Alice went on working, but there was gentle understanding in the look she passed to Shay. “You think I’m going to get back there and change my mind, don’t you?”

Shay sank into the easy chair nearest the couch. “Your friends are there. Your house, your memories.”

The old woman gestured toward the stack of photo albums she’d brought with her. They constituted a loving chronicle of Robert Bretton’s life, virtually from birth. “My memories are in my mind and my heart and in those albums over there. And my future is right here, in Skyler Beach. In fact, I’m thinking seriously of renting one of the shops in your building and opening a little yarn shop. I’ve always wanted to do something like that.”

Shay reached out and took one of the albums from the coffee table, opening it on her lap. Lord knew, she’d studied them all so many times that every last picture was permanently imprinted in her mind, but seeing her father’s face, so like her own, was a comfort. “A yarn shop?” she echoed, not really absorbing what Alice had said.

“Robert’s father provided very well for me,” Alice reflected, “and I’ve got no worries where money is concerned.” She closed the suitcases and their fastenings clicked into place one by one. “In my time, very few women had their own businesses, but I always dreamed of it.”

Shay looked up and closed the album. “You could teach knitting classes, as well as sell yarn,” she speculated, getting into the spirit of things.

Alice nodded. “I’ve arranged for Ivy to come and pick me up, Shay. She’s driving me to a hotel near the airport.”

Shay set the album aside, stung. “I would have been glad to—”

“I know, dear. I know. You would have been glad to drive me to the airport tomorrow at the crack of dawn and interrupt your entire day, but I won’t let you do it.”

“But—”

“No buts. My mind is made up. You’ve been running yourself ragged, what with our talks about your father and your job and those silly commercials, not to mention the catering service. I want you to eat a good supper, take a nice bath and go to bed early.”

Shay couldn’t help smiling, though she felt sad. Mitch was gone, Hank was gone, and now Alice was going, too. “Spoken like a true grandmother. Won’t you at least let me drive you to your hotel?”

“Absolutely not. Ivy and her young man are taking me and that’s final.” Alice lowered her voice and bent toward Shay, her eyes sparkling. “I do believe they’re planning a rather romantic evening; though, of course, I’ll never know.”

Shay laughed and shook her head, but inside she wished that she were looking forward to just such an evening with Mitch.

The call came within minutes of Alice’s departure with Todd and Ivy. There would be no quiet dinner, no comforting bath, no going to bed early. Rosamond had taken an abrupt turn for the worse, the doctor told Shay, and the diagnosis was pneumonia. Rosamond was being taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital.