Beyond the Misty Shore Read Online Free PDF Page A

of a chore than it seems to folks from away.”
    “Nice. That you have that luxury. Definitely not a good idea in New Orleans.” The registration book lay open before her. Both pages were full and Maggie quickly scanned the names. The inn was a popular one, judging from the number of guests. The pages dated back only to August. No opportunity right now to see if Carolyn had been here. Maggie would have to check later—hopefully, unobserved.
    “I’ve put you in the Great White Room.” Miss Hattie replaced the pen from the open registration book to its wooden holder. Being bumped back into proper rows, the little ceramic boxes clinked together. “Top of the stairs, first door on the right. It’s one of the rooms with a phone, though I’m sorry to say that the thing works only when it wants.” She replaced the lid on the third little box. A lighthouse had been hand-painted on it. “I’ve had the phone company out three times, but they can’t find a thing wrong. Tried to tell those youngsters it has to be in the wiring, but they say it isn’t. Anyway, if you need the phone and it’s on the blink, you’re welcome to use the one here or in the kitchen. Hope that won’t be an inconvenience.”
    “None at all.” Who would call her? These days, she rarely saw outsiders. “I’ll just need to check on my mother every couple of days.”
    “Good.” Miss Hattie dabbed at her temple with a white lacy hankie, then tucked it into her apron pocket. “The Great White Room has the turret and faces the ocean. Pretty window seats, if you’re of a mind to do a little dreaming. From our chat earlier, I thought you’d like that.”
    Maggie smiled, showing her appreciation for the thoughtful gesture, though after the past two years, she wasn’t honestly sure she knew how to dream anymore. “I’m fond of the water. It’s... vast. Helps a person keep things in perspective, you know?” She slung her purse strap back over her shoulder, then picked up her tapestry-designed suitcase.
    “Indeed I do know.” Miss Hattie smiled back at her. “We all need our chance to dream.”
    An odd tingle shimmied through Maggie. As if she’d just heard something extremely significant and was being warned to pay attention to it. But that was silly, wasn’t it? Miss Hattie was a sweetheart, only engaging in polite conversation to make a new guest feel welcome in her home.
    Maggie tucked her briefcase under her arm, then lifted her makeup case, adding those items to her already considerable load. The stuff weighed a ton. She hoisted it, trying to get a firmer grasp. Her purse strap promptly slipped from her shoulder, dropping the purse onto the makeup case and threatening to knock the whole mess out of her arms.
    Miss Hattie repositioned the strap and gave Maggie an apologetic look. “I’m really sorry Jimmy couldn’t be here to help you take your things up to your room. You’re loaded to the gills.”
    She walked Maggie through the entry, past the grandfather clock. Its chimes tinkled charmingly and reverberated through the entryway.
    Pausing at the foot of the stairs, Miss Hattie sighed. “It’s the storm. Jimmy’s out rescuing stranded drivers. Course, the boy will be down with a cold come tomorrow, but he says he does what he has to do. I’ve already taken the chicken out to thaw so I can make him up a big pot of soup. He’s orphaned, poor dear. Was even when his mother was alive, I’m sorry to have to say.”
    Jimmy. Ah, the mechanic from the shop she’d seen when driving through the village. That Miss Hattie worried over him was clear. Maggie liked that about her. “It’s good of you to watch out for him.”
    “Wouldn’t anyone?”
    They wouldn’t. But Miss Hattie’s expression proved that possibility had never occurred to her and Maggie refused to shatter the woman’s illusions. “I’d better get on upstairs before I scatter these things.”
    The lights flickered off, then came right back on.
    “Just the storm,