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hour is going to knock Tillie off her schedule for more than a day or so. Let her join the other kids.”
    With her cool blond beauty, Regina was like an ivory rose that remained utterly gorgeous despite a storm brewing around her. Her southern accent had a musical lilt as she turned her doe eyes to Libby. “I know you have not had the opportunity to read Dr. Goodman’s Manual on Childcare, ” she said sweetly, “but this sort of overstimulation can ruin a child for days.”
    Libby caught the veiled barb even though it flew right past Jasper, whose mouth hardened into a thin line as he glared once again at his watch. Despite his law school training, he only had about a fifty-fifty record when it came to battles with Regina. “Libby, take Tillie outside while I talk with Regina. I’ll let you know shortly what we decide.”
    â€œGood plan,” Libby said as she rose to her feet, Tillie still huddled in her arms. She scooped up a tray of the gingersnaps before angling her way through the door. She deposited Tillie on the weathered planking of the porch so she could close the door to block the sound of Jasper arguing with Regina.
    There was a low buzz of excitement as Libby joined the group. A few of the older children had gone off to chase fireflies, while others spotted the tray of cookies in Libby’s hands and came scampering across the yard toward her.
    â€œMiss Libby! I caught a firefly in my hand! Do you want to see it?”
    She struggled to remember the boy’s name. His family was summering on the island for the first time this year, but he had joined a group of the children she led on a nature walk into the scrub last weekend. She landed on the boy’s name as she peered through the fingers of his cupped hands. “My heavens, Samuel! It looks like you have managed to catch two of the little critters in there. We should rename you the Wild Man of St. Catherine’s Island.”
    At her compliment, the boy beamed and seemed to grow two inches. Tillie’s spirits were restored as the little girl trotted around the perimeter of the yard, trying to imitate the older children as they raced to catch fireflies. Libby settled herself onto a blanket and Ivan the Terrible, the petulant stray cat she’d foolishly adopted five years ago, deigned to join her. Whatever loyalty and affection most people received from their pets was an alien concept to Ivan, but she could not bear to leave him to fend for himself in Colden all summer. None of the residents of Winslow Street had much affection for Ivan, and he was liable to starve if she did not take him along.
    A glance at the moon revealed that the eclipse was getting closer, so she darkened the two lanterns that were on the corners of the blanket. The children noticed the dimming of the lights and came racing back to her.
    â€œIs it time?”
    â€œSoon,” Libby said. Ivan was spooked by the gathering children and he darted into the scrub. Almost immediately, Samuel flung himself into the vacated spot beside her. “I think you are the prettiest lady on this island,” the little boy said quietly.
    Libby bit back a smile. Wait until you get an eyeful of Regina! “You are very sweet for saying so,” she whispered. Libby knew most people considered her pretty, with thick chestnut hair and a willowy figure, but those physical blessings had never helped her much in life. She would trade it all for the ability to read and be a normal woman. No one ever treated her quite the same when they discovered she could not read, but children were far less judgmental. Was that why she had always adored children? She watched Tillie chase Ivan in the tall scrub grass and smiled. No, some people were designed in the womb to relate to children, and she was one of them.
    She heard a thud of steps on the porch, and then Jasper joined her on the far side of the blanket. “I think I’ll join you in your little