Lucinda's Magnificient Secret

By H. Ellison Fethke

Miranda is very unhappy.

Her plans for the summer are to spend time with her friends, swimming, roller blading and just hanging out in the city.

Her parents have informed her she will be spending time on the family farm in the mid-west instead of the city.

She will spend this time with an elderly aunt, a blue hair in "Dullsville."

Miranda finds herself totally caught up in a "family secret" during her farm visit that involves her entire time at the old homestead.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9781493199013

H. Ellison Fethke

I grew up in the mid-west. As a small child the first gift I remember receiving was a book of Mother Goose Rhymes and Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales. Those two precious books traveled everywhere a three year old child could sit and pretend read. That was the beginning of my fascination for books. "A child without a book is a child without an imagination."

Book preview

Lucinda’s Magnificient Secret

H. Ellison Fethke

Copyright © 2014 by H. Ellison Fethke.

ISBN:       Hardcover       978-1-5035-6649-1

                 Softcover           978-1-4931-9902-0

                 eBook                 978-1-4931-9901-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 04/25/2015

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

615537

Contents

Chapter 1   BLUE HAIR

Chapter 2   THE HOUSE

Chapter 3   LUCINDA’S LOCKET

Chapter 4   A SMALL DARK ROOM

Chapter 5   NEW DISCOVERIES

Chapter 6   THE LAST MESSAGE

Chapter 7   THE ROUND HOUSE

Chapter 8   SQUARE OR ROUND

Chapter 9   THE MISSING WINDOW

Chapter 10   OL’ JOE

Chapter 11   SQUARE IS ROUND

Chapter 12   THE EXTRA BONUS

Dedication

To my wonderful children, Cathy & Jerry, Greg & Luesa, Schuyler & Alex, Steve & and my beautiful, late daughter Kristin. Thank each and everyone of you for tolerating my want to write, and the wonderful support and encouragement from my two amazing daughters.

Chapter 1

BLUE HAIR

Miranda was not a happy person. After all, it was her summer! So, why are Mom and Dad spoiling it? She planned to remain in the city and go to day camp with her two very best friends in the whole world. Mom and Dad didn’t give her a choice. They just said she should experience three wonderful weeks in the country. It could be a foreign land for all she cared. So now instead of sitting at the neighborhood pool with Mandy and Cathy, she’d just winged her way to the Midwest. As she mentally prepared to face a place where exciting things rarely ever happened, her plane prepared for the descent onto the airport runway.

The large plane landed with barely a thump on touchdown. It screeched down the tarmac and braked to a slow crawl into what Miranda thought must be a field. It turned and taxied toward a great glassed in building, not unlike the structures she was accustomed too. The other passengers unbuckled their seat belts, grabbed their on board flight bags and filed to the exit door. The always-helpful flight attendant arrived to help retrieve her tightly packed tote from the luggage compartment above her head. They strolled down the aisle together. The stewardess gazed down at Miranda and asked, Why such a long face honey?

I’m going to waste three whole weeks of my summer vacation with an old blue-haired aunt, Miranda complained.

It could be worse honey, stated the weary stewardess.

Why would anyone want to visit a dirty old farm in the middle of nowhere? asked Miranda."

I think it would be quite refreshing, muttered the flight attendant.

Yeah, sure, thought Miranda, if you say so. She hauled her hefty little tote to the transport vehicle and climbed on with the other passengers. She surveyed the area as they approached the busy terminal, and fretted her aunt wouldn’t be there to meet her. What if she couldn’t recognize the elderly person, since she, herself, had yet to meet the lady. She sighed, Oh, well? I’ll just look for a short, stout, blue haired old woman carrying a cane and a large black handbag. All the older ladies she was acquainted with pretty much resembled that description. She entered the glass walled building following the other passengers into a great bustling room. It was an alarming scene. People were scurrying in every direction. They were grabbing their bags off the luggage conveyance belt and yelling for air porters to carry their larger bags without the tiny wheels to pull them as they anxiously searched the crowd seeking out familiar faces.

Miranda scanned the room full of milling people. She peered through the chaos for a stout elderly woman. There were so many older ladies to choose from! Anyone of them could be her great aunt. Her heart raced! She struggled to clutch her tote bag tightly against her slight body. Oh dear! Mom said she’d be right here waiting. What will I do? she moaned to herself.

Miranda! YOO HOO!

She jerked her gaze from the churning conveyor belt, and peered out across the busy terminal. There were a few blue haired ladies milling through the somewhat thinning crowd, but none of them seemed to have any interest in her.

Miranda! Over here!

She swiveled on her tiptoes to peek through the crowd of people on the move. A short wiry woman was weaving her way through the swarming sea of bodies. She stopped in front of Miranda.

You have got to be Miranda! She exclaimed.

How did you know? asked Miranda.

I would recognize you anywhere little one! It’s as plain as day that you’re a Taylor through and through! She gripped Miranda in a hardy hug. I’m so glad you came for a visit! She loosened her snug grip, and peered into Miranda’s bright blue eyes. You’re so cute! she squealed.

Miranda gaped at the friendly woman. Are you a cousin?" she asked.

Nooo, little one! I’m your Great Aunt Belinda. All my best friends call me Lindy, but you may call me Aunt Lindy. I do hope you and I become more than best friends! she gushed.

Miranda stared wide-eyed at the petite, skinny, vivacious woman who was not much taller than she. Her bright blue eyes and beautifully coifed blonde hair belied the fact that she was a farm lady. Her crisp white pantsuit and red sandals could have been at home in the city. You, don’t have blue hair! she accused the attractive older woman.

Does that disappoint you Sweetie?

Well, uh, n-n-no, stammered Miranda. It’s just that no one told me, uh… you’d be so young. You have blonde hair! she exclaimed.

Oh, yes, Miranda, I’m old by your standards, and wearing blue hair is definitely not my thing, she stressed. So I prefer being a blond. We have more fun, you know! She tweaked Miranda beneath her pointy chin. Come! she urged, Let’s collect the rest of your luggage and head for the farm. She merged into the bustling crowd.

Miranda scrambled to catch up to Aunt Lindy. They hailed a porter to transport her bulky cases to her aunt’s car.

Miranda and Aunt Lindy sped through the countryside in the sleek silver auto. Lush green cornfields and dark green fields of soybean plants came and went. Most of the farmhouses were either turn of the century cottages, or large, rambling, two storied structures. The silver car burned up the miles rapidly leaving the city behind.

How soon will we be there? asked Miranda as she watch the fields flash by.

We’re a good two hours away from the city. Aunt Lindy smiled down at her, We’ll stop for lunch about midway. Would you like that? she asked.

Okay said Miranda, she wasn’t really hungry. She was amazed at how the time flew. Every curve in the highway brought about a sundry of rural scenes. It seemed only seconds that Aunt Lindy wheeled the silver sports car into a restaurant drive. They ate their lunch with Aunt Lindy doing most of the talking. Aunt Lindy purchased two ice-cold bottles of water and they proceeded off onto the last leg of the trip.

Here we are! sang Aunt Lindy.

Miranda sat up and peered out of the