By Nathalie Rivard

What was meant to be a simple literary outing turned into a powerful lesson in kindness
and solidarity, the living spirit of Three Pines.

During Miranda Esmonde-White’s Essentrics retreat at Spa Eastman, several American participants told me they wished to visit Knowlton, also known as Three Pines, and the brand-new café inspired by Louise Penny’s world. Since most didn’t have a car, I organized an excursion with help from Three Pines Tours and QuEB Taxi. On August 21, seventeen of us, guided by Patricia Saint-Onge, set out for the village.

Inside the Three Pines Café beneath Brome Lake Books, we had a stroke of extraordinary luck: Louise Penny herself was there. Many had moved heaven and earth to make it happen, even though it can never be guaranteed. Photos, signatures and warm exchanges filled the morning.

A Sudden Turn

Thirty minutes before our return to Spa Eastman, the outing, which had been going perfectly, suddenly took on a mystery-novel turn. Wendy, one of the first participants to voice her wish to visit the café, slipped on the outside staircase and fractured her ankle. In an instant, the community rallied: café staff, customers, first responders and paramedics worked together. Ben McCauley, son of the bookstore owners and a café employee, was among the first to help. The ambulance brought Wendy to BMP Hospital, and her friend Sandy was allowed to ride along so she wouldn’t be alone.

A Community Comes Together

The acts of kindness didn’t stop there. Jennifer Pepler, owner of QuEB Taxi, drove Sandy back to Spa Eastman that evening, then returned the next day to bring Wendy, who had spent the night at the hospital, back to the spa, despite a funeral she had to attend. The Spa Eastman team rearranged Wendy’s room to place her in the main building, which is easier to access, and ensured her comfort. On Sunday, when the team came to take her to the airport, Jennifer even offered Wendy a pair of crutches.

On Friday night, I kept our guide Patricia informed about what was happening at the hospital with Wendy, and she contacted Louise Penny. On Saturday evening, Wendy received a personal message from the author, warm, witty, and full of empathy, along with the offer of a gift from the Three Pines Café for her and her friend. On Sunday, I picked up the gifts at the café. By a lovely bit of synchronicity, Louise’s assistant, whom I know well, happened to be there at the same time; with Bryan, the manager, they prepared the two presents. I entrusted them to two participants who were staying a few more days and who, by chance, live almost next door to Wendy in Washington D.C.; they delivered them once home.

A week after arriving home, Wendy underwent a more significant operation. She knows her recovery will take time, but what she carries with her is unforgettable: the human warmth and generosity of our community.

“It makes me want to move here,” she told me.