Stormy Surrender - By Nicole Andrews Moore Page 0,8
bring with her. Finally, she slung the black Calvin Klein duffle over her shoulder, yanked her toiletry bag from the corner it was wedged into, and made her way back to the porch.
A woman with shoulder length blond hair greeted her at the door. She was wiping her hands on a towel that was slung over her shoulder. “Come on in,” she said in a warm welcoming voice.
“I’m Martha,” she began quietly, suddenly very tired and very overwhelmed from her journey. She held out a hand.
“You’re not from around here are you?” The woman smiled kindly. “I’m Keely,” she announced, “owner and operator of Hope House.” She beamed proudly and quickly drew Martha into a hug.
Martha was taken aback at first, but realized that as much as she was shocked by this manner of greeting from a complete stranger, she was desperate for some kind of human contact. It had been so long since she had experienced any physical contact at all. For the second time that day, she could feel her eyes welling with tears and she pulled away.
Keely tipped her head to the side and studied her a moment. “How about we show you to your room, then I bring you up a nice meal?” She paused for a reaction, “Or you can join the rest of the guests in the dining room if you would prefer.” She had already picked up the bags that Martha had set in the entry and was heading up the stairs as she spoke. “I just thought you might like a nice warm bath to go along with the fire we readied in your fireplace.”
Following behind her, Martha finally managed to respond. “I think you’re right.” She sighed heavily. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me this evening. Being all emotional is so unlike me.” She tried to work on her smile for a moment, but failed miserably. “I’m not fit for public consumption at the moment. A meal and bath in the room would be…lovely.”
Once they reached the landing, Keely paused. “I hope you don’t mind, but I put you in a room in the front of the house.” She gestured to have Martha head toward a door to the right. “Normally, I would have preferred to have you overlooking the gardens, but they aren’t much to look at in December I’m afraid.” She unlocked the door, moved aside so Martha could enter and followed her in.
“Now, if you look out here,” she gestured as she opened one of the heavy damask navy curtains, “you have a perfect view of the town all lit up and decorated for the holidays.” She turned and folded her hands across her ample stomach as she watched Martha for a reaction.
A weak smile played at the corner of Martha’s lips. “It’s a wonderful room,” she said honestly. She studied it now, with the night sky blue on the top of the walls separating the white bottom wainscoting by a chair rail. The large brick fireplace against the back center wall had an ornate wooden mantle with an antique mirror hung above it. There were unlit candles in the wall sconces on either side of the mirror. The effect was warm and inviting.
One of the best features of the room was the queen sized four poster canopy bed covered in clean white linens and a plethora of puffy pillows. She sighed, already imagining laying in it. To the right of the bed was a writing desk, similar to the one she had left behind, though this one was probably authentic whereas hers was a reproduction. The matching chair was upholstered in dark blue damask.
“So, this will do?” Keely questioned. She pointed towards a door to the right of the fireplace. “Your private bathroom is through there.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “Don’t worry; we’ve updated the bathrooms entirely. Found the guests don’t want that authentic an experience.” She winked as she walked back to the door. “I’ll be back in thirty minutes with a hot meal. You just relax.”
Martha stood in the center of the room with her arms wrapped around her. It was a habit recently developed when she discovered after her hospital stay that she couldn’t get warm. Her memories drifted to that experience and she shuddered. She saw Keely tense, and quickly responded. “I’m sorry. Must be the climate change.” She offered a weak smile and continued, “I think that bath may be just what I need.”
Nodding and smiling once more, Keely walked through