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Charlotte returned to the kitchen and got out the flour and lard None of those store-bought piecrusts for her! She had the time and a recipe she’d inherited from her mother, one that couldn’t be matched

"Come and chat with me," she called out to Ben as she kneaded the flour and lard The dough was soft and supple; her , but the tihed Her mother, God rest her soul, had been a wonderful cook

So for Justine and her new restaurant were from Charlotte’s ing to translate for a modern kitchen--and a cook who couldn’t spend all day preparing the?" Ben asked as he slid into a kitchen chair

"Oh, I was just thinking about s"

"Oh?"

"For years she told me it was a secret family recipe Soredients"

"That’s it?"

"Oh, there are a couple of other things, but no big deal The real secret was in cooking theood long while I decided that was too vague and iiven them to her yet?"

"No, but the collection’s nearly ready" Many of the original recipes had been lost over the years--or never written down--and Charlotte had to reconstruct them from memory The project had helped fill the dreary winter days With Ben so depressed lately, she’d stayed close to horilled chicken from the deli in this potpie," Charlotte confessed She’d picked up two of them the day before, since they came in handy and never went to waste

Ben dismissed her concern "No one will know"

"I will, but it’s nearly as tasty and it does save ot up and poured himself a second cup of coffee "I heard from David yesterday afternoon"

Charlotte’s hands moetting groceries She waited for him to elaborate, and when he didn’t she felt compelled to remain silent Ben would tell her as soon as he was ready

"He wanted another loan"

That was hardly a shock The only tiest son called hen he needed financial assistance David was a user and had no skills when it cae to anyone, including that young girl who’d just had his baby And his father

"What did you say to hiry with you" This was a pattern Ben had held firm to his stipulation He refused to lend his son any more money until David paid back the loans he’d already e, Ben had received a few checks from David, but they’d all bounced due to insufficient funds

Nothing had upset her husbandthat his son had fathered a child and then abandoned the mother--and this was after his divorce Naturally David denied that he was responsible for Mary Jo’s pregnancy, but given his history and given the girl’s sincerity, that denial was just another lie

"We had an arguht

Charlotte duh on a floured board "I have a son who’s disappointedto reassure him that many parents faced such trials She rarely referred to Will as a disappointment, but the fact that he’d been repeatedly unfaithful to his wife had distressed Charlotte deeply Like any mother, she wanted to believe the best of her child Sadly, she recognized that was no longer possible with the ressions are bad enough, but they don’t come close to David’s"

"I suppose so…" At least Will hadn’t tried to steal froood brother to Olivia during her illness

"I keep wondering what I could’ve done to set David straight when he was young," Ben said

"You can’t blame yourself," Charlotte countered quickly, "any more than I can blaree with her "Intellectually I know you’re right, but that doesn’t wipe out the regrets"

Charlotte identified with his sorrow When she’d learned how Will had taken advantage of Grace Sherman, how he’d lied andcharacter flaws in one’s child was a dull ache in a parent’s heart

"Besides, Will’s straightened out his life," Ben said "It sure looks like it, anyway"

Charlotte fervently hoped that was the case, but she couldn’t be positive He’d never shown her that deceitful side of hinore the less-than-salutary aspects of his behavior

"I talked to hi well It’s good to see hi there"

"I heard he’s seeing Shirley Bliss"

Charlotte had heard that bit of local gossip, too The artist had iht her son’s eye She hoped this relationship was right for the roo After she’d placed the bottoravy and added the cut-up chicken and sautéed vegetables When she’d finished, she poured the ed the strips of lattice on top and set all three dishes in the oven