"Just witches, Mrs. Savage."

Ruby clucked her tongue, her cloudy eyes narrowing with sudden fury. "There is no Mister Savage, so there will be no Missus. Ruby will do just fine, and short of that, Miss Savage."

"I'm sorry. Ruby it is. James Barclay is a very dangerous, very troubled man. He believed in some highly unbelievable things, but in my professional opinion that makes him more dangerous, not less."

The old woman nodded, her gaze softening. "Your professional opinion," she said, even more dubious. "But surely this Barclay is only dangerous to pregnant women and my Martin. The question becomes, why on Earth did you follow him here? Is my son courting you? Has he gotten you up the stick?"

Sheila carefully swallowed her tea, clearly trying not to laugh and choke on it.

"Mom."

"Mom, what? I watch cable television now. I know what you young people get up to in this day and age, and I don't condone it in the least."

"I didn't get her pregnant."

"Well, that's certainly a relief."

"Ruby, play nice," Norma said. She set a cup of tea on a saucer in front of the old woman.

"Play nice." Ruby sneered, looking from Martin to Sheila as if for assistance against Norma's tyranny. "This is my house. I'll play any way I like."

"Drink your tea, Ruby."

Ruby picked up the cup and saucer, hands quivering as she raised the cup. She sipped the steaming tea greedily, unfazed by its heat, and smacked her lips. She placed them back on the table and smiled.

"I'll have Norma make up the beds for you—"

"We don't want to be any trouble," Sheila said.

"We were planning on staying at the B&B," Martin added.

"With those beatnicks? I'll have none of it." She grasped the walker and hauled herself to her feet with a groan and a crackling of joints. "So long as you're in the Bay you'll stay under my roof, the two of you. Of course, you'll sleep in separate rooms. I won't allow hanky-panky in the same house I bathed you as a child."

"That's a great image, Ma. Thanks."

She clucked her tongue. "In the meantime, perhaps the two of you could take a walk into town? Norma forgot to get the shortening and I'd like to bake a pie. Is strawberry and rhubarb still your favorite?"

He hadn't eaten a strawberry-rhubarb pie since she was committed. "It sure is," he said, just to please her. "And we'd be happy to. Thanks, Ma."

Ruby nodded curtly, expressionless. "Think nothing of it." She shuffled over and placed a hand on his shoulder to steady herself as she kissed him on the top of his head. Her lips felt like sandpaper. "Have you been drinking?"

"Not today, Ma."

Her supernatural nose for troublemaking always surprised him. Sheila popped her eyes at him, obviously impressed.

"Good. Let's keep it that way. I'll not have a souse living under my roof."

"Cut the kid some slack," Norma said.