ownership will pass to Sarah Bitler, the current owner.”
It had begun to sound as if there were a lot of people who’d be happy to see her leave town.
Litwhiler riffled through a sheaf of papers. “I think that about covers it. You’ll find the business accounts in Mrs. Standish’s office in Blackburn House. Funds for operating expenses and any necessary repairs are provided.” He hesitated. “You’ll also find that an apartment adjoins the office. A separate account has been set up for any renovations you’d care to do. Mrs. Standish thought you might want to live there, should you decide to stay.”
If there was a question in that comment, Allison ignored it. She wouldn’t commit herself to anything until she’d had a chance to consider the options.
As for the apartment— She thought again of her apartment in Philadelphia, of the time and care she’d put into making it the perfect home. “Could I rent this apartment?” she asked abruptly. “Or is it tied up with conditions, as well?”
“No, no conditions.” He looked surprised, as if that hadn’t occurred to him. “If you stay, you can do as you like with it.”
“I’ll give it some thought.” She slipped the strap of her bag onto her shoulder and slid to the edge of her chair.
“You...you don’t want to give me an answer now?” He seemed disconcerted, as if this interview hadn’t gone as he expected.
“Not without considering all my options.” She rose, looking down at him across the massive stretch of mahogany.
Litwhiler stood abruptly. “There’s another option I’ve been asked to put before you.” He seemed to be picking his words carefully, wearing a faint expression of distaste.
“Yes?” She raised her eyebrows, feeling as if the balance of power had shifted slightly in her favor.
“Brenda...Mrs. Standish Conner, I mean, feels perhaps...” He let that die out, as if it hadn’t been the right approach. “Mrs. Standish Conner asked me to say that in the event you did not care to accept the terms of the bequest, she would be willing to make the sum of over one hundred thousand dollars to you.”
Allison fought to keep her face expressionless, while her mind raced. One hundred thousand. She could do a lot with that amount. On the other hand, she’d guess that was a fraction of the actual value of the building. Even in a town the size of Laurel Ridge, a fully occupied commercial building had to be worth far more.
She adjusted her bag deliberately and turned away. No wonder Litwhiler looked uncomfortable, quite aside from the fact that he seemed to be representing one heir against another. The offer was an insult to her intelligence.
“Shall I tell Ms. Standish Conner you’ll consider her offer?”
Allison took a couple of steps toward the door and turned to smile back over her shoulder at him. “I’ll consider it,” she said. “But first, I believe I’d better take some legal advice of my own.”
It wasn’t a bad exit line, she decided. She walked quickly out of the office.
* * *
NICK WOULD ALWAYS rather be working in the shop than the office. On this April morning, with sunshine pouring through the big windows in the front of the showroom, it was almost bearable to be stuck in the office.
The sunlight showed a faint rim of dust on one of the display cabinets, and he wiped a cloth over it. One of the disadvantages of an old building—the dust must seep through the walls or drift down the chimney.
One aspect of his partnership deal with Dad, made when he’d come home after the disastrous end to his marriage, was that he’d take care of the sales and paperwork, letting Dad concentrate on what he loved best—working on the cabinets. At the moment, Dad was focused on the pine jelly cupboard he was making for Mom’s birthday. It was only fair that Dad should have his choice, and Nick didn’t resent taking on the book work.
But today he was having trouble getting down to the tax records that waited for him in the office. His mind was too preoccupied with Allison Standish and the changes that were undoubtedly coming to Blackburn House. How difficult was she likely to be? It wasn’t that they couldn’t move the business elsewhere if they had to, but it would be inconvenient and expensive, most likely.
Nick glanced across the wide center hallway and spotted Sarah Bitler pausing in the door of her quilt shop. Seeing him, she smiled and raised her hand.
Taking that for an invitation to talk, Nick seized the chance to delay the taxes a bit longer. He crossed the marble hallway to join her.
“Morning, Sarah. Quiet today?”
“So far.” Sarah brushed an invisible bit of thread from the blue apron that matched her dress as well as her eyes. Her normally serene face was alive with excitement. “Have you heard? The new owner is in town. She checked into the bed-and-breakfast last night.”
“Yes, I know.” He hesitated, not sure he wanted to discuss the woman with Sarah when his own impressions were so negative.
“I hope she comes in today,” Sarah hurried on, oblivious to his discomfort. “I’m so excited to meet her.”
Well, he could hardly keep it from Sarah. “You won’t be the first. I met her last night.”
“You did? But how? Why? I assumed she went straight to the bed-and-breakfast, and Mrs. Anderson said it was nearly nine when she checked in. Mrs. Anderson thought she must have gotten lost.”
“I don’t know about that, but I spotted her wandering around Blackburn House when I came back to the shop to take care of a delivery. I suppose she wanted to have a look at her new acquisition.”
What had Allison Standish made of Blackburn House? Apparently not much, since she was so eager to get rid of it.
“And you came in to tell her Wilkom,” Sarah said.
He had to grin. “Not exactly. I saw the lights going on and off in the bookstore and this place and our showroom, and I figured it was the prowler everyone has been talking about.”
“Nick, you didn’t!” Sarah shook her head. “A prowler wouldn’t be turning on the lights, knowing he could be seen from the street.”
“You’re too practical, Sarah. I didn’t even think of that. Just got caught up in the moment, I guess. I thought I’d catch him in the act. So I slipped in, hiding in the shadows like we used to when we were kids playing hide-and-search.” He could laugh at his actions now. “Then I jumped out and grabbed her.”
“No— Nick, how could you? Did you hurt her?”
“It was the other way around. She rammed the case she was carrying into my leg.”
“Serves you right,” Sarah said severely. “I hope you didn’t give her the wrong impression of us.”
He shrugged. As far as he could tell, Ms. Standish had already had a negative impression of Laurel Ridge and all its inhabitants before she arrived.
“Poor thing. Coming all this way alone to be greeted like that.” Sarah’s tender heart asserted
