch up with him later.” She turned and headed back upstairs.
“Poor thing,” Kelly said, when Jennifer had disappeared into the upper hallway. Catching my eye, she shrugged. “I heard them yelling at each other last night, after the cocktail party. I think you’d gone out by that time.”
“Yes, it was my friend Julie’s birthday.” I turned away slightly. “Sorry, but I really should get moving. There’s so much to do before this evening’s festivities.”
“Don’t let us keep you,” Todd said. “We’re heading back out as soon as we grab our bagged lunches. I want to spend some decent time at the Maritime Museum before we need to change for the party.”
“Well, have fun.” I noticed that Kelly was staring up the staircase, as if her thoughts remained focused on Jennifer Delamont.
She probably feels as bad for the woman as I do, I thought. Especially since, unlike Jennifer, she seems to have such a happy marriage.
As I did, once upon a time.