“You okay?” He glanced in her direction.
“Yeah, totally. My mind is just envisioning treasure and curses, that sort of thing.”
“It’s easy to get wrapped up in it all, you know.”
“Yeah. I agree,” she said. “Are you going to look for it?”
“For what?”
“The treasure?”
“No.” He shook his head. “What’s the point?”
“Aren’t you curious?”
“Not any longer.”
“Oh.” Molly didn’t know why but she felt like a proverbial door had just been slammed in her face. Meaning the conversation was over.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Emerald Mine Museum, Little Switzerland,
North Carolina
Lucian pulled to a stop in front of an old clapboard gray wooden building alongside the rest of the Golf Carts out front. A flurry of gravel dust flew up into the air caught by gusts of frigid wind. An ancient, carved, Emerald Mine sign squeaked loudly on its hinges. A few empty rocking chairs moved of their own accord in the wind, like phantoms or specter’s from a long forgotten era, that still remained, ever present, ever watching, from the vantage point on the long sweeping porch.
“Where is everyone?”
“I’m sure they are already down in the mine.” Molly grabbed her purse from the seat.
“How do we get there?”
“We have to go inside the building and then through the tunnel.”
He glanced over at her. “Are you serious?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Wow. You weren’t kidding when you said it was going to be unconventional.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “I’m just glad we don’t have to wear hard hats with lights attached to the fronts like the old prospectors had to wear.”
“Yeah,” he said absently as his eyes drifted back to the rocking chairs again. One moved out of rhythm with the other chairs lined up out front and for a second he could swear he saw a young woman sitting in it.
He closed his eyes and reopened them.
Now the chair was empty. Ignoring the uneasy feeling gathering in the pit of his stomach, he climbed out of the cart and made his way to the stairs.
Molly stepped up to his side.
He took her elbow and helped her up the stairs to the porch.
“Thanks for coming with me,” she said, once they were standing in front of the door.
“You don’t have to thank me,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.” He was really looking forward to eating something substantial. He was running on empty at this point.
He gave her a slight smile.
Her belly flipped again. Damn. He was hot.
Lucian grabbed the handle and opened the door.
Molly stepped inside first.
Lucian followed her as the door swept shut behind him.
There was a musty unused smell about the place and footprints in the dust settled on the wooden planked floor, which all headed towards the door to the mine. Glass cases lined up right in front filled with minerals and other stones in various sizes and colors. Scattered throughout the room shelves with prospecting equipment and souvenirs, like bumper stickers and cards were filled. Along with sweatshirts, tshirts, and what looked like scientist lab coats, hung on racks by the door. A bucket of pickaxes rested near the entryway to the tunnel that led to the mine as well as empty gallon buckets with small shovels.
“Do people really look for emeralds here?”
“Yeah,” she said. “Actually, one of the largest emeralds was found here.”
“Really?” he asked. “How big was it?”
“I think it weighed eight pounds.”
“Wow. What did they do with it?”
“I’m pretty sure they sold it.”
“Didn’t they have to give it to the owners of the mine?”
“No. They paid for a bucket of dirt and found it inside. So, they got to keep it.”
“Seriously?” Lucian couldn’t quite fathom that.
“Yeah. It was pretty big news around here for a while.”
“I should say so.” Lucian walked over to one of the glass cases and lifted up a leaflet. “What’s this?”
“It’s a leaflet they give for the tours on the history on the place.”
“Can I keep it?”
“Sure.”
Lucian folded the leaflet and shoved it into his jacket pocket.
♣
Molly ran her hands down the sides of her gown, trying to smooth out the wrinkles as she waited by the door to the mine. When Lucian wasn’t looking, she checked her breath. It still smelled like the mint mouthwash she had used back at the hotel.
Lucian shoved his hands into his pockets, looking around the room. “Do they still use this place to mine?”
“Not anymore. It’s more of a glorified museum at this point. But they do still let you get buckets of dirt from the mine and search for stones. There is a wash area out back set up for that.”
“You seem to know a lot about this place.”
“You found out my big secret,” she said in an ominous voice, trying to be funny.
“What might that be?”
Molly frowned from his tone. “Peggy and I used to work here for extra cash during summer break when we were younger.”
“Where do you work now?”
“At a restaurant.” Molly didn’t elaborate further even though she was proud of her job and what she accomplished but she also knew men got a bit weird when she told them she ran a resort especially when they heard her father owned it. She didn’t want him thinking she was some spoiled daddy’s girl because she was anything but.
“Is the food good?”
“I’ve been told it’s the best in town.”
“Hmm,” he mused and lifted a small book off the counter.
Molly looked at the clock on the back wall. It was getting late. “You coming?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he said distractedly, setting the book back on the counter. Walking over to where she stood, he stopped beside her. “Should we take one of those?” He nodded in the direction of the bucket of pickaxes.
“I think we’re good for now.” She smiled up at him.
Lucian merely nodded.
Molly reached out and grabbed the handle to the door. The metal was unusually cold under her fingers. A shiver of unease flitted over her.
Ignoring the feeling, she opened the door.
Lucian reached out and placed his hand on the door to hold it open.
Stepping inside, Molly waited a beat until her eyes adjusted to the dimness in the room. Unlike the room they had just come from, this room was much colder and had the distinct smell of freshly turned dirt. Funny, she didn’t remember it smelling this way. Over to her right, a set of stairs led up to another level.
“What’s up there?” Lucian asked stepping up behind her.
“That’s where the museum is.” Molly felt a tremor of awareness course through her body as Lucian’s body brushed against hers.
“Oh.” He lingered on the stairs.
Molly lifted her gown and made her way down two short flights of stairs, holding onto the rough rail for support. With each step she made, the stairs creaked under her weight.
After Lucian looked up the stairs one last time he followed her down inside the lower room where lanterns of all shapes and sizes hung at intermitted levels from the ceiling. “What are all these for?” He waved at the lanterns.
“These are all the types of lighting devices that have been used underground in the mine. As you can see, they have evolved quite a bit.” She fell right back into her guide role from when she worked at the mine. “See, here,” she said pointing at the back wall, “this is one of the earliest ones.”
Lucian looked over at the small candlestick on the wall.
Molly continued, “Through time they progressed from oil lamps, then to carbide lamps, and finally, safety lamps.”
Lucian
looked upward. There were over a hundred lamps in various shapes and sizes as well as birdcages. “What are the birdcages for?”
“Oh, that’s where they kept the small birds to detect poisonous gases in the mine.”
He frowned. “What would that do?”
“If they lived the air was good. If they died….”
He shook his head. “Wow. That seems a bit harsh.”
Molly shrugged. “I guess they figured a dead bird was better than a dead man.”
“I guess.” Lucian walked over to the back wall. There were several black and white photos on display. Ghostly faces of several miners coated with soot stared back at him. He was surprised to see most of them were boys and not men, standing in groups.
There was a lone picture of a pretty young woman with long curling golden hair, surrounded by a group of male admirers wearing dated clothing at an old timey piano with the single name “Rebecca” scrawled on the bottom.
“Who is this?” His heart picked up pace; he could swear she was the same young woman he had seen sitting in the rocking chair when they arrived.
“That’s Rebecca.”
“Why is her picture here?”
“Her father was one of the miners that disappeared.” Molly could swear the room had gotten colder at the mention of her name. She shivered and rubbed her arms wanting nothing more than to be out of the room.
Lucian didn’t turn from the picture. “What happened to him?”
“No one knows for certain what really happened to him.”
“What happened to her?”
“I’m not sure, shortly after her father went missing she disappeared as well. Some say she ran off with one of her admirers in the photo, while others speculate something foul must have happened to her.
“Why would they say that?”
“I’m assuming, per the stories that have been told over the years, as well as the sightings of Rebecca, that her spirit haunts the mine.” Another burst of cold air snaked its way around Molly, making her teeth start to chatter.
“Why?” he asked as his gaze slid back to the haunting depiction. A shiver of something akin to want tore through him with such velocity he almost doubled over from it. Rebecca was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her light gray eyes drew him into the photograph. They slanted slightly upward at the corners, framed with dark lashes, arching brows, high cheekbones and perfect bow shaped lips.
He was mesmerized.
Molly frowned. “It was also rumored her father found a cache’ of emeralds in the mine. No one believed him, of course.”
Lucian pulled his eyes away from the picture. “Why didn’t anyone believe him?”
“I believe he had a penchant for tall tales.”
His brows creased. “I’m not sure I’m following.”
Molly expelled a pent-up breath. “He liked to drink and gamble. He owed some people money from the underbelly of society. He promised them he would get the emeralds to pay his debt. But when he went to retrieve them, he never returned.”
The story hitting to close to home for his liking, Lucian inwardly cringed. “Why would she haunt the mine?”
“Maybe she is trying to clear his name or maybe reveal who his murderer was. I don’t know.”
“Murdered?” He pulled his eyes from the photo.
“Yeah. For the emeralds,” she said.
“I thought you said he didn’t find any emeralds.”
“That’s the story but I think that maybe he might have. Or maybe he double crossed them and kept the emeralds for himself.”
“But what happened to him?”
“I don’t know. I guess he took off.”
“Without his daughter?” he asked.
“Yeah, I guess. At least that’s what they told her. She didn’t believe them, though. She was sure something must have happened to him but she could never prove it.”
“Do you think he was murdered?”
“Don’t know.” She shrugged. “But it does seem weird that he would leave his daughter and not take her with him.”
“Is there more information on her?” Lucian had a sudden urge to find out all there was to know about the woman in the picture. “I mean the story?” he quickly amended when he saw the look Molly was giving him.
“There should be some artifacts and more information upstairs in the museum.” Her brows creased, wondering what his sudden interest was.
“She’s really quite beautiful.” There was a hint of awe in his voice.
A pang of something akin to jealousy settled deep within her. She shook it off, feeling ridiculous. It was only a picture for goodness sake. The woman was long dead and buried. “We should get going.”
“Right,” he agreed absently, finally tearing his eyes from the picture, away from Rebecca.
♣
With Lucian following, Molly walked down the passageway to another flight of stairs that led to the outside. There was a small strip of land with water and a wall of rock to the right. Scattered around the perimeter was an assortment of rusted mining equipment. In small groups, guests mingled, waiting to go inside the mouth of the cave.
“I’m going to have to leave you for a bit,” she said, turning slightly and looking back over her shoulder at him. “Will you be all right?”
“It will be tough, but think I think I will be fine.”
“Of course you will.” Her face turned five shades of red. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I know.” His lips twitched. “I was only kidding.”
Molly gave him a cheesy grin. “Be back soon.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
♣
Molly walked as fast as she could in her long gown over the uneven tracks that led into the mouth of the cave. Over to her right was a large body of water and if one looked closely they would be able to see pieces of equipment still at the bottom from when the mine flooded mysteriously. A few geese floated nearby, ruffling their feathers and diving into the water.
When she rounded the corner, she stopped abruptly. They had transformed the dank cave.
Lovely white chairs were set up on either side, with bright green ribbon swags with wild flowers tied to each bough. There were more colorful wild flowers that spilled over from old milk cans set up on rough wooden pedestals which were set in intervals down the emerald green carpeted aisle.
Two tall candelabras were at the end flanking a small platform with a wrought iron arch spread across the length where the Ordained Minister would stand to perform the ceremony. Slightly lower was another platform, which is where she would be relegated to stand beside Dan. Thinking of him made a sickening feeling twist in her gut. She shook it off. At least Lucian was here, if not she would have really been a mess. Granted he wasn’t really her date or anything close, but Dan didn’t need to know that. Besides, he was hot, Lucian, not Dan.
“Molly!” Peggy rushed forward.
Molly turned. “What are you doing out here? Someone is going to see you.”
“I know but I had to tell you….”
“Tell me what?” Molly didn’t know why but the sickening feeling twisting in her gut just gotten times worse and she felt like she just might need to throw up.
“It’s ….” Peggy looked over her shoulder towards the entrance. “Shit!”
Molly turned to see what her friend was talking about and her breath caught. Dan was standing at the entrance, with a girl. And not just any girl either. It was Tracy, the new gorgeous server from her work she had trained a few short days before Dan dumped her. “What’s she doing here?”
“That’s what I wanted to tell you…” Peggy trailed off.
“They are together?” Molly gaped at her friend.
Peggy’s face turned a nice shade of red as she nodded.
“Like together…together?” The queasiness in her stomach increased.
“Yeah.”
Molly grabbed her friend’s arm and dragged her over behind the arch. “Why didn’t you tel
l me earlier?”
“I was going to but…”
“But what?”
“I didn’t want you getting upset before the wedding.”
“Well, that’s just great.” Molly threw her hands in the air. “Now, I feel sick.”
“Take a deep breath and calm down. Lucian came with you, right?”
“But he’s not my date?”
“Yeah, but Dan doesn’t know that.”
She had a point but it didn’t stop her from breaking out in a cold sweat. “I feel sick.”
Peggy took her clammy hands in her own and tugged on them. “Don’t lose it on me now. I need you.”
Molly inhaled through her nose and exhaled slowly. “Fine. But I swear Peggy, if you leave him alone with me I am going to lose it.”
“I won’t. You just have to get through the ceremony. It will be fine,” she assured Molly.
“Yeah. I hope you are right.”
“There’s my girl. Now come on and help me with my veil and flowers.”
“All right,” Molly said, hoping her friend was right.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The Harpist cued the music.
Molly took a bracing breath. “I can do this,” she repeated her earlier mantra.
“Of course you can,” Peggy assured her for the umpteenth time since they had entered the small curtained off room where emeralds and other gems were on display black lighted in Plexiglas cases to show off the colors of the stones. A curtain was over the front and there was a stale unused odor combined with the overly fragrant smell of hers and Peggy’s bouquets.
Molly pushed back the curtain and peeked out, looking for Lucian. She spotted him in the back row. A wave of relief washed over her until she saw whom he was talking with. She dropped the curtain and whirled around to face Peggy. “Why the hell is that tramp talking to Lucian?”
Peggy’s brows creased. “Who?”
“Tracy—the—the tramp!” spluttered Molly.
Peggy pushed past Molly and peeked out the curtain. “Where?” asked Peggy. “I don’t see… Oh…” She dropped the curtain back in place.
“I can’t go out there.” A cold clammy sweat broke out on her skin. She waved her hands under her armpits frantically, trying not to stain the gown with pit sweat.
His Wicked Ways Page 6