by Marilyn Turk
“One sure thing about Abner is his loyalty,” Marian Maurice had affirmed.
Those people had no fear of the man, so why should she? And if he was truly loyal to her grandfather, why would he want harm to come to her, the granddaughter? Okay, Lexie, here’s your chance to treat the man with respect, not like a strange animal the way many mentally disturbed people are treated. Wasn’t that what she believed?
Lexie took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.
“Mr. Jones, you startled me. I just thought I’d go up to my room this way for a change.” Did that sound as ridiculous to him as it did to her?
“Young ladies like you shouldn’t be out here by theirselves at night.”
“Yes, well, I was just going up the stairs.”
He stepped closer and lowered his voice.
“It’s dangerous out here.”
“Thank you for your concern, but I think everyone here is friendly.”
“You don’t understan’. There’s enemies around.”
A chill ran through Lexie. “Enemies? You mean Nazis?”
Did he nod his head? It was hard to tell in the dark.
“Germans. And spies.”
Spies? Did he know who they were?
“Oh! Well, thank you for keeping an eye out for them.”
The chilly air penetrated Lexie’s clothes, and she began to shiver. She had to get inside—to get warm and to end this conversation. She turned to continue up the stairs, wondering what he would say or do next. As an idea came to her, she stopped and spun around. Somehow, she summoned the strength to do what she had to do.
She stepped back down to where Abner Jones still stood.
“Mr. Jones, I understand you saved my grandfather’s life.”
“That’s what he told people. I just did my duty.”
“Well, I want to thank you. If you hadn’t saved him, I wouldn’t have known him.”
She extended her gloved hand.
For a few moments, no one moved. Then slowly, Abner Jones lifted his hand and allowed her to shake it before he dropped it back down by his side. Then he raised it again and moved it across his face. Did she hear him sniff? The moon peeked out from the clouds and glistened off the trail of tears that ran down the weathered face.
Lexie’s heart squeezed with compassion for the poor old man.
After a weighty silence, he cleared his throat.
“Miss Smithfield, you’re a lot like your grandpa.”
Lexie fought back her own tears. No one had ever told her that. And no one could have paid her a higher compliment.
“Thank you, Mr. Jones. That means a lot to me.” She smiled at the man, hoping he could see her face in the moonlight. “Well, good night.” She turned once again to go up the stairs.
“Miss Smithfield?”
She paused and looked back over her shoulder.
“Yes?”
“Be careful.”
“I will.”
He was not a threat to her anymore. So who was?
Chapter 25
When Lexie reached the back door to the second floor, she gripped the doorknob, anxious to get inside. But before she went in, she had an idea. What if she went all the way to the top where Russell’s office was?
She reached the fourth-floor landing, winded from the long climb and freezing from the cold. She pulled open the door and stepped into the hallway, hoping no one would see her enter from the servants’ stairs. She tiptoed down the hall, passing some of the staff bedrooms. Other rooms had the doors open and inside them, Lexie noticed stacks of trunks and suitcases where the luggage was stored for the season.
At the opposite end of the hall, voices rose and fell, telling Lexie the meeting was still in progress. From the sound, she guessed several people were involved. She couldn’t very well stand in the hallway listening, but she needed to know when the meeting ended. As she considered her options, she heard footsteps tramping down the wood floors in her direction.
She ducked into one of the open storage rooms and hid behind a huge trunk, her heart racing.
The steps passed her and continued until she heard a door close down the hall. She listened for more noise, and hearing none, stepped from her hiding place and into the corridor, right into the path of the boat captain. His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed as his perpetual frown returned.
Lexie searched for an explanation. “I was just looking for my bag … I believe I left a scarf in it.”
He harrumphed before mumbling, “Excuse me,” as he walked past her toward the stairway at the end.
The voices coming from the direction of Russell’s office grew louder, indicating the door had opened and people were leaving the meeting. She scurried down the main staircase to the third floor, a more logical place for her to be—on a guest room level. If she timed it just right, she could pretend she was going up while the others were coming down. Sure enough, several male staff members passed her. When the young waiter Walter saw her, a smile lit up his face.
“Good evening, Miss Smithfield! How are you today?”
His youthful enthusiasm made Lexie feel so much older than the few years’ difference between them. He didn’t seem to have a care in the world, his attitude as yet unspoiled by the realities of life. And yet, soon he would be exposed to the harshest truths of war. She remembered Russell’s promise to pray for the young man and wanted to do the same, if she only knew how. God would listen to Russell’s prayers—he was the faithful churchgoer. But God would probably be offended if she asked him for anything.
She could at least offer a smile. “Very well, thank you, Walter. Do you know where I might find Mr. Thompson?”
“Sure. He’s coming downstairs behind me.” He glanced up over his shoulder before trotting down the stairs.
Lexie followed his gaze and saw Russell turn the corner of the staircase above. Upon seeing her, the lines in his face relaxed and his welcome smile appeared along with his endearing dimple.
“Good evening, Lexie. Fancy meeting you here.” He winked, and her face warmed.
She pursed her lips and tried to act nonchalant. “Russell, I hoped I might run into you.”
He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? What a nice surprise.”
Once again, heat rushed to her neck and face. “I need to talk to you about something that happened today—actually, a couple of things that happened today.”
He came alongside her and placed his hand on the small of her back. With the other hand, he gestured down the steps. “Have you had dinner yet?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“So will you join me? I’m famished, and we can talk in the dining room.”
“But … can we? I’d like our conversation to be kept private.”
He cast a sidelong glance at her. “I’ll request a table at the back of the dining room.” He checked his watch. “Most of the early diners should be gone by now, including the Appletons.”
How nice to know he appreciated her need for privacy.
“Good.” She nodded and headed into the dining room, grateful to have his company.
Waiters cleared dishes from the half-empty dining room when they entered. They walked all the way back to the rear corner of the room where she took a seat with her back to the rest of the patrons. The dim candlelight glowed golden, soothing Lexie with its gentle embrace.
As Russell placed his napkin in his lap, he said, “So did you enjoy your outing with the Maurice sisters?”
She nodded, waiting until their server took their order before responding.
“Quite enjoyable. They’re very nice ladies and made me feel very comfortable.”
“Good. I thought you’d enjoy being with them. Did you have a fourth?”
“Yes, Mrs. Prentice.”
“Of course. She’s a good bridge player.” With a twinkle in his eye, he added, “Did you win?”
“No. My bridge game is a bit rusty.”
“No doubt the rust will wear off
with a little practice, then the ladies better look out.”
“Russell, please. I don’t want to talk to you about bridge.”
His face sobered. “I’m sorry, what else did you want to discuss?”
“After tea, we went out for a carriage ride.”
“Good old Charlie Hill.”
“Yes, well, we stopped at the beach for a while. We saw a man out there patrolling—someone I didn’t recognize.”
She studied Russell’s reaction, but his blank expression revealed nothing, so she continued.
“While we were there, we heard, and actually felt, a large boom. The man on the beach fixed his binoculars out to sea. I looked, too, and thought I saw a trail of smoke in the distance. Did you hear it? Do you know what it was?”
He examined his fork before answering.
“No on both counts. I did not hear it, and I don’t know what it was.”
“But you heard about it, didn’t you? Do you think it could have been a German submarine? What if they torpedoed one of our ships?”
Russell remained unusually quiet, as if contemplating her question. The muffled sound of voices at other tables blended with the tinkling of silver and crystal while Lexie waited for his answer. When he didn’t respond, she persisted.
“Russell, you must know something about this. Please tell me.”
He looked up at her with an expression so grave it frightened her.
“I did hear about it. The patrol reported what they heard and saw. We called the Coast Guard, but they haven’t confirmed an attack.”
“But it could have been.”
“Yes, it could have been.” He leaned toward her and lowered his voice. “But Lexie, if that’s the case, it happened miles off our shore—maybe ten or fifteen miles at least. If the German submarines are out there, they’re not firing at the land, they’re firing at other ships.”
“And that doesn’t affect us?”
“Not directly, no”
The waiter arrived at their table holding a tray aloft with their meals. Lexie held her tongue until he’d placed their food in front of them. Russell thanked him and the waiter excused himself.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Lexie faced Russell again. “So you’re not going to tell anybody about it? What about those of us who heard and felt it?”
“I can’t tell what I don’t know, and there’s no need to upset people without proof. I’m sure the Coast Guard will tell us if anything significant happened. I promise I’ll let you know what I find out.”
Lexie stared into his green eyes, so intense as he studied her. She had to believe him. Who else could she trust? She pushed her food around and took a few nibbles of her salad. An image of Abner Jones’ face in the moonlight came to her mind.
“You know, Russell, I’m not afraid of Abner Jones anymore.”
He glanced up at her and lifted his eyebrows as he took a bite of steak. “Did something happen to change your mind about him?”
“Yes, the Maurice sisters told me why Grandfather was so indebted to him, why he got Abner out of the mental hospital. Apparently, when they were in the war, Abner saved Grandfather’s life.”
“You didn’t know that? I thought you did.”
“No, well at least I don’t remember if I heard about it as a child.”
“And that made your opinion of Abner change?”
“I think so. I saw him earlier tonight.” She stopped. How could she tell him what happened without revealing her trip up the servants’ stairs? She fingered her pearl necklace while trying to figure out how to explain her meeting with Abner.
“Where?”
“Outside. On the lawn.”
“And?”
“Well, at first he spooked me like he usually does. He has an unsettling habit of appearing unexpectedly.”
“And you thought he followed you, right?”
“I did suspect him of that. In fact, maybe he has been following me. But I think his motive is good.” She leaned forward, glancing each way. “I think he’s trying to protect me.”
Russell sat back in his chair, resting his hands on the edge of the table. “Could be, now that you mention it.”
“I believe that part of his gratitude to my grandfather is taking care of me, the granddaughter. He just acts odd, but I don’t think he can help it.”
Russell’s smile eased across his face. “I told you he’s harmless. I’m glad you’ve decided not to concern yourself with him anymore.”
“But that still doesn’t explain someone else at the cottage, or the telegram. You don’t think Abner sent the telegram, do you?”
“No. I doubt Abner has ever sent a telegram.”
“Someone wanted me here badly enough to send that telegram. But who? Why?”
Russell shook his head. “Got me. Maybe we’ll never know.”
He paused while the waiter refilled their water glasses and checked on them. When the server left, he continued.
“By the way, I put in the work order for your repairs. I expect they’ll start tomorrow or the next day.”
“Thank you. I almost wish I could do more, like put up new wallpaper. That old paper looks terrible.”
“Just say the word, and I’ll have it done.”
“No. I don’t suppose that’s a necessary repair. Perhaps the next owner will want to choose their own wallpaper.”
She had to keep the costs down, and new wallpaper would only add to it. But her heart wrenched at the prospect of turning the cottage over to someone else. Funny that she hadn’t felt that way before she came back to the island. But now that she’d seen the house, she almost felt sorry for it and wanted to return it to its former condition. Maybe what she really wanted was to return to a time when life was happier and less complicated, when the house was filled with family and activity.
But she couldn’t do that. She had no family to fill it with anymore. Her eyes grew moist, and she dabbed them with her napkin. At least the Maurice sisters had each other. Despite the fact that many of their family members had died, they continued to come to their cottage and relive happier days from when they were there before. No, Lexie couldn’t see herself in that picture, a lonely woman rambling through a big old house by herself.
“What’s wrong?” Russell’s hand covered hers, surprising her with both the gesture and the heat that radiated up her arm and into her body. His eyes gazed into her own, conveying a sense of genuine care and concern. Maybe there was something else, too, something more. Had she imagined his feelings for her or hoped for them? The candlelit atmosphere must have deluded her into thinking these things. But, she didn’t move her hand, afraid to break the spell.
“I’m not sure, Russell. When I came here, I had one thing in mind—to check on the cottage and get it ready to sell. But now that I’m here, part of me wants to stay, or maybe I just want to go back to the way things used to be.”
“With Robert and the rest of your family here.”
Tears rolled down her face. “Yes.”
“Sometimes I’d like for things to be the way they were, too; when I was a kid and had no worries. But we have to grow up sometime, don’t we?” His smile warmed her inside out.
“Why is it when we’re children, we want to be grown-up?”
“Because we don’t know what grown-ups have to deal with. We just want all the power they have.” His hand continued to stroke hers as if it was a natural thing for him to do. “Lexie, what you said about part of you wanting to stay—do you have to get back to work right away?”
“No, I don’t have to. I left after Mother died, and the hospital doesn’t expect me back until I’ve handled all her affairs.”
“Then, you can stay a while longer?”
“I suppose so. Plus I really want to get some questions answered.”
Russell leaned back and laughed, releasing her hand. “That’s my girl!”
Lexie laughed, too, happy and content to share the moment with Russell.
When she saw R
ussell furrow his brow, she followed his gaze behind her to one of the waiters standing across the dining room in the doorway, trying to get his attention.
He pushed back, stood, and tossed his napkin on the table. “Please excuse me, Lexie. I need to see about this.” He came around the table, pausing beside her. “I’m sorry. I hate to leave you. I’ve really enjoyed our time together this evening.”
“Me, too,” she said. He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it with a flair of melodrama.
She giggled and watched him walk to the doorway where he spoke with a man before they both hurried away. She scanned the dining room and noticed the other tables were now empty, and she was alone. Or was she? A tingle on the back of her neck signaled that she was being watched. She spun around in time to see the door to the kitchen swing shut. It must have been their waiter. When the door opened again, two servers came out carrying trays of silverware which they took to the empty tables and began to reset the place settings.
They acted like she was invisible as they passed by, so engrossed in their own conversation. She left her table and meandered through the room on her way out.
“So who you gonna ask to the Valentine’s dance?” One of the waiters walked around the tables, placing the spoons on the right of the plates.
“Probably Shirley. What about you?” The other waiter added forks to the opposite side of the plates.
“Well, if we still have it, Polly. But I’m not so sure there’ll be a dance, what with all the German subs out there.”
“Do you really believe there’s German subs that close to us? I think it’s just a rumor.”
“You know what Thompson said—we might close early this year because of them.”
“Well, I intend to keep on living until they tell us to leave. Life’s too short to live with fear. And God help me, I won’t.”
The words hit Lexie square between the eyes. Indeed. Life was too short—at least it was for Robert. But he hadn’t lived with fear. And neither would she. Would God help her too?
Chapter 26
“Where is he?” Russell asked the server as they strode outside.