Read The Body in the Kelp Online
Authors: Katherine Hall Page
The Body in the Kelp (6 page)
The music stopped at two hundred dollars and an oak chest of drawers, a tray of spongeware, and a Seth Thomas Westminster chimes clock rapidly followed. The parlor set was put up and created some excited bidding among the Prescotts. It might have a nick or two, and the rosewood needed some elbow grease, but it had stood in splendor in the front parlor since Darnell had brought it home from Paine's in Boston as a wedding present for his bride. Nora Prescott from Granville was the high bidder at $850. Just as Matilda had promised her, only she hadn't thought she would have to buy it to get it. Nora's sister, Irene, to whom it had also been promised, decided not to bid at the last moment. Blood was thicker than Old English polish, and Nora had always been there when she needed her, taking the kids when she was up at Blue Hill having her appendix out, telling her she was well rid of him when her husband took off with a hairdresser from Belfast. Irene's noble sacrifice did not go unnoticed, and Nora decided to give her the little marble-topped table, which really wasn't going to fit in her living room anyway.
Pix bid quickly and got a pretty spool bed for Samantha's room and a dry sink before Faith even knew she was bidding.
And so the auction unfolded, assuming a character distinct from all the other auctions Gardiner and Company had run or the crowd attended. You never knew what was going to happen. The Warhol cookie jars turned out to be wooden lobster pots that had been in the barn. Few lobstermen used them anymore, and as the tourists and dealers bid them up, all the locals resolved to go clean out their sheds.
Pix and Faith were determined to wait until the bitter end for all the real bargains, and at about four o'clock the box lots started. Faith quickly snared one with tools she had noted for three dollars and Pix bought two mystery boxes of china for four
dollars each, which upon inspection proved to contain a lovely Wedgewood ironstone teapot, lots of saucers without cups, something that could possibly be a piece of Imari, some Tupperware, and other treasures. Faith grabbed another box, one filled with board games of varying vintages, which she had seen at the viewing. Tom's family was addicted to board games, and she knew they would be happy to have more, especially for a dollar fifty. She bought two more boxes of china on speculation for two dollars each and figured she was done. After the cradle she had successfully bid on an odd lot of plate serving pieces for thirty-five dollars, elegant Victoriana with elaborate scrolls etched on the knife blades and ladles and repoussé flowers on the handles. It had been a productive day.
dollars each, which upon inspection proved to contain a lovely Wedgewood ironstone teapot, lots of saucers without cups, something that could possibly be a piece of Imari, some Tupperware, and other treasures. Faith grabbed another box, one filled with board games of varying vintages, which she had seen at the viewing. Tom's family was addicted to board games, and she knew they would be happy to have more, especially for a dollar fifty. She bought two more boxes of china on speculation for two dollars each and figured she was done. After the cradle she had successfully bid on an odd lot of plate serving pieces for thirty-five dollars, elegant Victoriana with elaborate scrolls etched on the knife blades and ladles and repoussé flowers on the handles. It had been a productive day.
Just as she and Pix were packing up and getting ready to settle their accounts, the runners brought out another quilt, or actually a quilt top. It had been pieced, but not quilted to the batting and underside. Faith paused to watch as they unfolded it. It was a sampler quilt. Every square was different, connected with lattice stripping. The colors were repeated in each design, strong blues, greens, and touches of the same pink as the granite rocks by the shore.
It was a Maine quilt. Maine colors. And Faith had to have it. She sat down and pulled Pix into her chair.
“A beautiful quilt top here. All it needs is a back, and I'm sure a lot of you ladies out there could put this together in no time. What am I bid? Do I heayre ten dollahs?” Faith raised her card. She was so excited she felt slightly light-headed. There was something about this quilt. It was ridiculous, really. She hadn't the slightest idea how to quilt; it was not one of her accomplishments. In fact any sewing more complicated than buttons or a running stitch went to the tailor and always had. But she'd solve that problem once she had it. And she got it. Apparently there weren't any quilters in the audience and it was hers for forty dollars.
“Faith, it's gorgeous, and I can show you how to quilt. It's not difficult at all,” Pix said.
“I think it would be easier if you quilted it, Pix, but as you
have seen with the clamming, I'm willing to try anything.” And with that they went home to gloat over their finds and bemoan all the ones that got away.
have seen with the clamming, I'm willing to try anything.” And with that they went home to gloat over their finds and bemoan all the ones that got away.
They passed Eric and Jill on the way out. Eric was tightlipped and Jill was talking to him in a low voice. They stopped and Pix asked if they wanted to come to the cottage for a drink, but Jill said they were going to the mainland to get some dinner and distance. Eric smiled wryly. “Can you believe they actually think the mythical gold is in that weather vane? And how is it supposed to have gotten there? Did Darnell climb up one night and ballast it with doubloons, in which case it would have toppled off the barn long ago? Or maybe he took it down and replaced it with one cast of solid gold and no one ever heard anything about how he got it made? Well, at least we got the wicker porch furniture and some of the bedroom sets. I'm just glad it's over and we can move in.”
Pix patted his arm. “Situations like this are always horrible. You should hear some of the stories Sam tells about settling estates.”
“Did you get some nice things?” Jill asked as they turned to leave.
“Oh yes, nothing earth-shattering, but you have to go home with something from an auction, especially a historic one like this. Faith got a cradle, a quilt top, and who knows what in the boxes, and I got my usualâchina, glass. Sam says
we're
going to have to have an auction soon.”
we're
going to have to have an auction soon.”
“Thanks for the invitation, Pix. We'll see you soon,” Eric said. “Good-bye, FaithâI haven't forgotten about our gazebo party. You and Pix and whatever husbands are around can come sometime next week.”
“That would be lovely, but husbands are not arriving until close to Labor Day, so you'll have to put up with the company of women.”
“Never a chore.” Eric smiled. His mood seemed to have lifted, and Faith was sure it was not just her imagination that Jill gave them a look filled with gratitude as she said good-bye.
The events of the auction had been unsettling, and Faith
found it hard to sleep that night. It had been after six when she finally got back, and she was exhausted. She left the boxes in the barn to go through later and brought the quilt top into the house. It was even more beautiful than she had thought when they had held it up. She spread it on the bed in the spare room. It seemed at home.
found it hard to sleep that night. It had been after six when she finally got back, and she was exhausted. She left the boxes in the barn to go through later and brought the quilt top into the house. It was even more beautiful than she had thought when they had held it up. She spread it on the bed in the spare room. It seemed at home.
After a hasty supper she read to Benjamin and settled him into his crib, then got an Angela Thirkell out of the bookcase and went to bed herself. She must have slept, because when she looked at the clock several hours had passed, but now she felt wide awake. She opened the book again and tried to lose herself in Barsetshire, but the comings and goings of the Brandons did not distract her.
There also seemed to be a lot of comings and goings in the cove and on the shore road opposite the cottage. She remembered that she had heard the same boat and truck noises a week ago Thursday night, because Tom had been lying next to her and thought it might be night fishing. The next day they had seen herring nets, so the fishermen must have been catching a run, then unloading at Prescott's straight into the trucks.
She got up, turned out the light, and went to the window. She couldn't see much, just pinpoints of light and the occasional long sweep of headlights. She didn't hear any talkingâjust the boat engines and the trucks. Well, it was after two o'clock and they, of all people, would know how voices carried on the water. Still, it surprised her a little that they should be so considerate. From what she had seen at the auction, Sonny Prescott didn't seem like a man who would whisper if he had something to say. If it was Sonny out there in the dark, that is.
Benjamin would be up in a few, very few hours. Faith crawled back into her bed, thought wistfully about Tom, and wondered if she would feel better or weird if she piled some pillows in his approximate shape next to her. Weird. She fell asleep.
Â
Faith spent most of Friday in the hammock watching Benjamin chase croquet balls on the lawn. The owners of the cottage maintained a large, carefully manicured lawn in the back of the
house, bordered on three sides by the meadow filled now with Indian paintbrush, Queen Anne's lace and other wildflowers. The lawn looked a bit odd there, as if someone had spread a piece of felt over the meadow, but it provided a place to sit and play all those games stored in the barn.
house, bordered on three sides by the meadow filled now with Indian paintbrush, Queen Anne's lace and other wildflowers. The lawn looked a bit odd there, as if someone had spread a piece of felt over the meadow, but it provided a place to sit and play all those games stored in the barn.
She did rouse herself to get lunch, which the two of them ate on the grass. Faith found feeding Benjamin al fresco made life much simpler. Anything he dropped would be picked up by the gulls later. At four o'clock Tom called. They had decided he would call her, since he wasn't as sure of his schedule as she was of hers. No schedule.
It was a case of two people who are very close to each other with not much to say. Or rather a lot to say, but nothing to say of common interest. Faith started to tell him about the Casserole Supper and Bird's entrance and the auction and the trouble between the Prescotts and Roger and Eric, then she realized he didn't really know these people and it all meant nothing to him. Tom started to tell Faith about the difficulty he was having keeping his Ecclesiastes study section on the path; the incipient power struggle between this year's conference chairman and the recently named next year's; and the distracting presence of a certain lady from Minneapolisâdistracting of course not to
moi,
Tom protested a bit too much to himself, but some of the other menâwhen he also realized how boring it all was when you weren't there. Of course, Faith would have been even more bored if she had been there. And so they talked at cross purposes for a while, tried to explain, then Faith said, “Tom, I love you. Is that it? I mean isn't that why you called?”
moi,
Tom protested a bit too much to himself, but some of the other menâwhen he also realized how boring it all was when you weren't there. Of course, Faith would have been even more bored if she had been there. And so they talked at cross purposes for a while, tried to explain, then Faith said, “Tom, I love you. Is that it? I mean isn't that why you called?”
“In a word, yes. And I love you. And I miss you. You do sound like you're having more fun. And getting better things to eat.”
“Think of it as good for the soul, and I'll make it up to you when you get back. The things to eat and especially the fun.”
“I hope you're thinking of the same kind of fun I'm thinking of,” Tom commented.
“Absolutely, brisk swims in the ocean followed by volleyball
and ten-mile hikes. Isn't that what you Fairchilds call âfun'?” Faith teased.
and ten-mile hikes. Isn't that what you Fairchilds call âfun'?” Faith teased.
“Watch out, sweetheart, or I'll hold you to it.”
“Oh, Tom, I almost forgot. I had a letter from Hope on Friday. She and Quentin are going to be visiting friends in Bar Harbor and wondered if we wanted company over Labor Day weekend. What do you think?”
“I think I don't want any company but yours, but you know I love your sister dearly, and if there were the slightest chance that our example of connubial bliss would nudge the two of them toward the altar, I'd take it.”
“Good. I already said they could come.”
“Dammit, Faith! What did you ask me for if you had the whole thing decided?”
“I wanted to hear what you would say and it was what I thought, so there's no problem. Besides, you always like Quentin after the first shock of the new wears off and he forgets he's flawless.”
“That's beside the point.”
“Are we quarreling?” Faith asked. “I hope not, because it's horrible enough on the phone.”
“No, not quarreling. It's just necessary that I occasionally try to cling to what's left of my independence.”
“Oh, Tom, this is silly. All right. It was a little high-handed of me.” She paused. Tom didn't say anything. “Okay, even very high-handed and I promise faithfully, don't laugh, to consult you first in the future about house guests. And when you see the wonderful box lots I got at the auction, you'll let me do anything I want.”
“I do anyway, but promise me that you'll leave at least one box for me to go through myself.”
“Better, I'll give you two. I bought four, so that's fair. You can have the tools and one that looks like old games. I thought your family might like them.”
“That's terrific, Faith. Now I have to go, honey. A group of us are going to Portsmouth for dinner at The Blue Strawberry.”
“Sounds tough, Tom.”
“Believe me, Faith, after a week of this food, we deserve it.”
“I'm sure you do. Just make sure any legs you encounter under the table belong to it.”
After some more of this nonsense, they hung up and Faith went back to the yard. Ben was still napping. Must be all the sea air, she thought. She had noticed that the locals touted it as either invigorating or soporific depending on what the situation called for. Just another one of those charming contradictions that seemed to crop up on Sanpere.
No sooner was she outside than she decided to go in. She felt at loose ends. Pix had invited them for supper, but Faith had wanted to go to bed early after her wakefulness the night before and declined. She sat down at the big rolltop desk by the window facing the cove and got out her recipe notebook to jot down a few ideas. The phone rang. Of course.
“Hello, Pix,” she said.
“How did you know it was me?”
“You and Tom are the only people who call me, and Tom just called, so that leaves you, Watson, my good fellow.”
“Oh, I see. I called to see if you wanted to change your mind. John Eggleston is bringing over some lobster from his trapsâhe just has a few in front of his houseâand the Fraziers are dropping by. Oh, and Jill is coming, though she wasn't sure when. She's taking inventory or something. Eric went up to some friends on Drake's Island for a couple of days, so she's at loose ends. I asked Roger too, but he's up to his elbows in new glazes, he told me this morning.”
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