A Taste of Death (Maggie Olenski Series) by Mary Ellen Hughes Page A
Authors: Mary Ellen Hughes
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smiled an "It's okay ," recognizing one of the people who had been sitting with Regina. Regina followed in a moment, but toning up her pea coat. She paused at their table, checking out their plates.
"Good," she fairly grunted to Dyna. "I see you're continuing to take your diet seriously." Her words were approving, but anyone hearing only the tone, or seeing her face might have thought she was scolding Dyna. Maggie wondered what it would be like to truly be on the receiving end of Regina's wrath, and hoped she'd never find out.
"Yes, Regina, I've been cutting out meat for nearly a year now. Have you met my friend Maggie Olenski?"
"Saw you at the town meeting. How do."
Maggie shook the firm hand Regina held out to her. She felt uncomfortably on the edge of a squirm as she noticed Regina glaring at her plate of Beef Bourguignonne, but a flash of annoyance brought out her stubbornness instead. She speared a chunk of beef and popped it into her mouth, smiling benignly up at her critic as she chewed. Regina continued to glower, but Maggie thought she caught a glint of amusement in Regina's eyes before she turned back to Dyna.
"You came to the right restaurant for a good choice of vegetarian meals. Had to convince him ," Regina tossed her head in the direction of the kitchen, "it was in his own best interests to add them, but he did a good job on it once he got going."
Maggie wondered what form Regina's 'convincing' took, and how she managed to persuade Dan Morgan - who looked like he had a stubborn streak of his own - to do something he might not have originally intended. She was picturing the two matching glare for glare when Regina broke into her reverie.
"You two hear about the school's fund-raising dinner?"
"Uh-huh," Dyna answered, "today, as a matter of fact."
"You can buy tickets from me, if you like. I wasn't going to be involved, with it being at the Warwick's home. But now it's just Mrs. Warwick, I don't mind. It's a good cause, you know." Regina smiled for the first time, and Maggie wasn't sure if it was in honor of the good cause, or at the thought that now there would be one less Warwick in attendance.
Maggie realized she wanted to find out more about this woman , and she spoke up before Dyna could respond. "We would like to help the school. As a teacher myself... " Maggie paused and saw Regina's face immediately show approval, as she knew it would. Everyone she met since she received her teaching degree seemed to react the same favorable way, which was pleasant, but would have been even more pleasant if that approval had extended to voting for increased teachers' salaries. She continued, "...I understand the often dire needs of schools. Can I stop by and get the tickets from you tomorrow?"
Regina nodded. "Of course. I'll be home in the morning. You know my house?" She raised her eyebrows inquiringly at Dyna.
"Sure, right up there at the top of Fernhill Road?"
Regina nodded, twice this time, since it apparently also signified her good-bye. "Not before eight," she said as she turned and walked away, jamming her knit cap over her grey hair before she pushed through the outer door.
"Eight?" Maggie repeated, to Dyna.
"She goes out hiking before sunrise - even in the winter!"
"Hmm. Maybe vegetarian does have its merits," Maggie said, but grinne d quickly to show she wasn’t really serious.
"So we're going to Leslie's fund-raiser," Dyna said. "Have you thought about what we'll wear? This sounds like a fancy function."
"Oops. I sure didn't pack anything remotely fancy. Well, we'll figure something out." Maggie finished up her dinner, resisting an urge to mop up the last of the delicious sauce, and asked Dyna if she wanted dessert. She ferven tly hoped she didn't because Maggie was anxious to get back to the cabin. Dyna must have picked up on the vibes because she shook her head, puffing out her cheeks at the same time as if to prove she was full enough. Maggie asked for their check and before long they both
"Good," she fairly grunted to Dyna. "I see you're continuing to take your diet seriously." Her words were approving, but anyone hearing only the tone, or seeing her face might have thought she was scolding Dyna. Maggie wondered what it would be like to truly be on the receiving end of Regina's wrath, and hoped she'd never find out.
"Yes, Regina, I've been cutting out meat for nearly a year now. Have you met my friend Maggie Olenski?"
"Saw you at the town meeting. How do."
Maggie shook the firm hand Regina held out to her. She felt uncomfortably on the edge of a squirm as she noticed Regina glaring at her plate of Beef Bourguignonne, but a flash of annoyance brought out her stubbornness instead. She speared a chunk of beef and popped it into her mouth, smiling benignly up at her critic as she chewed. Regina continued to glower, but Maggie thought she caught a glint of amusement in Regina's eyes before she turned back to Dyna.
"You came to the right restaurant for a good choice of vegetarian meals. Had to convince him ," Regina tossed her head in the direction of the kitchen, "it was in his own best interests to add them, but he did a good job on it once he got going."
Maggie wondered what form Regina's 'convincing' took, and how she managed to persuade Dan Morgan - who looked like he had a stubborn streak of his own - to do something he might not have originally intended. She was picturing the two matching glare for glare when Regina broke into her reverie.
"You two hear about the school's fund-raising dinner?"
"Uh-huh," Dyna answered, "today, as a matter of fact."
"You can buy tickets from me, if you like. I wasn't going to be involved, with it being at the Warwick's home. But now it's just Mrs. Warwick, I don't mind. It's a good cause, you know." Regina smiled for the first time, and Maggie wasn't sure if it was in honor of the good cause, or at the thought that now there would be one less Warwick in attendance.
Maggie realized she wanted to find out more about this woman , and she spoke up before Dyna could respond. "We would like to help the school. As a teacher myself... " Maggie paused and saw Regina's face immediately show approval, as she knew it would. Everyone she met since she received her teaching degree seemed to react the same favorable way, which was pleasant, but would have been even more pleasant if that approval had extended to voting for increased teachers' salaries. She continued, "...I understand the often dire needs of schools. Can I stop by and get the tickets from you tomorrow?"
Regina nodded. "Of course. I'll be home in the morning. You know my house?" She raised her eyebrows inquiringly at Dyna.
"Sure, right up there at the top of Fernhill Road?"
Regina nodded, twice this time, since it apparently also signified her good-bye. "Not before eight," she said as she turned and walked away, jamming her knit cap over her grey hair before she pushed through the outer door.
"Eight?" Maggie repeated, to Dyna.
"She goes out hiking before sunrise - even in the winter!"
"Hmm. Maybe vegetarian does have its merits," Maggie said, but grinne d quickly to show she wasn’t really serious.
"So we're going to Leslie's fund-raiser," Dyna said. "Have you thought about what we'll wear? This sounds like a fancy function."
"Oops. I sure didn't pack anything remotely fancy. Well, we'll figure something out." Maggie finished up her dinner, resisting an urge to mop up the last of the delicious sauce, and asked Dyna if she wanted dessert. She ferven tly hoped she didn't because Maggie was anxious to get back to the cabin. Dyna must have picked up on the vibes because she shook her head, puffing out her cheeks at the same time as if to prove she was full enough. Maggie asked for their check and before long they both
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