Bess spun around, went to Nancy, and sat
beside her on the bed. “First you’ll tell him
you’re sorry,” she stated flatly. “Then you’ll
say that you love him. Then he’ll take you for a
moonlight drive …” Bess giggled. “And I’m
not going to say what happens after that.”
Nancy shook her head sadly. “I only wish it
could be that easy.”
Bess gave Nancy a hug. “Stop worrying. It’s
going to be fine.”
While Nancy pulled on a full-skirted blue
corduroy dress, Bess went on. “I talked to Jack
while you were napping. He’ll meet us in the
lobby at eight.”
“‘Us’?” Nancy repeated.
“Well, sure,” Bess said. “This is a group
event, you know, not a date.”
When they reached the head of the stairs,
Bess began searching through her purse. “I
forgot my compact,” she said. “I’ve got to go
back.”
“Okay,” Nancy said. “I’ll meet you in the
lobby.”
Jack, in worn but perfectly fitting jeans and a
red plaid shirt, was standing near the foot of
the stairs. He saw Nancy coming and gave her
a warm smile. “I called Bess after you got back
to the hotel, and she told me what happened,”
he said, concerned. “Are you all right?”
“Good as new,” Nancy said. “Bess will be
down in a minute.”
She took in the transformed lobby. All the
furniture had been cleared away from the
central area, and a small stage had been set up
near the windows. Paper lanterns dangled
from the log rafters, and bales of hay had been
placed along the walls.
“They did a great job of decorating this
place, didn’t they?” Jack said, and led the way
to a table at the edge of the dance floor. “I’m
glad you felt well enough to come. I’ve been
really looking forward to the dance,” he added
with a glance full of meaning.
“So has Bess,” Nancy replied pointedly as
she spotted her friend coming down the stairs.
Jack sprang to his feet as Bess approached.
“Hey, you look terrific!”
Bess blushed becomingly and threw in a
little curtsy.
The other tables were filling up. Two men
and a woman in matching shirts climbed up on
the stage and started tuning a guitar, fiddle,
and string bass.
A woman in a fringed leather vest joined the
trio on stage and picked up a microphone.
“Okay, folks,” she said. “We’re going to start
out real easy this evening. You don’t need a
partner for this one. Don’t be shy, just form
two long lines, gents on the left and ladies on
the right. The name of the tune is ‘Rabbit in
the Peapatch.'”
“Come on, you two,” Jack urged, springing
up. As the band launched into the rollicking
tune. Nancy saw Ned and Jennifer come in the
door. Jennifer was pulling Ned toward the two
lines of dancers.
As he passed, Ned spotted Nancy and
smiled at her tentatively. Then the dance
started, and Nancy was too busy following
the caller’s instructions to pay attention to
Ned.
“This is fun!” Bess exclaimed breathlessly
when the first number ended.
Nancy smiled, but her eyes were now search-
ing for Ned. There he was, she thought, near
the stage. He was looking around, too. For
her? Taking a deep breath, Nancy crossed the
room.
“Hi, Ned,” she said.
He didn’t say a word, only took her hand
and led her off to the far side of the fireplace.
They turned to face each other. Nancy could
hear the music start for the next dance, but the
only thing that mattered now was Ned.
He was staring down at the floor. She was
about to say something when he spoke up. “I
really lost it this afternoon,” he said, his brown
eyes shining. “I’m sorry. Nan. You know I
didn’t mean those things I said.”
“Of course I do,” Nancy responded. “I said
things I didn’t mean, too, and I’m sorry. I
really do understand the way you feel about
Professor Trainey. It’s just that-”
“It’s just that you’re too good a detective not
to follow up on all the evidence you find, no
matter where it leads,” he finished. “And I
wouldn’t want you any different.”