She looked at her watch. She still had an hour before her next customer was due to show up. She could spare fifteen minutes to see what was new.

"Hi, Harriet,” Marjory called from the back of the store. “Make yourself at home. I'll be with you in a minute."

A slender woman who looked to be around Avanell's age was at the counter.

"I'm sorry, I sent Marjory to search her new shipment to see if she got a maroon fabric I need. How are you surviving with Beth gone?"

Harriet wasn't sure she'd ever get used to the way news traveled in this town. The Threads probably knew Aunt Beth had left before she had-and she'd watched the taxi drive away.

She'd been a child when she first lived here with Aunt Beth. Back then, Foggy Point had seemed a wondrous place, filled with beaches to walk on, woods to explore and friendly neighbors who always had a warm cookie and glass of milk for an intrepid explorer. She had been unaware then of how everyone knew everyone else's business, leaving little room for privacy.

"I'm Jenny Logan,” the woman said when Harriet didn't offer any additional information. “I came late last week, so I didn't get to meet you. I'm bringing you my show quilt in…” She glanced at her watch.”… not quite an hour."

"I'm on my way home now,” Harriet said. She turned to go back out.

"There's no need to rush,” Jenny said. “I'm going to look at the new fall fabrics Marjory got in. If I start now, I might get a Halloween wall hanging done this year."

"I'm on foot, though,” Harriet explained.

"Why don't you let me give you a ride, then? If you would, you could give me some ideas for this crazy baby cover I have to make. My son Mark and his wife just had a baby boy. They're both in school at Texas A &M and want a maroon-and-white quilt with black-and-grey trim. I'm trying to figure out how to use those colors and have it still look like it's for a baby."