Chapter 10

Ella Mae paid a visit to Rolling View after work the next day. In the privacy of Opal’s sunroom, she told her everything that had happened in Sweet Briar. Not only was Opal Loralyn’s mother, but she was also an Elder. Therefore, she had to be apprised of the possibility that an object of power could be hidden inside Atalanta House.

The rest of Havenwood’s Elders were present as well, and when Ella Mae finished speaking, Verena turned to Opal and, in the softest voice Ella Mae had ever heard her use, said, “I’m overjoyed that your daughter is safe. And so very close.”

Opal’s eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them back. “All this time, she’s been in Georgia. And yet she might as well be on the moon. I can’t believe that I have to wait until August to see her.” And then, to Ella Mae’s surprise, Opal grabbed Verena’s hand and clung to it. “What am I supposed to do in the meantime?”

“Keep getting stronger,” Verena declared stoutly. “Prepare to fight for your daughter. We don’t know what we’re dealing with in regard to these Camellias. They might be coming to Havenwood for the sole purpose of enjoying their annual retreat and producing their centennial cookbook, or they could have a more nefarious purpose. We won’t know their true agenda until I hear Ella Mae ask them about it. If they lie to her, I’ll hear the lie.”

“Can you explain why the Camellias pose a threat to our community?” another Elder asked. “Because if they possess an object of power, we should tread very carefully.”

Ella Mae nodded. “This is a complicated situation, but in light of what Bea Burbank’s daughter told me, I’ve come to believe that Bea was murdered by a Camellia. And because her murder took place in Havenwood and her killer wasn’t apprehended, the return of the Camellias to Havenwood should put us all on high alert. A murderer is undoubtedly accompanying the rest of the Sweet Briar ladies on their annual retreat.”

After exchanging a flurry of low murmurs, the Elders told Ella Mae to continue.

She balled her fists in frustration. “I’ve been unable to gather concrete clues to prove my theory about the murderer, so our best chance of solving the mystery of Bea’s death lies with Loralyn. She’s spent months among the Camellias.” Ella Mae uncurled her fingers and looked at Opal. “She’ll be home before you know it. Until then, stay strong. Keep fighting.”

Opal thrust out her chin in a show of determination. Once, the expression would have irritated Ella Mae, but now, she was glad to see it, for it was a sign of Opal’s strength.

“I have something more effective than medicine. More powerful than any enchantment,” Opal told Ella Mae after the meeting had adjourned and the other Elders were gone. “And you gave it to me.”

Ella Mae, who was also on her way out, paused in the doorway. “I did? What’s that?”

Though the meeting had clearly drained Opal, she managed a small smile. “Hope. No matter what happens with Loralyn, I will never regret the day I pledged my loyalty to you. Whether you realize it or not, you are still magical, Ella Mae LeFaye.”

*   *   *

The weeks leading up to August were marked by long, hot, humid days, but Ella Mae barely noticed the weather. Her time was spent inside The Charmed Pie Shoppe, where she conducted a flurry of baking experiments.

Creating reduced-sugar, dairy-free, and nut-free pies proved to be far easier than coming up with a gluten-free piecrust. Ella Mae, who felt that she’d perfected her buttery, flaky piecrust years ago, had to start from scratch. Not only did she have to try different flours—and these ranged from almond flour, bean flour, sweet and brown rice flour, a sorghum flour blend, tapioca flour, and millet—but she also had to figure out how those flours interacted with corn or potato starch. Sometimes her dough was too crumbly. Other times, it stuck to her worktable like glue. Once, when she foolishly thought she’d discovered the perfect blend, she tasted a piece of the dough and instantly spit the mouthful into the nearest garbage can.

“Another one bites the dust, eh?” Jenny asked, entering the kitchen with a catering order in hand.

Ella Mae sighed in frustration. “It tastes like egg cartons. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I feel like I’m getting closer to the right combination, but close isn’t good enough.”

“You’ll get it.” Jenny settled down on a stool. “Do you remember how long it took me to roll out a decent piecrust? I was terrible, but you were such a patient teacher. Be patient with yourself. What you’re doing is part cooking, part science, and part art.” She tapped the order form. “So what I have here will either be a source of inspiration or a source of stress.”

Ella Mae wiped her hands on her apron. “Is this a glass half-empty or half-full scenario?”

“Yep,” Jenny said cheerfully. “It’s a proposal for a wedding dessert bar, but the bride has asked for a selection of bite-size gluten-free pies. Apparently, the catering company handling the wedding is providing a gluten-free meal, but the couple wasn’t wild about the company’s dessert options, so they’ve turned to us. I told them you were working on a gluten-free menu, but that I wasn’t sure we could commit to a contract right now.”

“When’s the wedding?”

Jenny glanced at the proposal. “October.”

Ella Mae studied the mess she’d made. Flour covered the table and speckled the floor. Bits of dried dough stuck to her rolling pin, her hands, and her face. She was certain there were small pieces in her hair as well. “It’ll be August in two days, which gives me two days to perfect this crust. If I fail, I’ll have to tell the ladies of the Camellia Club that I can help them create nut-free, dairy-free, and low-sugar pies, but not gluten-free pies. You’ll also have to turn down this bride.”

“And if you succeed?” Jenny asked.

“Then my confidence in my abilities as a pastry chef will be restored,” Ella Mae grumbled. “Because right now, I feel like a rookie. I don’t think I could operate a can opener correctly at this point.”

Jenny came around to Ella Mae’s side of the worktable. “Close your eyes,” she whispered and put her hands on Ella Mae’s shoulders. “Let me tell you about this bride and groom. They’re high school sweethearts and are super cute. They’re the kind of couple that finishes each other’s sentences. They laugh so loud and freely that you end up laughing with them. The bride told me how, back in high school, the two of them were teased because of their food allergies. She also told me how the groom’s parents once believed his diet was a ploy for attention. And about how her best friend thought she was avoiding gluten just to stay slim. She said the strife made them stronger as a couple. Earlier this summer, this darling couple attended a friend’s wedding where your pies had been served. Seeing the guests’ reactions, they decided to read up on you. They love that you use fresh ingredients, grow your own herbs, buy produce from local farmers, and get honey from area beekeepers. They knew you could make their dessert bar unforgettable. So don’t let them down.”

Suddenly, a powerful heat flooded through Ella Mae’s body and she knew that Jenny had used magic on her. Bolts of Jenny’s liquid sunshine electrified Ella Mae’s blood and gave her an incredible surge of energy. She felt like she could run a marathon. Or two. Opening her eyes, she spun around. “You didn’t need to do that.”

“I know, but my shift is over, and Finn and I are going to see a movie. By the time we sit through the ads, twenty minutes of previews, and a two-hour film, I’ll be completely recovered.” She pursed her lips. “Unless I gorge on popcorn and Milk Duds—which I shouldn’t do on a date—but probably will. I have no discipline once I get a whiff of that movie theater butter. I’m already planning on buying a huge tub and I might not share a single kernel with Finn. How’s that for starting off a relationship on the wrong foot?”

Ella Mae laughed. “Thank you, Jenny. Not just for the energy boost, which is far better than a six-pack of Red Bull, but for painting that picture of the couple. You reminded me of why I became a chef in the first place. I lost sight of that somewhere between the white bean flour and the Asian tapioca.”

“Glad to be of service.” Jenny gestured at the worktable. “Would you like help cleaning up? Everyone else has gone home.”

“No, thanks. I’m going to give this gluten-free piecrust another whirl. Hugh’s sleeping at the fire station tonight so I won’t see him until tomorrow.” Ella Mae put her hands on her hips and surveyed her messy kitchen with a grin. “I’m going to crank up the radio, cook myself some dinner, and wipe off this worktable. When I literally have a clean slate, I’ll think about that sweet couple while I experiment with a flour blend I’ve yet to try. For some reason, I have a feeling that it might be the combination I’ve been looking for.”

Ella Ma’s hunch proved true. Though still challenging to roll out—a problem she solved by first refrigerating the dough for an hour before gently rolling it between two layers of flour-dusted wax paper—the piecrust came out of the oven with a lovely golden-brown hue. And when Ella Mae tasted it, she was pleased to discover that the crust had the same buttery, flaky texture as her traditional crusts.

“Hallelujah!” she shouted and danced a little jig in front of the cooling racks.

With Jenny’s liquid sunshine still flowing through her veins, Ella Mae was too wired to sleep, so she made another dozen gluten-free dough balls. After carefully wrapping these in plastic wrap, she placed them in the refrigerator and cleaned the kitchen until it shone.

“Tomorrow, the first gluten-free pies will appear on The Charmed Pie Shoppe’s menu board,” she announced to the empty room.

Feeling incredibly satisfied by her day’s work, she headed home, only to find her mother waiting on the front porch swing. Chewy’s head was on her lap, and though he opened his eyes at the sight of Ella Mae, he couldn’t quite wake up enough to greet her properly. She whispered a hello to him, smiled when he thumped his tail once against the swing cushion, and then lowered herself into a rocking chair with a weary but contented sigh.

“You’re home late,” her mother said.

“I am, but the extra time was well spent. I finally mastered a gluten-free piecrust.” She let out a little laugh. “After all the things I’ve been through, you wouldn’t think I’d find the task so daunting, but it was getting the better of me. Luckily, Jenny came along and gave me the perfect pep talk.” Ella Mae picked a piece of hardened dough out of her hair. “I could use a shower, but I have a feeling that you need to tell me something.”

Her mother’s gaze strayed toward Partridge Hill. She looked as though she was searching for the right words. The hesitation put Ella Mae on edge.

Maybe she wants to voice her feelings about a certain professor, Ella Mae suddenly thought. She certainly hoped so. Over the last two months, she’d grown very fond of Henry Matthews. She could see that Henry made her mother happy, and it was obvious that Henry was smitten with Adelaide LeFaye. Should the couple ask Ella Mae for her opinion, she’d encourage them to take a chance on love—to work out a way to be together. Because what they’d found in each other was far more important than anything they stood to lose.

“Mom?” Ella Mae prompted.

She expected her mother to smile shyly or to begin by saying that Henry’s time at Partridge Hill was nearing an end, but she did neither of these things. “Someone came to me requesting a Luna Rose ceremony for the month of August.” Her mother paused. “It’s an unusual circumstance—one I never expected to have to deal with.”

“So it’s complicated?” Ella Mae couldn’t help smiling. “The person who made the request—do you know him well?”

“Well enough,” her mother answered.

“And the woman he’d like to marry? Are you two . . . close?”

This time, her mother simply nodded.

Ella Mae pretended to mull the matter over before saying, “What’s the nature of your concern? Are you worried about the outcome—that the rose won’t bloom for this couple?”

In the silence that followed, Ella Mae recalled the first time she’d unintentionally witnessed a Luna Rose ceremony. It had occurred shortly after she’d moved back to Havenwood, before her own magic had been awakened. Something had prompted her to leave her bed in the middle of the night. She’d looked out her window to find a man and a woman clasping hands in the middle of her mother’s rose garden. However, the rosebush they stood in front of bore no flowers. Its tight, colorless buds yielded no clue as to the type of flower it might produce.

Ella Mae had watched, too entranced to be frightened, as a figure in a white robe and cowl had stepped out of the darkness and raised both arms in a beckoning gesture. Instantly, a cloud of fireflies had descended from the sky and covered every visible inch of the rosebush. When they’d withdrawn, a single rosebud had unfolded. It had sparkled like a candle flame, though its light was a much purer, far more radiant white. It was the most beautiful flower Ella Mae had ever seen.

The robed figure had nodded at the couple. As one, they’d stretched out their clasped hands toward the glimmering rose. However, the moment their fingertips had touched its petals, its light vanished and the garden had been plunged into darkness. Later, Ella Mae’s mother had explained that the Luna Rose ceremony predicted whether or not a couple was destined to be together. The couple Ella Mae had seen had failed the test.

Suddenly, Ella Mae understood her mother’s predicament. “I see the problem now. How can you officiate the ceremony if you’re one half of the couple?”

Her mother’s brows shot up. “Me?”

“Yes. If Henry wants to be with you and has proposed a Luna Rose ceremony, then—”

“I didn’t meet with Henry today, Ella Mae,” her mother said very softly. “I met with Hugh.”

All the air rushed out of Ella Mae’s lungs. Her head felt balloon-light and tiny stars winked along the edges of her vision. “No,” she whispered. “It couldn’t have been Hugh. I told him about the ceremony because I wanted him to know everything about my life. About my family. But . . .” She shook her head. “Why? Why does Hugh want to use magic now? We’ve been just fine without it. We’re doing great.”

“Because he wants to marry you, Ella Mae,” her mother said. “He wants to build you a house overlooking the lake. He wants to start a family with you. But the past haunts him. The fear that either of you might one day regret your choice to give up magic haunts him.”

Ella Mae’s anger flared. “Other people don’t get to know for certain if their relationships will last. They rely on faith, trust, and love—not on glowing insects and enchanted flowers!”

Unfazed by her daughter’s outburst, Adelaide LeFaye gently moved Chewy’s head aside and got to her feet. “Perhaps that’s their loss. Look how many marriages fail these days. More than half. I have to admit, Ella Mae, that when Hugh first asked me to perform the ceremony, my immediate reaction was to refuse him. But when I sat back and considered his request, I realized that he never would have come to me if he didn’t truly love you. I’ve doubted Hugh’s sincerity in the past, but I now believe that he would walk through fire for you. In a way, the Luna Rose ceremony is a test of faith, trust, and love. You need all of those, and a great deal of courage besides, to stand before that bush and await your destiny.”

Ella Mae bolted to her feet. “I am in control of my fate! If Hugh Dylan wants me to be his wife, then he can get down on one knee and propose. I’m not entirely sure I’d say yes, considering how furious I am right now, but it would be a good place for him to start.” She blew out a long, slow breath. “The only ceremony I want is the kind where vows are spoken in the presence of the people we love, rings are exchanged, Hugh kisses me, and after a declaration by the officiant, Hugh and I belong to each other for the rest of our days. It’s a simple and beautiful act. Why complicate it with magic?”

Her mother didn’t respond.

Feeling suddenly drained, Ella Mae opened her front door. “It’s time for me to turn in. It’s been a long day. Good night, Mom. Chewy, come on, boy. Bedtime!”

Before Ella Mae could enter her house, her mother’s voice held her in check. “Promise me you’ll think about it. Just take a few days before you reject the idea.”

Ella Mae sighed. “All right. But only if you promise to tell Henry how you feel about him. He’s scheduled to return to England in two weeks and I know you don’t want him to leave.”

“It doesn’t matter what I want. He has commitments—”

“Just tell him. Let him decide how to handle his commitments,” Ella Mae insisted. “Do we have a deal?”

Her mother raised her hands in surrender. “Yes, yes. But I’m going to wait for the right moment. This is not a conversation I want to have in front of my sisters, Reba, and the Upton siblings.”

Ella Mae swept her arm in an arc, indicating the gardens spreading out behind Partridge Hill. “I’m sure you’ll find the perfect place.”

*   *   *

When Ella Mae saw Hugh the following night, she was tempted to rail at him for speaking to her mother about securing a Luna Rose ceremony, but she’d promised to consider it and she kept her word. However, she’d also made a vow never to lie to Hugh again, so when he asked her if anything was wrong, she was torn. They stood side by side at the sink, cleaning up after a supper of chimichurri skirt steaks, corn on the cob, and watermelon slices. Ella Mae dried her hands on the dish towel and looked at Hugh.

“Last night, my mom told me about your request. It made me really angry.” Unbidden, tears filled her eyes. “I’m not looking for a shortcut. Other people take chances and go forward blindly believing in their love. That’s what I want to do. I don’t want to rely on magic to predict our future.”

Hugh opened his mouth to reply but Ella Mae put her fingers to his lips.

“Hold that thought for just a second.” She moved to lower her hand but he grabbed it instead. Laughing, she went on. “I promised my mother that I’d weigh my options. To do that, I need to know what motivated you to ask for the ceremony. So convince me that it would be good for us. Why should we, the two people who have deliberately turned our backs on magic, use it to decide whether or not we should spend the rest of our lives together?” Her voice trembled. “Because you know what happens if we touch the rose and its light goes out? It means that we won’t make it. Sooner or later, we’ll fall out of love.”

“Never,” Hugh whispered hoarsely and enfolded Ella Mae in his arms. He pressed her so hard against his chest that she could feel his heart hammering as though it might break through his rib cage. “I don’t doubt what we have,” he said into her hair. He then released her and cupped her face with his hands. “But I fear what the past has done to us. The scars it’s left on us. In places we can’t see. It’s these holes in my memory, Ella Mae. I know they’re the result of magic and I don’t want them to hurt us later on. After we’re married and have our own family. I can’t let that happen. I need to know that there isn’t something terrible lurking inside me like some sort of latent time bomb. Your happiness is all that matters to me, and the Luna ceremony is the only way I can be sure I’m the man who can deliver that happiness.”

Ella Mae let her tears fall unchecked. “Damn it, Hugh. Why did you have to present such a practical and yet incredibly romantic argument?”

Hugh smiled. “We have two weeks until the full moon. Just think about it, okay? I know the Camellias are coming tomorrow and you’ll probably be too busy to give this serious thought, but if those women start driving you crazy, I want you to picture this.” He pulled out a folded piece of paper from his pocket and set it on the counter. “Go on, open it.”

When Ella Mae unfolded the paper and flattened it with her palm, she saw that it was a real estate listing for a lot overlooking Lake Havenwood. It was just under an acre and included a dock.

“I was thinking of a craftsman-style house with a big back deck,” Hugh said. “We could have coffee there in the morning and a cold beer or a glass of wine at night. The dogs would love it. They’d have room to run and swim. We could get a little boat. And later, I could put a play set with a sandbox here.” He pointed to a spot on the paper. “Or hang a tire swing.”

Ella Mae glanced up from the listing and caught Hugh’s faraway look. She could see that he was imagining their lives as though they were pages from a scrapbook, and she liked the picture he was painting. She wanted to climb into the vision with him, to sit on their deck at sunset, to cradle their firstborn child in a rocking chair as dawn broke over the mountain, to watch the dogs chase dragonflies during the summer and snap at snowflakes come wintertime. “I love it,” she said, sliding her arms around his waist. “And I love you too.”

*   *   *

The next morning, Ella Mae rose especially early. Leaving Hugh to sleep in, she put on her running clothes, fed Dante and Chewy, brewed a pot of coffee, and then ushered the dogs outside into the pale August light.

The dogs immediately spotted a brace of ducks by the lake’s edge and raced off to chase them, leaving Ella Mae free to enter the trail leading into the woods without company. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy having the dogs with her, but they tired too quickly and she needed to burn some energy in order to be calm and collected before facing the members of the Camellia Club.

Beneath the canopy of the pine trees, the air still held traces of the night’s coolness and Ella Mae maintained a steady pace over the packed dirt trail. She ran to the watering hole, where she’d seen Hugh swim like a dolphin so many times in the past. Deciding to take a brief water break, she leaned against the large boulder that teens had spray-painted for as long as Ella Mae could remember.

Every year, someone from the park service would drive out to the swimming hole, clean the spray paint off the boulder, and post signs warning against vandalism. And every year, the signs would be uprooted and the initials of young lovers would appear in a rainbow of colors on the rock.

Ella Mae looked at the entwined letters and hearts, and decided that the boulder was wonderful. The kids knew that it was only a matter of time before their initials would be painted over again, but they didn’t care. They wanted their declaration to be public for as long as possible—in neon orange and swirls of deep purple and electric blue.

They’ll take what they can get and celebrate it, she thought. Boldly. Beautifully.

Because the rock wasn’t ugly. Each pair of initials had been meticulously drawn. And every set of lovers had their own style. No two hearts were the same. Some were surrounded by rainbows or butterflies. Others were decorated with gold lightning bolts or silver stars. There were Gothic designs as well. Black roses with sharp thorns and dark hearts bound by chains. Dozens of initials. Dozens of proclamations. Ephemeral pledges in paint.

Ella Mae cast one last glance at the tableau before sliding her water bottle into her runner’s belt and starting down the trail, back the way she’d come. When she cleared the woods and reappeared on the lawn behind Partridge Hill, she found her mother standing on the dock, tossing sticks into the water for Dante and Chewy.

She waved Ella Mae over. “I saw Hugh’s truck in the driveway, so I take it things are okay between the two of you.”

Ella Mae’s gaze moved across the lake to where the lot for sale was located. “We’re better than okay. I’ve agreed to the ceremony, Mom. I’ve given it plenty of thought, and I’m willing to go through with it, though I’m really scared.”

Her mother nodded. “Most things worth doing come with a risk.” She smiled at Ella Mae. “Like having a child, for example. The worry never really ends, no matter how old the child is. Be sure to keep Reba close today. I’ve made arrangements to bring Opal to the resort first thing tomorrow morning. Until then, don’t let your guard down.”

“I really hope Opal and Loralyn can reconcile,” Ella Mae said quietly. “There has to be more to Loralyn than what people like Reba see. Because if Loralyn Gaynor is as cold and heartless as she seems, then she could prove to be the most dangerous enemy Havenwood has ever known.”