Ms. Bunting was thrilled to hear from Jane. "John's gone off with cronies from the old days to play golf. They'll probably all collapse from heatstroke. I'll be in front of the hotel waiting for you just roll down a window and wave at me. I'm so glad you made these arrangements! I'd have been bored senseless and worrying about John's health if you hadn't."

Shelley made her call to the caterer. She also called several department stores that had good jewelry departments to see if any of them had one of those roll-up jewelry things with the clear pockets. She found one place that did.

"It's in that mall across from where we stayed for the mystery conference. We could take Ms. Bunting to lunch at that fabulous restaurant we discovered there, after we get her all set up."

"You like her, don't you? So do I," Jane said.

Martha at the needlepoint shop was gracious to Ms. Bunting, but had calmed,down and didn't gush too effusively — except for wanting to know which play she had been in with Sylvia Sidney.

Ms. Bunting said it was Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams in 1973. Sylvia was one of the leads. Ms. Bunting was offered only a small part, but she took it in order to get to know Sylvia. "She was almost as old then as I am now. But she had more energy than I do. You know, she was once married to the publisher Bennett Cerf, and again to an actor named Luther Adler. She only died in 1999. She was eighty-nine years old. A very durable woman."

"Indeed she was. And I've heard of both of her husbands," Martha said. "Well, I shouldn't take more of your time with this just now. I want to get you set up for class tomorrow."

Ms. Bunting chose a combination of mauves, slate blues, and several clear greens. Martha told her what the assignment was, adding, "But you, of course, Ms. Bunting, may do anything you wish."