Agony of the Leaves: Tea Shop Mystery #13 (34 page)

“Gotta stop at the emergency room,” he said in a sleepy monotone. “You need to get an x-ray.”

“We will. But first we’re taking a detour. There’s something I have to do.”

Fifteen minutes later
, they were in Mount Pleasant, and a few minutes after that the headlights of the Porsche swept the front of a large, dilapidated building. It had probably once been painted white, but now the paint curled away from the boards in long strips. But there were large, overflowing baskets of bougainvilleas, and over the door was a cheery hand-painted
sign that read H
EARTSONG
K
IDS
C
LUB
. Theodosia rocked to a stop and carefully scanned the place. Right in the center of the bright red door was a brass mail slot. Perfect.

“What is this place?” asked Drayton. He sounded sleepy and sluggish as he looked around. Then there was a sharp intake of breath as Drayton registered his surprise. “Oh. Is this…are we at Dexter’s clubhouse?”

“That’s right.”

“What are we doing here?” he asked. “Everything looks like it’s locked up tight.”

“I’m going to make an anonymous contribution to a worthwhile charity,” Theodosia told him. She slid out of the car, carefully wiggled her shoulders to get the kinks out, then walked around to the back and jerked open the Porsche’s rear hatch. Then she bent forward and gripped the sides of the glass fishbowl. Slowly, mindful of her aching back, she began to muscle the fishbowl out the back.

When Drayton saw what she was trying to do, he was up and out of the car in a heartbeat. “Give you a hand with that?”

“I’d appreciate it,” said Theodosia.

Together they grasped the slippery glass bowl andcrab-stepped their way across the dirt parking lot to the front door of the ramshackle clubhouse. A spill of light from a streetlight was their only illumination. The street was deserted, but a dog barked sharply from somewhere down the block. Then, just as fast as it had started up, it quit.

Theodosia bent at the knees, drew a deep breath, and wrested the bowl from Drayton’s grasp. She bobbed her head anxiously toward the front door. “Go over and swing open that metal mail slot, will you?” she asked.

Drayton hastened over to the door. Reaching forward, he pushed the rusted mail slot open. “Now what?”

“I’m going to pour this money in,” she told him.

Drayton looked a little startled. “Really? All of it?”

Theodosia didn’t hesitate. “Every single penny.”

Drayton scrabbled to comply as Theodosia hoisted the enormous glass fishbowl onto her left shoulder, took a few steps forward, then tipped it judiciously. The glass clanked loudly against the front door and the money inside shifted into a frothy puddle of green.

Theodosia strained to tip it a couple more inches. And, just like that, made direct contact with the mail slot.

“Hah!” Drayton cackled.

Theodosia tipped it the last few, final inches. Until, finally, crumpled fives, tens, and even fifties slithered down the sides of the glass bowl and tumbled through the mail slot. A veritable infusion of cash.

It was only after all the money had disappeared through the mail slot and Drayton had let the metal flap bang shut that Theodosia had second thoughts.

“Oh, my gosh,” she said, raking fingers through her thick mane of hair. “Do you think we did the right thing?”

Drayton smiled in the dark, a thin ghost of a smile. “What do
you
think?”

Theodosia thought about the kids listening to Charlie Parker and Beethoven and traipsing through the museum to stare in awe at ethereal watercolors by Monet. She decided she liked that image. Liked it very much.

“Yes,” Theodosia said, her voice turning suddenly husky, “I’m pretty sure we did the right thing.”

FAVORITE RECIPES FROM

The Indigo Tea Shop

Apple Scones

PREHEAT the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter in a frying pan. Add the apples and cook over medium heat, stirring, until they are tender and the moisture from the apples is almost evaporated. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the remaining 4 Tbsp.butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add the heavy cream and apples and mix by hand until the entire mixture holds together in a ball. Place the ball on a floured surface and knead gently five or six times. Pat the dough into a circle 8
to 10 inches in diameter. Sprinkle with sugar, then cut into 12pie-shaped wedges. Transfer to a greased baking sheet and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the scones turn golden brown. Serve warm with butter, Devonshire cream or whipped cream, and jelly.

Haley’s Butter Cake

PREHEAT the oven to 350 degrees F. Using an electric mixer and a large bowl, combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Bake for approximately 55 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with jam as a teatime sweet or top with berries for a dessert treat.

Peach-Pecan Quick Bread

PREHEAT the oven to 350 degrees F. Drain the juice from the peaches, reserving ¼ cup juice. Dice enough peaches to make 1 cup, leaving the other peaches in slices. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the remaining sliced peaches, butter, eggs, lemon juice, and the reserved ¼ cup juice. Blend until smooth. Place this mixture in a large bowl and add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix gently. Fold in the diced peaches and chopped nuts. Pour thisbatter into a greased 4-by-8-inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack.

Maple Pecan Butter

USING a mixer, beat the butter on medium speed. Gradually beat in the syrup, then add the pecans. Use this butter to top off your scones or muffins!

Caprese Tea Sandwiches

PREHEAT the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the olive oil on the flatbreads, then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Place the flatbreads on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven, place the flatbreads on a cutting board, and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Carefully cut each round into 6 wedges. Top 12 of the wedges with a few salad greens and a slice of mozzarella. Spread a small scoop of pesto atop the mozzarella, then add a slice of tomato. Top each sandwich with the remaining wedges, cheese side up. Serve immediately. Yields 12 sandwiches.

Gobbling Goodness Tea Sandwiches

SLICE the loaf of French bread and lightly toast it under the broiler. Spread half of the slices with mayonnaise and the other half with Dijon mustard. Top themustard-spread slices with a slice of cooked turkey breast, a spoonful of cranberry relish, and a few leaves of baby arugula lettuce. Top each sandwich with amayonnaise-spread slice and serve.

Sweet Potato Butter

COMBINE all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over low heat for approximately 25 minutes, stirring until the mixture is thick and smooth. Perfect on warm biscuits. Or for a nifty sandwich, cut a roll in half, add a slice of pork, and top with sweet potato butter.

Parmesan Crisps

PREHEAT the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then place 1 Tbsp. Parmesan on the baking sheet and gently flatten. Repeat, leaving about 2 inches between each flattened mound. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown. Use as toppers for soup or salads.

Charleston Pecan Brownie Bars

PREHEAT the oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together the butter and brown sugar, then beat in the egg. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then stir together. Stir in the nuts and chocolate bits. Spread the batter in a greased and floured 7-by-11-inch pan. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes.

Brie and Fig Tea Sandwiches

SLICE the baguette into thin slices and place on a cookie sheet. Toast lightly under the broiler to create crispycrostini. Spread the crostini with Brie cheese, then top with fig spread. Enjoy!

Honeybee Scones

PREHEAT the oven to 400 degrees F. Sift the dry ingredients together, then cut in the butter until the mixture iscrumbly. Mix the egg, milk, and honey, then stir into the flour mixture. Knead gently on a floured surface and pat into a 9-inch circle. Cut into wedges and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden. Brush the tops of the scones with more honey while still hot.

TEA TIME TIPS FROM

Laura Childs

Cherry Blossom Tea

When the cherry blossoms bloom in Washington, why not herald the event with your very own cherry blossom tea? Drape your table with a pink tablecloth and add pinknapkins and pink floral dinnerware. Add real or silk cherry blossoms for a centerpiece and use packets of flower seeds as place cards.

Think pink with cream cheese mixed with strawberries to top your scones and tasty crab salad tea sandwiches. Pink macaroons or strawberries dipped in chocolate are greatdesserts, and tea with bits of cherry is a must.

Shakespeare Tea

Pop in a CD of harpsichord music and hark back to teatime with the bard. Shakespearean sonnets printed on 11-by-14-inch paper make great place mats; books piled in the middle of the table with candles in pewter holderscomplete the picture. Serve elegant British butter shortbread cookies, a traditional English tea such as Earl Grey or English breakfast, and cream scones with plenty of black
currant jam or ginger preserves. Need something moresubstantial? Think ham and honey mustard tea sandwiches on soda bread, or wonderful creamy Welsh rarebit.

White Tea

For an elegant white tea, ask your guests to wear their favoriteall-white outfits. Then drape your table with apristine white linen tablecloth and use white napkins, white china, a white floral centerpiece, and white tea light candles. Serve a silver needle white tea with buttermilk scones and herb butter. Egg salad with dill is also a great savory. Sweets might include white cake, white chocolate scones, andcinnamon cream cheese on date nut bread.

Sewing Tea

If your friends are into needlecraft, surprise them with a sewing tea. Arrange spools of thread, patterns, pincushions, and fresh flowers in a fun tablescape, then toss in a fewfashion magazines. Serve cheese quiche and tea sandwiches of lobster salad or turkey pesto. For dessert, consider lemon bars with meringue, brownie bites, and chocolate truffles. And why not serve a Ceylon tea, the tea that was favored by Coco Chanel, the ultimate seamstress and couturier?

Travel Tea

This is your chance to decorate your table with all your travel-themed bric-a-brac—perhaps an Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, or world globe? Then spread out maps as place mats. You could even make blue passport-themed
invitations and ticket-themed place cards. For your tea menu, serve food with an international flavor such as British shortbread, French tea, and Italian biscotti. Heartier fare might include a French croissant with chicken salad, Mediterranean salad, or Italian caprese sandwiches.

Picnic Table Tea

Place your picnic table under a tree that’s been strung with colored lights or festooned with ribbons. Use a summery tablecloth (with a floral or toile pattern) and create atablescape using fresh-cut flowers and felt or furrybutterflies and bees from the craft store. Summer tea options might include mint tea or oolong. Pile your scones in a wicker basket and serve savories such as chicken salad tea sandwiches or thin-sliced cucumbers with watercress. If the weather’s very warm, serve sweet tea in tall, frosted glasses.

Apple Orchard Tea

When fall nips the air and the apple harvest is in full swing, create your own apple orchard theme. For table décor, go autumnal with ared-and-white-checked tablecloth, baskets piled high with apples, red pillar candles, and bouquets of autumn leaves. Serve cheddar cheese scones and teasandwiches made with Brie cheese and tart apple slices. For a sweet note, think apple crumb cake, apple fritters, or apple crisp. Source some lovely black tea with cinnamon, clove, and bits of apple. Include honey sticks for sweetening your tea!