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The comment elicited a giggle from Reese, but Curt ignored it and closed the front door. “Feel free to explore while we clean up. It won’t take us long.”
Reese and Curt headed up the curved staircase, leaving her alone in the large wood-paneled foyer. Although smaller, it reminded her of the one inside her grandparents’ home. Tipping her head back, she studied the mural covering the vaulted ceiling. Even faded it was beautiful, and she wondered if her brother intended to paint over it or have it restored. Her favorite part of the foyer, though, was the stained glass windows. A large one filled the space above the front door, allowing in sunlight, and two matching panels flanked the door.
She didn’t know the house’s history, but by the looks of the foyer, whoever built the home had had excellent taste. Anxious to see more, she walked down one of the two hallways. A few of the rooms she peeked in looked untouched while others had obviously been painted. The huge room at the back of the house was clearly a work in progress. Sheets of plastic covered the floor, and cans of paint sat in the middle of the room next to some rollers. Since the walls in the room were burgundy and not blue, Curt and Reese had been working somewhere else today.
“What do you think?”
At the sound of Curt’s voice, she turned. “I’m glad you’re the one doing all this work and not me,” she replied. Painting her nails was about the only painting she engaged in. “Where’s your sidekick?”
“After I helped her get the paint off, Reese went to change into a bathing suit.”
“Are you finished in here or just getting started?” The room looked nice and she honestly couldn’t tell.
“It’s about half done. It’s needs another coat, and I plan to replace the floor.”
“Was this a dining room or something?” She crossed to the wall of French doors and looked out at the large veranda. At the moment it was empty, but she could picture it filled with various flowering plants and a few tables, or maybe a couple of benches.
“Ballroom. When I moved in mirrors were mounted on the walls and a mural similar to the one in the foyer covered the ceiling.”
Cliff House in Newport had a ballroom, but considering the time period it had been built in it had never seemed odd to her. In the late nineteenth century, Newport had been the place to be. Pelham, New Hampshire, didn’t seem like the place to be no matter the century.
“Why would anyone in this town need a ballroom?” Leah opened a door and stepped outside for a moment to get a better look at the backyard. Curt followed her out.
“The family who built the house were the wealthiest people in southern New Hampshire at the time, and they liked to entertain. Did you see the kitchen? I finished it last week.”
“Not yet.”
He took her hand and led her back inside. “Follow me.” Other than when he discussed his writing, he’d never sounded as excited as he did now.
Reese nearly knocked them over as she rushed down the hall. “Curt, I’m ready to go swimming,” she announced with an amount of excitement only a child could conjure up.
“I need to show my sister the kitchen before we head out back, short stuff.”
Reese didn’t complain but her smile dimmed as she turned and down the hallway, the sound of her flip-flops echoing around them.
Entering the kitchen, Leah came to an abrupt stop. If Curt had done all this, he’d learned a lot since he first started this hobby of his. “You did all this by yourself?”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” he replied, sounding a little hurt.
“Sorry, it’s gorgeous. I didn’t realize you were so good at this renovation stuff.” She moved farther into the room to get a better look around. “It resembles Trent and Addie’s kitchen.”
“That was the idea.” He moved past her and to the refrigerator. “Do either of you want something to drink?”
Reese didn’t hesitate to answer. “Juice please.”
Curt pulled out a juice box and a can of root beer for himself.
She didn’t drink soda often and never kept it at home, but she loved both root beer and cream soda. “I’ll have a root beer too.”
“Can we go outside now?” Reese asked, already on her way to the side door.
Her brother handed her the soda and grabbed the bag of pretzels on the counter. “We’re right behind you.”
Neither of them had a chance to sit before Reese jumped into the pool.
“I think she’s part fish,” Curt said, opening the umbrella at one of the patio tables outside.
Leah watched the girl swim to the ladder, climb out, and head back toward the diving board. Once there, Reese cannonballed into the pool again.
