Mavis, Gloria, and Katie sat on the sofa, waiting for the girls to finish. “I hope they didn’t peek,” Katie said. “I can’t wait to see their expressions when they see themselves. Mavis, where did you learn to do makeup like that?”
“You are going to die laughing when I tell you this story,” Mavis said. “One of my first jobs was to apply makeup to the customers at Rolling Hills Mortuary.
“Oh, dear.” Gloria and Katie both started to laugh.
“Honey, if you can make the dead look good, you can make the living think they died and went to heaven,” Mavis said.
“Why did you stop doing it?” Gloria asked. “You are an artist.”
“You know how it is. I got married, and after I had Jonathan I wanted to stay home with him,” Mavis said. “I wouldn’t change that for the world, but I do wonder sometimes what it would be like to be a makeup artist to the stars.”
“Nonsense!” Gloria said. “Look at me. You’re not too old.”
“We really should think about doing weddings,” Katie said as she turned on some music. “I think we could really create a fabulous bride.”
“I can’t wait to see our girls,” Gloria said. “I feel just like a fairy godmother.”
“Me too!” Katie said.
“Oh, here they come,” Mavis said as she turned and saw Charlene walk down the stairs.
“Oh my,” Gloria said.
“My, my,” Mavis said.
“You did good,” Katie said to Mavis.
“Guess they don’t know we’re back because your lights are out,” Hank said as he, Jonathan, and Jacques crossed the grass. They could see Mavis, Gloria, and Katie chatting in the living room. As they approached the front door, Hank stopped in his tracks, staring as his wife came down the stairs.
“Holy mother of God,” Jacques said at the sight.
“You can say that again,” Hank said, grinning from ear to ear. “It’s good to be me.”
Jacques gasped, making the other two turn back to see Jessie descend the steps next. “I am a happy man, oui?”
“I hate you both,” Jonathan said, looking over to see them both grinning.
Jacques pointed back to the front door. “I don’t think you want to miss this.”
Jonathan turned back and saw the librarian’s slow descent. His vision was filled with red heels and long legs. Her short dress hugged her curves, making his eyes water. He felt like an awkward school boy watching as she turned around in front of the mirror.
“I wouldn’t have recognized her,” Hank said.
It was true, Jonathan thought. Even her hair was completely different. It was a dark golden honey color that fell well past her shoulder blades in long silky spiral curls.
Jacques threw his arm over his shoulder and used a finger to move Jonathan’s chin up. “I agree.” Jacques chuckled.
Jonathan had been unaware he was even staring slack jawed. Why would she go to such lengths to hide that?
Harold and René pulled up, shining their lights on the house and silhouetting the men standing just outside.
“Oh, look, the boys are home,” Gloria said.
“Oh, no,” Amber said, turning to look out the door. She locked eyes with Jonathan and nearly passed out.
“Sugar,” Charlene said, “you look fine! So don’t go forgetting how to breathe on me. I’m not dressed to give CPR right now.”
The entry was suddenly filled with men and the smell of Old Spice.
“You boys are naughty,” Katie tsked. “You weren’t supposed to be home for another half hour.”
“About that,” Jonathan said. He glanced at Amber and fell silent, unable to look away.
Jacques nudged him with an elbow. “Cupid is on the loose again.”
“Tom stopped by to tell us that the man from the lineup has managed to escape, so we thought it best to come back home,” Jonathan said, forcing himself to take his eyes off of Amber.
“Oh,” Gloria said. “I’m so glad you did!”
“Baby,” Hank said, looking at his wife, “I knew I married the most beautiful woman in the world, but you ladies have outdone yourselves tonight.”
“Yes!” Gloria, Mavis, and Katie high fived.
“Would any one care for dessert?” Katie asked.
“Yes, I would,” Hank said, taking his wife by the hand. “I’m taking mine home though.”
“Oh, you,” Charlene said as she slapped at him playfully.
“I’m serious,” Hank whispered in her ear.
She inhaled deeply and sighed. “Okay.” She stepped forward to hug and kiss everyone goodbye. “We’re leaving and thank you, thank you, thank you.” She hugged Gloria, Mavis and Katie. “You are my three fairy godmothers.”
“You don’t want to see who gets the lucky baby?” Katie asked. “Tell you what, I’ll cut two slices to go.”
“I get to have my cake and eat it too!” Hank grinned.
“How did you get ahead of us?” Harold asked when he and René walked in.
“If you would drive faster than ten miles per hour,” René said, “you would know.”
Jonathan smelled the air as they closed the door and smiled knowingly.
“We thought we’d conduct another study on a different age group,” René said with a wink before heading toward his wife.
“It wouldn’t be a fair study without a double blind test.” Harold cleared his throat and adjusted his bowtie as he went toward Gloria.
Katie handed two pieces of cake with plastic wrap over the top to Charlene and kissed her cheek. “You enjoy these now.” She winked.
“Good night, sweetie.” Gloria waved at them as they skipped like young lovers to their car. Her husband stepped behind her and waved. She turned to smile at him. “Is that cologne I smell?”
Harold smiled.
“I’m going to run too,” Mavis said.
“But you haven’t had cake,” Gloria said.
“Save me a piece for the morning,” Mavis said. “My little dog has been home alone all evening and needs to go outside.”
“Goodnight, Mom.” Jonathan hugged her goodbye. “Thanks for dinner.”
“Goodnight, Mavis,” Amber said. “I love the dress. Thank you.”
“My pleasure!” Mavis winked at her son before looking back at the beautiful young lady with a subtle movement of her head.
“I think I’d like a cup of hot coffee with my cake,” Jonathan said. “Would anyone else like one?” He looked at Amber. “How about you?”
“Yes, please,” Amber said, unable to actually look at him. She thought if she made eye contact with him again she just might fall into his arms. There was something about him that was too irresistible.
“How about you, my love?” Jacques asked. “Could I serve you a cup?” At Jessie’s nod, he did.
When Gloria made a move toward the kitchen, Harold said, “You ladies sit right here, and we will be right back.”
“Goodbye, Mavis,” Katie said as she went to the door with her. “We’ll see you in the morning for coffee.”
“I think we may have pulled this off,” Mavis whispered excitedly as she glanced at Amber and her son.
“I think it’s in the bag!” Katie smiled. She shut the door and joined the other ladies who were all sitting in the living room waiting to be served. “This is nice,” Katie said as she watched her husband cutting the cake while Harold served.
“How did you two meet?” Amber asked.
“On the Rivera,” Katie sighed. “You really must go there sometime. It is so romantic.
“What about you two?” Amber asked Jessie.
Jessie laughed. “We actually first met right here in this room. Aunt Katie had asked me to keep an eye on this place while she toured Italy.”
“Really?” Amber asked. “So Jacques was a guest here?”
“Oui!” Jacques said as he carried a tray into the living room. “I think I must have the record for being here the longest time.”
Amber listened as
the couples chatted about their days. She glanced occasionally at Jonathan who seemed lost in his coffee and cake. She was starting to worry about her attachment to him. Never had she yearned for someone to share her life with like this before, but then again she’d never had a life that she could share.
Jonathan could barely look at her without staring. It was far better if he just focused on his cake. He looked up, catching her glance before she quickly looked away, and he found himself hoping Harold’s love potion actually worked.
Chapter 11
Both the older couples said their goodnights, leaving the younger ones to finish their desserts.
“Do you remember Agnes from the library?” Jacques asked his wife. “You know the one who emptied the shelves that fateful day you were kicked out of the library.”
“You would have to remind me.” Jessie laughed.
“Well . . . she has made her presence known again,” Jacques said.
“What did she do?” Jessie asked.
“We walked in today and found every book in the place stacked in tall towers.”
“You’re kidding,” Jessie said. “Why did she do that?”
“She was searching for the diary she had hidden there when she was still alive,” Jonathan said. “Amber found it the other night after the bookshelf fell over.”
Jacques nodded. “The old gal tore the place apart looking for it.”
“I feel so bad now,” Amber said. “I never would have taken it if I’d known it held that type of meaning for her . . . or that she was even real for that matter.”
“Is she the first ghost you’ve encountered?” Jessie asked.
Amber nodded with big eyes. “Yes.”
“I know the first time I saw a ghost I was worried I had lost my sanity,” Jessie said.
“I feel bad that the last librarian wasn’t believed,” Amber said.
“Don’t,” Jonathan said. “She wasn’t very nice.”
“Like bad karma,” Jacques said, “it really can come back to haunt you!”
“She’s the one that kicked me out of the library because she thought I’d pulled some books off the shelves in back,” Jessie said.
“She really kicked you out?” Amber asked, hardly able to imagine the incident.
Jessie nodded. “It was the day Mavis gave me a makeover—the one that started when her doggie peed in my house shoes.”
“She has certainly improved in that department lately,” Jonathan said with a grin. “I remember your hair that day.” He chuckled.
Jessie laughed. “I’m glad the old librarian has her diary back now.”
“Oh, that was only half the story,” Jonathan said.
Jessie looked at her husband.
“It was not me,” Jacques said innocently. “Although, had I known at the time, it could have been.”
“Known what?” Jessie asked him, but it was Jonathan who answered.
“Apparently, the diary tells of how to find Theodore Bancroft’s treasure.”
“Theodore Bancroft’s?” Jessie repeated the name, looking at her Jacques as if this answered everything. “I see.”
“So where did it go?” Jessie asked.
“Patricia took it,” Jacques said.
“Patricia Parker?” Jessie looked at Jonathan.
“She stopped by with lunch, sniffing around for any information she could get about the attack the other night,” Jonathan said. “She left in a hurry and picked up the book with sacks of food by accident.”
“I hope she didn’t throw it away,” Jessie said.
Jacques suffered a mild attack of anxiety when she said it. “Sacre bleu! I did not think of this!” He looked like he was just barely holding back from biting his knuckles.
“Why don’t you just call and have her return it. . . . That is if she does have it.” Jessie asked.
Jacques looked at Jonathan eagerly and then at the clock in the entry. “It is still too early I think for the . . . thing.”
“What thing?” Jessie asked, looking at her husband oddly. “It’s ten o’clock,” Jessie said, “that’s not early.”
Jonathan gave him a disgruntled look. “I think what he was meaning to say is it’s too early for me to talk to her because she left mad at me.”
“That’s it. That’s the thing.” Jacques nodded, but his wife looked at him like she knew something was up.
“I wish we could get it for Agnes,” Amber said. “She is heartbroken without it.”
Jacques looked heartbroken, too, but Jessie suspected it was over his lost treasure.
“Did you read it?” Jessie asked.
“Yes,” Amber said.
Jacques shot forward eagerly on the sofa. “Where is the treasure?”
“I cannot tell you that,” Amber said. “The clues were written in the lines of a bizarre poem.”
“Augh! Theodore and his damn poems!” Jacques said. “Sorry.” He waved his hand. “Please continue.”
“That is it,” Amber said.
“You don’t remember the poem?” Jacques asked crestfallen.
“I’m sorry,” Amber said. Truth was last night she hadn’t really been paying attention to what she read. Her mind had been on other things . . . the man next to her for one, and where she would go for another.
“I wonder how she came by it in the first place.” Jessie said.
“That I can tell you,” Amber said, garnering everyone’s rapt attention once again. Something she wasn’t all that comfortable with. She made sure to keep from looking at Jonathan. “She was a governess to the children here before she became the librarian. She found it one day tucked into the desk that had once belonged to Theodore, but had been moved to the school room at a later date.”
“So she stole it?” Jacques asked, looking shocked. “I cannot believe that old, cranky, paragon of virtue would do such a thing!”
“Her beau at the time insisted she tell no one and convinced her it would give them the chance to start a new life,” Amber said.
“The old goat fell for that one?” Jacques harrumphed.
“Honey,” Jessie nudged him with her hand on his knee.
“I think Agnes has tormented herself for falling prey to his deception more than anyone else possibly could,” Amber said. “I don’t readily recall the details of the poem, but I do remember the gist of her story. He assured her that they had every right to the ill-gotten gains of a pirate.”
“Humph!” Jacques said.
“She gave him the clues and waited while he went in search of the treasure. She even secretly made plans to marry, but became worried when he didn’t return. Weeks later, when he finally did come back, she snuck into his lodgings, only to find him packing, so she confronted him.”
“Did he find it?” Jessie asked.
“He swore he had.” Amber nodded. “He even gave her a gold doubloon to prove it.”
“A doubloon?” Jacques asked.
“Yes,” Amber said. “She sewed it into the lining of her diary.”
“Was it in the book? Did you see it?” Jacques asked.
“The leather was quite thick,” Amber said.
Jessie rolled her eyes at her husband. “You and your treasure.” She shook her head, looking at Amber. “Please go on. What happened next?”
“She begged him not to go again, but he told her that just one more trip would make them wealthier than they had ever dreamed.”
“What did I tell you?” Jacques asked.
Amber nodded, daring a glance in Jonathan’s direction. He was so handsome that it was hard to pull her gaze away. She looked down at the cake in her lap and noticed a little arm sticking out. “What is this?” She pulled a little doll from her piece of cake.
“You get the luck!” Jessie said. “And to be queen.”
“And a wish,” Jonathan said.
“A wish?” Amber questioned it.
“But don’t tell us, or it won’t come true,” Jessie said. “Close your eyes too.”
; Amber closed her eyes. The words wouldn’t form in her mind, but a vision did. She was with him! Amber opened her eyes and looked right into Jonathan’s.
“Did she say anything else about the treasure?” Jacques asked.
“He told Agnes that he had hidden part of it, but there was so much he had to go back to get the rest–” Amber started.
“Ah-hah!” Jacques threw his hand up. “See? It is close. I can almost smell it!”
“Would you stop interrupting?” Jessie asked.
“Unfortunately, when he left that night, it was the last she ever saw of him. . . . He disappeared forever,” Amber said. “Agnes vowed never to love again when she realized how he had used her. She recognized he must have left her.”
“Who was this man?” Jacques asked.
“She never named him,” Amber said.
“That really is sad,” Jessie said with a yawn.
“Tired?” Jacques asked, “You’ve had a long day.”
“I have.” Jessie nodded. “I’m sorry to be a party pooper but tomorrow is my day off. Maybe I can go with you to the library and help out.”
“I’d like that,” Amber said, watching as they left. She knew she should leave too. March right up those stairs to bed, avoid the man who invaded her every thought and wish . . . and never know love, or have a life. Should I stay or should I go?
“Are you tired?” Jonathan asked her.
She found that he’d been watching her as she had held her great debate.
“You look like you’re troubled,” Jonathan said. “I can help you know.”
She knew he wasn’t offering the kind of help she was thinking of . . . she smiled and looked away.
“What’s so funny?”
Oh, no! Amber thought. He is not dragging that out of me! “It’s been quite the day.”
“Not every day you befriend a ghost and learn to skate.” He grinned.
“Exactly,” Amber said.
“This is a good song,” he said. “Do you dance?”
“Oh, no!” Amber said.
“Oh, no, I don’t dance,” Jonathan asked as he stood, “or just, oh no?”
“Both,” Amber said as she followed his movement. He held out his hand. “Dance with me.”
Amber swallowed.
Cupid's Treasure - Mystery of the Golden Arrow Page 12