A Gala Event Read online

  Meg did as well. “Is that a Rick promise, or a Congressman Sainsbury promise?” she asked.

  “Both.”

  As they turned toward the front door, the doorbell rang. “Now what?” Meg muttered to herself. She led the way to the door, and opened it to find her mother and father standing on the front stoop. “Mother? Dad? Was I expecting you today?”

  “No, darling,” her mother answered, “And we’re not staying long. Are we invited in?”

  “Well, sure, of course.”

  Once the Coreys were in the hall, they saw Rick, and Meg rushed to make introductions. “This is—” she began.

  “Congressman Sainsbury,” her father interrupted. “I followed your campaign with interest, and not just because my daughter lives in your district. Which we do not, so we’ll let you be on your way.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet both of you, Mr. and Mrs. Corey. Your daughter and I share an interesting history, as she may have told you. But I am running late for a meeting, so I have to leave.”

  “No problem,” Phillip Corey said, while Meg and her mother watched in amusement.

  “I’ll be in touch, Meg,” Rick said as he went out the door.

  “Thanks, Rick,” Meg called out after him.

  When the door shut behind him, Elizabeth Corey turned to Meg. “Well, that was interesting. How did you come to be on first-name terms with your new congressman?”

  “I’ll explain later,” Meg said. “Not to be rude, but what are you doing here? I thought you weren’t arriving until Tuesday.”

  “We aren’t, officially. But your father is treating me to a couple of days at a very nice resort north of here, and there was something I wanted to drop off for you.”

  “Please, not wedding presents! I don’t want any stuff, and that’s why I didn’t invite every family friend in the universe . . . although I hope you explained why.”

  “I know, I know, dear, and no, it’s nothing like that.” She turned to her husband. “Phillip, could you go get it?”

  “Of course.”

  When her father went out to retrieve the mysterious “it” from the car, Meg asked, “What are you talking about?”

  “You told me you hadn’t decided what you wanted to wear for the wedding, right?”

  “Yes. Please don’t tell me you’ve brought your wedding dress.” Meg quailed at the memory of that garment, which she’d seen now and then when she was growing up. She remembered lace and a lot of buttons.

  “No, because I know quite well that’s not your style. But did you know I saved my mother’s outfit?”

  Meg drew a blank. “Uh, no. Why?”

  “I’m not sure you remember the story, but she and your grandfather married toward the end of World War Two. It was wartime, so they didn’t have a big formal wedding. It was much more along the lines of what you’re planning—a small event for family and close friends, in her parents’ home. And she wore a very nice suit—it wasn’t a traditional white dress, but it was something of a splurge for her. I thought it might fit you.”

  “Are we anywhere near the same size?” Meg asked.

  Elizabeth smiled. “That’s hard to say, but I brought it so we could find out. Ah, here’s Phillip.”

  Meg’s father appeared, carrying a full-length garment bag that looked vintage. “Safe and sound, my dear.” He handed the bag to Meg.

  Meg realized they were still standing in the front hall. “Good grief, I know you taught me better manners than this. Please, come all the way in. Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea? Food?”

  “Don’t worry about us,” her father told her. “We’ve got another hour’s drive ahead of us. Come on. I want to see this thing on you before we go.”

  “Well, at least come to the dining room, where the light’s better.” She led the way, holding high the garment bag. Elizabeth and Phillip sat, watching expectantly, so Meg had no choice but to go ahead and unveil the contents of the bag. She hung the hook of the hanger over a door and unzipped the bag.

  Once revealed, Meg knew she had never seen it before. It was a dove-gray suit, clearly belonging to the 1940s, with a cinched waist. The slender skirt fell to midknee. It was made of a lovely light wool, and it appeared to be in pristine condition. “This is really nice,” Meg said, and meant it.

  “Try on the jacket, will you?” her mother said. “We might as well know now whether it fits.”

  Meg slipped the jacket off the hanger and slid her arms into it. She pulled the halves of the front together and found that the buttons met easily. The sleeves were long enough. But most important, it felt right. Not too fussy, but still nice—not to mention historical, from her own family.

  “It’s perfect,” her mother said quietly. “My mother would be happy if you’d wear it.”

  “Thank you,” Meg said, fighting tears.

  She looked up to see Seth standing in the kitchen doorway. “Sorry to interrupt. Hello, Elizabeth, Phillip—I didn’t know you’d be here.” He turned to Meg. “All’s well with Rick?”

  “I think so.”

  “You look great in that,” Seth added.

  “Good enough for the wedding?” Meg asked.

  “Definitely.”

  Elizabeth stood up quickly. “Hello and good-bye, Seth—we’ve accomplished our mission here. We’ll see you both next week.” She stepped in to give Meg a quick hug, and ran her hand fondly over the suit jacket Meg was still wearing. “It does become you, sweetheart.” Then she turned to her husband. “Come on, Phillip, we’ve miles to go before we sleep.”

  Phillip, smiling, raised a farewell hand and followed Elizabeth out the door.

  “Okay, what just happened here?” Seth asked.

  “My mother swooped in and gave me my grandmother’s wedding dress—er, suit. I wish all my problems could be resolved so easily. But I think Rick will help, and I asked him to see if he could find Aaron a job, at least for a while. Something a cut above fencing in alpacas.”

  “Can you take off that jacket now?”

  “Why? Do you hate it?”

  “No, I think it’s great. But I don’t want to mess it up when I kiss you properly.”

  “Oh.” Meg carefully removed the jacket, hung it back on its hanger, and turned and wrapped her arms around Seth’s neck. “You mean, like this?”

  32

  Nicky and Brian had transformed the restaurant for the wedding and the party. Darkness fell early in December, so they had distributed candles everywhere possible (that was safe), and where there was a fire hazard, battery-run tea lights. The space inside glowed, sending golden light into the night and drawing the guests in.

  Inside it was crowded, though short of packed. Nicky had known the capacity of the restaurant and had used it wisely. She wouldn’t have gotten hung up on the legal limit, but she knew her business well enough to know what people’s comfort level was. They wanted to be able to circulate easily; to stop and chat with friends and neighbors without feeling like they were clogging up the flow of traffic; to reach Nicky’s wonderful food and walk away with a delightful sampling of bite-sized goodies without worrying about dropping them either on the floor or down the front of someone’s shirt. Nicky had found the right balance.

  Meg leaned back against Seth and admired the scene from their relatively quiet corner. This is what a wedding should be: happy people gathered together to celebrate. They’d let people come find them if they chose, and many of them did. Meg could see her parents deep in conversation with a pair of couples about their own age, on the opposite side of the room; Lydia and Christopher were standing close to each other, their heads together, and Meg wondered idly if there were any sparks there. They seemed to enjoy each other’s company, but if they were seeing each other, they’d been very quiet about it. No matter. As if sensing her thoughts, Christopher excused himself to Lydia and came over to talk to t
hem.

  “That was a lovely ceremony, Christopher,” Meg said. “I’m glad we stuck to the traditional text, with only a few small changes.” Like discarding any reference to “obey.”

  “Ah, my dear, the old ways have survived this long for a good reason. I hope you both will be very happy. You certainly look happy.”

  “I am,” Meg said simply. She had been in Granford two years short a month now, and was amazed at how her life had changed, in ways she never could have foreseen. Two years before she’d been jobless, all but homeless, and, yes, depressed. And that was before she had found a body in her yard. And back then, when Seth had first met her, he had thought she was either delusional or just annoying. Worse, his opinion had darkened even more when she had managed to involve his own family in solving that murder. How and when had that turned around? It was hard to remember now.

  If she had realized she would end up working in agriculture, she might have managed her education differently, but becoming a farmer had just kind of happened, not that she regretted it. It was honest work, if demanding, and she took pride in her apple harvest. She was glad Bree had signed on with her to manage the orchard, and stuck with her this far. They’d turned a decent profit this year, despite some major obstacles, and Meg hoped next year would be better still, especially if they managed to install that automated irrigation system she coveted. Another year or two beyond that, the new trees that she and Seth owned together would begin bearing fruit. Meg, what are you doing at your own wedding thinking about business? She swallowed a laugh.

  “Penny for your thoughts?” Seth’s breath was warm on her neck as he leaned close to whisper in her ear.

  “Irrigation plans. Oh, and that was a great shower this morning.” And it had been ready just in time for the wedding—only a few days later than scheduled.

  Seth burst out laughing. “You are the very soul of romance, Mrs. Chapin.”

  “Am I Mrs. Chapin? That’s one more thing we never really settled. Ms. Chapin? Ms. Corey-Chapin? Or is that too much my mother’s generation’s kind of thing?”

  “Whatever you want, Meg. My ego does not depend on what name you choose. Although I’m sure all those generations of ancestors around here might have other ideas.”

  “I’ll think about it. At least I wouldn’t have to change all my monograms.”

  “You have anything that’s monogrammed?” Seth asked in mock horror.

  “Nope. See? Easy.”

  “I’m glad Rachel came. Maggie seems not to mind the fuss.”

  “Babies are tough—they can sleep through anything. Like cats. Your mother and Christopher seem to be getting along well,” Meg observed.

  “No, she hasn’t told me anything, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “Maybe. It would be nice, wouldn’t it? Christopher’s one of the most interesting older men I’ve met.”

  Nicky bustled over. “How is everything? Do you like the food? I kind of mingled old favorites with some new experiments. Do you need your champagne topped up? The crowd doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere soon.”

  Meg laughed. “Nicky, take a breath. Do they have to leave at any particular time? Because we’re happy to keep the party going as long as there’s food and drink and people, not necessarily in that order.”

  “We’re good on all of those, I think—I wouldn’t skimp for you two, since this place probably wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for you. If there’s anything left over, it will go to a local shelter.”

  “Good idea. Thank you.”

  As soon as Nicky had left, Rachel made her way over. “Maggie-lamb here needs feeding, so we should go. This has been so lovely! Just the right size, and all the people we wanted to see. And Christopher was great, wasn’t he? I could listen to him say anything with that accent of his—British with just a dash of Aussie.”

  Meg smiled. “Obviously that’s why we chose him. Patrick Stewart had a prior commitment, and Liam Neeson is filming on some other continent.”

  Rachel looked bewildered, then laughed. “Okay, you’re kidding.”

  “Of course I am,” Meg told her.

  Rachel looked at the two of them with tears in her eyes. She dashed them away impatiently. “Leftover baby hormones. But let me say this: I am so happy that you two found each other, and I am sure that you will lead long and productive and contented lives, with just enough speed bumps to make things interesting. And on that note I will go home and give Maggie dinner and take my shoes off.”

  “I’m glad you all could come—even Maggie, although she won’t remember her first wedding. We’ll talk later.”

  “Bye, Rachel. Hey”—Seth nudged Meg—“over there.”

  Meg followed his gaze to see Aaron Eastman sidle in. He was wearing new clothes and had gotten a decent haircut, but that wasn’t the biggest change. He stood straighter now, and actually smiled more. Rick had found him a job on his staff working in data management and had good things to say about him, and he’d promised to pursue the pardon angle, sooner or later. Meg figured it was the best possible outcome, at least for now.

  Aaron looked up to see Meg watching him, so he moved through the crowd until he was standing in front of them. “Congratulations to you both.”

  “Thank you, Aaron. Hey, we haven’t seen any alpacas lately. Did you finish the fencing?”

  “I did. I’m trying to learn to follow through and finish what I start, and the Gardners are nice people, and I figured I owed them. Anyway, thanks for inviting me to the wedding—you and Seth deserve to be happy.”

  “So do you, Aaron,” Meg said.

  He ducked his head, but he was smiling. “Well, I’m definitely happier now than I was a month ago. By the way, I need to tell you that I’m glad you found me. Back then I wasn’t sure I was going to make it, or wanted to, but things are looking up. Thank you both.”

  He moved away before Meg or Seth could respond. Meg felt Seth’s arms tighten around her.

  “You know, you might have said something a lot like that when I first met you,” he said.

  Meg turned to face him. “If you recall, my original plan was to fix up the house and sell it as fast as I could and get out of town. Things didn’t quite work out that way, did they?”

  Seth smiled at her. “Not exactly, but I reap the rewards. And I’m glad you think it’s important to help people like Aaron.”

  “Some things are worth fighting for, Seth. I’m very glad I stayed.”

  “So am I.”

  Recipes

  Spicy Fish

  Wrapping up the apple harvest plus planning a wedding and solving a decades-old crime doesn’t leave much time for cooking, so Meg looks for quick and easy recipes. Spicy Fish is a tasty solution. Most markets offer quick-frozen fish. Make sure you choose a firm-fleshed one (a more delicate fish like flounder or trout might not stand up to this recipe).

  4 tablespoon olive oil

  1 clove garlic, crushed or minced

  1 cup flour

  1 teaspoon ground cumin

  1 tablespoon dry mustard

  1 tablespoon ground turmeric

  1 teaspoon ground white pepper

  1 teaspoon ground coriander

  1 teaspoon curry powder

  2 tablespoons cooking oil

  1 pound fish fillets (skinned)

  Salt and pepper to taste

  2 tablespoons lemon juice

  In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat until the garlic just begins to brown (about 3 minutes—do not burn!). Place in a small bowl and set aside to cool for an hour.

  Combine the flour and spices in a large bowl.

  In a cast-iron skillet, heat the cooking oil over medium-high.

  Dredge the fish fillets in the flour-spice mixture and shake off the excess. Season with salt and black pepper. Place the fillets in the heated
pan and cook until they begin to brown lightly (1–2 minutes). Turn the fillets in the pan, then immediately remove the pan from the heat and let the fish rest in the pan for about a minute.

  Retrieve the garlic-flavored oil and whisk it with the lemon juice to make a kind of vinaigrette. Spoon it over the fish when you serve—it really brightens up the flavor.

  Serve with rice, orzo, or couscous on the side.

  Toffee Crunch Blondies

  People who are working hard in the orchard all day need more than healthy meals, so Meg whips up these delectable Toffee Crunch Blondies that should please anyone with a sweet tooth.

  ½ cup butter, softened

  1 cup brown sugar, packed

  2 eggs, at room temperature

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  2 cups all-purpose flour

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  ½ teaspoon baking soda

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  2 tablespoons milk

  1 cup toffee bits or chunks

  1 cup chocolate chips or chunks

  1 cup white chocolate chips

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9"x13" pan.

  In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until they are fluffy. Beat in the eggs and continue to beat until the mixture is creamy. Add the vanilla and blend.

  Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then stir it into the batter along with the milk.

  By hand, stir in the two kinds of chocolate and the toffee chunks. (Use whatever form you like, but make sure the proportions are equal.)

  Spread the dough evenly in the baking pan. Bake 25–30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Let cool, then cut into bars. Try not to eat them all at once!

  Apple Cider Cake

  Brian and Nicky Czarnecki are hosting Meg and Seth’s wedding in their Granford restaurant, Gran’s. Nicky is doing the cooking, and of course there will be cake—but not too fancy. In honor of the bride who grows apples and the groom who rebuilds old houses, Nicky has found an antique recipe for apple cider cake that dates to 1827 (modernized just a bit for current use).