By The Sea, Book Four: The Heirs

by Stockenberg, Antoinette

  "My aunt's cousin's … husband, and his wife, I think. Or my uncle's. I forget. Why would anyone give us a tripod?"

  "How many cousins do you have, anyway?" Alan asked, yanking a polo shirt from its hanger. "I've never been so blessed confused in all my life as I was at that reception."

  "Not that many, really. I would guess nowhere near a hundred. And they weren't all there, you know. It just felt like it." Quinta abandoned the thank-you project and went up to Alan, encircling him from behind as he ran a brush over his still-wet hair. Leaning her cheek against his back, she smiled in recollection and said, "That was the best wedding. I had such a good time. I loved that we were able to hold the reception at Ocean Court where we first danced together."

  "And don't forget kissed."

  "And fell in love.

  "Do you think that's when we did?"

  "Oh, yeah. No doubt about it." She hugged him tight. "I love you."

  Alan tossed the brush on his bureau and turned inside the circle of her arms. "I love you, too, Win—an absurd amount."

  She loved that he had come up with his own pet name for her, loved the sound of it on his lips. They kissed, not for the first time in the last hour, and she said, "Will we always be this happy?"

  "I don't see why not."

  "My parents were," she said, as if that had set a precedent.

  "Mine are, too, in their way. But, oh, if you'd seen my grandparents. They wrote the book on happy."

  "I wish I'd known them," Quinta said. She glanced at the framed pastels that hung in a cluster on one wall of the room, each signed flamboyantly with the single name Amanda. She felt a pang for the happy couple, killed in a small-plane crash en route to Martha's Vineyard. "What a waste …."

  "Don't go there," he warned softly. "Nothing to be gained by that."

  Quinta had heard it from Alan before. She knew he was thinking of the repeated times she mourned her father's impairment. He was right; there was nothing to be gained. But her thoughts were of her father now, and she said, "I wonder if we'll ever get him to move closer to us and the shipyard. He would never live with us, I get that all too well. But at least where I can keep an eye on him!"

  "Stop," Alan said, touching his finger to her lips in gentle reproach. "For now, your dad is good. His house is as wheelchair-friendly as a house can be, and it has happy memories for him. You have a sister in Middletown, ten minutes away, for emergencies. You have another sister, currently separated, who may well move into your old place upstairs; who knows where that will go? When and if life does get to be too much for Neil, he can decide on his own to make the move here. But don't wish that on him too quickly, Win; let him enjoy his independence. You know how much it means to him."

  "Everything," she said with a sigh. "He's so fierce about it. And yet before the accident he could be positively clingy."

  "Traumas change people, not always for the worse."

  "All right. I'll stop," she conceded. Their waking-up time had been spent in entirely blissful lovemaking, and Quinta had no desire to send her husband off to work on a down note.

  "Oh, wait," she said, suddenly remembering. "A package came yesterday while I was out, and they put it in the mud shed. The box was too big to get my arms around, so I left it where it was. Can you bring it in for me before you take off?"

  "Sure. It must have had some value, or they would have left it out in front. A late wedding gift?"

  "Not another set of pots and pans, I hope. People keep mistaking me for someone who cooks!" She laughed at the notion and went into the kitchen to meet her husband and the mystery package.

  It was heavy. Alan landed it with an awkward thud on the antique marble-topped island, and Quinta began attacking the package with a serrated knife.

  "I'm off," said Alan, kissing her cheek. "We have a very important boat to launch after a major refitting, and the customer wants to have me around."

  "Oh, let someone else hold his hand," she said, sawing away at the outer cardboard boxing. "Aren't you curious?"

  Alan narrowed his eyes at his new wife. "You're an evil little temptress."

  "I know. Grab another knife."

  He did, and the two worked through the outer, then the inner, thick cardboard enclosures, and then the obligatory Styrofoam surround, and then bubble-wrap after that, and excelsior packing after that. After all the wrappings had been stripped away, scattered across the kitchen floor, they were left with an exquisite bronze sculpture of a winged horse about to take flight, done in realistic detail, or at least as realistic as a winged horse could expect to be.

  Quinta gasped and said, "Your grandmother's! It must be one of her works, and someone has—"

  "No way," said Alan, walking around the piece. "This is nothing like her work. This artist definitely understood horses. Maybe it's signed." He lifted the sculpture, turning it over carefully and holding it that way with an effort. "A – I – C? – L? – E - N. Huh. Aiclen."

  Peering over his shoulder, Quinta said, "Aiden. I think it's Aiden."

  "Never heard of either one of 'em. No card?"

  After a quick search, they discovered a small envelope with a note inside among the wrappings on the floor.

  It was Quinta who got to it first. She slipped out the card and read:

  Dear Alan and Quinta,

  I looked up an old acquaintance recently, and saw this in his gallery. Destiny seems to be playing a hand here. I hope you're as taken with this as I was. Congratulations, and may you have a long and happy marriage.

  All the best,

  Mavis

  "Oh my God," Quinta said, flabbergasted. She glanced at her husband, who seemed as stunned as she was. "This is a sculpture of—"

  "Pegasus," said Alan. "Indeed it is."

  "Is this a joke? After all she did? Is this some kind of taunt? Like Cindy and her pizzas? No, it can't be that. This is a beautiful, exquisite piece! It's probably worth as much as the actual boat Pegasus. I don't understand this," she said, waving the note at Alan. "I do not understand."

  Alan took the notecard from her and read it through, then went on staring at it, lost in thought. At last he said, "It's an act of contrition, of atonement … and I think, of joy."

  "Joy? Where do you see joy in that note?" She took it back and tried to fathom, in Mavis's elegant hand, what looked happy in it. The odd thing was that on a second, slower, less reflexive and more reflective reading, Quinta did see a certain genuineness there. Unhappy people are rarely capable of acts and thoughts of good will. For whatever reason, this woman was not unhappy.

  "Huh." Quinta took the note back to Amanda's desk and laid it next to the blank sheet in which she intended to thank the O'Connors, or not, for the Cuisinart, or not. The note to Mavis would apparently be more straightforward by far. She turned to her husband, who had followed her into the bedroom with high hopes, and said, "God works in mysterious ways."

  "Yep," he agreed. "Now where to put it? I was thinking, in the nook across from The Thing in the hall."

  "Alan, perfect!"

  Generations of family and friends had puzzled over the abstract sculpture that had dominated the entry hall; it was one of Amanda's very first works in bronze and one that her father had referred to simply as "The Thing," a name that had stuck. The winged horse would be a much more accessible piece of art—but no less intriguing, for all that.

  Because God apparently did work in mysterious ways.

  More for your eReader by Antoinette

  Tidewater

  "A spellbinding thriller that is both intense and riveting."

  —Romantic Times

  Newly married to a man of wealth and reputation who's very willing to be stepfather to her child, Sara Bonniface would seem to have all she's ever wanted. But her young daughter has other ideas, embarking on a crusade to learn more about her birth father. And that's where Sara's life begins to spin slowly out of control ....

  Select here to read an excerpt from TIDEWATER.

  A Charmed
Place

  "Buy this book! A truly fantastic read!"

  —Suzanne Barr, Gulf Coast Woman

  USA TODAY bestselling author Antoinette Stockenberg delivers an original and wonderfully romantic story of two people -- college lovers separated for twenty years -- who have the chance to be happy together at last. But family, friends, an ex-husband, a teenaged daughter and an unsolved murder seem destined to keep the lovers star-crossed, until Dan takes up residence in the Cape Cod lighthouse, with Maddie's rose-covered cottage just a short walk away ...

  Select here to read an excerpt from A CHARMED PLACE.

  Keepsake

  "Deeply emotional … unforgettable"

  —amazon.com review

  KEEPSAKE ... a postcard-perfect town in Connecticut. When stonemason Quinn Leary returns after seventeen years, he has one desire: to prove his father's innocence of a terrible crime committed when Quinn and Olivia Bennett, town princess, were high-school rivals. Class doesn't matter now but family loyalties do, and they're fierce enough to threaten the newfound passion between two equals.

  A Month at the Shore

  "An addictive, captivating story of love, family and trust."

  —Romance Reviews Today

  Laura Shore has fled her humble past on Cape Cod and made a name for herself on the opposite coast. But when she returns and joins forces with her two siblings to try to save Shore Gardens, the failing family nursery, she finds that she hasn't left the past behind at all. Kendall Barclay, the town's rich son and her childhood knight in shining armor, lives there still, and his hold over Laura is as strong as ever. Like a true knight, he's attentive, courteous, and ready to help -- until a discovery is made that threatens the family, the nursery, and Laura's deepening relationship with him.

  BY THE SEA, Book One: TESS

  "A riveting saga/mystery."

  --Rave Reviews

  From the wild decadence of late nineteenth-century Newport comes the tale of Tess Moran, a beautiful Irish housemaid in one of the grand summer "cottages," who makes a dark bargain with a man of commanding wealth — and falls in love in the bargain.

  BY THE SEA, Book Two: AMANDA

  "A quality novel [that] contains many of those little epiphanies, those moments of recognition."

  —Providence Journal

  Marrying American money to an English title is a tradition of its own; but Amanda Fain, a brash heiress with money to burn, has a fondness for Bolsheviks and bootleg liquor that makes her an unlikely match for the reluctant, ironic, and impoverished English aristocrat Geoffrey Seton, who has been ordered to America to find someone who can pay the bills for the family estate back home.

  Embers

  "A deft blend of mystery and romance … sure to win more kudos"

  —Publishers Weekly

  To Meg Hazard, it seemed like a good idea at the time: squeezing her extended family into the back rooms of their rambling Victorian home and converting the rest of the house into a Bed and Breakfast in the coastal town of Bar Harbor, Maine. Paying guests are most welcome, but the arrival of a Chicago cop on medical leave turns out to be both good news and bad news for Meg and the Inn Between.

  Dream a Little Dream

  "A truly wonderful modern fairy tale "

  — Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author

  Three Generations Under One Turret: from bestselling author Antoinette Stockenberg comes a witty, modern fairy tale of romance and family and ghostly star-crossed lovers.

  Beyond Midnight

  "Full of charm and wit, Stockenberg's latest is truly enthralling."

  —Publishers Weekly

  In 1692, Salem, Massachusetts was the setting for the infamous persecution of innocents accused of witchcraft. Three centuries later, little has changed. Helen Evett, widowed mother of two and owner of a prestigious preschool in town, finds her family, her fortunes, and her life's work threatened —all because she feels driven to protect the sweet three-year-old daughter of a man who knows everything about finance but not so much about fathering.

  Sand Castles

  "A riveting story of selfishness, betrayal, and love that readers will find hard to put down."

  —Library Journal

  Wendy Hodene thinks she has it all: a charming husband, a great kid, a house that she loves (even if it doesn't have enough closet space), and family nearby. And then her husband manages to win a multi-million-dollar lottery, kicking off a tidal wave that sweeps all of her assumptions into the sea like castles in the sand. The man she thinks she knows becomes a virtual stranger, and the stranger she hardly knows at all is the reason why.

  Beloved

  "Richly rewarding … a novel to be savored."

  —Romantic Times Magazine

  A Nantucket cottage by the sea: the inheritance is a dream come true for Jane Drew. Too bad it comes with a ghost —and a soulfully seductive neighbor who'd just as soon boot Jane off the island.

  Safe Harbor

  "Complex … fast-moving …humorous … tender"

  —Publishers Weekly

  SAFE HARBOR. That's what Martha's Vineyard has always been for Holly Anderson, folk artist, dreamer and eternal optimist. If she could just afford to buy the house and barn she's renting, fall in love, marry the guy and then have children as sweet as her nieces, life would be pretty much perfect.

  Poor Holly. She has so much to learn.

  Emily's Ghost

  RITA Award Winner

  "Booksellers' recommended read."

  —Publishers Weekly

  A showdown between a U.S. Senator (with a house on Martha's Vineyard) who believes in ghosts and a reporter who doesn't. What could possibly go wrong?

  Time After Time

  "As hilarious as it is heart-tugging ... a rollicking great read."

  —I'll Take Romance

  In Gilded-Age Newport, an upstairs-downstairs romance between a well-born son and a humble maid is cut short of marriage. A hundred years later, the descendants of that ill-fated union seem destined to repeat history. Or not.

  About the Author

  USA Today bestselling novelist Antoinette Stockenberg grew up wanting be a cowgirl and have her own horse (her great-grandfather bred horses for the carriage trade back in the old country), but the geography just didn't work out: there weren't many ranches in Chicago. Her other, more doable dream was to write books, and after stints as secretary, programmer, teacher, grad student, boatyard hand, office manager and magazine writer (in that order), she achieved that goal, writing over a dozen novels, several of them with paranormal elements. One of them is the RITA award-winning EMILY'S GHOST.

  Stockenberg's books have been published in a dozen languages and are often set in quaint New England harbor towns, always with a dose of humor. She writes about complex family relationships and the fallout that old, unearthed secrets can have on them. Sometimes there's an old murder. Sometimes there's an old ghost. Sometimes once-lovers find one another after half a lifetime apart.

  Her work has been compared to writers as diverse as Barbara Freethy, Nora Roberts, LaVyrle Spencer and Mary Stewart by critics and authors alike, and her novels have appeared on bestseller lists in USA Today as well as the national bookstore chains. Her website features sample chapters, numerous reviews, many photos, and an enchanting Christmas section.

  Visit her website at antoinettestockenberg.com to read sample chapters of all of her books.

  An Excerpt from TIDEWATER

  Antoinette Stockenberg

  "A spellbinding thriller that is both intense and riveting."

  --Romantic Times

  Newly married to a man of wealth and reputation who's very willing to be stepfather to her child, Sara Bonniface would seem to have all she's ever wanted. But her young daughter has other ideas, embarking on a crusade to learn more about her birth father. And that's where Sara's life begins to spin slowly out of control ....

  ****

  Dear Mr. McElwyn,

  It's been two days, an
d unfortunately I haven't heard from you in reply to my e-mail. If you’re on vacation I'll understand, but if you're not and are just nervous about answering me, don't be. I'm not a stalker or anything. All I'd like is a simple yes or no to my question of did you know a girl named Sara Johnson twelve years ago ?

  Yours sincerely,

  Abigail Johnson Bonniface

  P.S. I'm sending you a copy of this e-mail via snail mail, just in case for some reason you aren't able to get online. I'd rather have you answer me by e-mail, though, and not snail mail. You can e-mail from a cybercafé or even a library if your computer is down. Did you know that?

  Not a stalker? The hell she wasn't! She knew where he lived now, and she was sending him mail. What next? Carrier pigeon?

  What a pain. He moved the cursor over to the delete button and zapped her into oblivion for the second time.

  Dear Mr. McElwyn,

  I still haven't heard from you. You must be on vacation. I've been doing a little research and have discovered that you’re a private investigator. That is so cool. Are skills like that inherited? I would love to do an interview with you for our school paper. Hopefully when you get back, you'll get in touch right away.

  Best wishes,

  Abigail

  The e-mail was so filled with scary implications that Ben choked on his toast, then scalded his tongue when he tried to wash down the bread with black coffee. He was a fraction away from being apoplectic. School paper? Lawyers didn't write for school papers, and neither did matchmaking aunts. Just how old was Abigail, anyway, and why, dear God, did she care if there was a gene for investigative skills or not?