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Elizabeth set the plate down on a table and then took Will’s hand. "Aunt Dee, this is Will Darcy. Will, this is my aunt Odina, more commonly known as Aunt Dee."
"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Gardiner," Will said.
"It's nice to meet you too, Will. We’re happy the two of you could visit."
"We've been looking forward to it," Will replied.
"What do you have planned for the weekend?" Mrs. Gardiner asked.
Elizabeth shrugged. "We’ll probably just stay in Edgartown today, but I'd like to take Will to the cliffs tomorrow and to the gingerbread houses…and I think a trip to the Flying Horses is in order.”
Dee laughed. "I’m not sure this one willfiton the Flying Horses."
Elizabeth grinned. "He'll fit."
"Well, we'd like to have you for dinner tonight, if you don’t have other plans," Dee said.
"We'd like that."
"Why don't you come back around six?"
"That sounds great," Elizabeth replied.
Ed shook Will's hand again. "Pleasure to meet you, Will. We'll see you tonight." His grasp was firm as he looked Will in the eye. "Have fun, and take good care of our Lizzy."
"No worries, Ed. She’s in good hands.”
* * *
They spentthe remainder of the afternoon wandering the streets of Edgartown, visiting shops and a couple of galleries, and then went back to the hotel to freshen up and change. Once again they eyed the huge bed and were tempted to dawdle, but didn’t want to be late for dinner.
They left the hotel and walked first to a liquor store, where Will purchased a bottle of wine, before continuing on toward the inn. The sidewalks were mobbed, and the stores and restaurants they passed were crowded with customers.
"Is it always like this?" he asked as they dodged kids with ice cream and people walking their dogs.
"Things start to slow down in October. If you were to come here in February, you'd be shocked at how deserted the streets are."
They climbed the steps to the inn and were greeted by Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle.
"Let me check on things in the kitchen," Dee said, and turned to Elizabeth. "Why don't you join me?"
The women disappeared, and Ed led Will outside to the patio. They made small talk at first, with Will telling Ed about the places they’d visited today; but Will soon got the impression that Ed was feeling him out. Although most of his questions were harmless—“Have you met my sister?”—one in particular was quite pointed.
"Do you think you’ll be staying on the Cape for good?"
Will paused and held the older man’s gaze. “I’ll have the occasional business trip, but the Cape is my home.”
Mr. Gardiner exhaled heavily, looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry. It's none of my business, but I only have Lizzy's best interests at heart. She’s been through a lot, and I’m probably a little too protective of her. We both are. And you’ve met my sister, so you must have an idea of what she’s like. Lizzy hasn’t had much support from her."
Will nodded, but when he tried to think of a way to explain his interactions with Elizabeth’s mother without being offensive, words failed him.
"Don't try to rationalize her behavior, it's impossible," Ed said, as if reading Will’s mind. “Jason’s family was quite wealthy, and when he up and disappeared, Frances blamed Lizzy for not securing him. And honestly, her father didn’t help the situation. David loves Lizzy, but he chalked up the whole mess to the fickleness of young love. He gave no credit to Lizzy's feelings at all."
Ed’s explanation came to a halt when Elizabeth and Dee came outside to join them.
"What have you two been doing?" Dee asked, hands on her hips. "Why hasn’t that bottle of wine been opened yet?"
"I'll get right to it, dear," Ed replied, and winked.
