Aury dropped to her knees, pushing the grass aside. A flat gray stone lay almost level with the ground. The second stone that would have at one time rested upon it was gone. She stood and searched around the grassy area but found no other stone.
She went to the front porch and sat on the top step. It was so peaceful, Aury felt she could fall asleep on this spot. Then the wheels in her head started turning again. Looking around, she tried to spot something that could have been a patch of garden.
Getting to her feet, she walked around the house. Off the kitchen was an area that had obviously been set aside at one time as a garden. She would have to ask Scott how long that chicken wire fence had been there.
Finding nothing else substantial that looked like a garden, she went to see what Scott was working on.
Chapter 34
June 4, 1862
Thomas, quit pestering Frederick. You don’t like it when he does that to you,” Sarah scolded. She glanced anxiously up the dirt road. Her mother’s wagon should have arrived by now.
Emily squirmed to be let down. Sarah placed her in the grass where she could chase butterflies.
“Where is she?” Frederick asked.
“How should I know?” Sarah snapped. She reached out her hand to her brother. “I’m sorry. I’m worried, that’s all.”
Normally Frederick wouldn’t have even considered holding his sister’s hand, but today was an exception. He gave it a small squeeze.
“I’m hungry.” Thomas bounded up to them.
Frederick dropped his sister’s hand and gave Thomas a playful shove. “You’re always hungry.”
“Did you bring food?” Thomas looked up hopefully at Sarah.
She glanced down the empty road again. The sun was setting, and she didn’t want to be out after dark. “Let’s head back.”
“But Momma—” Frederick started.
“Knows her way,” Sarah finished before an argument started. “She’ll be more upset if I don’t have you all fed and in bed at a reasonable hour.”
Slowly, the small band of children headed for home. Frederick dragged his feet, and Sarah knew it was because he hoped their mother would catch up with them.
By the time they reached the porch steps, Emily had fallen asleep on Sarah’s shoulder. She is getting too big to be carried, Sarah thought as she gently laid her on the divan in the sitting room. When she entered the kitchen, Frederick had pulled out the last of the bread and began cutting it into small chunks.
He handed the largest piece to Thomas. “Don’t shovel it into your mouth all at once.”
Thomas looked at his brother with defiance and took a large bite.
Frederick rolled his eyes and handed a piece to Sarah. She took the apple butter from the cupboard and spread it on her bread, then passed it to Frederick.
“Hey, I want some,” Thomas said.
“Then you shouldn’t have eaten all your bread at once,” Frederick answered.
Sarah tore off some of her bread, added jam, and gave it to Thomas who licked off the jam before eating it.
“I’ll make bread tomorrow. I need you two to bring in more firewood for the oven.” She made a mental note to check the springhouse to see what was left. Although the cool water from the James River helped extend the life of some foods, it had been a while since their mother had the time to make preserves.
“Perhaps we’ll go berry picking tomorrow as well. We can have fruit biscuits for Sunday breakfast.” Sarah put the lid on the jam, placing it on the counter. “Now, you two, wash your face and get in bed. Thomas, I’ll know if you don’t wash.”
Frederick ushered Thomas from the room. Sarah sank into one of the chairs. Tears welled in her eyes as she tried not to think about her mother. What if, just like Father, she didn’t come home? She crossed her arms on the table and rested her forehead.
Chapter 35
Present Day
Scott said there’s been a kitchen garden in the same spot for as long as he can remember,” Aury told her grandmother as they sipped their coffee in Gran’s small kitchen.
“But you said it isn’t within sight of the carriage stones. I don’t think that’s what she could be referring to. Besides, why would the carriage stones be ‘the first stone’?”
“Maybe there’s another set of carriage stones,” Aury said.
“They’re usually only by the house where carriages would stop. What other buildings are on the property?”
“A few smaller cottages, but they were built a lot later. I think Scott said his grandparents built them to rent out and for the groundskeeper.”
“What about other gardens?”
“The Townsends had a few crops, but not that last year. According to Mary’s diary, they didn’t plant because James was gone.”
“What about a flower garden? You said Mary Townsend came from a more well-to-do family. She might have appreciated something frivolous to remind her of home,” Gran suggested.
“There’s no telling where that might be now.”
“Maybe the Master Gardeners could help you again.” Gran got up to get another cup of coffee.
“This is my first day back to work,” Aury said. “I might be able to go over to their offices during lunch.”
“You don’t sound excited,” Gran teased her.
“I’d much rather be treasure hunting. It’s hard to get motivated to look at spreadsheets and balanced budgets when the Eastover treasure is calling me.”
“I don’t think you could make a career of treasure hunting, though. The accounting firm pays your bills.”
“I know, but I can dream, can’t I?” She looked at her watch. Taking a last drink from her coffee, she placed the mug in the sink and kissed her grandmother’s cheek.
“I’ll check in on you later,” Aury said.
“I’m fine. You worry too much.”
“We’ll at least make a grocery run. I need to pick up a few things too.”
Gran waved as Aury dashed out the door.
Time dragged on as Aury checked her watch every five minutes, waiting for her lunch break. She had called ahead to Eleanor and arranged to meet the couple at their office.
“How lovely to see you again,” Keith said, standing to greet Aury when she arrived.
“Would you like some coffee?” Eleanor offered.
“No, thank you. I don’t have much time before I need to get to work.”
“So you found another clue?” Eleanor asked.
Aury pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to the older woman.
Eleanor read it so Keith could hear.
“Near the path where stands the first blank stone
Lies a patch of garden, oft left alone.
Peel back the ivy, green and fair,
To reveal the next clue, buried there.”
“Did you find the first stone?” Keith said.
“No. We aren’t sure what that is. We thought it might be a carriage stone, but the kitchen garden isn’t within sight of the front of the house.”
“It wouldn’t be a kitchen garden,” Eleanor said. “It says ‘oft left alone.’ A kitchen garden would be visited constantly.”
“Good point. Gran thought maybe a flower garden.”
“It’ll be hard to identify a garden after so much time has passed,” Eleanor said.
“I think you’ll do better looking for the stone. Are there any places on the property where there’s a buildup of stones?” Keith asked.
“The old barn, but we already found a clue there. I don’t think she’d hide two things in one location. Besides, how would we know which one was the first stone?”
“Buildings have a cornerstone. That’s the first stone put down that sets the boundary for where the other stones are placed,” Keith said.
“Why didn’t I think of that?” Aury said. “That’s brilliant. So it would be on the corner of the building. I’ll check again.”
“I can’t imagine they would plant a flower garden
right next to the stables, though. Usually they wouldn’t put anything tempting to eat so close to the horses,” Eleanor said.
“Any other place with stones?” Keith asked.
Something niggled at Aury’s thoughts. She remembered seeing a large stone somewhere that looked like it was out of place to her.
“In the woods!” she exclaimed when it came to her. “I was walking through the woods, and I found a large stone tipped over on its side. It was about this tall.” She placed her hand two feet off the ground. “And it was unnaturally square.”
“That sounds like a boundary stone,” Keith said. “They were used to outline the borders of property.”
“Would there be more than one?” Aury said.
“Sure, so there must be a first one. They’re often numbered. Try searching the front of the property, near where the road would have been. Not necessarily where it is now.”
“It would make more sense to have a flower garden not often visited near the road where people passing by would see and admire it,” Eleanor said.
Aury was elated. She felt like they had made a breakthrough. Glancing at her watch, she stood. “I need to run. Thanks again for your help.”
As soon as she left the office, she texted Scott. She realized he wouldn’t receive her message until he went into town and could get a signal, but she wanted to let him know she might have a lead.
Chapter 36
That night as Aury pored over the maps she had copied from the library, Scott called. She filled him in on her conversation with the gardeners.
“What do you think? Could they be boundary stones?” Aury asked.
“I don’t see why not. Are the locations on any of the maps you have?”
“No, but I do have a few that show boundary lines and old roads. We can start by looking there.”
“Sounds good. I’m in town now picking up supplies, and I have to meet with some contractors tomorrow. Maybe you can come over for dinner after that, and we can walk the property before it gets dark,” Scott suggested.
“I’ll be there. I’ll even bring dessert.”
They hung up and Aury went back to her maps, meticulously comparing them to modern day maps on her phone, then making notations on her copies. The boundary had changed a few times over the many years, but she thought she had a good idea where to start their search.
As promised, Aury arrived in time for dinner with a fresh apple pie. “Gran said this is her contribution to our treasure hunt,” Aury said, setting the pie on the picnic table.
“Are you hungry now or should we investigate first?” Scott asked.
“Investigate. I want to see if my maps are close to what is currently here.”
Aury grabbed her bag of maps and notes, and they rode the utility cart to where the main road passed by the Eastover property.
Scott turned the vehicle around as Aury oriented the maps to the way they were facing. “This road isn’t on the 1850s maps.” Aury pointed at the line she had penciled in to represent the current entrance to Eastover. “It looks like the old road was another hundred or so yards in and to the left of this road.”
Scott drove down the path until Aury told him to stop. “There used to be a structure of some sort here,” she said.
They got out of the vehicle and walked in parallel lines fifty yards apart in the direction of the original road. Only veering off their course to move around trees or bushes, Aury and Scott kept their eyes pinned to the ground.
“This is too far. Why don’t we shift that way a bit?” Scott followed her directions as they moved farther from the entrance and continued, once again walking fifty yards apart.
“Aury, come here. I think I found something.” Scott dropped to his knees and pulled at the vines and brush covering a gray square block.
“That looks like the one I found in the woods! Is there a number on it?”
Scott swept his hands over the stone, clearing away more of the dirt. “This looks like a Z.”
Aury dropped down beside him. “Probably a two. Curves might have been hard to carve.”
He looked closer. “You’re right. We should be close. Any idea how far apart the boundary stones were usually set?”
“No, but if this is where the road came through, it might be on the other side of the path. Let’s keep going.”
They spread out again and walked deeper into the property, away from where they parked the cart.
This time Aury stumbled across the marker. Scott joined her and they pulled away the growth. “Definitely a one!” Aury beamed, the excitement of discovery spiking her adrenaline.
“Now we have to find a garden,” Scott said, looking around at the trees and bushes nearby.
“Do you smell that?” Aury asked.
Scott sniffed the air. “Honeysuckle?”
“I think so.” Aury followed her nose and came upon a patch of wild and unkempt rose bushes. “They’re beautiful.”
“What are these purple flowers?” Scott said.
“Asters. Gran used to have them in her garden. They’re hardy plants and need little maintenance.”
“I think we found the garden,” Scott said. “Now what?”
“The clue says to peel back the ivy. After all this time, who knows? There’s ivy all over the place.”
“I think that’s the spread of the ivy. Where would a gardener plant ivy to begin with?”
“It would need some type of support, like a trellis or fence.” Aury looked around. “Anything wood is long gone.”
They expanded their search from the roses, walking toward the thickest patch of honeysuckle.
“Aury, look here.” Scott motioned to the ground where a low rise of rocks created a miniature wall.
“Makes sense. Mary would have surrounded her little oasis garden with something.”
They followed the outline of the perimeter, surprised that so much of it was still intact. There was a five-foot area where there was no trace of a wall.
“Maybe she had an arbor here going over the entry to the garden.” Aury outlined an archway with her arms.
“Even so, where would we dig?”
Aury kicked in the growth. Her foot slid across something smooth. With a little more effort, she uncovered a flat, oval rock resting flush with the ground.
She scanned the immediate area. “I don’t see anything else like this. It was probably placed here.”
“I’ll go get the shovel.”
A few minutes later, Scott returned. Placing the tip of the shovel under the rock, he pried it away from the dirt. Minutes later, he was digging at the moist ground beneath.
After ten minutes, he stopped. “I don’t think this is the place. She wouldn’t have buried it too deep.”
“I think it’s the right place. Maybe they just found the treasure already.”
“But why would all the other clues still be in place?” Scott wondered aloud.
Aury shivered. The day had been warm, but the heat had left with the setting sun. “Let’s go eat. I left my jacket in the car.”
Scott refilled the hole and shifted the rock into place.
At the cabin, he started a fire in the pit and put a cast-iron pot on a hanger above it to warm.
“That had to be the right spot,” Aury said, poking at the fire with a stick. “Everything else fit the clue.”
“Someone totally unrelated might have found whatever was buried, not even knowing about the other clues.”
Aury felt the disappointment weigh her down. She didn’t understand why it mattered so much to her that they find the treasure—whatever it was. It wasn’t like she had a claim to it, but she was hoping it could help Scott out of the financial burden Eastover had become. And, if she was being honest with herself, she didn’t want him to have to sell and leave the area. She’d miss him.
The setback was heartrending.
As if reading her thoughts, Scott said, “Guess I need to find another way to pay the taxes on this place.”
&nb
sp; She gave him a wan smile.
Chapter 37
June 5, 1862
Sarah walked along the bank of the river toward the springhouse. It was a beautiful day with a slight breeze. She hummed a song she had heard her mother sing many times as she tucked them in at night.
Voices interrupted her tune. She dashed to the rear of the small building and hid from sight. More clearly now, voices drifted across the water. She peeked above the roof and saw soldiers on a raft. She ducked down again to wait until they passed.
Sitting on a rock behind the springhouse, she was reminded of the treasure hunt their mother had fashioned for them. One of the clues led here. She poked with a stick until she found the marker her mother had placed there to show them where to dig. I’ll need to move this clue further from the river, she thought. We don’t want a soldier to find it.
Eventually the raft rounded the bend, and Sarah went to the front of the building. She moved aside the driftwood and brambles she and Frederick had placed there to hide the wooden structure from the river. Although dark and musty, Sarah loved the feel of the cool room. It was like a secret hideout with fresh water gurgling through the structure.
She slipped inside and held the door open just far enough to let in sunlight to see by. She counted the jars on the shelf, grabbing one jam and picking up a head of cabbage. Backing out, she fastened the door and replaced the foliage.
When she heard sounds of gunfire, she swiftly moved up the bank and melted into the trees.
Chapter 38
Present Day
We were able to find most of a full skeleton,” Dr. Vinson said when she had Scott and Aury in front of the exam table.
In their disappointment over not finding the treasure, they had almost forgotten about their other find. When Dr. Vinson reached out to Scott, he had set up a time when both he and Aury could stop by the college to hear what she had uncovered. Aury gave up her lunch hour, but it was worth it.
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