Fort Meriwether is a hilly town, so hilly that sometimes you’ll look out your window and see your neighbor’s house has shifted a few feet closer to the Columbia River. And while a map may make it look like our house was an easy stroll from the bookstore, you need good calves, a funicular railroad, or a ski lift to get there.
“I’m still getting used to living on the side of a cliff,” Penny said. “It’s much flatter where I’m from, practically two-dimensional.”
“Can I suggest sensible shoes in the future?” I teased her. “You’re in Oregon now, kid. Practicality trumps fashion around here. See?”
I held out my foot for her to admire my waterproof hiking boots.
“Do those come in mauve?” she asked.
“No.”
“I’ll stick to my Mary Janes.”
“If you want, I could carry Koshka,” I offered. “Might help.”
“I like carrying him,” Penny said, giving Koshka a small scritch under his chin. “He doesn’t weigh much.”
Koshka, like his mistress, was mostly an indoor cat. He could’ve walked all the way home, but when Penny had volunteered to carry him? Well, Koshka never did say no to being lugged around by a pretty girl.
“You have a familiar, Penny?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation to harmless topics.
“I’ll get a dog eventually.”
“Where did you come from?”
“Oh,” she said breezily, “pretty little river town in the Midwest. Can’t even find it on a map.”
“What brings you out to the Pacific Northwest?”
“I have family out here. And I heard this was a very literary town with an active coven. I’ve only been here a month, but I like it!”
“I can tell,” I said flatly. “Have you met Medda Baker yet? The owner of the bookstore?”
“Not yet,” Penny said. Then she stopped and faced me.
“What?”
“I need to be very rude for a moment,” Penny said.
“Rude? You?”
“What did all that mean when you told Dr. Fanshawe you’d never use your umbrella to go to Elizabeth Bennet’s wedding or your own? I was so confused.”
“Long stupid story,” I said, toying with the ring on my left hand. “You know the Duke of Chicago?”
“Not personally,” she said. “But I know of his books.”
“So…he and I kind of had a thing.”
She didn’t bat an eyelash. “He is very charming!” she exclaimed.
“Very! I mean,very.”
“What did you do? Go on a date or two?”
“Worse. We fell in love.”
She gave a dreamy smile. “Sounds lovely.”
