A few seconds later, the door swung open and Chloe smiled at Penny Terry. “I thought you might be here tonight.”
Penny grinned. “I couldn’t miss meeting our latest guests. Hi, Liam and Oscar. Come on in out of the cold. Sacha and Mary are in the front living room. Follow me.”
She led them through the cozy lobby. The wooden beams and plush furnishings gave the space a welcoming atmosphere. They passed a Christmas tree adorned with delicate ornaments and twinkling lights and lots of Christmas decorations covering an old wooden bookcase.
“There they are,” Penny said, gesturing toward a sofa where two women sat chatting.
Sacha looked up and waved enthusiastically. Eleanor’s great-great-granddaughter must be in her late twenties. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders and her eyes were full of warmth. Mary, her mom, stood and smiled at them with the same infectious energy.
“You must be Chloe,” Sacha said as they approached her.
“I am. Welcome to Sapphire Bay!” She hugged both women. “Thank you for coming all this way.”
“We’re excited to be here,” Mary said. “It’s wonderful to finally meet you in person. And this must be Oscar.” She looked down at him and smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Hi,” Oscar said, offering her a shy smile.
Chloe touched Liam’s arm. “And this is my boyfriend, Liam. If Penny hadn’t told him about the murals, none of this would be happening.”
Sacha smiled. “In that case, we’re very happy Liam came to Sapphire Bay. Penny was just telling us about the letter her family found.”
“Our story isn’t nearly as exciting,” Mary said. “But it’s important to us.”
Liam took off his jacket and helped Oscar out of his. “A lot of people will be interested in Eleanor’s story, especially once we know more about her life.”
Penny smiled. “Can I get everyone something to drink? We have lemon ginger or raspberry tea, coffee, and hot chocolate?”
“Hot chocolate, please!” Oscar chimed in.
“Make that two,” Liam said with a grin.
“Lemon ginger tea for me, please,” Chloe requested.
“I’ll have coffee,” Mary said, and Sacha nodded in agreement.
“Coming right up,” Penny said, heading toward the kitchen.
They settled into the seating area, the crackling fire providing a cozy backdrop.
Mary reached down and lifted a sturdy leather satchel onto the table. “We brought all of Eleanor’s letters, Clara’s diaries, some photographs, and a few personal items to Sapphire Bay.”
Chloe’s heart pounded. “I’m so grateful you were willing to share these with us.”
“It’s our pleasure,” Mary assured her. “Eleanor was an amazing woman. Her story deserves to be told.” She reached into the satchel and took out bundles of letters tied with faded ribbons. “Clara, Eleanor’s sister, was a prolific letter writer. She also kept every letter she received from close family members.”
Liam frowned. “Where did Eleanor’s family live?”
“They lived close to Oregon. From what we’ve read, it doesn’t sound as though Clara and Eleanor saw each other very often.” Sacha watched her mom untie the first bundle of letters. “I can’t imagine my sister living so far away when we couldn’t hop on a plane to see each other.”
Mary handed Chloe the top two letters. “We think Clara kept these to make her feel closer to her sister. These letters were written after Eleanor left New York City.”
Chloe unfolded the top letter, the delicate paper crinkling softly. The handwriting was elegant and flowing.
“Dearest Clara,
Returning to Montana has been both a relief and a sorrow. The familiarity of home soothes me, yet my heart aches with the absence of Samuel.”
Chloe glanced up. “So she came back to Montana after things ended with Samuel?”
