Mayor of Greywater Falls; proprietor of Halloway's Bakery · 64
Warm, formidable, runs the town's morale like a kitchen. Believes a problem with a bake sale attached to it is half-solved. Deflects fear into frosting.
Agnes Crewe — old friend and rival. Agnes knew her mother. Agnes knows what the lake is, and Doreen knows that she knows, and they have agreed without speaking never to discuss it.
Wren Aldercott — uneasy ally. Wants the paper to keep things calm. Wren will not be managed.
Russ Dunmore — depends on him. Needs Russ to keep saying it's nothing for as long as possible.
Day 98: Wrote to the Gazette declaring the town's whole policy toward the guest is to feed her the way it fed everyone else, and made the library bread free until further notice.
Day 100: Retired her hours notebook after four unbroken weeks, filed it away, and brought bread to the office instead of an explanation.
Day 102: Announced she'll close the bakery early on Saturdays for no reason but wanting the hour, and changed the subject to flour prices when pressed.
Day 103: Closed the bakery forty minutes early to walk home in first snow, calling it a dry run for Saturday, and explained nothing.
Day 104: Closed the bakery at four for real, walked the long way past the lake without stopping anywhere, and told Wren the hour was for 'nothing, now' and meant it kindly.
Day 105: Closed the bakery at its ordinary five o'clock, no early walk, no unasked bread, and told Wren some weeks the hour is just an hour.