ISLAND LEGACY
“Innisfree binds us.”
A new generation attempts to define where home is.
When Lydia Hammond encourages her grieving granddaughter, Elizabeth Innocenti, to spend the summer at Innisfree, the family’s compound on Chappaquiddick Island, Elizabeth undertakes the journey from her home in Italy with her fourteen-year-old son, hoping to heal from the devastating loss of her husband after a long illness. Innisfree holds cherished memories of an idyllic childhood for Elizabeth. But when she arrives, she finds the place abandoned, derelict and as needy as she is.
A reluctant steward, Elizabeth undertakes the task of making the cottage habitable until a hurricane forces her to take shelter with the Monroes, the Wampanoag family who once owned Innisfree. The fraught and tangled history between her grandmother and the Monroes pulls Elizabeth into a passionate search for Innisfree’s meaning for both families. At the same time, her challenging relationship with Caleb Monroe, the grandson of Mae and Tobias, forces her to confront her perception of who she is and what she wants.
The third book in the award-winning First Light series.
“A tender, spirited family tale to complete a warm, earnest series.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Cardillo’s poignant novel is a winding, intriguing story of relatable suffering–the sorrow of losing loved ones, traversing long distances to visit those dear to us, and the pain (and growth) that arises through profound life changes.” – The BookLife Prize
..”.a beautiful riveting journey of love, yesteryear, intrigue, disaster and redemption…written in a lyrical tone with exquisite descriptions of Martha’s Vineyard.” –Chick Lit Cafe
The storm was worsening. Elizabeth had forgotten what a New England hurricane sounded like. The shrieking wind, the groaning response of the house to the buffeting and pounding, even the restless breathing of everyone gathered for shelter, heightened Elizabeth’s anxiety. She felt only slightly safer at Cove Meadow than if she and Matteo had been trapped at Innisfree.
Peering out the unshuttered window over the sink, she strained to see if Matteo was on his way back to the house as Caleb had said. Then she heard his voice behind her in the mudroom off the kitchen and turned in relief. She wanted to pull him close, confirm with her touch that he was safe, but she refrained. He’d hate to be coddled like a baby in front of the men. Instead, she scanned Josiah’s face for what she hoped would be reassurance, not greater concern. But what she found was wariness and exhaustion as he peeled off his dripping rain gear.
Matteo walked into the kitchen smelling of goat and tracking in a trail of must and straw.
Caleb raised his arm in a high-five to him.
“Thanks for the help, Matt. If the goats had panicked and escaped the barn we’d still be out there.”
Elizabeth watched her son’s face light up from Caleb’s praise and silently admitted that here was one more thing she owed the ranger on this harrowing day. She tried not to think of Matteo’s outburst the night before, the searing emptiness of not having a father who could offer the kind of recognition Caleb had just given him.
She should feel grateful, she told herself. But she didn’t. Instead, she felt her relief in Caleb’s kindness to her son was a betrayal. It should have been Antonio acknowledging Matteo. Knowing that could never be made her desperate to ensure that Antonio’s film kept him alive for his son.
Her dismay must have been broadcasting itself on her face, because she caught Caleb looking at her once again as if she had slapped him.
“I’ve made a fresh pot of coffee,” Grace called from the living room. “Does anyone want a cup?” She seemed to have sensed the tension in the kitchen and intervened to defuse it.
At the same time, Izzy came into the kitchen bearing towels and handed one to each of the men and Matteo.
Taking her cues from Izzy and Grace, who seemed to be carrying on with serene confidence, Elizabeth refrained from expressing her rising panic. Instead, she turned to Grace. “I’m exhausted. Can you point me in the direction of a place to crash? Matteo, how about you?”
Matteo rolled his eyes. “Not yet.”
“You might want to wash up before you bed down for the night,” Caleb suggested. “Let me show you.”
Caleb led Matteo out of the kitchen, lantern in hand.
Elizabeth watched them silently, feeling once again that her son had slipped from her grasp.
Grace called to her gently. “Don’t worry. He’s in good hands. Let me show you where you and Matt can sleep.”
Elizabeth followed her, too tired to hover over her son and realizing how ridiculous that was. He’d already been out in the storm.
“We’ve put the elders in the bedrooms. I hope you don’t mind sleeping on the couch.”
“Oh, Grace, I’m so grateful for a roof over our heads. I’m happy to sleep on the floor if someone else needs a bed.”
“No need. Caleb’s already claimed the floor.” She pointed to what looked like an army-issue bedroll in the corner.
Elizabeth helped Grace make up the couch and an air mattress for Matteo. It unsettled her that Caleb would be sleeping nearby, but couldn’t explain even to herself why.
“Josiah will be monitoring the weather on our short-wave. Try to get some rest, and don’t fret about Matt staying up. Caleb will keep him from doing anything stupid. I’ll leave this lantern here for you on the table.”
“Good night, Grace. And thank you.”
She didn’t believe she could follow Grace’s comforting suggestion with the house groaning around her and the rain lashing in fury on the roof and against the shutters. But her physical exhaustion and depleted emotional reserves undid her and she drifted unwillingly into a dream-ravaged sleep.
The Innocenti Family
Elizabeth Todd Innocenti, a 36 year old widow and documentary filmmaker who has been living in Florence, Italy for 15 years; widow of Antonio Innocenti and mother of Matteo Innocenti.
Antonio Innocenti, husband of Elizabeth; a crusading lawyer who died from ALS the year before the story begins.
Matteo Innocenti, the 14 year old son of Elizabeth and Antonio and grandson of Adriana and Massimo.
Adriana Innocenti, Antonio’s mother and a former Italian Vogue fashion model.
Massimo Innocenti, Antonio’s father and a successful goldsmith on the Ponte Vecchio.
The Hammond and Todd Families
Lydia Hammond, the 87 year old matriarch of her family and the owner of Innisfree since 1961, when she purchased it from Mae Monroe.
Sam Todd, Lydia’s grandson and Elizabeth’s older brother, married to Debbie and father of Geoff, Kyle, Ella and Jessica.
Debbie Todd, Sam’s wife and mother of Geoff, Kyle, Ella and Jessica.
Geoff, Kyle, Ella and Jessica Todd, the children of Sam and Debbie and cousins to Matteo.
Susan Hammond Todd, Elizabeth and Sam’s mother.
Tom Todd, Elizabeth and Sam’s father.
The Monroe Family
Caleb Monroe, a 37 year old Wampanoag, son of Josiah and Grace Monroe and grandson of Mae and Tobias Monroe; recently returned to Chappaquiddick.
Josiah Monroe, the 65 year old son of Mae and Tobias, the husband of Grace, brother of Izzy and father of Caleb; retired head of public works for the island of Martha’s Vineyard.
Tobias Monroe, the 96 year old sachem of the Chappaquiddick Wampanoag, father of Josiah and Izzy, grandfather of Caleb.
Izzy Monroe, the 60 year old daughter of Mae and Tobias, sister of Josiah and aunt of Caleb; a professor of American Literature at Yale, she is home for the summer on Chappaquiddick.
Grace Curtis Monroe, the 63 year old wife of Josiah and mother of Caleb; a nurse practitioner.
Cousin Sadie, the cousin of Tobias and an elder in Chappaquiddick Wampanoag tribe.