CHAPTER THREE

Monday dawned bright and beautiful, another perfect early June day in the Hudson River Valley. Trixie ran up the trail towards Manor House midmorning to meet Honey and Di. She had called Dot the previous evening and made plans for the three of them to visit her that day. Trixie found herself both looking forward to the visit and wondering how the four of them – her, Honey, Dot, and Di – would get along together. She knew Di sometimes felt like a third wheel with her and Honey, no matter how much they tried to avoid that, and she hoped that maybe adding Dot to their group would help with that.

As she emerged from the trailhead, she saw Di and Honey already waiting for her on the front porch of Manor House.

"Hi!" she called out to them. "Sorry, I know I'm running late. Bobby was being a bit of a pill this morning, so it took a little longer to get the kitchen cleaned up and get out the door."

"Hi, Trixie," Honey laughed. "Hey, we match!"

Trixie looked down and realized both she and Honey were wearing denim shorts and white t-shirts emblazoned with a picture of Lucy Radcliffe, their favorite detective series, across the front.

"You mean you two didn't plan that?" Di smirked good naturedly at them.

"No, but great minds think alike, I guess," Honey smiled. "Come on, let's get this show on the road."

The three girls set off down the driveway towards Glen Road. From there, it was a short fifteen-minute walk to Dot's home on Old Telegraph Road. While they walked, Honey caught them up on her trip to New York City the previous weekend. Trixie watched Honey's ponytail bouncing gaily as she walked and reflected on how much her friend had changed since moving to Sleepyside. Gone was the frail, timid, pale girl and in her place was a tanned, healthy, outgoing young woman. The same could be said for Di, who went from a sad, lonely, over-dressed doll to a happy teenager in shorts and a lavender t-shirt, walking down the road with her friends. Even Trixie herself had changed for the better thanks to her friends. While she'd always be impulsive and blunt, she had learned the value of looking before she leapt and at least trying to think before she spoke.

They reached the Murray house and stopped briefly in the road.

"Wow," Di breathed. "They completely renovated this place."

"Yeah," Honey agreed, admiring the cheerful yellow exterior and white trim. "It was falling apart before. I thought they'd have to tear it down. I'm so glad they didn't."

"I think they added on to it," Trixie informed them as she lead the way up the front walk. "It looks even nicer on the inside, but not stuffy. It reminds me a bit of Crabapple Farm."

"I can see that," Di nodded. "It has a similar feel."

"Hello, girls!" Mrs. Murray opened the front door before they even reached it. Trixie wondered if she had been watching for them. "Dottie's upstairs in her room. She's so excited to see you three again."

"Hi, Mrs. Murray," Trixie smiled. "I don't think you've met my friends. This is Honey Wheeler and Di Lynch."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Murray," Honey and Di said in unison.

"It's lovely to meet both you girls," Mrs. Murray replied. "I'm so thankful that Dottie is meeting up with old friends. We were worried about moving her halfway across the country in the middle of high school, but it seems like we needn't have worried. Come in, come in!"

Trixie smiled to herself as she remembered Dot referring to her mother as a whirlwind the day before. It was clear she was correct about that.

"Dottie's room is right up the stairs, first door on the right," Mrs. Murray gestured to the staircase off the front hall.

The girls thanked her as they headed upstairs, easily finding Dot's door in the sunny upper hall.

"Hi!" Dot said happily as they entered. She was seated in an armchair near her bedroom window, her ankle propped on a footstool again. "I'm so happy to see you three."

"Hi, Dot!" Di was the first to reply. "Don't get up! We'll come hug you over there."

While the other girls exchanged hugs with Dot in the chair, Trixie looked around the room curiously. She had been in Honey and Di's rooms countless times and knew that both were professionally decorated. While they reflected both Honey and Di to an extent with some of the décor, both were very proper young ladies' rooms. Trixie's own bedroom reflected Crabapple Farm's history, with her maple antique furniture and quilts made by her great-grandmother Belden. Dot's room, however, was bold and colorful, from her orange curtains to her sunset-colored bedding to the posters and pictures on the wall. Trixie decided she liked it.

"So, how long are you on crutches?" Di gestured towards the offending objects leaning against the wall near Dot.

"Three weeks," Dot sighed. "At least it's not the entire summer. And after a couple weeks, the doctor said I can start back to light activity, like swimming, if I still use the crutches when walking and don't push it too hard. Basically no weight-bearing activities until I'm completely cleared."

"How are you doing at getting around?" Trixie asked as she sat on one of the floor cushions scattered around the room.

"Pretty good," Dot replied. "Oh! Sit down, please. My bed or a pillow thing is fine. Whichever you prefer."

"These are neat," Di said as she chose a floor cushion. "I should get some of these for my room."

"I was thinking the same thing," Honey agreed. "Are you stuck upstairs mostly, Dot?"

"No, I can actually get downstairs on my own as long as I hold on to the railing on one side and use my crutch on the other," Dot answered. "It's not the most graceful, but it works. I just stayed up here today so we could hang out without my mom staring at us the entire time." She laughed lightly.

"We were talking about how much work your parents did on the house when we were walking up," Trixie told her. "It turned out so nice. Did you ever see if before?"

"I saw pictures," Dot wrinkled her nose. "It was in really bad shape. The builder my parents were working with actually recommended they tear the house down and completely rebuild, but my mom loves old houses and wanted to bring it back to life, so to speak. My dad thought she was crazy, but he adores her, so she usually gets her way. I'm glad she was right in this case, although it looked like the house had been abandoned for years."

Trixie, Honey, and Di exchanged looks.

"What am I missing?" Dot asked, seeing them.

"Well, the house was abandoned for years, kind of," Trixie explained. "But last year, a counterfeiting ring moved in and were operating out of the house for a while before we caught them."

"Is it really a ring if it was just two people?" Honey asked curiously. "How many people define a ring?"

"I'm not sure," Trixie admitted. "Maybe not a ring, then. Anyway, they were tried and convicted, so they're long gone from here."

"Wait, back up a second," Dot shook her head. "You said 'before we caught them'. We as in the police, or we as in -."

"Trixie caught them," Di stated matter-of-factly. "She usually does around here."

"The Bobwhites caught them," Trixie corrected modestly. "It was a group effort."

"Tell me more about the Bobwhites," Dot requested. "I thought it was just a club, not a crime-solving group of detectives."

The girls laughed.

"Well, Trixie and Honey are the real detectives," Di began. "They even plan to open their own agency someday. The rest of us kind of get drug along for the ride," she paused to smile affectionately at her friends. "But we don't mind. Trixie is right that most of what we do, either fundraising or crime solving or traveling, is usually a group effort."

"Who is in the club?" Dot asked. "I know the three of you, and I'm assuming all your brothers."

"Well, not all our brothers," Trixie smirked. "My brother Bobby, and Di's twin brothers and sisters are too young. But my older brothers, Brian and Mart, and Honey's brother Jim are part of it. You met all three of them when we visited Uncle Andrew. And then our friend Dan, whom you haven't met yet, is the seventh member. His uncle is Regan, the Wheelers' groom. Dan moved here a couple years ago from New York City, and he lives with Mr. Maypenny, the gamekeeper, in the middle of the Preserve."

"The Preserve is where I fell yesterday?" Dot confirmed.

"Yes," Trixie chuckled. "So, even if I hadn't come across you yesterday, Dan would've at some point and he would have definitely rescued you."

"Hmmm, rescued in the woods by a mysterious stranger," Dot smirked. "That doesn't sound bad. But I'm thankful you came along when you did anyway."

"I am, too," the two girls shared a smile, both thankful for their new-found friendship.

"Tell me more about the Bobwhite adventures," Dot requested. "What kind of fundraising do you do? Are you always solving mysteries? What kinds of places have you gone to?"

"Well," Trixie began. "One of our first adventures was when we all went to Arizona to visit Di's real uncle, not the fake one."

"Fake uncle?" Dot raised her eyebrows. "Okay, back up and start with that story."

The four girls spent a happy afternoon laughing and exchanging stories about their adventures. They left before dinner, and Trixie was surprised at her own reluctance for the day to end. As they walked back home along Glen Road, she hesitantly brought up the subject to Honey and Di.

"So," she began carefully. "That was really fun."

"It was," Di agreed. "Dot is a lot of fun."

"I'm so proud of you for giving her a chance," Honey hugged Trixie from the side as they walked. "We all know that wasn't easy for you."

Trixie shrugged.

"I was being a bit of a drama queen," she admitted. "Dot really is nice, and I was being-."

"Jealous?" Di smiled to take the sting out of her words. "It's okay, Trixie. Everyone knows how you and Jim feel about each other."

"Except you and Jim," Honey laughed.

"Maybe," Trixie flushed. "But I was thinking, I know it's quick, but maybe we should ask Dot to join the Bobwhites. We all know what it's like to be lonely – I was lonely before Honey moved here, and Di, you were lonely before we all became friends again."

"And I was lonely most of my life," Honey added cheerfully. "But we all found each other. I think it's a great idea, Trixie. I'll second the motion."

"And I'll third it," Di replied. "But I think we should invite her to a cookout or something with all the Bobwhites before we do that, just to make certain everyone is on board. I do think it's a great idea, too, though, Trix."

"If I had thought about it, we could've invited her to the cookout tonight," Trixie frowned.

"I don't know if she could've gotten down the path to the lake on her crutches yet," Honey pointed out tactfully. "Why don't we plan something for later this week on the Manor House veranda? Either her mom can drop her off, or one of us can pick her up, and she shouldn't have any trouble navigating the few steps up to the porch."

"Great idea, Honey," Di nodded. "Maybe we could do a potluck and board games night? Everyone can bring something, and we can all just hang out together. That'll give the boys a chance to get to know Dot without a lot of pressure, since everyone will be focused on eating and playing games."

"Let's do it," Trixie agreed. "We'll plan it tonight."

The three girls separated once they reached the Manor House driveway, Trixie down the hill towards Crabapple Farm, Di in the other direction towards Lynch Estate, and Honey inside the house. Trixie had just barely made it inside the kitchen door back at Crabapple Farm when she ran straight into Mart, her middle brother.

"Whoa, slow down," he laughed as they detangled themselves. "What's the rush? Where have you been all day?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Trixie raised her eyebrows at the number of cookies Mart was piling on a plate. "Save some for the rest of us, hey?"

"I'm a growing boy," he defended himself, pouring a glass of milk before sitting at the table. "Come join me and tell me the tale of your mysterious adventure. I've heard a rumor that I know can't be true."

"Who did you hear a rumor from?" Trixie grabbed a couple cookies herself and joined him at the table. "You and Brian didn't get home until after dinner last night, and you were up and gone at the crack of dawn this morning. You didn't have time to gossip with anyone."

"Time waits for no man, and neither does Mr. Taylor," Mart intoned, referring to his and Brian's boss at the local landscaping company where they worked part time. "But the source of the rumor to which I am referring is our maternal unit."

"Moms doesn't gossip," Trixie rolled her eyes. "I'm assuming the rumor you're referring to has to do with me and Dot Murray."

"Well, yes," Mart admitted. "Although I can't quite believe the story as Moms tells it. According to her, the Murrays moved to Sleepyside, Dot went for a walk through the preserve, injured herself, and you rescued her with one of the Wheelers horses. Then the two of you became friends and somehow you helped deliver a horse in the middle of all of it. I know we're all used to you getting in the middle of every strange or extraordinary event that happens around here, but that's a bit much, even for you."

Trixie giggled at his description.

"It does sound a bit much when you say it like that," she admitted. "It's essentially all true, although I wouldn't call it a rescue. I just helped her on to the horse and walked her back to the stables. We called her mom from there and Mrs. Murray came to pick her up and take her to the hospital to get checked. She has a sprained ankle and will be on crutches for a few weeks. Then Lady went into labor and I happened to be there. I got to help hand supplies to Regan and the vet, but I wouldn't say I helped deliver the horse. It was amazing to watch, though."

"And the part about you and Dot becoming besties?" Mart asked skeptically.

"We're not besties," Trixie rolled her eyes. "Honey is and always will be my best friend. But we are friends. Honey and Di and I spent the afternoon over at Dot's house and we had fun together. In fact, we're planning a Bobwhite potluck and game night later this week at Manor House and planning to invite Dot so everyone can get to know her better."

"That sounds great, especially the potluck part," Mart said easily. "But you're really okay with Dot going near Jim? You didn't react so well to that back in Iowa."

"That was over a year ago," Trixie sighed. "Jim and I are fine. We're friends. If he decides he likes Dot, then who am I to interfere? Plus, we're Bobwhites first and forever."

"You and Jim are more than friends," Mart replied knowingly. "But I'm glad you're trying with Dot. Personally, I thought she was nice back in Iowa."

"You thought who was nice back in Iowa?" Brian, their eldest brother, entered the kitchen.

"Dot Murray," Trixie replied.

"Oh, yeah, Moms said the Murrays moved to Sleepyside," Brian joined them at the table, swiping a cookie off Mart's plate. Grinning at his brother's indignant huff, he continued. "She also said you and Dot had an adventure yesterday and somehow became friends."

Trixie quickly filled him in on the events of the last two days, as well as the female Bobwhite members' plans for a potluck later in the week.

"I'm game," Brian nodded. "Either Thursday or Friday works for Mart and I work-wise, since we're off earlier both days. I don't have any other plans right now. Saturday we'll need to pack to leave for Camp on Sunday."

"You'll be gone for two weeks?" Trixie confirmed.

"Indeed," Mart confirmed. "Two glorious weeks of chaperoning the small fry. You don't know how good you'll have it here at home, no worries, no cares, just summertime fun."

"And Bobby-sitting, and housework, and chicken duties," Brian reminded him. "Trixie won't just be lounging by the lake the entire time."

"Only some of the time," Trixie grinned impishly. "Speaking of lounging by the lake, we'd better get a move on before Dan and Jim eat all the hamburgers."

"Dan and Jim? Never. Mart? Definitely," Brian smirked.

"Hey, I resemble that remark," Mart joked. "Get changed, Trix, so we can go."

Once she'd changed into her swimsuit and added an old pair of cutoffs and a tank top over the top, she joined her brothers and together they followed the well-worn path back to the Manor House, veering off midway to join the other Bobwhites at the lake. They soon heard the sounds of a radio and chatting amongst the four already lakeside.

"Finally!" Dan exclaimed as they emerged into the lake clearing.

"Sorry," Mart shrugged. "We had to wait for Trixie."

"Hey," Trixie protested. "More like we had to wait for Mart to finish the cookies."

"Well, you're here now," Honey soothed with her legendary tact. "And you're not late. We just got here about five minutes ago ourselves. We don't even have the grill going yet."

"That's my cue," Mart held up the platter of Helen Belden's famous burger patties. "Mr. Mangan, shall we?"

"We shall," Dan bowed theatrically.

"We'll leave you to it," Brian said mildly, turning towards Honey and Di at the picnic table. "What do you need the rest of us to do?"

"Everything is set up," Di gestured towards the platters of burger toppings in front of them.

"Moms sent brownies," Trixie added the container to the table.

"Yum!" Jim smiled at her. "Your mom's brownies are the best."

Trixie returned his smile as she sat down.

"So, since we're all here," she began, "I have some news to share." Quickly she filled them in on everything that had happened the last couple days.

"We were thinking about doing a Bobwhite potluck and board games night later this week," Honey added at the end. "That way everyone gets a chance to catch up with Dot-."

"Or meet her in the first place," Dan called over from the grill.

"Or that," Honey smiled. "We were also thinking, if everything works out and everyone gets along, maybe we should invite Dot to join the Bobwhites."

"Really?" Jim asked skeptically, glancing at Trixie. "I mean, I'm not opposed, but is everyone on board?"

"Yes," Trixie answered quietly. "It was actually my idea in the first place. I like Dot. She's nice and I misjudged her back in Iowa."

"Okay," Brian nodded. "So, we invite her to dinner and see how it goes, then put it to a vote at the next meeting?"

"That works for me," Dan agreed.

"All in favor?" Jim asked. At the series of ayes, he tapped his fist lightly on the table. "Motion passed."

"Most excellent," Mart said, bringing a platter of freshly cooked burger patties to the table. "Then let's eat!"