"Shenanigans! What a hip word for you, Beverly."

"It's a very old word, and appropriate in this case."

"Ooh," said Rose, "what does that mean? Did I miss something?"

Still no mention of Caroline Dester. Maybe, Fred, maybe you will have a narrow escape.

"Good morning, Beverly," said Lottie as she came into the kitchen. "Hello, Rose and husband Fred. I didn't think you two would be up for ages."

"Fred got up at dawn with a bad dream and I couldn't get back to sleep. So here we are."

"The bacon smells so good, Beverly," said Jon. "Should I make another pot of coffee?"

"I think so," said Lottie. "Then there'll be enough for all of us."

"Rose, you missed the play last night," Lottie said. "Robert played piano! I think he was completely smitten with our Captain Hook."

"You can drain the bacon on paper bags," said Beverly. "Lottie, I can't open the oven with you there."

"Robert and Captain Hook! Were those the shenanigans, Beverly?" said Rose.

"I wouldn't know," said Beverly. "Although it seems to me this cottage has been enlivened. How are those eggs coming, Fred? I don't think you've cracked a single one."

"I'll get on it," said Fred. "Sorry."

Someone was clattering down the stairs. Either it was Robert or it was Captain Hook or it was Caroline Dester. He smashed an egg onto the rim of the bowl.

"Hello, all!"

It was Robert, their host. Solo.

"Good morning, Robert," said Lottie. "Good night?"

"Very good night," he said. He was blushing furiously. Even Fred in his distress noticed that.

"We're just about ready," said Beverly.

"I put out the willow plates in your honor," said Rose. "Let's sit down."

Jon finished cooking the bacon, Lottie made the toast, Fred scorched the eggs, and they sat down at the table.

"Here's to Hopewell," said Jon, raising his coffee mug to Robert.

They all did the same. "To Hopewell," said Rose.

"Am I missing something?"

The voice of a goddess struck Fred's skull like a baseball bat. His mug fell out of his hand and spilled half its contents all over the table.

"Oh, God. Sorry, sorry," said Fred. He stood up and shook his head violently in Caroline's direction. "What a mistake. Sorry. I'm Fred. Fred Arbuthnot."

"It's okay, Fred," Rose said. "Not a big deal. You caught it fast. This is my husband, Caroline. Fred."

"Fred?" asked Caroline. Her brow wrinkled just the tiniest bit.

Why did I send her that picture? Vanity, vanity! "I'm Fred. Fred Arbuthnot." Don't call me Mike McGowan. Please do not call me Mike McGowan. "Rose's husband." His eyes implored her. Truly. Please.

The two of them looked at each other for a moment.

"Enchantee," said Caroline.

And then she didn't give him a second glance.

"Pass the bacon, Lottie," she said. "I'm starving."

Thursday morning's breakfast lasted for hours. Robert finally had what he had spent so many years imagining at this place: actual friends around the table who liked each other. A woman he could barely keep his hands off. A future that would not be alone.

He and Caroline spent practically all day Thursday and Friday in bed. He didn't know there were so many things you could do with a lute. Friday night they were all ravenous, and Beverly had prepared a feast of bouillabaisse, green salad, crisp French bread, and a lemon tart for dessert. On Saturday Caroline said she wanted to know all the secrets of the island, so he took her to the tiny museum in the back of the tearoom, which entranced her. By the time she started in on her third scrapbook (Island Tennis, 19221927), even he was antsy.

"Let me stay here a minute, Robert. I know you've seen it all before but I can't get enough of these photos."

Reluctantly, he left her. He kissed her good-bye and thought, I should really just drape myself around her shoulders like a cat. Instead, he walked back to the cottage. The wind was really gusting now. The sky was looking grim. The rain was going to start soon.

When he got to the cottage, Rose was collecting her bag and looking a little harried. "Robert, I'm almost beginning to think you need Wi-Fi here," she said. "Or at least a landline that calls long distance. I feel like I haven't talked to the kids in ages. And now Fred's here too, so we need to know they're okay. I think I can make the two thirty ferry if I hurry."

"The wind is really bad out there," said Robert.

"I know. I can't do FaceTime here and I promised. Do you think the ferry is even running?"

"The ferry always runs."

Robert hated to see Rose head across to the other side with the weather being so bad. But he also hated to invite her up to his third floor-his and Caroline's third floor.

"It'll be choppy. I hope I don't throw up. See you in a couple of hours. Fred's writing at the library, but he should be back soon."

Robert's better nature took over. "You can skip the two thirty ferry," he said. "There's a hot spot in the cottage."

"You're kidding. There is?" She put her bag down. "We tried everywhere the first week we got here. Where is it?"

"It's on the third floor. Come on, I'll show you." Caroline will forgive me. I hope.

"Oh, that is so great, Robert," said Rose. "Lottie wanted me to take Jon's phone and hers into the Harbor if I went so I could pick up their messages. We can kill three birds with one stone. Four, if I recharge Fred's phone. Let me get it."

Robert instantly regretted telling Rose about the hot spot. We'll be invaded by technology and our peace will be destroyed. Or maybe she'll just call home.

"I haven't even been up to the third floor," she said. "How do you get up there? Is it the attic?"

"The stairs are hidden," he said. "They're in the boys' dorm. And the door is usually locked. Caroline, however, found a way."

"Very Caroline," said Rose. She grabbed Fred's phone from their room while Robert waited to take her upstairs.

"Oh, Robert. No wonder you like it up here," she said when she got upstairs. "So cozy. Are these all your guitars?"

"Yes, and the lutes." He was so very glad he had not played his lute for Rose. Only for Caroline. He shivered at the thought of her. He wanted to get back to her fast. But he didn't want to leave Rose alone here. This was his place with Caroline, now. "If you stand right here and face the window, you can get a signal. See if it works."

It worked.

"Oh, great!" said Rose. "This makes life so much easier. Robert, could you plug in Fred's phone somewhere?" she handed it to him. "I'll use his if this one cuts out. He's Verizon; I'm AT&T." She started dialing.

Robert dutifully went over to one of the two outlets on this floor and plugged in Fred's phone. Rose was soon talking to her sister. His precious third floor had now been invaded, but he knew Caroline would have done the same.

"Isobel, we want to bring them up here," Rose said into the phone. My God, was she talking about the twins? She hadn't even asked! Though of course it was still her rental at this point. The lines have blurred, Robert thought.

There followed a long and pretty nonsensical FaceTime conversation between Rose and the children about Maine, superpowers, and Labradoodles. When they had finally said their good-byes, Robert ushered her downstairs. They were back in the boys' dorm when he remembered Fred's phone. "Let me just get it for you," he said. He ran back upstairs and unplugged it. The phone lit up.

"Oh, thanks, Robert," said Rose. "I know he's dying to hear from his editor. I'll take it over to him. I may even take a peek so I can prepare him." She grabbed a slicker, gave him a wave, and was gone.

Robert was deliberating over whether to take a bottle of wine to the museum to see what that might lead to when he heard Lottie and Jon and Ethan clatter back to the cottage.

"Hello, Robert!" said Lottie. "We are having the great debate. Let me get Ethan in the bath. See what Robert thinks, Jon."

"What I think of what?" asked Robert.

"I'm thinking," said Jon, "that I should quit my job."

"Quitting is usually a good idea," said Robert. He had quit a lot of things. "Why would you quit your job, though?"

"First, I hate it," Jon said. "And second, I think I could make a living working for Beverly Fisher. He asked me about it again, on the way back from the play. Lottie loves the guy and now I do too."

"He seems to need a lot of help. Musicians get screwed if no one's looking out for them."

"His partner Gorsch left everything in great shape but Beverly's just let it go downhill since the poor guy died," Jon said. "And he doesn't like the new management team. I guess his old advisers hung on till Gorsch wasn't around anymore."

Lottie emerged from the bathroom and spotted the two phones on the kitchen table. "I guess Rose didn't take them into the Harbor?"

"No, but I think you'll find your messages have downloaded," said Robert.

She checked her phone. "They have! How did that happen?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you."

"Seriously?"

"No, there's a hot spot on the third floor." Everybody might as well know now.

"Are you okay in there, Ethan?" asked Lottie.

"I'm okay!" Ethan called.

"Turn off the water when it gets too full."

"Don't come in!"

"Robert, you didn't tell Jon if you think he should quit his job," said Lottie.

"I'm hardly qualified-"

"Just go with your gut," Lottie said. "We need an objective opinion."

Robert thought about it. "Would you have enough to live on? While you get started?"

"I guess I'd ask Beverly for a retainer and we'd live on that. We're already fucked in terms of finances anyway. Preschool costs the earth."

"Does it?" asked Robert. He would have to learn about children now.

"I am totally going to do it," Jon said. "Leap and the net will appear."

Lottie's face lit up. "Oh, Jon, I am so proud of you." They really were a pretty tight couple. This, Robert thought, is love.

Jon said, "Fuck 'em. They owe me a shitload of vacation pay. I haven't taken a break since I got there."

"Except for this pneumonia," said Lottie, "which has gone on a long time." She handed him the phone and he typed furiously.

"I'm still not on the network, so I'm reduced to sending from my Gmail," Jon said. "I don't even know who my boss is right now; there's been so much turnover."

Robert was impressed with Jon's determination. He had never quit a nine-to-five job because he had never had one. He always pictured the workplace as something between a neighborhood bar and a penal colony.

"And . . . Send." Jon pushed the button with a flourish. Lottie gave him an enormous hug. Then he collapsed onto a chair. "Oh, Christ, Lottie, what have I done?"

She plopped herself in his lap. "I think you've done the right thing, Jon. I really do. And it won't actually send till you're in cell phone range, if you want to change your mind."

"No, I quit," said Jon. "Let's take it up to Robert's hot spot and really send it, Lottie." He looked down at the phone. "I should listen to these voice mails, though," he said. "There are four messages from some new number. It could be my mom about my stepdad. Maybe they're at the hospital?"

Jon pressed the voice mail button. "Oh," he said to Lottie. "It's my new boss."

"Justin?" she asked.

"Carla," he said.

Lottie's face went pale.

Jon kept listening, his face intent. "Christ."

Lottie held her breath. "Are you going back there?" she asked.

"Nope." He swiped the message away. "She fired me."