Victoria Hamilton - Vintage Kitchen 04 - No Mallets Intended by Victoria Hamilton Read Free Book Online Page B

glanced ahead at the tall, blond, beautiful and cool as a cucumber Isolde. “Who at our age could compete with thirty and stacked? But Cynthia was crushed.” She hushed as the Cottage Shoppe owner made her way to them. The women finally turned and noticed that the whole room was glaring at them. Valetta snickered.
    “Sorry, Haskell,” Jewel said brightly. “We’re all here now. What are you waiting for?”
    The meeting proceeded and they got a lot done, even though Prentiss kept interrupting, telling them that they couldn’t do anything structural and that he wasn’t going to repay them for all their work once he got the house back. Haskell finally told him that until Prentiss got that court injunction to stop work, he could just shut up.
    They were all entitled to their say, but those who were working on rooms for the soft opening were expected to have a plan in place. The girl’s room was going to be rose and white, but not striped, Cynthia agreed. It would be rose with white wainscoting and have a white iron single bed covered in a quilt Cynthia had found at an antique shop; it was made with blocks of different rose-patterned materials.
    Jewel’s presentation was far more vigorous and memorable. She stood and gave her plans with flair, gesturing at the room around them, pacing and illustrating with waving hands the maroon with gold velvet draperies that would clothe the ten-foot windows. On one wall there would be a candelabra-topped spinet, with a settee and low ladies’ chairs in a semicircle, as if for a family sing-along. Jewel pictured it as a vignette straight out of the song “We Need a Little Christmas.” Candles in the window, and carols at the spinet!
    Mabel Bloombury and a friend of hers were taking on the dining room. Various other pieces of Victorian furniture had been donated to the society by families happy to get rid of the heavy, ornate pieces, and they would furnish the parlor and dining room. That was the only reason the dining room already had a set promised, a long oak table and eight chairs, as well as a china cabinet and buffet. Mrs. Bloombury, standing to say her piece, turned and looked at Jaymie. “I was wondering if Becca had some china she would like to donate. In particular, I was thinking of one of the Johnson Brothers patterns, like Mill Stream, or English Chippendale.”
    All eyes turned to Jaymie, and she considered her answer. “I’ll ask her about it.”
    “It’s just that we think the table would look so much nicer set for Christmas dinner, you see!”
    “I agree,” Jaymie said. “I’ll see if there is anything she can at least loan the society, how about that?”
    Mabel sighed and said, “That would be wonderful! And we could put one of her business cards out as a sponsor!”
    Jaymie nodded and smiled as a murmur of approval rippled through the gathering of about thirty. Becca was all about promotion and would probably jump at the chance to help out the society and get some free advertising. “She may even have some Christmas-appropriate pieces that she can lend you.” This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship for Becca, Jaymie thought.
    Mabel clapped in glee. “That would be magnificent!”
    It was Jaymie’s turn to speak, finally. The kitchen was an afterthought for many, but it would be of vital importance in the Dickens Days festivities. Jaymie, knowing how many underestimated the interest the general public would have in that heart of the home, nervously stood to have her say. She took a deep breath and glanced around the gathering of townsfolk, most of whom she knew. There were friendly faces, angry faces, blissfully blank faces and one or two indeterminate expressions.
    “I’ve been doing a lot of research,” she said. “Since the kitchen is in an addition, it’s comparatively low ceilinged, with those copper panels; it’s beautiful, but dark in there. I may or may not be able to get a Hoosier cabinet in time for the soft opening, but