“Henry Matthews,” he said, with such an amiable smile it was impossible not to respond with one of her own. “I’m very glad to meet you, Claudia. I’m not sure if it’s appropriate to comment on how you look too, but if it is, may I say stunning?”

With a quick look at her mother, Claudia said, “I think I can live with that. It’s lovely to meet you, Henry. Mum’s told us about you, and I . . .”

“I haven’t told them much,” Marcy interrupted hastily. “Henry and I are just friends,” she informed Claudia, making herself blush and Henry twinkle with amusement. “We belong to a few of the same groups at the community center.”

“And I’ve been promised the great pleasure of teaching your mother to play golf once the weather improves,” Henry added.

Golf? Her mother hated golf.

Stifling a laugh, Claudia moved on to where Andee and Graeme were in animated conversation with another couple, but just before she reached them a voice in her head said, Don’t you know better than to interrupt people?

She hesitated, but Andee had already spotted her and came to greet her. “You look lovely,” she said softly. “Quite a change to this afternoon.”

Claudia laughed at the tease. “Same goes for you,” she countered.

Clearly enjoying the banter, Andee drew her into the small group, saying, “Graeme you already know, and this is Klaudia—same name, different pronunciation.”

“We’ve met before,” the slight, pretty woman with silky blond hair and almost childlike blue eyes reminded her, while taking her hand. “In Glory Days, the vintage shop in town?”

“Indeed.” Claudia smiled, recognizing her. “It’s lovely to see you again.”

“And this is Dan Collier,” Andee continued, “who’s also a newcomer in town, relatively speaking. How long have you been here now, Dan?”

“Ten months,” he replied, and as his eyes met hers Claudia quickly looked away, though she wasn’t sure why. He didn’t seem threatening in any way, or resemble anyone she knew, but there was something about him . . .

“Dan took over Henry’s law practice when Henry retired,” Andee explained, “and I expect you’ve heard me mention him once or twice, because of our Restorative Justice program.”

“Only once or twice?” Dan objected. “I thought I might warrant a full onslaught of gushing given how marvelously we’re doing.”

Laughing, Andee gave him a playful nudge and turned around as Graeme said, “Wilkie’s found her glasses.”

“Thank God,” Andee murmured. “I’m dying for a drink.”

“Hello, everyone,” a diminutive, hippyish-looking woman of around seventy called out from the chair she was standing on. She glanced behind her, spotted Tom close by, and said, “Oh good, you’re there.”

“She gets overexcited sometimes,” Andee whispered to Claudia, “so he’s ready to catch her in case she flings herself off.”