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.Why shouldn’t she be?“Meg?” Elizabeth tugged at her sleeve.“What?” she snapped.“I’m sorry, I was distracted.Did you have a question?”“I just wondered if we were heading back toward your car? Because we’re walking the other direction at the moment, and I don’t have any particular interest in hay bales.”“Oh, sorry.Yes, let’s go back to the car.It might take a little while to find parking in the center of town.I hope you don’t mind doing some walking, but we should be hungry by the time we get to the festival.”Back in the car for the short drive to the town center, Elizabeth said mildly, “Seth Chapin seems very nice.”“Uh, he is.He’s been a lot of help with the house and the barn, and he’s introduced me to a lot of people around here.”“Really.He seems to keep popping up every time I turn around.”Meg sighed, waiting for a woman with a stroller to cross in front of her.“Well, he lives close by, and his office is in my backyard, and he’s involved in about every community activity there is in Granford.” She could feel Elizabeth’s glance on her.Why was she so reluctant to talk about Seth? Because she was afraid of what her mother would think of him? Or because she wasn’t sure what she thought?Finally Elizabeth turned her eyes back to the busy road in front of them.“I hope we’ll have a chance to get together again while I’m here.”Meg felt an odd mixture of relief and regret.She wanted to explain, but this was not the right time or place to do it.Still, putting it off did not make it any easier.They entered the town from the west end, and the single main street was mobbed with people.She saw Police Chief Art Preston standing in the middle of the highway, directing traffic, with a big smile on his face.When Meg pulled closer, she yelled out the window, “You look like you’re having fun.Where should we park?”“Amherst?” Art grinned.“Go on past Town Hall—they’ve opened up the field on the right.”“Thanks, Art.” Meg resumed her careful approach.At the field Art had mentioned, she found a volunteer motioning them in, and finally found a space at the back end.“Wow! This is quite a turnout.I wonder if it’s always this busy.”They clambered out of the car and made their way back to the two-lane highway and across.Meg pitied the hapless tourists out for a drive, for it would probably take them ten minutes to navigate the half mile through town.But maybe they would decide to stop and boost the local economy? She and her mother stopped at the higher end of the green, across the street from the restaurant, to take in the scene.Meg could make out crafts booths, an array of impressively large pumpkins, a cluster of antique cars in the church parking lot, a tent with what looked like a petting zoo, and a table laden with pies.“Are you ready for this, Mother?”“It looks charming.I’m so glad you have good weather for it.” Her mother was smiling.“Something smells good,” Elizabeth said.“Lead on!”Meg discovered immediately that the chef-owners of the newly opened Gran’s, Nicky and Brian Czarnecki, had set up a booth at the end closest to their restaurant and were doling out samples of food.Nicky greeted Meg with a squeal of glee.“Meg, isn’t this wonderful? I’m having so much fun! Is this your mother? I’m Nicky and this is my husband, Brian, and we run the restaurant over there.Ooh, I love saying that!”“Yes, I’m Elizabeth Corey.Meg’s told me a bit about your place.I’m looking forward to trying it.”“Of course! Meg, call me and we can set up a night, and we’ll plan something really special.Mrs.Corey, we wouldn’t be here without Meg’s help, you know, and we’re just so grateful!”“I’m just happy to have some great food in town, Nicky,” Meg said.“Good to see you, but we’d better check out the rest of the booths.”“Not without tasting this first,” Nicky said, handing them each a plate with something that Meg couldn’t identify.Meg and Elizabeth helped themselves.“That’s terrific.What is it?” Meg asked.Nicky giggled.“It’s a secret.A recipe I’m testing.Maybe it’ll be on the menu the night you come to dinner.Bye now!”As they walked away, Elizabeth said, “My, she’s a bundle of energy.And she can cook!”“That she can, and she’s a real asset to the town.What else looks good?”They strolled and ogled, and Elizabeth collected a number of craft items and jars of jelly, which in turn necessitated buying an attractive quilted bag to carry them all in.They feasted on hamburgers and surprisingly good french fries, followed by three kinds of pie, accompanied by fresh local cider.Meg wondered if any of her apples had found their way into the batch.Luckily they had located seats on a bench under one of the old maples that ringed the green.“You know, I think I’m beginning to understand the appeal of New England,” Elizabeth commented.“This is so charming, so timeless.” Then she stiffened to attention.“Didn’t we see that man at Daniel’s service? Is he from town?”Meg followed the direction of her gaze.“The tall black man in the nice jacket? I don’t know him, but then, I still don’t know a lot of people in town.He does look a bit overdressed to be local.I think you’re right, though, that he was at the service.Did you want to talk to him?”“I’m not sure what excuse I could give.Oh, why not?” Elizabeth quickly gathered up the remains of their lunch, deposited them in the nearest trash can, then walked over to where the man was standing, apparently admiring odds and ends on a white elephant table.Meg trailed behind.“Excuse me,” Elizabeth began, “but were you a friend of Daniel Weston?”The man regarded her gravely.“I was a colleague, yes.Why do you ask?”“I thought so.” Elizabeth flashed what Meg recognized as her social smile
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