Free Gift of Wonder by Lenora Worth

more about two of the original familieswho’d settled here. He wanted to ask Lorene and Alice if they knew anything about the Mayeaux family or about the ancient feud Mr. Gauthier had told him about. A feud between the Mayeaux and the Brysons, according to Mr. Gauthier’s scanty recollections. Maybe Alice would be able to help him some on that without him having to tell her his real reasons for wanting information. But her next words dashed that brief hope.
    â€œWhat were you doing at Mr. Gauthier’s place today?” she said, her question echoing in the silence. And it was just a bit accusatory, even if she did have a sweet smile on her face.
    Surprised, Jonah almost choked on the sip of tea he’d just taken. “How did you know I was there?”
    â€œI’m a reporter, remember? I hear things.” She shrugged. “And see things.”
    â€œYeah, right.” He wondered if she had indeed been “shadowing” him all day. And what else had she heard?
    Lorene dropped her spoon. “Alice, what on earth are you talking about? Mr. Gauthier doesn’t let people onto his property.”
    â€œWell, he did today. I saw Jonah there.”
    â€œYou were following me, then,” Jonah said, feeling both triumph and trepidation.
    â€œYes, I drove by and checked,” she admitted, seemingly not in the least ashamed or embarrassed.
    He had to give her credit for being honest, but he knew her well enough by now to know she wasn’t telling him everything. “You can’t just drive by that place. If you saw me there then you must have snuck up to the house.”
    She leaned forward, tenting her fingers, her elbows hitting the table. “What if I did?”
    â€œThat’s not very professional, is it?”
    Her smile actually looked serene. “I wasn’t actually working at the time. I was just curious.”
    He smiled back, polite but firm. “Oh, I get it. You wanted to catch me doing something sneaky?”
    â€œAlice, pass me the butter,” Lorene said, her voice full of warning.
    Alice slid the pristine crystal butter dish across the Battenburg lace tablecloth toward her sister, but her eyes stayed squarely on Jonah.
    â€œArnold Gauthier? Is that man still alive?” Jay asked, a hint of amused curiosity in his question.
    â€œHe was very alive today, but I’m surprised Jonah still is,” Alice answered. “Did you two have a good talk?”
    Jonah dropped his white linen napkin, his face fixed in his own fake smile. “As a matter of fact, we sure did. He told me a lot of things about this town, things that will help me get a handle on the kind of community I’m rebuilding. Good things and bad things.”
    â€œAbout the whole town or just the Mayeaux family?”
    Jonah’s pulse throbbed like a toothache, jarring his whole system. He liked this woman but she’d gone too far, messing in his personal business. “About both, actually. It’s all part of the history. Just like this house and your land is part of the history.”
    â€œThe Mayeaux family?” Lorene looked from Jonah to Alice, then back at her silent husband. “They were trouble from the get-go, according to my daddy. Theynever did like any of our relatives and they caused our parents some worries, too. I was real young, but I was relieved they moved away. Why do you want to know about them, anyway?”
    â€œThat’s what I’d like to hear,” Alice said, her arms now crossed over her stomach. “Why don’t you tell us what you learned from Mr. Gauthier, Jonah?”
    Jonah turned to Lorene. “I did talk to Mr. Gauthier about the Mayeaux family. He said they’d all left years ago, but he also told me they had a hard time and struggled to make ends meet. I’m going to find out more before I pass judgment.”
    Alice leaned forward, her interest obvious. “Why would you want to know about them? What