Million-Dollar Makeover by Cheryl St.John

Author:Cheryl St.John [St.John, Cheryl]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Man-woman relationships, General, Contemporary, Fiction
ISBN: 9780373246885
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2005-05-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Emelda Ross’s home was located on the western outskirts of town. The only places farther out than hers were the ice rink and the Douglas ranch. Lisa still had unanswered questions in her mind, and the only person she knew of who was left to ask was the elderly lady who told stories to children in the library.

A dog barked from inside the house as Lisa parked and approached. The elderly woman peered out the door, then stepped onto the porch. A small Jack Russell terrier darted from behind the skirt of her long floral dress and yipped as Lisa got closer.

“Hi, fella.” Lisa knelt and held out her hand.

The dog loped down the stairs and stood sniffing the air warily. It then trotted over to Lisa and licked her wrist and her fingers.

She scratched the animal’s ears. “What’s his name?”

“Dog. What’s yours?”

“Lisa Martin.”

“Lisa Jane! Well, why didn’t you say so? Look at you! Come on in. I have applesauce cake.”

She stood and climbed the stairs. Dog’s nails clicked on the porch stairs as the pet followed her. “I tried to call, but only got a busy signal.”

“I take the nuisance off the hook when I nap.” Miss Emelda led the way into her house and ushered Lisa into a huge kitchen that was as outdated as her own. She cut slices of cake and poured Lisa a glass of milk as though she was still ten years old. “What are you reading now, Lisa Jane? You were never big on the classics, as I recall.”

Lisa smiled as she said, “I like romance novels and cozy mysteries.”

Miss Emelda chuckled. “I’ve read a few of those myself.” She seated herself on a nearby chair. “I see your picture in the paper every day.” She winked. “I especially liked the red dress.”

“Thanks.”

“What brings you clear out here?”

Lisa tasted the cake, paused in reverence and let her taste buds recover before she replied. “I’ve been digging into my great-great-grandmother’s past.”

“Aha. Lily.”

“I visited with Tildy Matheson, and she had journals that belonged to Catherine Douglas. I read those, and what I’m reading and hearing are entirely different slants to what is commonly told about Lily.”

“I’ve heard the old stories myself,” Miss Emelda said with a sage nod. “I had an aunt who was friends with the Hardings’ daughter.”

“Lily and her husband’s daughter you mean?”

“Yes. Everyone still refers to her as Lily Divine, but she lived out her life married to a Harding. Their daughter would have been your great-grandmother.”

“That’s exciting. Did your aunt ever speak of the Harding family?”

“Oh, my, yes. Lily Harding was a headstrong woman, ahead of her time and subject for much discussion over the years. Seems she had a sorry lot in life before she came to Thunder Canyon. Not sure about the whole of it, but the story goes that she didn’t think a woman’s plight should be birthing a baby every year or being cook and laundress to a husband and his hired men. Lily saw too

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