The Lakeside Inn by Leeanna Morgan (ebooks children's books free .txt) 📗

Barbara shooed Diana toward the kitchen. “Come on. We’d better get something for everyone to eat and drink before Penny quits.”

Wyatt smiled. He was getting used to the way the sisters talked to each other, the way they came to a compromise even when one of them wanted the complete opposite of what the others wanted. And when Mabel and Allan were here, there was no doubt they were family. In a lot of ways, it reminded him of his own brothers.

When they were outside, he turned to Penny. “Are you enjoying being back in Sapphire Bay?”

She nodded. “Even though I resigned from work, it’s great to be back. What about you? Is Sapphire Bay everything you thought it would be?”

“I didn’t have high expectations so, overall, it’s a lot better than I thought.”

“Ah, you’re one of those people.”

That didn’t sound like a good thing. “What are those types of people?”

Penny’s footsteps slowed. “The types who keep their expectations low so they don’t get hurt.”

His heart pounded. Before Anya died, he’d considered himself a risk-taker; the least likely person to settle for anything other than the best. But, after the funeral, when everyone’s life went back to normal, his world had collapsed.

He’d retreated into his work, finding comfort in the routine of everyday life, in keeping his head above water and doing what he could to survive. “There’s nothing wrong with being realistic.”

“No, there’s not. But don’t let it stop you from making an amazing life for yourself.”

“I already have an amazing life.”

“I’m glad.”

Wyatt frowned. “You don’t believe me.”

“Usually, when people tell you they have an amazing life, they smile. You didn’t.”

He tilted the corners of his mouth upward. “Better?”

“Your eyes aren’t gleaming like they do when you’re happy.”

“I can’t do anything about that.”

Penny raised her eyebrows. “I think you can, but it will take a few months to make it happen. In the meantime, we can carry the timber inside.” She walked toward the truck and opened the tailgate. “Three lengths shouldn’t be too heavy.”

Holding the opposite end of the wood, Wyatt lifted them clear of the truck. They were lighter than he thought they’d be. “If you want to take everything inside at once, we could take the rest with us.”

Penny looked at him and smiled. “I think we should be realistic. We can come back for another load after we’ve had something to eat and drink.”

“What happened to being amazing?”

“I’m saving it for the things that really matter.”

So was he.

Chapter 8

Two days later, Penny opened the door to her favorite jewelry store. She’d driven into town with Wyatt, hoping to discover more information about the mystery box her grandmother had given her.

While Wyatt collected the art supplies he’d ordered, she went to see Cassie, her friend and the owner of a jewelry store. Cassie designed and made all the necklaces, earrings, and rings sitting on the beautiful display shelves. Whenever Penny came here, she imagined she was stepping into Aladdin’s cave.

Cassie walked out of the workroom and smiled. “It’s great to see you.”

The last time they’d seen each other was at Penny’s grandmother’s funeral. Even though it was only a couple of weeks ago, it felt like a lifetime. “It’s good to see you, too. Thanks for coming to Grandma’s funeral.”

“It was a privilege to be there. Your grandma was an amazing lady.”

A knot formed in Penny’s chest. “She was. How’s Noah?”

“He’s great. His company has just updated their online store, so the entire team has been busy. Is everything all right? You don’t normally come into work to see me.”

“I need your help. Before Grandma died, she told me about a small enamel box she wanted me to have. I’m hoping you can tell me something about it.”

Cassie placed the necklace she was holding on the counter. “I’ll do my best. What did your grandma say?”

Penny took the box out of her pocket and handed it to her friend. “Not a lot. Her mom gave it to her, so it could be over one hundred years old. Inside the box is a key. Grandma and Mom tried to find the piece of furniture it belongs to, but it wasn’t in my grandparents’ house.”

Cassie studied the box. “I don’t know a lot about the history of enameling, but I do know it became popular in the late nineteenth century. This is really pretty.” She turned the box over and sighed. “I thought there might be some marks to tell us who made it. Have you looked on the Internet?”

“I have. One article talked about the enameling that was done in Switzerland. They used a lot of fantasy designs that included butterflies, birds, and fish. That matches this design but, if this box is Swiss, I don’t know how it came to belong to my great-grandmother.”

Cassie ran her finger over the enameled birds on the lid. “Did her parents come from Europe?”

“No, but my great-grandfather was born in Ireland.”

“It’s closer to Switzerland then we are. In the 1900s, a box like this would have been expensive. Could he have afforded to buy it?”

“He was a boxer who emigrated to America. From what mom told me, my great-grandparents didn’t have a lot of money.”

“That makes it even more of a mystery.” Cassie opened the box and touched the key.

“Diana told us it’s a skeleton key. They were popular during the Victorian era.”

Cassie nodded. “Furniture makers still use them, but it’s usually in high-end pieces.”

“If I wanted to buy a key as old as this one, would it be easy to find?”

“There are probably hundreds of thousands of these in collectors’ cabinets, antique stores, or hidden in people’s attics.” Cassie held the key up to the light. “The age of the key definitely matches the age of the box. If it doesn’t fit any of the furniture in your grandparents’ house, you could have a lot of trouble finding where it belongs. Have you spoken to anyone in the historical society?”

“I didn’t know we