A Gala Event (30 page)

Nicky and Brian had transformed the restaurant for the wedding and the party. Darkness fell early in December, so they had distributed candles everywhere possible (that was safe), and where there was a fire hazard, battery-run tea lights. The space inside glowed, sending golden light into the night and drawing the guests in.

Inside it was crowded, though short of packed. Nicky had known the capacity of the restaurant and had used it wisely. She wouldn't have gotten hung up on the legal limit, but she knew her business well enough to know what people's comfort level was. They wanted to be able to circulate easily; to stop and chat with friends and neighbors without feeling like they were clogging up the flow of traffic; to reach Nicky's wonderful food and walk away with a delightful sampling of bite-sized goodies without worrying about dropping them either on the floor or down the front of someone's shirt. Nicky had found the right balance.

Meg leaned back against Seth and admired the scene from their relatively quiet corner. This is what a wedding should be: happy people gathered together to celebrate. They'd let people come find them if they chose, and many of them did. Meg could see her parents deep in conversation with a pair of couples about their own age, on the opposite side of the room; Lydia and Christopher were standing close to each other, their heads together, and Meg wondered idly if there were any sparks there. They seemed to enjoy each other's company, but if they were seeing each other, they'd been very quiet about it. No matter. As if sensing her thoughts, Christopher excused himself to Lydia and came over to talk to them.

“That was a lovely ceremony, Christopher,” Meg said. “I'm glad we stuck to the traditional text, with only a few small changes.” Like discarding any reference to “obey.”

“Ah, my dear, the old ways have survived this long for a good reason. I hope you both will be very happy. You certainly look happy.”

“I am,” Meg said simply. She had been in Granford two years short a month now, and was amazed at how her life had changed, in ways she never could have foreseen. Two years before she'd been jobless, all but homeless, and, yes, depressed. And that was before she had found a body in her yard. And back then, when Seth had first met her, he had thought she was either delusional or just annoying. Worse, his opinion had darkened even more when she had managed to involve his own family in solving that murder. How and when had that turned around? It was hard to remember now.

If she had realized she would end up working in agriculture, she might have managed her education differently, but becoming a farmer had just kind of happened, not that she regretted it. It was honest work, if demanding, and she took
pride in her apple harvest. She was glad Bree had signed on with her to manage the orchard, and stuck with her this far. They'd turned a decent profit this year, despite some major obstacles, and Meg hoped next year would be better still, especially if they managed to install that automated irrigation system she coveted. Another year or two beyond that, the new trees that she and Seth owned together would begin bearing fruit.
Meg, what are you doing at your own wedding thinking about business?
She swallowed a laugh.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Seth's breath was warm on her neck as he leaned close to whisper in her ear.

“Irrigation plans. Oh, and that was a great shower this morning.” And it had been ready just in time for the wedding—only a few days later than scheduled.

Seth burst out laughing. “You are the very soul of romance, Mrs. Chapin.”

“Am I Mrs. Chapin? That's one more thing we never really settled. Ms. Chapin? Ms. Corey-Chapin? Or is that too much my mother's generation's kind of thing?”

“Whatever you want, Meg. My ego does not depend on what name you choose. Although I'm sure all those generations of ancestors around here might have other ideas.”

“I'll think about it. At least I wouldn't have to change all my monograms.”

“You have anything that's monogrammed?” Seth asked in mock horror.

“Nope. See? Easy.”

“I'm glad Rachel came. Maggie seems not to mind the fuss.”

“Babies are tough—they can sleep through anything. Like cats. Your mother and Christopher seem to be getting along well,” Meg observed.

“No, she hasn't told me anything, if that's what you're asking.”

“Maybe. It would be nice, wouldn't it? Christopher's one of the most interesting older men I've met.”

Nicky bustled over. “How is everything? Do you like the food? I kind of mingled old favorites with some new experiments. Do you need your champagne topped up? The crowd doesn't look like it's going anywhere soon.”

Meg laughed. “Nicky, take a breath. Do they have to leave at any particular time? Because we're happy to keep the party going as long as there's food and drink and people, not necessarily in that order.”

“We're good on all of those, I think—I wouldn't skimp for you two, since this place probably wouldn't exist if it weren't for you. If there's anything left over, it will go to a local shelter.”

“Good idea. Thank you.”

As soon as Nicky had left, Rachel made her way over. “Maggie-lamb here needs feeding, so we should go. This has been so lovely! Just the right size, and all the people we wanted to see. And Christopher was great, wasn't he? I could listen to him say anything with that accent of his—British with just a dash of Aussie.”

Meg smiled. “Obviously that's why we chose him. Patrick Stewart had a prior commitment, and Liam Neeson is filming on some other continent.”

Rachel looked bewildered, then laughed. “Okay, you're kidding.”

“Of course I am,” Meg told her.

Rachel looked at the two of them with tears in her eyes. She dashed them away impatiently. “Leftover baby hormones. But let me say this: I am so happy that you two found
each other, and I am sure that you will lead long and productive and contented lives, with just enough speed bumps to make things interesting. And on that note I will go home and give Maggie dinner and take my shoes off.”

“I'm glad you all could come—even Maggie, although she won't remember her first wedding. We'll talk later.”

“Bye, Rachel. Hey”—Seth nudged Meg—“over there.”

Meg followed his gaze to see Aaron Eastman sidle in. He was wearing new clothes and had gotten a decent haircut, but that wasn't the biggest change. He stood straighter now, and actually smiled more. Rick had found him a job on his staff working in data management and had good things to say about him, and he'd promised to pursue the pardon angle, sooner or later. Meg figured it was the best possible outcome, at least for now.

Aaron looked up to see Meg watching him, so he moved through the crowd until he was standing in front of them. “Congratulations to you both.”

“Thank you, Aaron. Hey, we haven't seen any alpacas lately. Did you finish the fencing?”

“I did. I'm trying to learn to follow through and finish what I start, and the Gardners are nice people, and I figured I owed them. Anyway, thanks for inviting me to the wedding—you and Seth deserve to be happy.”

“So do you, Aaron,” Meg said.

He ducked his head, but he was smiling. “Well, I'm definitely happier now than I was a month ago. By the way, I need to tell you that I'm glad you found me. Back then I wasn't sure I was going to make it, or wanted to, but things are looking up. Thank you both.”

He moved away before Meg or Seth could respond. Meg felt Seth's arms tighten around her.

“You know, you might have said something a lot like that when I first met you,” he said.

Meg turned to face him. “If you recall, my original plan was to fix up the house and sell it as fast as I could and get out of town. Things didn't quite work out that way, did they?”

Seth smiled at her. “Not exactly, but I reap the rewards. And I'm glad you think it's important to help people like Aaron.”

“Some things are worth fighting for, Seth. I'm very glad I stayed.”

“So am
I.”

Wrapping up the apple harvest plus planning a wedding and solving a decades-old crime doesn't leave much time for cooking, so Meg looks for quick and easy recipes. Spicy Fish is a tasty solution. Most markets offer quick-frozen fish. Make sure you choose a firm-fleshed one (a more delicate fish like flounder or trout might not stand up to this recipe).

4 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed or minced

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 pound fish fillets (skinned)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons lemon juice

In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat until the garlic just begins to brown (about 3 minutes—do not burn!). Place in a small bowl and set aside to cool for an hour.

Combine the flour and spices in a large bowl.

In a cast-iron skillet, heat the cooking oil over medium-high.

Dredge the fish fillets in the flour-spice mixture and shake off the excess. Season with salt and black pepper. Place the fillets in the heated pan and cook until they begin to brown lightly (1–2 minutes). Turn the fillets in the pan, then immediately remove the pan from the heat and let the fish rest in the pan for about a minute.

Retrieve the garlic-flavored oil and whisk it with the lemon juice to make a kind of vinaigrette. Spoon it over the fish when you serve—it really brightens up the flavor.

Serve with rice, orzo, or couscous on the side.

People who are working hard in the orchard all day need more than healthy meals, so Meg whips up these delectable Toffee Crunch Blondies that should please anyone with a sweet tooth.

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup toffee bits or chunks

1 cup chocolate chips or chunks

1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9"x13" pan.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until they are fluffy. Beat in the eggs and continue to beat until the mixture is creamy. Add the vanilla and blend.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then stir it into the batter along with the milk.

By hand, stir in the two kinds of chocolate and the toffee chunks. (Use whatever form you like, but make sure the proportions are equal.)

Spread the dough evenly in the baking pan. Bake 25–30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Let cool, then cut into bars. Try not to eat them all at once!

Brian and Nicky Czarnecki are hosting Meg and Seth's wedding in their Granford restaurant, Gran's. Nicky is doing the cooking, and of course there will be cake—but not too fancy.
In honor of the bride who grows apples and the groom who rebuilds old houses, Nicky has found an antique recipe for apple cider cake that dates to 1827 (modernized just a bit for current use).

2 pounds flour (about 6 cups)

1 pound sugar (about 2 cups)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1–2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon cloves (or more if you like)

½ pound butter, softened

2 cups cider

One pound raisins or currants (soak these for a few minutes in boiling water to soften them)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a
large
bowl, place the dry ingredients and whisk them together. Add the soft butter and work it in until it's evenly distributed (mixture will be crumbly).

Add the cider (fresh and local if you have it) and mix until you have a stiff batter. Add the raisins last and mix again.

Butter and flour a 9"x13" baking pan. Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth out the top. Place in the preheated oven and bake until the top is lightly browned and the edges begin to pull away from the pan—probably around an hour. Cool in the pan.

This is a hearty cake that tastes fine without dressing it up. But for a wedding, it would go well with maple frosting, maybe with a drizzle of caramel sauce. Watch it
disappear!