It was early Saturday morning, and Walt and Danielle stood across the street in the Bartley driveway, chatting with Lily while Ian loaded suitcases in the trunk of his car. Sadie stood nearby, tail wagging, watching Ian’s every move.
“I really appreciate you keeping Sadie this week, especially since you’ll be having guests,” Lily told them.
“Don’t be silly. Sadie is always welcome, with or without guests in the house,” Danielle said.
“If we were driving we would take her.” Lily glanced over to the golden retriever, who hadn’t taken her eyes off Ian. “She knows something is up.”
“I already discussed it with her,” Walt told Lily.
Looking back to Walt, Lily smiled. “And what did you tell her?”
“That you and Ian are visiting your family in California, and it was a long drive, so you decided to fly. I explained it really wasn’t safe for dogs to fly on airplanes. I told her she was staying with us.”
“So she’s okay with that? The way she keeps looking at Ian…”
With a cringe he said, “I probably should have left out the part about it not being safe for dogs to fly, and just said that they aren’t allowed on planes.”
“Why is that?” Lily asked.
“Because she started worrying about you and Ian. If it’s not safe for her to fly, why is it safe for you? I finally convinced her it is safer for you to fly because you don’t have to travel in the luggage compartment. It took her a while to understand.”
Lily glanced back to Sadie and said, “Considering how she’s staring at Ian, not sure you convinced her.”
“Just don’t let anything happen to you two while you’re gone, or she will never trust me again,” Walt said.
“Well, that’s about it,” Ian called out as he slammed the trunk closed. He walked to the three, Sadie trailing next to him.
“Did I tell you my sister is having a surprise baby shower for me while I’m there?” Lily asked Danielle when Ian reached her side.
“It can’t be a surprise if you know,” Danielle said.
Ian draped an arm around Lily’s shoulder. “You know my mother-in-law can’t keep a secret.”
“It’s only because Mom wanted to make sure I brought something to wear—and she told me I need to have my hair fixed before the shower.” Lily shook her head at the idea.
“Fixed? Is it broken?” Danielle teased.
“Cute.” Lily rolled her eyes. “Mom wants me to have it done at a beauty shop the day before the shower. I guess she expects me to show up at the surprise shower with my hair perfectly done, wearing a new outfit and my makeup on, and act all surprised.”
“But that’s how you always look.” Ian gave Lily’s cheek a quick kiss.
“Yeah, right.” Lily laughed.
Ian glanced at his watch. “We’d better get going.”
“You guys have a great time,” Danielle told them.
“I hope so,” Lily said. “I would sort of like to stay home, but come summer, I’ll be home all the time.”
Ian removed his arm from Lily and then turned to Sadie. He knelt down in front of the dog, looking into her face. “You be a good girl for Walt and Danielle.”
Sitting before Ian, Sadie looked in his eyes and let out a pitiful whimper.
“Oh, girl, you like staying with Walt and Danielle,” Ian told her as he stroked the dog’s neck.
“It’s my fault,” Walt said with a sigh. He stepped closer to the pair and looked down at Sadie. “I promise, Sadie, they won’t make Lily and Ian sit in the luggage compartment.”
Ian frowned up at Walt. “What?”
With a chuckle, Lily grabbed hold of Ian’s right hand and gave it a tug. “I’ll explain in the car. We need to go.”
Walt’s words must have soothed Sadie’s concerns, for in the next moment the dog let out a bark and began wagging her tail.
On Friday Joanne had changed all the bed linens at Marlow House and had put out fresh towels. In spite of the fact the bed and breakfast had closed, she still came over several times each week, so minimal cleaning was required before the guests started arriving. She planned to come over on Saturday afternoon to help with dinner and prep the food they planned to serve on Easter Sunday.
It was Saturday afternoon, but Joanne had not yet arrived, nor had any of the guests. Walt and Danielle sat in the living room. Sadie napped on the floor by Walt’s feet while Max found a quiet corner behind the curtains to snooze.
“Did I miss saying goodbye to Ian and Lily?” Marie asked as she popped into the living room. Sadie lifted her head sleepily and gave Marie a brief woof before resuming her nap.
Danielle wasn’t sure how Marie had intended to tell them goodbye, since neither Ian nor Lily could see or hear her. But she reserved comment and instead said, “They left early this morning.”
“Have any of your guests arrived?” Marie asked.
“Not yet.” Danielle glanced at her watch.
“So how did the raffle do? Did they sell a lot of tickets?” Marie asked.
“It did extremely well,” Danielle told her. “Especially considering it was all pretty rushed. I was afraid it would be difficult to sell tickets because once they announced the winners, they didn’t have a lot of time to make travel plans—or even get the time off from work. But they made more than ten thousand dollars. Actually twice that, since the Glandon Foundation matched whatever they raised.”
“That much?” Marie asked.
“Yep. Just in ticket sales it was double what I would have made on those rooms if I had simply rented them out.”
“How much did they sell the tickets for?” Marie asked.
“Twenty bucks each,” Danielle told her.
Marie arched her brows. “People were willing to pay that much for a chance to stay here?”
“While it would be flattering to imagine Marlow House was such a coveted prize, I suspect most people who bought a ticket were thinking more about supporting the high school art department,” Walt interjected.
“Chris told me he talked a Portland radio station into buying a hundred tickets, which they gave out as prizes on their radio show. In fact, one of the winners came from those tickets. A couple from Portland.”
“Excellent!” Marie smiled.
“Oh, and you’ll never guess who one of the winners was,” Danielle said.
“Who?”
“Faye Bateman…or as she was known when she lived next door, Maisy Faye Morton,” Danielle told her.
“Faye Bateman bought a raffle ticket?” Marie asked in surprised.
“Her son did. Apparently he bought several from Heather. Heather said he only bought them to be nice and never expected to win. But when he did, he gave it to his mother. She’s never been in Marlow House and has always wanted to see it.”
“That’s not true. She was here once,” Walt interjected.
Danielle looked to Walt. “When?”
“Not long after the twins were born. Her father hired a nanny, and the woman had some problem and stopped by here asking for help. She had the babies with her. I remember she had them in the same carriage. They were such little things. I don’t think it was long after they were born.”
“I seriously doubt she remembers that time,” Danielle said with a chuckle.
“I imagine you’re right.” Walt grinned.
The doorbell rang and the next moment Sadie jumped up, prepared to bark. Walt quickly put a stop to that, and Sadie reluctantly lay back down on the floor, letting out a little grunt as she did.
Several minutes later Danielle opened the front door to her first raffle guest, Faye Bateman. The elderly woman wore a long velvet jacket over a floor-length dress. The formal attire reminded Danielle of what might have once been considered standard apparel for any properly brought up woman from local society’s upper station. She wore an emerald green velvet pillbox hat atop her platinum blond hair, and by her side was her son, Norman, a suitcase in his hand.
“Welcome,” Danielle greeted them, opening the door wider. She glanced over their shoulders and noticed the dark clouds rolling in.
“Danielle, I would like you to meet my mother, Faye Bateman. Mother, this is Danielle Marlow, your hostess for the week.”
“I am so happy to meet you,” Danielle told Faye as the elderly woman stepped into the entry.
“I imagine you think I’m a silly old woman to be staying here when I have a house on the other side of town.”
“Certainly not,” Danielle insisted.
Faye looked around the enormous dark-paneled entry, taking in the sight. “But I have always wanted to see inside Marlow House.”
“I’m very glad you came. I’m putting you in the downstairs bedroom. I hope you don’t mind. But then you don’t have to worry about the stairs—and it does have its own private bathroom, unlike the rooms upstairs.”
“That’s fine. I just hope you’ll take me on a tour of the house—I want to see everything. Even upstairs.”
Fifteen minutes later Faye’s suitcase was deposited in her room, her son had said his goodbyes, and she was in the living room being introduced to Walt.
“You are the author?” Faye asked, taking Walt’s hand in hers and giving it a pat.
“Oh my, she looks so old,” Marie muttered from the sidelines.
Danielle flashed Marie a harsh look.
“Well, she does,” Marie said unapologetically.
“You’ve heard of me?” Walt asked.
“I’ve not just heard of you, I read your book. And loved it.”
“That’s not all she loves,” Marie grumbled. “I don’t think she’s going to give Walt his hand back.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Walt told her.
“And you do look like him. I heard you did,” Faye told him.
“I assume you’re talking of the original Walt Marlow? My distant cousin?” Walt asked, leading her to a chair so she could sit down.
“I saw the portraits at the museum. Of course, over the years I saw photographs of him, but the portrait is quite magnificent,” Faye said.
“I’ll go get us some tea,” Danielle announced.
Walt flashed her a smile, but Faye’s eyes never left Walt.
“I do believe Maisy Faye is smitten with our Walt,” Marie told Danielle.
Danielle resisted the urge to chuckle at Marie’s words and left the room to get the tea. With a shrug, Marie followed Danielle to the kitchen.
“Did you know I used to live next door?” Faye told Walt. “I was just a baby when your cousin died. And growing up, this house was always closed up.” She glanced around the room. “But it always fascinated me. Had I been a little braver, I might have broken in to have a look. But I must admit, back then I thought the house was haunted.”
“We only have friendly ghosts, Mrs. Bateman,” Walt assured her.
Faye laughed. “That is good to know. But please, call me Faye.”
“I will.” Walt flashed her a smile.
“I saw you on an interview. Do you still have amnesia?” she asked.
“Yes. But it’s only what happened before the accident that I don’t remember. I’m making new memories, and I’m quite happy with my life now.”
Faye reached over and gave his hand a pat. “Trust me, when you get to be my age, you realize there are some things that happen in your life that are best forgotten. Sometimes a fresh start is a blessing.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” he said softly.
“I remember you mentioning in the interview you used to go by your middle name, but after the accident you started using your first name again,” she noted.
Walt nodded. “Yes. When I woke up from my coma, my first name seemed more natural.”
“I guess we have that in common—I mean going by our middle names. Faye is actually my middle name. But I don’t ever see me using my first name again.”
“Why is that?” Walt asked.
Faye shrugged. “It’s very old-fashioned. I just never really liked it.”
“Can I ask what it is?” Walt already knew, but she didn’t know that.
She looked at him a moment and finally said, “Maisy. Maisy Faye.”
“I knew a Maisy Faye once.”
“Did you? I can’t say I’ve ever met another Maisy, much less Maisy Faye. Who was she?”
“Someone I knew a long time ago. I can’t remember much about her, aside from her name. That and how she looked. She was quite beautiful. Big blue eyes and blond curls. And sweet. I remember she was sweet.”
“I suppose you can’t remember who she was because of your amnesia?” Faye asked.
“Umm…yes. That’s correct.”