“I don’t think so.” She took a deep breath, shifted the child to her hip and headed toward the house. “Is this Honey Hill Farms?”
Tansy nodded. “Yes.”
She opened the gate and came in, her steps slowing as she reached Tansy. “Then I’m where I need to be.”
Now that the woman was standing on the flagstone front path, the porch light and streetlamps provided enough light for Tansy to see the woman clearly. And what she saw... Tansy’s heart stuttered to a stop. Glossy thick red hair. Bracing emerald green eyes. She wassofamiliar.
“Um...I’m looking for Magnolia Hill?” The woman scanned the porch then froze, her gaze fixed on Aunt Mags.
“And you are?” Aunt Mags didn’t sound like Aunt Mags. She didn’t sound intimidating or calm or in control—she sounded breathless and...scared.
“My name is Shelby. Shelby Dunholm.” It was more of a whisper now. “I... I...”
Look exactly like my aunt Mags.Tansy couldn’t stop staring at her. The red-haired woman. Both Nicole and Lorna had mentioned her. But, how could she have guessed?
“We’re just having some tea. If you’d like to join us, Miss Dunholm?” There was a definite tremor in Aunt Mags’s voice.
“Yes, please.” Aunt Camellia was all charm. “We have honey sugar cookies, too.”
Tansy glanced back at her family, unsure what to do or say. Astrid looked just as startled as Tansy felt. Aunt Camellia was doing her best to smile but there were tears in her eyes. It was seeing Aunt Mags leaning against the porch railing, shaking, that tore at Tansy’s heart.
“Ma,” the toddler announced, tugging on Shelby’s shirtfront.
Tansy had been so blindsided by the newcomer’s appearance that the toddler hadn’t really registered. It was all chubby and smiling, with a wisp of red hair atop its round head. Tansy wasn’t much for kids but this one was precious. It smiled at Tansy, waving.
“Hi.” The baby waved. “Hi. Hi.”
“Oh... Um...” Shelby swallowed, shifting the baby to her other hip. She drew in an unsteady breath and stepped back. “No. I... I should come back. I need... She’s hungry.”
“You’re welcome.” Auntie Mags was gripping the porch railing now, her tone a bit desperate. “Anytime. Please.”
Shelby nodded, then shook her head. She hugged the baby close. “I should go.” A mix of yearning and anger and sadness shifted across her features.
“Are you sure?” Tansy murmured.
“I... Yes.” Shelby nodded, pulling herself upright. “This was a mistake.” She turned on her heel, marched back to her car, put the baby in the back seat, then climbed inside and slammed the door behind her. Seconds later, the car had turned around and disappeared back around the bend.
Crickets and cicadas. Granna Hazel’s collection of wind chimes stirred and sang in the evening breeze. Somewhere on the farm, an owl hooted and one of Aunt Camellia’s dogs barked.
Tansy, however, was speechless. There wasn’t a peep of sound from the porch. Only absolute silence. She wasn’t the only one struggling for the right words.Where to begin when there was so much to say?
Aunt Camellia broke the silence. “Mags—”
“I think I’ll turn in for the night.” Aunt Mags’s words rushed out, the front screen door slamming behind her. Poor Butters trotted up the steps and began scratching and whimpering to be let in.
“You go on and give her some cuddles.” Aunt Camellia opened the screen door and Butters ran inside, the tinkle of the bell on his collar jingling as he ran up the stairs to Aunt Mags’s room.
Tansy squeezed back into the chair beside Astrid, a thousand questions running through her mind. “Shouldwecheck on her?” Tansy whispered, looking to Astrid, then Camellia for some sign as to what to do next.
“I don’t know.” Astrid rested her head on Tansy’s shoulder.
“No, I don’t think so. Not yet anyway.” Aunt Camellia gave them both a gentle shoulder squeeze.
“The baby was precious,” Astrid murmured.
“She was, indeed.” Aunt Camellia stared out into the dark, a deep furrow on her brow.
Tansy couldn’t stop replaying the exchange, over and over. Shelby. The baby. Aunt Mags. “The baby had red hair, too.” They’d all seen her, they all knew. But it was significant. All of this was.
