“Ah, I knew the sea would settle in your bones. It takes a special kind of person to live there; not everyone is cut out for it.”

Annie laughed. “Well, I haven’t done the winter yet,” she said. “It might beat me yet. But I’ve been opening the kiosk nearly every day . . . It’s very popular. And I was wondering.”

“Yes?” Mari said in that way people do when they already know what you’re going to ask.

“Well, I was wondering how you would feel about me doing a trial opening of the tearoom? Obviously, I would buy all the stock and register it correctly, it would all be aboveboard. I’ve run my own restaurant, so I know all the red-tape stuff and I’m fully insured, but I’ll take out an extra insurance for the tearoom. And I was thinking that I could give you twenty percent of anything I make, or I could rent the space from you? Whichever you prefer. Have a think about it. You don’t need to answer right away . . .”

“Child, child!” Mari trilled. “Calm yourself.”

Annie’s heart was beating like a bird’s; she hadn’t realized just how much she wanted this until she’d said it out loud.

“Do as you want with the place,” said Mari. “It’s yours till spring, and after that we can negotiate terms. If you make a profit, I’ll take my twenty percent and if you don’t, then I won’t. Does that sound fair?”

“More than fair,” Annie gushed. “Thank you so much! Would you mind if I move a few things about? Maybe make a few changes?” Her brain was on fast-forward, mentally rearranging things, one image after another flashing before her eyes.

“As I said, my dear, do as you wish. I’m not precious about it; it’s been gathering dust for decades. If you can make it useful again, all credit to you.”

“I promise to be sympathetic to its history,” said Annie.

Mari tsked down the line. “Sympathy is for those we pity,” she said. “It doesn’t need your sympathy; it needs your oomph! It’s serving no purpose while it slumbers.”

Annie laughed. “Okay, I’ll give it my best oomph. I won’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t, dear. But I should warn you, you may run into opposition from my nephew. As you know, he’s keen for me to sell the place. He might not take kindly to a business starting up. Don’t get me wrong, there’s not a thing he can do about it; I’ve agreed to it, and that is that. But it won’t stop him throwing his teddy out of the perambulator!”

Annie felt her chagrin rise at the mere mention of the dreaded nephew.

“I’ll watch out for tantrums,” said Annie. “So long as it doesn’t cause problems between the two of you.”