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 itself.
“She wasn’t exactly alone,” Nick said with a vivid memory of the cat hissing at him. The animal would have been happy to sink its claws into his flesh. “She had a cat in the case she hit me with.”
“Well, I’m not one to believe in keeping animals in the house, but after all, I live on a farm. A woman on her own in a city apartment might be lonely, poor thing.”
That was Sarah all over, always seeing the best in everyone. He was afraid she was going to be disappointed in Allison Standish, and he wasn’t sure how to warn her. It was annoying that so many people had to depend on the whims of this stranger.
“Evelyn loved the quilt shop.” Sarah was obviously following her own train of thought. “But she was always content to be a silent partner. Ach, I couldn’t expect anything else, she was such a busy woman. Maybe Allison will want to be more involved. I hope so.”
“I hope you won’t regret what you wished for.” There was no point in trying to sugarcoat the facts for Sarah. At least he ought to try and prepare her for the woman who was now her partner. “Look, Sarah, I wouldn’t count too much on Allison Standish if I were you. I can’t picture the woman I met working in a quilt shop. She struck me as a snobbish yuppie who can’t wait to shake the dust of Laurel Ridge from her feet.”
He realized that Sarah was staring past him, a horrified expression on her face. He swung around. Allison Standish stood not more than five feet behind him, well within earshot. She’d undoubtedly heard him.
Well, what difference did it make? She’d told him herself that she was eager to sell up and leave.
“And here she is,” he said. “Good morning, Ms. Standish. What did you do with the cat?”
She blinked, apparently not expecting that question. “As it happens, Mrs. Anderson turned out to be a cat person. As soon as her tabby established her dominance over Hector, they settled down together.”
“She likes to be the boss, I take it.” He felt a momentary sympathy for Hector. “Well, you’ll be wanting to meet your new partner. Sarah, this is Allison Standish. Allison, Sarah Bitler.”
Allison’s eyes widened as she took in the fact that Sarah was Amish. Then she extended her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Sarah. I saw a bit of the shop last night.” Her glance swept back to Nick. “Speaking of last night, you must have thought it was amusing when I told you I planned to sell the building as soon as possible.”
Nick realized he was staring at her blankly. “Why would I find it funny? A sale could have serious consequences for all of us.”
“So you don’t know.” There was an edge to her voice. “I’m surprised. I thought you knew all about everything having to do with my inheritance.”
“Listen, I’m sorry. I gave you the wrong impression last night.”
She seemed to ignore what he said, preoccupied with some issue of her own that had her fuming. “You may as well know. I’m sure it will be all over town shortly. It turns out my inheritance has strings attached. I can’t sell or do anything else except run the building for an entire year.”
* * *
THE AMISH WOMAN was staring at Allison with a puzzled expression.
“I don’t understand,” she said. “We were told you inherited Blackburn House and Evelyn’s share of the quilt shop.”
Apparently everyone in town had known her grandmother better than she had. Allison pushed aside the sense that she’d lost something of value. How could she mourn a relationship that had never existed?
Sarah turned to Nick Whiting. “Did you know about this, Nick?”
He shook his head, frowning a little. He seemed honestly confused, although Allison wasn’t inclined to take anything at face value where Nick was concerned.
Seen in daylight, her impression of his rough-hewn good looks was confirmed. Attractive enough to cause a quiver in the stomach, if you went for men who wore jeans and flannel shirts to work. She didn’t.
“Evelyn always was wily about keeping her secrets.” His frown dissolved in a reluctant smile. “She certainly put one over on all of us this time. Including you, I guess.” His smile included Allison, but she thought she detected an edge of malice in the curve of his lips. “Evelyn tied your hands, did she?”
Sarah gave him a quelling look. “That’s enough, Nick.