Page 29 of Chasing the Sun
Helen chuckled from across the circle. Over time, she had become the heart of the Star Harbor Historical Society. Helen had a knack for fusing our town’s little social club into a historical society that was the backbone of Star Harbor. I just couldn’t believe she could stand to work with such a cantankerous man as Callum.
I stretched my back as soft conversations folded over me. The meeting room in the library had been updated since I had last seen it, but it had retained its vintage charm. Oil paintings and framed newspaper clippings hung around the room—most related to the town’s families and our infamous ghost story.
I sighed, wondering aloud, “Don’t you think it’s kind of sad?”
A strange chill curled down my spine as I stared at the faded newspaper clipping. It wasn’t just sad—it felt wrong. Like a puzzle missing too many pieces to ever see the full picture.
Selene looked up from her lap. “What?”
I gestured toward one of the faded newspaper articles. “The poor woman’s likeness is plastered all over town, and no one even knows her name.”
My sister hummed. “I never thought about it like that.”
“Well, that is mildly depressing,” Kit quipped.
I had grown up with the legend, same as everyone else, but something about it hit differently now. Maybe it was the way her face was everywhere, but no one actually knewher. Or maybe it was because, for the first time, I was looking at the land around me as something I was responsible for—not just as a pretty backdrop to my childhood.
Helen hummed as she continued working on her project with a smile, until curiosity got the best of me. “Ms. Helen, what do we know about the Lady,really?”
Helen’s dark-brown eyes crinkled at the edges. Her mother had once been a Keeper, and over time, Helen had assumed the role of matriarch to the tight-knit little club.
“Legends change over time.” Helen’s voice was low, holding an eerie edge as she continued to work on her needlepoint. “Oftentimes it’s difficult to parse out fact from fiction, but we do know that our Lady would have been young—no more than her early twenties, most likely. It’s common belief that she was mourning a lost love—perhaps a sailor tragically lost at sea.”
Beside me, Kit sighed wistfully.
“But whowasshe?” I pressed.
Helen smiled and set her hoops aside before rising. In the corner of the meeting room, Helen opened a cabinet and pulled out a thick scrapbook. It was old and weathered, with small scraps of paper peeking out at the edges.
“Inside is everything we know.” Helen placed the heavy book on a small table and opened it. “In 1903, a young woman’s body was found on the dunes. She wore a locket with the initials A.L. engraved on it, but there was no mention of the woman’s true identity. The Keepers have gone through many archives and believe that she was likely Alma Lovell.” Helen flipped to another page in the book. “We found an engagement announcement that mentions the pending marriage for a young Alma and William Lovell.”
All eyes were glued to Helen as her soft voice wove a tale of tragic young love.
“Was it William who was lost at sea?” Selene asked, knowing the legend of the Lady often whispered of a lover lost to the tides.
Helen’s bony shoulder lifted. “It’s possible. There are no other records of a William Lovell that we have everfound. It seems he disappeared right alongside his lovesick bride-to-be.”
I frowned, letting the story settle over me. Call me a cynic, but a young girl is found dead and her boyfriend mysteriously disappears? Something dark and uneasy scratched at my brain.
“The Drifted Spirit was once a family home, owned by a rather successful businessman, Louis Barker. He would have been a multimillionaire by today’s standards. He built what is now the inn as his family home and owned all the land around it. No one really knows what secrets those walls are keeping, or what’s buried in the land.” Helen’s gaze settled on me as an unsettling wave of discomfort rolled through me.
The history of Stan’s beloved farm may be more than I bargained for.
My plan had been simple, though maybe not entirely well thought out—fix up the farm, bring people in, prove that Stan and the farm were still worth loving.
Suddenly it felt like I was stepping into something bigger—something with roots tangled deep beneath the soil.
My throat was thick, but I swallowed hard. “I love that,” I lied, unsure why my voice sounded like peanut butter over sandpaper.
My mother reached for my hand and squeezed, offering silent support. “Elodie knows what she’s doing. Working with Stan, bringing a piece of Star Harbor history back to life ... I know I’m not the only one who’s excited to see what she comes up with.”
Mom winked at me and a slow exhale escaped my lips.
My heart pounded. “I think as long as I can get people to take a chance on visiting the farm, they’ll absolutely loveit.” I could see every detail perfectly as my uncertainty started to dissolve.
“All I need is time ... and money, but Stan assured me he was on board. Whatever it takes.” I looked around the room, knowing I needed the Keepers to stand behind me. “I won’t forget the Lady, I promise. I’m doing this for Stan, but also for our community.”
“You can lean into the lore. Draw in more curious tourists,” Kit offered.
