“I don’t mind the bonfire, but you’ll have to help gather the wood,” Mama said.

“I’ll get Talley to help. She was all ears when I talked about ghost stories.”

Carlotta chuckled. “I’ll bet she was. Her kin are not fond of spirits.”

“She’ll be fine,” Ruth said. “She’s been afraid of everything since she arrived, but she’s coming around.”

“I can do my show by the wreck,” Carlotta offered. “I can change the mood of my songs to fit any occasion. Even the summoning of ghosts.”

“Talk of ghosts might scare the devil out of the guests,” Mama countered. “They’ll complain.”

“They can leave,” Ruth said. “Daddy can walk anyone back to their room.”

Talley entered the back door and turned on the tap at the utility sink. She washed her hands but didn’t look up, as if her presence could be an intrusion.

“Talley, will you help me get the wood for a bonfire?” Ruth asked.

Talley rinsed her fingers and turned off the tap. She was no doubt thinking about dead spirits. “Sure.”

“Miss Carlotta is going to sing, and Mama said Henry could tell ghost stories.”

“I did not say that Henry would tell stories,” Mama said.

“You didn’t say he wouldn’t,” Ruth countered.

Carlotta chuckled. “Ruth, you might be too clever for your own good.”

Ruth saw the humor in Carlotta’s eyes. “You sound like Mama,” she said.

Carlotta nodded her head toward her. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Mama cleared her throat. “I’ll ask Henry. And if you girls can gather enough wood, then I’ll make an announcement at dinner.”

Ruth grinned. “It’ll be the talk of the beach. Just you wait and see, Mama.”

“Well, that would be very nice,” Mama said. “Anything to set the Seaside Resort apart from the competition.”

Ruth clapped her hands together. “Talley, we got work to do.”

Talley shook her head. “I’ll collect wood, but I’m not sticking around if any spirit shows up.”

“Of course you are,” Ruth said. “You sure don’t want to make them mad by just walking off.”

Ruth held the kitchen door open for Talley and glanced back toward her mother and Carlotta. Whatever tension had been simmering between them was gone, for now.

Ruth and Talley had piled enough wood for three fires, and by dinner both were starving. Daddy fed them in the kitchen and then put them to washing dishes. Just after seven, he shooed them both out of the kitchen and followed them, shovel and ax in hand, to the woodpile on the beach near the wreck.

Daddy studied the woodpile. “We won’t have to worry about running out. Good job, girls.”

“We picked up every piece we could find.” Talley always seemed a little amazed when Mama or Daddy said something nice to her.

“Can Talley and I light the fire?” Ruth asked.