Waterbury Winter by Linda Stewart Henley

Author:Linda Stewart Henley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: She Writes Press
Published: 2022-02-03T00:00:00+00:00

Back at home, he’s proud he resisted the drink. Maybe he will manage the evening with Lisa just fine. He shaves and showers. His clothes, though worn, are freshly laundered. He’s grateful not to have to worry about dressing up for the symphony. At seven he sets out for Lisa’s.

“Come in,” she says. “Take those boots off, please. They’re wet and they’ll muddy the floor.”

He unlaces his shoes, pleased he’s wearing fresh socks without holes. She’s in the kitchen stirring a pot on the stove, and it smells like onions. She wears an apron over her black figure-hugging dress. “Make yourself at home,” she says. “Would you like a soft drink or something else?

“Coffee would be fine,” he says, noticing a pot on the counter. He sits down at the kitchen table.

“I’m making coq au vin. Hope you like it.”

“Er, I’m sure I will,” he says. He’s never heard of it.

“Takes a long time to make, but it’s worth the effort. I took a course in French cooking last year. You’re not a guinea pig—I’ve tried this out on others before. We’ll start with French onion soup. It just needs a few minutes in the oven.”

“That’s nice,” Barnaby says. At least he’s familiar with the soup.

“I’m finishing the dessert now. Chocolate mousse. It’ll be cold by the time we’re ready to eat it.

“Great. I love chocolate.”

Lisa hands him a mug. “Here’s your coffee. The soup needs a few more minutes before it’s ready. Come over here and sit by the fire.”

He moves to the couch, and she sits next to him. Barnaby shifts a few inches away from her. He has no idea what he’s in for, with the unfamiliar food, and he’ll have to make the best of it. She stares at the fire with an amused expression on her face. He’s unsure what she finds funny.

“Too bad about the concert,” he says.

“Oh, that’s okay. It would have been nice, but there’s not much time to talk when you’re listening to music. This way we’ll have a chance to get to know each other better.”

He hesitates. “Uh, I wanted to take you to the concert to thank you for figuring out who took my painting.”

“You’re welcome. Quite a coincidence that the case I worked on took me to the family who used to employ Alma. Julia thought so, too.”

“You mean Julia was involved in the case, as well?”

Lisa blushed. “Um, only a little,” she stammers.

“Do you two work together often?” he asks.

“No, not usually. I’ve had a heavy workload lately, and I asked her to help out.”

“So she met Alma?”

“We both met Alma. She loves the painting. It was good of you to let her keep it.”

“How did you find out that she had it?”

Lisa avoids his eyes. “Uh, I don’t remember exactly. It came up when we visited her.”

“That is a coincidence, then. Strange.”

“Oh well, that’s how it is sometimes in my business. Strange things happen. I think the soup is ready now. Would you be good enough to light the candles on the dining room table?”

She hands him a box of matches.

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