Muriel Jensen - Father Fever

Obviously, she was going to need more information before she could do that, and it was going to take a hands-on approach.

“We’re going to the costume party,” Athena had said authoritatively.

“Oh, no,” Augusta had groaned.

But Alexis was in agreement and, as had happened throughout their childhood, Augusta had been forced to go along or be left behind.

They’d reached the coast by noon the following day, and found a costume shop in Lincoln City not far from Dancer’s Beach. The chatty clerk told them the historical society party was responsible for the thin selection of costumes left. Then she added, without realizing how they valued the information, “The hosts will be dressed as the Three Musketeers.”

“We’re not going to get away with this,” Augusta complained anew. “Some of these people might remember us as children.”

“The masks will conceal our identities,” Athena argued confidently. “We came here a few times as adults, but usually on such quick visits, we never even got to town. If anyone saw us all together, or if we were dressed the same, they might recognize us, but we’ll be dressed differently and our eyes will be covered.”

Alexis frowned. “What difference does it make if we’re recognized or not?”

Athena glanced impatiently at her sister. “If we’re recognized, then Hartford and his friends will know who we are and whatever information they might have shared with us is down the tubes.”

Alexis made a face. “And you think if they don’t know who we are, they’ll eagerly tell us they’ve coerced an old woman into leaving Hartford her house?”

“No,” Athena replied with a huff, “but if they’re being hit on by women who flatter them and hang on their every word, they might loosen up and let information slip.”

Gusty groaned, “I hate this.”

“Got to give you credit,” Alexis said, patting Athena’s shoulder. “That’s a plot worthy of Mom’s manipulative schemes.”

Athena bristled but remained calm. She had a lot to do tonight, and she couldn’t do it with half her mind distracted by old sibling rivalries.

Then Alexis continued. “You remind me a little of her lately with that severe expression when you’re…”

That did it. Athena pulled over, the surprised driver behind her leaning on his horn as he swerved around her on the wet road.

Athena glowered at Alexis. “I bear no resemblance whatsoever to Mom,” she said loudly. “But if you think so, you can just get out of the car!”

Alexis blinked at the outburst. “Calm down. It was a harmless obser—”

“You’re never harmless!” Athena shouted. “You’re always likening me to Mom in subtle little ways and you know I hate it!”

Alexis’s mouth settled into a grim line. She unlocked her door. “Fine,” she said stiffly. “I’ll just…”

As she tried to open the door, Gusty reached over the seat and locked the door. “Come on, Athena,” she said quietly. “Lex didn’t mean it.” She gave their sister a scolding look. “You know how she is.”

“I don’t,” Alexis retorted. “How am I?”

“Determined to blame us,” Gusty said quietly, “because Mom wasn’t the mother you wanted her to be. You were always sure that if it had been just you alone, she’d have loved you. You think we crowded that out, but we didn’t. She just didn’t have love in her.”

Alexis folded her arms and stared out the windshield. “That’s a little oversimplified.”

Augusta shrugged. “Most things that are big on the outside come down to one very simple thing on the inside.”

Athena, a little startled by that profound observation, leaned back with a sigh as traffic sped past.

“You pick on Athena most,” Augusta went on, “because Mom loved her most—or, at least as much as she was able to love anyone. She thought you were a dreamer and I was a coward. She had no use for us.”

Athena closed her eyes, trying to blot out the memory of that beautiful woman who’d failed them at every turn.

“What does it say about us,” she asked no one in particular, “that she still dictates our behavior toward one another after all these years?”

“That we’re normal,” Augusta replied. “A lot of people don’t have anyone to work through the past with.”

Alexis frowned at her. “I hate it when I’m angry and you just flatten out the source of it with logic and understanding.”

Augusta smiled in the face of her exasperation. “No, you don’t. You really love me and Athena, you just deal with your own rejection by trying to reject us in return. But we’re here for you whether you like it or not.”

Alexis turned to Athena, a new alliance formed in their amazement over Augusta. “Where did this Pollyanna come from?” She shook her head. “I can’t in all conscience leave you alone with her.”

Athena felt the turmoil always created inside her by the mention of their mother settle down into the acceptance she always thought she’d mastered but hadn’t quite.

“Okay. But, I’m not like her.” She didn’t have to specify who she meant.

“I know,” Alexis replied. “I’m just…jealous.”

Athena raised an eyebrow in astonishment. “Of what?”

“Your ability to get on with it. I still wonder all the time what I did wrong.”

“The same thing we all did,” Athena replied. “We challenged her position as most beautiful and adored. We didn’t mean to, but we were born with her looks and we were children. We stole the show. She couldn’t forgive us for that.”

“And she couldn’t love us,” Augusta finished. “It’s nothing we did. The sooner we all come to terms with that, the sooner we find relationships, let love into our lives. Move on.”

“After we get the truth out of the Cliffside gentlemen,” Athena said. She reached a hand toward each of her sisters. “Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

“Agreed.”

They stacked hands in the ritual sharing of an oath—in the tradition of the Three Musketeers.

ATHENA STOOD on Cliffside’s wide doorstep, tugging at the neckline of her Regency period gown. Her hair was partially concealed by a beaded cap that left only a few red tendrils showing.

The cut of her gown made her bosom swell above the low neckline and she was wishing that the costume had come with a shawl.

Lex pulled her hand away.

Athena held up her white silk mask while Lex tugged down on the neckline of her dress. “I thought you wanted him to be so captivated by you that he’ll tell you everything. Showing bosom does that to a man.”

“Easy for you to say.” Athena indicated the relatively high neckline of her simple, slip-style flapper dress. “You’re covered.”

Lex put her fingertip to the hem of the dress that fell above midthigh. “If I showed any more leg, this would be a chemise!”

Gusty fidgeted with the strings of her bag and looked anxiously toward the window where revelers could be seen laughing and dancing.

“Relax!” Athena ordered. “You’re going to be fine. You look so sweet and innocent, the one you get will spill his guts to you.”

The door was opened by a pretty but considerably mature Marie Antoinette who’d eaten a little cake herself.

She looked first surprised, then smiled widely. “You must be those pretty girls in the chamber of commerce office!”

Athena, Lex and Gusty smiled in unison.

Marie Antoinette opened the door wider, inviting them inside.

Athena felt a virulent stab of nostalgia. The house was so familiar and…not. She looked around her and recognized the armoire that had been upstairs, the little round mahogany parlor table. But the sofa and chairs were new, as was the artwork on the walls.

And the duck decoys.