The Queen of Burned Biscuits Who Made the Devil Laugh

Six months later, Ruth Bennett returned to the Blackwood estate carrying a baby.

The moment she entered the kitchen, Evelyn abandoned a bowl of dough and ran toward her.

"Give me that child."

Ruth pulled the baby away.

"Wash your hands."

"They're clean."

"You're covered in flour."

"Flour is clean."

"That sentence is why Dominic still has food inspectors on speed dial."

From across the kitchen Dominic said, "I don't have food inspectors on speed dial."

Claire walked in behind him.

"You should."

Evelyn pointed at her.

"Traitor."

Claire smiled.

Six months had changed the estate.

The curtains remained open.

Fresh rosemary grew beside the windows.

Employees spoke at normal volume again.

Samuel had even dared to play music in the security room.

Once.

Dominic had threatened his life.

Claire had overruled him.

Most importantly, Claire was home.

Not everything had returned to what it had been.

It couldn't.

Seven years could not simply disappear because the truth finally arrived.

Dominic and Claire had spent months learning each other again.

Sometimes they argued.

Usually loudly.

One night Evelyn heard Claire shout from upstairs:

"You cannot put six armed men outside my yoga studio!"

Dominic answered:

"Four."

"I counted six!"

"Two were customers."

"They saluted you!"

"Coincidence."

Another time Dominic discovered Claire had driven to town without security.

He returned furious.

"You disappeared once."

"I didn't disappear. I went shopping."

"You didn't answer your phone."

"My battery died."

"So did I."

Claire stared.

Dominic immediately regretted it.

Then she crossed the room and wrapped her arms around him.

Their life was imperfect.

But it was theirs again.

That mattered more.

Sunday dinner began at six.

Victor arrived late.

Samuel complained about the food before tasting it.

Ruth held her granddaughter.

Claire opened wine.

Dominic stood near the window.

Fog rolled across the mountains.

For years, that sight had dragged him back to Hawthorne Ridge.

Tonight it was simply weather.

Claire approached.

"What are you thinking?"

Dominic reached into his pocket.

The wristwatch.

Still frozen at 11:43.

Claire looked down.

"You kept it."

"Every day."

"Why?"

"I thought if I repaired it, I'd be admitting you were gone."

She touched the cracked leather strap.

"And now?"

Dominic looked toward the kitchen.

Evelyn was threatening Samuel with a wooden spoon.

Victor was stealing bread.

Ruth was laughing.

Claire stood beside him.

"Now I think it's been wrong long enough."

He pulled out the crown and adjusted the hands.

11:44.

The tiny mechanical movement sounded almost impossibly loud.

Claire's eyes filled.

Dominic wound the watch.

The second hand started.

Tick.

Claire whispered, "Welcome back."

Dominic looked at her.

"Which one of us?"

"Both."

He kissed her forehead.

Then came a terrible smell.

Dominic closed his eyes.

"No."

Smoke rolled from the kitchen.

Evelyn shouted, "Nobody panic!"

Samuel yelled, "Why is that always what you say before we need to panic?"

Dominic and Claire hurried inside.

Evelyn pulled a blackened tray from the oven.

Ruth stared.

"Evie."

"I got distracted."

"You've been cooking professionally for nine months."

"Professionally is generous."

Samuel lifted one biscuit.

It was nearly charcoal.

"You could armor a vehicle with these."

Evelyn snatched it away.

"Nobody asked you."

Victor picked up another.

"Is this bread?"

"It was."

Claire started laughing.

Evelyn looked around the kitchen.

Then slowly noticed the familiar stainless-steel mixing bowl sitting beside the sink.

Dominic immediately shook his head.

"No."

Evelyn smiled.

"No."

She reached for it.

"Evelyn."

Too late.

She placed the bowl on her head.

Seven years earlier, Dominic Blackwood had believed the sound of happiness had left his home forever.

Now Evelyn stood in the middle of his kitchen, flour on her dress and a mixing bowl balanced crookedly over her hair.

She lifted her chin.

"Subjects."

Samuel groaned.

Victor bowed immediately.

"My Queen."

"At least someone here has manners."

Claire curtsied.

Dominic stared at his wife.

"You too?"

"I've been gone seven years. I missed several administrations."

Evelyn pointed toward Dominic.

"You."

"No."

"Bow."

"I run this house."

Claire shook her head.

"Not tonight."

Dominic looked around the room.

Samuel was smiling.

Victor was trying not to laugh.

Ruth held the baby against her shoulder.

Claire stood beside him.

Alive.

Home.

Waiting.

Dominic sighed dramatically.

Then bowed.

Evelyn raised both arms.

"Long live the Queen of Burned Biscuits!"

The room erupted.

Dominic laughed louder than anyone.

But halfway through it, he noticed something.

Nobody was staring at him anymore.

Nobody looked shocked.

Nobody was frightened by the sound.

His laughter had become ordinary.

Normal.

Alive.

Claire slipped her hand into his.

"Better?"

He looked at her.

"Much."

Evelyn removed her ridiculous crown.

"Good. Because dessert is coming."

Dominic's smile disappeared.

"What dessert?"

"Chocolate cake."

Samuel suddenly stood.

"I have somewhere to be."

"So do I," Victor said.

Ruth grabbed the baby.

"We should probably leave."

Evelyn stared at them.

"Cowards."

Claire whispered to Dominic, "Should we run?"

He considered it.

Then smelled something burning again.

"Absolutely."

They made it three steps before Evelyn shouted.

"Nobody leaves until you taste my cake!"

Dominic grabbed Claire's hand.

"Go."

They ran.

Claire laughed beside him.

Behind them, Evelyn chased the most feared mafia boss in North Carolina through his own mansion with a wooden spoon while two senior criminals escaped through the side door.

And for the first time in seven years, Dominic didn't care whether anyone saw him laughing.

He no longer needed silence to remember Claire.

She was right there.

He no longer needed a broken watch to hold onto the past.

Time was moving again.

So was he.

Outside, the Blue Ridge fog settled peacefully over the mountain.

Inside, the house stayed bright.

And sometime around midnight, after the guests had gone and Evelyn's surprisingly edible chocolate cake had been reduced to crumbs, Dominic walked back into the kitchen.

The mixing bowl remained on the counter.

He picked it up.

Claire leaned against the doorway.

"What are you doing?"

Dominic placed it carefully on his head.

Claire stared.

He lifted his chin.

"You will address me as King of Burned Biscuits."

Claire burst out laughing.

Evelyn's voice came from the hallway.

"Absolutely not!"

Dominic immediately removed the bowl.