He handed over another envelope, which she opened. Her poker face was a lot easier to read, she was sure. The amount of the check enclosed was astounding. Maggie was rich? Behind the check was a folded sheet of lined paper—a letter. Louisa pulled it out, took one look at the old woman’s handwriting, and decided to save this for later. She didn’t want to cry in mixed company.

“I assume this will put you in a very good position as well,” Mr. Holbrook said merrily.

Louisa stuttered a reply that even she knew made no sense. She was still trying to understand how it was that Maggie had all this money and nobody knew. With this check, Louisa could live life like the rest of the people on Nantucket. She couldn’t wrap her mind around the amount of money he’d just handed her.

She tucked the envelope away in her purse and watched Mr. Holbrook as he sorted through the rest of the papers.

“Last but not least.” He took out a folded document. “The house.”

“I figured we’d put it on the market,” Louisa said.

“If that’s what the new owner wants to do with it.” He handed the document to Cody.

“Me?”

“She said it was time for you to put down some roots. I guess she thought this would be a good place to do it.”

“I live in government housing,” he said lamely. “I don’t have roots.”

“Now you have a house.” He patted the seat. “And furniture.”

Louisa’s eyes filled with tears. The thought of Cody moving into Maggie’s house was so devastatingly perfect she could hardly contain her joy.

“Of course you can always sell it,” Mr. Holbrook said. “If that’s what you want to do.”

Why did he have to suggest that? Don’t give him ideas!

“Thank you, sir,” Cody said formally. “I’ll think it over.”

“You both have options—wonderful options.” Mr. Holbrook beamed. “Maggie was my favorite client. I always thought if we’d met sooner, we would’ve made a handsome couple.” He grinned.

Their eyebrows alone might’ve kept them from being “handsome,” but the thought of Maggie in love did make Louisa smile. “She would’ve been very happy to hear that.”

“Oh, she heard it plenty,” he said. “I asked her to go out with me every time I saw her. I think she thought I was kidding. Goes to show you should make your true intentions known.” He winked at Louisa again, then looked at Cody. “That’s a bit of free advice for you.”