by Kay Lyons
Lost Love Found
Kay Lyons
Kindred Spirits Publishing
LOST LOVE FOUND Copyright © 2020 by Kay Lyons
Cover art Copyright © 2020 @ resnick_joshua1
978-1-946863-80-5
978-1-946863-85-0
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Epilogue
About the Author
FAQ
Chapter 1
Holland Cohen walked to the stone railing of the private residence situated along the Intercoastal Waterway in Wilmington, North Carolina, and sighed.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Holland turned and saw an elegantly coiffed elderly woman smiling at her as she approached, an equally elegant cane in hand. Holland tried to pinpoint the woman's age but couldn't quite place her. Early to mid-eighties?
"I'm ninety-four, my dear." The woman's bright blue eyes sparkled with amusement. "If that's what's making you frown so."
Holland quickly schooled her features, an embarrassed laugh leaving her. "Hello, Mrs. Bane. I'm so glad you called me about donating to the charity auction."
"My friend Margaret speaks highly of you and your company. After meeting you at the ladies' luncheon, I knew I wanted to help. Would you like to talk out here or inside?"
Considering it was the first of March in North Carolina and the temperature had reached a gloriously balmy seventy today, Holland wanted to stay outside and enjoy it while it lasted. North Carolina spring weather was decidedly mercurial, with warm temps one day and drastic, shiver-inducing drops the next. "Wherever you're most comfortable."
"It's a beautiful day. Let's sit here until it gets too chilly," the woman said, seating herself on one of the beautiful couches along the second-floor patio of the palatial home. "Margaret told me she's known you for a while. She said you handled the sale of some of her jewelry several years ago."
Holland waited until the woman was comfortably settled before lowering herself onto the settee opposite her. Only then did she remove the donation form from her bag. "I'm sorry, but I'm not at liberty to say much due to confidentiality clauses with my company, Mrs. Bane."
"Please, call me Violet."
"Violet," Holland said. "That said, I will say the company I work for is one of the best for the resale of high-end items if you ever find yourself wanting to redecorate." Handling the sale of a client's personal items had to be done with the utmost delicacy. So many people chose to use her company as a way of avoiding the public notice of selling items to recoup as much of the original cost as possible due to unspoken financial strain. But in the case of Violet Bane, Holland didn't think that was the case.
Was she here simply to confirm a donation for the upcoming auction, or did Violet have something else in mind?
She'd recognized the name immediately, but according to Holland's quick internet research, the Bane family was old-money, the kind that had survived the depression and thrived soon after. Industrial-era businesses, political posts, and well-to-do marriages had left the family name akin to that of the Kennedys and an American version of royalty.
"Tell me about yourself."
Holland blinked at the request. "Pardon?"
"My dear, the item is yours for the auction, have no fear. But I'd like to know more. Your bio said you're from the area?"
It appeared Violet Bane had also done her homework. "Uh, yes, ma'am. When I'm not traveling for work, I live in Carolina Cove."
"So you're from the Wilmington area originally? Are you married? Have a family?"
The housekeeper who had shown her to the balcony appeared carrying a tray with tea, cookies, and little pieces of scrumptious-looking cake sliced in generous proportions.
"Thank you, Sally."
Holland eyed the goodies and thought of the extra time she'd need in the gym just to cover this meeting alone. Not to mention the luncheon she'd had with another potential donor an hour or so earlier while in Southport.
"Ma'am? What would you like?" Sally asked.
"Oh, uh, a cookie, please." It seemed to be the less caloric of the choices but that cake… Why was she ruled by her sweet tooth?
"Go on, dear. You were saying?"
Holland accepted the plated cookie and met Violet's gaze, wondering if the source of the woman's questions was loneliness or simply shrewd business acumen. "I was born in Germany at a military hospital, and my parents settled us here after my father retired. He and my mother now own the Carolina Cove Pier and Inn."
"How nice. Places like that are such a boon for our economy and a lure for tourists to return to whenever a storm comes through and damages cause a downturn. What does your husband do?"
"I'm not married. Never have been."
"I find it hard to believe a woman as beautiful as you hasn't been asked."
Holland inhaled and struggled to keep a pleasant expression pinned to her face. "I have been. Once."
"Oh? What happened?"
Violet must have sensed she was going beyond the proper limits for two people who'd only met briefly two days ago, but her gaze remained direct, holding Holland's without flinching. "I… He was killed. He was a Special Forces soldier."
"Oh, my dear. I'm terribly sorry. It was recent?"
Holland shook her head, wondering how an appointment to pick up an auction item had turned into this. She cleared the lump from her throat and focused on the task at hand. "It was five years ago."
"The grieving doesn't go away, does it? Not when we truly love."
"Mmm," she said, avoiding the truth by simply agreeing. Her guilt came from turning down the proposal, knowing she didn't love David as much as a would-be wife should love a husband. He'd gone back to war, brokenhearted, and she would always wonder if she wasn't somehow to blame for his death since it had occurred so soon after. "The, um, item you wanted to donate… May I see it? I'll need to get some photos so I can begin the details page for the auction booklet."
"Soon, dear. Do you have children? Siblings?"
Southern. How could she forget that questions some might think of as intrusive really were just a southerner's way of getting to know someone? Personal questions were a handshake in the south. Just a nice-to-meet-you. "No children. I do have four sisters, though. One older and three younger. All them involved, engaged, or married with a baby on the way."
"How fun. Your parents must be thrilled."
"We all are."
"I had a sister. She died of polio when she was young."
"I'm sorry."
"As am I. I've often wondered what it would've been like to have been one of a houseful."
"Well, with all girls, plus my mother, my father found himself using the outdoor shower a lot, I can tell you that."
The older woman laughed at the comment and nodded several times.
"Yes, yes, I can see how
that would have been difficult for him. Your name… Holland is a beautiful name, though unusual. Does it have special meaning?"
Holland settled back against the cushioned seat, leaving the contract for later, when Violet Bane finally satisfied her curiosity after her game of Twenty Questions. "Military family," she said again simply. "My parents named us after where we were conceived."
The woman's eyes twinkled with her amusement.
"I see. And your sisters' names?"
Holland matched the woman's grin. "Ireland, London, France—we call her Frankie—and Carolina."
"How unique. I like it," Violet stated with a nod. "Very creative."
The woman's teacup rattled a bit as she lifted it to her lips for a sip, and Holland set the cookie aside for the time being.
"Come with me."
Holland froze in the act of sweetening her tea, and when she saw Violet getting to her feet, she hurried to stand and move to the woman's side, gently grasping her arm to steady her.
"Thank you, dear."
Violet led the way into the stunning home, through the living area to a sitting room off of what Holland assumed was the master suite. "That's the desk?"
"Yes."
"It's breathtaking."
"Yes, I suppose it is. Do you feel it appropriate for the auction?"
"Oh, my goodness, yes. I think it will do very well. Thank you, Violet."
"It won't be missed," the woman stated with a firm shake of her head. "In fact," she said, turning to look at Holland, "I would like to hire your services like my friend Margaret did. When I emptied the desk, I stumbled across some… memories. They made me realize I have quite a few things that make me think of unpleasant times, and I no longer want them."
"I'm sure my company would send a repres—"
"No, dear. I will only do it if you handle the account. I'm comfortable with you."
Holland faltered. She had a full plate with more than a few side plates to juggle. Taking on Violet as a client meant tripling down and then some. "I'm… not sure of the timeframe you have in mind. I just returned from an extended work trip and planned to take some time off to deal with the auction and London's wedding preparations, as well as the baby shower planned for Ireland. Things are a bit chaotic for me at the moment."
"The auction is still a month away."
"Yes, but—"
"And the wedding is?"
"Uh, mid-April, right after the auction. The wedding is a week beyond that."
Violet smiled.
"That's plenty of time, my dear. Especially if you stay here. Wilmington traffic is such a bother these days."
"Mrs. Bane—"
"Violet, dear."
"Violet, I live in Carolina Cove. If I were to take the job, it's not that far to drive home. There's no reason for me to intrude."
"Bah. There's no intrusion. I'd welcome the company. It gets lonely in this big old house. My sons rarely visit, my grandchildren even less so now that they're grown with families of their own. You'd keep me company as we cycle through some unpleasant memories, and I'd be sure to let your company know how valuable you are to them."
Holland faltered yet again. Because of the mention of unpleasant memories. That piqued her interest in the extreme. But more than that… She'd worked with a lot of extremely wealthy people over the years, but getting that kind of boost from the Bane matriarch would go a long way in obtaining the best assignments in the future. And when percentages of listings were factored into her commission bonuses… "Of course. I'll let my company know. You'll need to sign a contract, and we can get started on Mon—"
"Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"I'm not getting any younger, dear."
Okay, then. So much for the weekend. "Tomorrow it is."
Two hours after her meeting with Violet Bane, Holland entered her home in Carolina Cove and found Carolina standing in the kitchen, kissing her boyfriend, Silas. Her youngest sister pulled back and flashed Holland a smile but didn't loose her hold on Silas's broad shoulders.
"Guess what?" Carolina said.
"What?"
"We just got booked to house-sit for a last-minute getaway. We leave tomorrow for Aruba. Can you believe it? Aruba!"
"That's great," Holland said. "Are you taking Lucy?"
"Yeah, it's only a four-day assignment. To Aruba!"
Holland laughed at Carolina's excitement, more than a little pleased at her sister's luck. It had been hard for Carolina to take a step back and change her thinking regarding her desire to be a professional international house sitter once Silas and his daughter, Lucy, had entered her life. Her dreams had nearly ended their relationship, but Carolina had regrouped and countered the opportunity by getting Silas to agree to go with her on shorter assignments as his work schedule allowed. The compromise fed Carolina's dreams and desire for travel while allowing them to provide the stability Lucy needed and Silas's job demanded. "Little Lucy is getting a lot of great travel experience for that new passport of hers."
Lucy was a brainiac. A for-real child genius, and while taking her out of school might be problematic for some children, for Lucy it seemed to accelerate her desire to learn. The kid was probably tucked upstairs on Carolina's bed researching Aruba and all its marine life while waiting on dinner.
"I know, right? And I know I can definitely use some time on a sugar-sand beach. The owners want us to pet and plant sit and they have their own private beach access."
"I don't think I've seen you this excited," Silas said, dropping a kiss atop Carolina's head before releasing her to move toward the fridge.
"Aruba, ba-by!" Carolina said with a grin. "Where have you been, Holl?"
Holland dropped her bag on the couch and took off her heels, carrying them to the stairs so she wouldn't forget to take them up when she went to pack for her stay. "I had a charity donation meeting that turned into a client meeting. The woman insists I stay with her while I gather the information for the listings, but it's right on the IC, so it's not a hardship."
"Niiice. You gonna do it?"
"Well, I like eating and being employed, so, yeah. She's a young ninety-four and a little lonely, and it could mean a nice-sized bonus."
"I believe in you," Carolina said, grinning. "You've got this. What's the house like?"
"Stunning. Amazing views, amazing furnishings. It'll be fun to see what treasures she's ready to part with."
"What's her name?" Silas asked.
Carolina immediately shook her head. "She can tell you but then she'd have to kill you."
Holland laughed but shrugged. "Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. Privacy policy. Generals are okay but I can't give specifics."
"Gotcha," Silas said, lowering himself to the couch. "I didn't realize your job was a real thing until Carolina told me about it."
"It's never boring, that's for sure," Holland said. She liked her job. Loved the travel aspect and getting to play with, stay on, momentarily wear, fly in, drive, or otherwise research the usually insanely expensive items people no longer wanted. Over the years, she'd been able to satisfy her expensive tastes without spending a dime. "I'm going to go pack."
"Dinner's almost ready."
"Okay, but just a salad for me. I had some sort of cookie that was probably a billion calories but surprisingly filling."
"Fancy. Try to bring some of those home when you can," Carolina said, grinning. "What? I can't even have a cookie? Tough crowd."
Holland laughed as she climbed the stairs. "I'll see what I can do but no promises."
Minutes later she entered her bedroom and removed the suitcase she'd just placed in the closet two days ago when she'd returned from a job in Brazil. She hadn't planned on leaving again for a while, but staying at Violet's during the job wasn't out of the norm.
She went back to her closet and took a quick survey, deciding on multiple tops and slacks, a few nice dresses, one fancy dress just to prepare for any major surprise, and several sweaters and a jacket that could
be worn interchangeably. Holland dropped those onto the bed to roll later and moved to her armoire to get a bathing suit and cover-up. Homes with heated pools were definitely a favorite of hers and a treat she wouldn't pass up. She also added a packable but cold-weather coat for free time when she could sit under their gazebo at the end of the dock.
Needing only the last-minute essentials, she pulled her laptop from the bag she'd carried to Violet's and settled behind the desk. A search of Violet Bane's name left her scrolling through images of Violet as a younger woman. Charities and boards, fundraisers. Lots of volunteer work. The beautiful wife of an influential man who had passed on six years ago.
Holland kept clicking and found pictures of Violet's two sons as well as a few grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She hesitated, then used the mouse to slide over into the thousands of articles featuring the family's political, business, and personal dealings as well as a few scandals back in the day that would barely be a blip on the radar in today's world.
"Dinner's ready!"
Holland closed the laptop with a soft click. Violet's comment about the lack of family visits made Holland sad. Someone had once told her there was nothing more invisible than an old woman, and for the first time, it sank in that one day she could look around and find herself in Violet's shoes—if she was lucky enough to have a family at all.
Holland leaned back in the chair and rubbed her temple with her fingertips in a sad attempt to ease the tension. It wasn't unusual for a family member or assistant to contact her company about the prospect of listing items. But Violet had made the call herself and something nagged Holland enough to make her wonder… if Violet was intent on selling her things, why was she doing it all alone?
Chapter 2
The following evening, Maximilian Bane squeezed through the elevator doors of his grandmother's home before the doors completely opened and stalked into the room. "Nan? Sally?"