Murder at the Azalea Festival Read Online Free Page B
Author: Ellen Elizabeth Hunter
live in New York and we see each other often. "And catch up on Broadway plays. But this is home; I'm happy here."
"Ashley, Melanie, I just love your names. We don't have such romantic names in my family. But this is a most romantic place. I've never been to Wilmington before but now that I'm here, I just adore it. How lucky you are to live in this garden paradise."
"Thanks," I said, rather surprised that a big star could be so nice.
Mindy Chesterton, who had the leading role on Dolphin's Cove, flounced over to us, flicked her scarf at a lounge chair to dislodge imaginary dust, then settled into it. Mindy was buxom in her pink satin gown that fit like a second skin.
"I can't wait till this tacky festival is over," she complained. "Whatever made Cameron think having the cast participate in the Azalea Festival would be good publicity for the show?"
Cameron Jordan was the executive producer of Dolphin's Cove and the president of Gem Star Pictures which he founded. He was also Melanie's current amour.
I turned to Tiffany and lifted my eyebrows, as if to inquire, What's eating her?
Tiffany made a slight shrug. Don't ask me.
Melanie, who doesn't take anything from anybody, said, "Cam knows what he's doing."
Tiffany interceded, making peace, "Mindy, you know Ashley, don't you? She's Melanie's younger sister."
"Of course I know Ashley. In Wilmington, people from good families all know each other."
Was that a put down? A slight because Tiffany was descended from a slave?
Mindy gave some passing belles a haughty stare. "I used to have to dress up like that when I was a belle. Ya'll know what they've got on under those ballgowns? Hoops and pantaloons. A bustle. The whole outfit must weigh ten pounds." She leered. "Know what I've got on under this gown?"
When no one replied, she said, "Not much."
She arched her back and fanned a bee away with her hand.
"But they look so pretty," Jillian said. "So . . . antebellum."
"Antebellum, antiquated," Mindy complained. "My mother pushed me into being a belle when I was a teenager. Thank goodness I got too old for it."
"But being a belle is your family's tradition," Melanie said. "Why, I remember seeing your mother riding on a float in the parade when I was a little girl. She was the prettiest thing you ever saw in that gorgeous pink ballgown."
"That was my grandmother's dress. Mama wore it and I wore it too. Grandmama was one of the first belles, back in the fifties," she added.
Despite her complaints, Mindy seemed to take pride in her family's close association with the festival which began as a dream for Dr. Houston Moore in 1948.
"Well, it's a sweet tradition," Jillian said.
"My family has been in society since the war," Mindy boasted.
Jillian's expression turned puzzled. "World War II?"
Mindy rolled her eyes, sighing audibly. "No, the War Between the States. Don't you know anything?"
Jillian uttered a soft oh and flushed deeply. It had to be a stressful day for her, yet she was the soul of courtesy. Early that morning, she'd boarded the Henrietta III at the State Port, ferried upriver to the waterfront for her coronation ceremony at Riverfront Park. She was probably tired of smiling and waving and making nice, yet she rallied on, every word that left her lips was pleasant.
Unlike rude Mindy. How she'd ever landed the starring role on Dolphin's Cove was beyond me.
Reclaiming her dignity, Jillian said to Melanie, "The organizers of this festival do a superb job."
"Our mama used to be a volunteer when we were little," Melanie replied. "She took us to all the events."
I looked from Mindy to Tiffany, both actresses on Dolphin's Cove. Mindy was the exact opposite of Tiffany. Her yellow blonde straight hair was pulled up in a pony tail. Tiffany's dark hair tended to frizz the way mine did. Mindy's eyes were china blue; Tiffany's chocolate brown. Tiffany seemed to have been born with a sunny disposition; Mindy was sulky, and tended to whine.
Mindy gave Jillian an appraising
"Ashley, Melanie, I just love your names. We don't have such romantic names in my family. But this is a most romantic place. I've never been to Wilmington before but now that I'm here, I just adore it. How lucky you are to live in this garden paradise."
"Thanks," I said, rather surprised that a big star could be so nice.
Mindy Chesterton, who had the leading role on Dolphin's Cove, flounced over to us, flicked her scarf at a lounge chair to dislodge imaginary dust, then settled into it. Mindy was buxom in her pink satin gown that fit like a second skin.
"I can't wait till this tacky festival is over," she complained. "Whatever made Cameron think having the cast participate in the Azalea Festival would be good publicity for the show?"
Cameron Jordan was the executive producer of Dolphin's Cove and the president of Gem Star Pictures which he founded. He was also Melanie's current amour.
I turned to Tiffany and lifted my eyebrows, as if to inquire, What's eating her?
Tiffany made a slight shrug. Don't ask me.
Melanie, who doesn't take anything from anybody, said, "Cam knows what he's doing."
Tiffany interceded, making peace, "Mindy, you know Ashley, don't you? She's Melanie's younger sister."
"Of course I know Ashley. In Wilmington, people from good families all know each other."
Was that a put down? A slight because Tiffany was descended from a slave?
Mindy gave some passing belles a haughty stare. "I used to have to dress up like that when I was a belle. Ya'll know what they've got on under those ballgowns? Hoops and pantaloons. A bustle. The whole outfit must weigh ten pounds." She leered. "Know what I've got on under this gown?"
When no one replied, she said, "Not much."
She arched her back and fanned a bee away with her hand.
"But they look so pretty," Jillian said. "So . . . antebellum."
"Antebellum, antiquated," Mindy complained. "My mother pushed me into being a belle when I was a teenager. Thank goodness I got too old for it."
"But being a belle is your family's tradition," Melanie said. "Why, I remember seeing your mother riding on a float in the parade when I was a little girl. She was the prettiest thing you ever saw in that gorgeous pink ballgown."
"That was my grandmother's dress. Mama wore it and I wore it too. Grandmama was one of the first belles, back in the fifties," she added.
Despite her complaints, Mindy seemed to take pride in her family's close association with the festival which began as a dream for Dr. Houston Moore in 1948.
"Well, it's a sweet tradition," Jillian said.
"My family has been in society since the war," Mindy boasted.
Jillian's expression turned puzzled. "World War II?"
Mindy rolled her eyes, sighing audibly. "No, the War Between the States. Don't you know anything?"
Jillian uttered a soft oh and flushed deeply. It had to be a stressful day for her, yet she was the soul of courtesy. Early that morning, she'd boarded the Henrietta III at the State Port, ferried upriver to the waterfront for her coronation ceremony at Riverfront Park. She was probably tired of smiling and waving and making nice, yet she rallied on, every word that left her lips was pleasant.
Unlike rude Mindy. How she'd ever landed the starring role on Dolphin's Cove was beyond me.
Reclaiming her dignity, Jillian said to Melanie, "The organizers of this festival do a superb job."
"Our mama used to be a volunteer when we were little," Melanie replied. "She took us to all the events."
I looked from Mindy to Tiffany, both actresses on Dolphin's Cove. Mindy was the exact opposite of Tiffany. Her yellow blonde straight hair was pulled up in a pony tail. Tiffany's dark hair tended to frizz the way mine did. Mindy's eyes were china blue; Tiffany's chocolate brown. Tiffany seemed to have been born with a sunny disposition; Mindy was sulky, and tended to whine.
Mindy gave Jillian an appraising
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