Shadows On The Lake

“I’m that easy to read?”

“Not entirely,” he assured her.

“Well, thank you for rescuing me.”

“My pleasure. What kind of food do you like?”

“Any kind I don’t have to cook,” she readily replied. “A hot dog would be just fine.”

“Oh, I think I can do better than that.” He boldly slipped his arm through hers.

They walked several blocks to a small café in a Victorian house, complete with an old-fashioned cupola and gingerbread trim. A plump hostess dressed in old-fashioned costume greeted Neil with a welcoming smile and gave Courtney a quick assessing glance as if interested in seeing whom he was squiring for lunch.

“A nice table outside?” she asked Neil as if the question were rhetorical. Courtney suspected the hostess was asking if he wanted his usual table.

“What would you like?” he asked, deferring to Courtney. “Inside or out?”

“Outside sounds nice,” she readily replied. She’d had enough of being cooped up in a houseboat, eating meals at a counter.

A canopy of trees shaded the wide veranda, and the hostess led them to a table near a fountain spilling water into a small pond circled by feathery green ferns. The faint perfume of roses touched Courtney’s nostrils and she drew in the heavenly scent. The fragrance was a sharp contrast to the musty, dank smell of the houseboat.

Neil held Courtney’s chair and then took a seat opposite her. The hostess handed them an ornate menu decorated with cupids and flourishes of flowers and birds.

“Thank you, Harriet.”

“My pleasure.” She gave Neil a knowing smile. “Please enjoy.”

Courtney took one look at the prices and knew the Victorian café would never be mistaken for a fast-food establishment.

“See anything you like?” Neil asked, seeing her frown as she studied the elaborate selections.

How could she make a choice when every single entrée stimulated her taste buds? “What do you usually have?”

“Well, let’s see.” He readily pointed out several selections, confirming that he dined there often.

She didn’t know about his usual luncheon dates, but if he expected her to order something dainty like a watercress salad, he was in for a surprise.

After a careful job of elimination, she said, “I think I’ll have lentil soup, baked pork with apple-sauce, creamed asparagus and scalloped potatoes. Raisin bread pudding for dessert.” She closed the menu and leaned back in her chair.

“Good choice.” He chuckled silently. Her frank appetite appealed to him. It was refreshing to date a woman who enjoyed good food and made no bones about it. “I think I’ll have the same. Would you like a drink while we’re waiting? I recommend an English beer. It goes great with pork.”

His twinkling eyes challenged her, but she shook her head. “I’ll settle for a pot of tea, please.”

As they waited for their orders, he entertained her with stories about the community and his family. “I took over the Ellsworth Real Estate and Investment Company when my dad decided to call it quits.”

“And you like it?”

“Most of the time. I’ve made some mistakes. Trusted some people I shouldn’t have.” A shadow flickered in his brown eyes, and Courtney waited for him to explain but he changed the subject.

When their food arrived, conversation petered off into brief comments about the delicious fare. He smiled as she lifted a delicate china teapot and poured the fragrant brew into a gold-rimmed teacup.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Then why are you smiling?”

“There was such pleasure in your face, I couldn’t help picturing you at an elegant tea party, offering gold-rimmed cups to fashionable guests.”

She laughed. “Nothing could be further from the truth. I don’t think we ever had cups that weren’t chipped, and no two alike. Every time we moved, which was often, we had to start from scratch replacing what we’d broken or left behind.”

“What did your father do?”

“He was a welder. Not a very good one, I’m afraid,” she said sadly. “He tried hard, but never stayed with any job for very long. I put myself through business college, and was working as a secretary for a construction company when I met my husband, Clyde.” She paused. “Our marriage had its challenges.”

“Well, I decided a long time ago I’m not husband or father material.”

Undoubtedly, more than one unattached female considered him a good catch, Courtney thought. She wanted to assure him that she wasn’t looking for a man to complicate her life. Even though she had married out of loneliness, there had been very little companionship in her marriage, and the tender love she’d desperately sought had evaded her. She certainly wasn’t about to open herself to that kind of heartache again.

She gave her attention to the delicious pudding steeped in brandy sauce, and finished the last bite when she glanced at her watch.

“Oh, my goodness, I’ve got to get back. Jamie is always fussing after his noontime nap.” She instantly felt a sense of guilt for putting her son completely out of her mind for nearly three hours.

“He’s in good hands,” Neil reassured her. “While you were getting dressed, your aunt told me how much Jamie means to her. I guess she’s never had children of her own. Anyone can see she feels very possessive about him.”

“I’m beginning to think Jamie is the only reason she invited us to come,” Courtney said honestly. “It’s been quite a disappointment. I thought she and I would become friends and enjoy a special companionship this summer. But it’s not happening.”

“You’ve only been here a few days,” he reminded her. “If she’s not used to living with anyone, it may take a little time for her to adjust.”

“I suppose so.”

“You’ll win her over.”

Courtney wished she could be that optimistic. She couldn’t understand her aunt’s baffling behavior, let alone find a way to change it. She dreaded returning to the houseboat’s oppressive atmosphere and negative energy, but her son was her first priority. She had no business running around, thinking about her own pleasure.

When they docked beside the houseboat, Courtney thanked Neil for the outing.

“Maybe we should do this again,” he suggested.

“I don’t think I should make a habit of being away from the baby, but thank you for today.”

There was a finality in her refusal that surprised him because she’d given him every indication that she had enjoyed his company. Obviously, she wasn’t as taken with him as he had been with her, he decided, his pride smarting just a little. He wasn’t used to having women turn him down.

“Enjoy your visit,” he said in a polite tone. As he waved goodbye from his boat, he didn’t think he’d give her a chance to reject him again.

Courtney stood for a moment on the deck and watched the wake of the boat disappear in the distance. They were from two different worlds, and she ought to have the sense to realize it. Sighing, she turned into the houseboat.

“I’m back.”

A haunting emptiness echoed her words.

She stiffened as an undefined apprehension assaulted her from the dark gloom of the houseboat. Something was wrong. She could feel it.

Her heart was suddenly pounding as she bounded to the sleeping compartment to check on her baby.

She froze in the doorway when she saw Jamie’s bassinet was empty, and the diaper bag she kept at the front of the lower bunk gone.

She spun on her heels. The only place left was her aunt’s compartment. Maybe her aunt had taken him into her sleeping room. Anxiously, she opened the door and looked in.

Empty.

No sign of Jamie or Aunt Devanna anywhere in the floating house.

Chapter Three

Fighting back rising panic, Courtney dashed around the narrow deck to the stern end of the houseboat. Sometimes her aunt spent time sitting there, but her chair was empty and no baby things in sight. The houseboat creaked with emptiness as Courtney checked again, inside and out. Then she took the narrow steps two at a time up to the parking area.

Her aunt’s gray van was gone.

Courtney couldn’t believe it. Devanna had taken Jamie somewhere! For a moment, anger overrode Courtney’s anxiety. She was furious! Her aunt had no business taking the baby anywhere without her permission.

Courtney started for her car and then stopped. Get hold of yourself! Common sense mocked her impulse to go chasing after the van. What good would it do, driving around blindly, trying to find them? She hadn’t the foggiest idea where her aunt might have gone. I shouldn’t have left my baby, Courtney mentally lashed herself.

Pacing up and down, she fought to calm a hurricane of fear. It was time for Jamie to have another feeding. Had Devanna taken a bottle with her? How long had they been gone? A few minutes? Or had Devanna driven away with Jamie as soon as Courtney and Neil had been out of sight?

Her eyes kept searching the lake road in both directions, and all types of scenarios filled her mind. There’d been an accident! The van had developed engine trouble! Jamie had gotten sick and Devanna had rushed him to the hospital! There was no telephone in the houseboat. Should she go somewhere to call someone? But who? Every time a car came into view, Courtney’s hopes rose, and then quickly fell. She even walked a short distance up and down the road as if that might hurry their return.

When the gray van finally came into view, Courtney thought she might be hallucinating until it slowed and pulled into the parking area.

Letting out a cry of relief, she rushed over to it. Her aunt gave her an innocent smile as she jerked open the front door and settled her frantic gaze on Jamie.

Thank God! The baby was securely fastened in his carrier and sound asleep. His little face was peaceful and content, and Courtney was weak with a combination of relief, frustration and anger.

“He was fussy, so I took him for a little ride. You weren’t worried, were you?” Devanna asked. The funny little quirk to her lips might have been a suppressed smile.

“What do you think?” Courtney snapped. “You scared me half to death, taking him off like that.”

Devanna looked surprised. “You should have known I’d never let anything happen to Jamie. You don’t have to worry when he’s with me.”

As Courtney took the baby out of the car, he opened his eyes and gave her one of his toothless smiles. She blinked back tears of thankfulness. He was all right. She’d been worried for nothing.

“He’s precious, isn’t he?” Devanna cooed. “And such a good baby. He settled right down once we were in the car. I brought his diaper bag along just in case.”

Her aunt seemed so sincere that Courtney felt guilty about lashing out at her. She should have known that her aunt was responsible when it came to taking care of Jamie. Her love for the baby was undeniable.

“And how was your lunch with that handsome fellow?” Devanna asked when they were back inside the houseboat.

“Very nice,” Courtney said honestly.

“I guess he’ll be coming around again?”

“I don’t think so.”

“That’s too bad,” Devanna answered, thoughtfully. “I thought you’d enjoy getting out, now and again.”

Courtney looked at her in surprise. Usually Devanna ignored her unless the situation had something to do with the baby. This was the first time her aunt had expressed any interest in her well-being. Maybe things were going to smooth out between them after all.

Unfortunately, the next few days Devanna seemed more preoccupied than ever, and in a world of her own. She left the houseboat frequently, and Courtney continued to hear radiolike talking and laughing in the middle of the night.

Devanna’s only consistency was her attention to Jamie. She was ready and willing to take over his care as much as Courtney would allow. The baby provided the only real sharing between the two women. Most of the time, Devanna seemed lost in her own world, and Courtney’s hope that a friendly companionship would develop between them quickly died.

A greater sense of loneliness than before settled on Courtney, especially when she thought about Neil. She relived over and over the time they’d spent together. Clearly, he was content with his single life, and a lonely widow wasn’t in his future. She’d never been one to lie to herself, and trying to make a Cinderella story out of their relationship would be pure stupidity. Neil might be interested in a light summer flirtation, but she didn’t want to go there. She’d never been able to center her life for momentary pleasures, and now, more than ever, she had to think about the future because of her precious Jamie. Yes, she’d done the right thing turning down his tentative suggestion of another date.

During one of Devanna’s absences from the houseboat, Courtney was lounging on the couch, reading one the books her aunt had brought—and never looked at—when there was a knock at the door. Her heartbeat instantly quickened.

Neil! Maybe he’d come back to see her.

Nervously she smoothed her hair, straightening the collar of her summer blouse, and took a deep breath as she opened the door.

It wasn’t Neil.

A gray-haired gentleman stood there, peering at her through gold-rimmed glasses. Slight of build, his hair was thinning at the temples, and a summer jacket hung a little loose on his shoulders.

“I’m sorry to bother you,” he apologized quickly. “I’m looking for an old friend of mine, Devanna Davenport.”

“That’s my aunt,” Courtney assured him quickly.

His face brightened. “Oh, good. I was afraid I might have the wrong houseboat. I’m Harold Jensen.”

“I’m sorry, she’s not in right now, Mr. Jensen. But I’m expecting her back any time. Would you like to come in and wait for her?”

“Yes, thank you. I’m looking forward to seeing Devanna again. It’s a pleasure to meet her niece.”

The use of her aunt’s first name and his warm tone suggested a personal acquaintance. Courtney was curious how “personal” it might have been. Her aunt had still been a young woman when her older husband died. Maybe there had been some men in her life during those years she chose to live away from the family.

“Please have a seat,” Courtney offered, glad that she’d straightened up the room before she sat down with her book. Jamie was kicking happily on a baby blanket she’d spread out on the floor beside the couch.

Mr. Jensen smiled at the baby as he took a nearby chair. With old-fashioned politeness, he made all the proper inquiries about Jamie’s name and how old he was. She was glad she’d dressed Jamie in a pretty blue romper suit with matching booties. She didn’t have many chances to show him off.

“May I get you something to drink?” Courtney offered.

“No, thank you. I’m fine.”

“I’m sure Aunt Devanna will be happy to see you,” Courtney told him, even though she knew better than to try and predict Devanna’s behavior. Her aunt might react to Mr. Jensen the way she had to Neil, all friendly and outgoing, or she might give him that cold, vacant stare that sent shivers rippling up Courtney’s back.

Mr. Jensen sighed. “To tell the truth, I lost track of Devanna years ago. I worked for her late husband, and spent a lot of time in their California home. I was his personal accountant until he died,” he said with a hint of pride. “I’ve always remembered how nice she was to me.”

As Mr. Jensen shared his memories of Devanna, Courtney realized how much her aunt had changed from those happy days when her husband was alive.

“I was sorry when Devanna sold the California company after her husband’s death, and moved to Seattle. I often wondered what happened to her.” He pushed back his glasses. “I’m now an accountant for Ellsworth Real Estate and Investment.”

“You are?” she asked in surprise. “I just met Neil Ellsworth a few days ago.”

“A very nice young man. I worked for his father until he retired. Anyway, yesterday I was handling some papers on houseboat rentals. Imagine my surprise when I came across Devanna’s name. I guess there’s no question about it being the same Devanna Davenport?”

Courtney assured him that her aunt’s personal history matched the one he’d described. Because the man seemed sincerely interested, Courtney shared a little bit about her aunt’s withdrawal from family contact and her tendency to be a recluse. In a way, she wanted to prepare him for meeting the withdrawn, strange woman her aunt had become.

After waiting nearly an hour, Devanna still hadn’t returned and Mr. Jensen decided not to wait any longer. Since Courtney had no idea where her aunt had gone, it was anybody’s guess when she’d be back. Obviously disappointed, Mr. Jensen prepared to take his leave.

“Please tell her that I dropped by, and I’ll be back to see her another time,” he said. “It’s been a pleasure chatting with you. Your aunt must be proud of you and the baby.”

“Aunt Devanna loves Jamie,” Courtney responded, wishing she could say the same affection extended to her. “I’ve enjoyed meeting you, Mr. Jensen. Please come again.”

“Thank you. I certainly will.”

She stood on the front deck as he crossed the narrow dock and climbed the steps. He drove away in a small white car. What a nice man. He’d helped her pass a lonely afternoon, and she looked forward to seeing him again.

When her aunt came back, nearly two hours later, Courtney eagerly told her about Mr. Jensen’s visit.

Devanna just shrugged. “I don’t even remember the man. And I doubt he remembers me that well, either.”

Her aunt’s crude dismissal startled Courtney. Several times her use of coarse expressions seemed incongruous with her aunt’s background, and Courtney wondered where she’d picked up the roughness.

NEIL’S PRIDE CONTINUED to smart from Courtney’s lackluster response about a second date. He concentrated on business and tried to shove her to the back of his mind. After all, there were plenty of numbers in his little black book if he got in the mood to date someone. Unfortunately, he had to pass by the houseboat on the lake road both coming and going to work, and he couldn’t help thinking about her.

When his sister Maribeth provided the perfect excuse to see her again, he thought, why not. There was always the chance that if he saw her again, he’d get over the ridiculous attraction that kept her at the edge of his mind.

She was sitting alone on the front deck reading when he drove to the houseboat to see her. A sudden glow in her eyes when she saw him was encouraging. Maybe she regretted her cool reaction about a second date after all.

“How have you been?” he asked as he dropped into a chair beside her.

“Fine,” she assured him after a slight hesitation.

“And Jamie? How is the baby?”

She brightened. “Great. I just put him down for his nap.”

“And your aunt?”

Once again Courtney hesitated. “Devanna seems to keep busy. I’m not sure exactly what she finds to do, or where she goes.”

“So you’re here pretty much by yourself?”

She gave him a faint smile as if she knew exactly what he was leading up to. Maybe it was no surprise to her that he was back again. Was he as apparent as all that, Neil asked himself.

Aloud, he asked, “How would you like to make my sister, Maribeth, happy?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Your sister?”

“She’s giving a birthday party for our twin brothers, Alex and Allen. They’re both married with families, but Maribeth is the one who organizes all the parties. She asked me to bring someone, and I was hoping you and Jamie might be my date. It’s the day after tomorrow.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Courtney responded quickly. A dozen reasons why she shouldn’t go flooded her mind as quickly as her next breath.

“There’ll be kids and babies all over the place. Utter confusion. Lots of food. Good humor and teasing. What do you say?”

For a minute, Courtney couldn’t say anything. She was completely taken aback by the invitation. Family birthday parties were completely outside her sphere of experience. How would she fit in at such a gathering? The way Neil was smiling at her, she wanted to go more than anything. It wouldn’t be a romantic date, she reassured herself, and she wouldn’t have to leave Jamie.

“I…I think I would like to go.”

“Great. It’ll be a casual affair,” he assured her. “Nothing fancy. Just a good time.”

Courtney couldn’t think of anything that sounded more wonderful. Every day she spent on the houseboat deepened her feelings of isolation and loneliness.

“Thanks for asking me…us,” she laughingly corrected herself. “It will be Jamie’s first venture out into Manitou society.”

“Good, I’ll pick you up about six o’clock.”

When Courtney told her aunt about the birthday party and her invitation to go, Devanna seemed pleased. It was only when Courtney told her she’d be taking Jamie with her that her aunt objected furiously.

“No, that’s a stupid idea! A baby doesn’t have any business at some wild shindig where people are carousing around, acting like damn fools.”

“It’s not that kind of party,” Courtney protested. “It’s a family get-together.”

“You’ll have a better time without him,” Devanna said, trying a different tack. “No man wants to go out with a woman who’s lugging around a baby.”

“Neil specifically asked me to bring Jamie,” Courtney countered. “There’ll be other mothers and babies there.”

Courtney had never seen her aunt angry before. Devanna said something under her breath. Her face was flushed. Her eyes had narrowed to almost slits. She looked as if she were about to tell Courtney that she couldn’t take Jamie.

Courtney just faced her with steady eyes and a firm chin. When it came to Jamie, nobody was going to tell her what she could and couldn’t do.

With apparent effort, her aunt seemed to restrain herself, and said with a tight mouth, “I just want what’s best for him.”

“So do I,” Courtney replied shortly, but the anguish in her aunt’s face made her add gently, “Jamie is blessed to have an aunt who loves him so much. But he’s my child.”

Devanna turned away, went into her room and slammed the door.

THE NIGHT OF THE PARTY, Devanna didn’t come out to speak to Neil when he came to pick up Courtney and the baby.

“Here we go, fellow,” he said as he deftly fastened the belts across Jamie’s carrier. Courtney could tell he hadn’t exaggerated his uncle Neil role. He handled the baby like a pro. Neil glanced at Courtney as they drove through Manitou to his sister’s home in a lovely residential area on the west end of the lake. She looked lovely in a simple, pale pink summer dress, tiny pearl earrings her only jewelry, and her hair pulled up on top of her head, with wisps of fair hair curling around her tanned cheeks. He felt a tightness in his chest just looking at her.

He couldn’t tell from her tense expression if she was nervous about the evening, or unhappy about something. He wondered if she’d changed her mind about going out with him again. He’d never felt as unsure of himself with any woman as he did with her.

“Are you worried about something?” he finally asked, when every attempt he made at light conversation fell flat. Was she bored with his company already?

“It’s my aunt,” she sighed. “She threw a fit about me bringing Jamie. I can’t help wondering if maybe she was right.”

“Oh, so that’s it.” He smiled in relief. “A nervous mother. Believe me, you don’t have a thing to worry about. Maribeth will love you both on sight—and so will everybody else.”

“Tell me about your brothers. Are they identical twins?” she asked, wanting to keep the attention off herself. She wasn’t at all sure that Neil’s optimistic assurances weren’t more hopeful thinking than anything.

“Yes, but they’re different personalities and work together very well. They’re partners in a successful car dealership.” He chuckled. “Alex is the more aggressive. He’ll probably try to sell you his latest model if you give him an opening.”

When they arrived at a well-lit, two-storied home on the lake frontage, Neil held the baby’s carrier in one hand and guided Courtney into the house with the other.