by Amy Shaw
That wasn't the sign I was looking for she thought as she got up from the sofa. Looking in the empty cupboards she decided to go out for something to eat. The walk and some fresh air would do her some good.
For breakfast she visited the Hope & Anchor pub in the Outer Hope part of the cove and asked if anyone had reported losing a ring. A staff member pointed to a couple of old ladies sitting in the window seat and explained how one of the women lost her ring a week ago.
"Excuse me," Abby asked. "I understand one of you has lost a ring?"
"Yes dear, I have, have you found it?"
"I'm not sure," Abby replied. "Can you describe it?"
"Oh yes dear, it's a gold ring with a diamond cluster in the middle."
"Oh," said Abby disappointed. "So it didn't have any African markings or a green emerald then?" she said pulling the rings out of her pocket.
"Oh no dear, nothing like those, it was gold with diamonds."
"Yes I understand. It's just that I found these on the beach yesterday and thought I'd better check."
"Beach dear? Oh no, I lost mine in the garden."
Sensing an opportunity to step into her Grandpa's shoes, she offered her detection services and the lady gratefully accepted.
***
After breakfast Abby returned to the Amber Room and picked the detector she used on the beach. Although it was heavier than the rest, it was the one she knew and felt comfortable with. Abby lifted her keys from the kitchen side and collected the file on the table before walking over to her Volkswagen rental.
She was on a mission of her own now, and followed Mrs. Prescott's directions to her small cottage. The old lady greeted her with a warm hug and invited her in.
"I'll put the kettle on while you get started," Mrs. Prescott said leading Abby out into her back garden.
"It's beautiful," Abby said admiring the lady's assortment of flowers and rose bushes. "Whereabouts were you working?"
"Here, there," the lady said pointing. "Over there too. Everywhere."
"I'll have a go," Abby said, her confidence fading fast. She turned the detector on and was immediately met with a low buzz. Remembering what Mark had told her about the discrimination she ignored that signal and carried on. After several minutes of unfruitful searching the old lady was back with a tray of tea.
"Oh here let me help you," Abby offered placing the detector on the ground.
"That's okay dear, I'm quite capable," she replied with a little laugh.
"Have you lived here long?" Abby asked sipping her tea.
"Let me think..." the lady replied. "About seventy five years now. Moved here when we got married. I was only nineteen you know."
"Wow, you take care of yourself very well."
"It's the sea air dear, you can't beat it," she said with a chuckle. "Where in America are you from dear?"
"Illinois."
"Are you any relation to Eugene?"
"Yes, he was my Grandpa, did you know him?"
"He's a wonderful man. Wonderful man. The church got a new roof thanks to him."
"They did?"
"Yes, quite incredible. He found an old posy ring in the grounds, worth a few bob, the museum bought it and your Grandpa donated all the proceeds which built the new roof."
"Mrs. Prescott, I'm sorry, my Grandpa passed away."
"Oh my dear, how sad. Oh you poor thing, that is upsetting."
"He wasn't well, and, it got the better of him I'm afraid."
"I see some of his spirit has passed to you."
"What do you mean?"
"You're hear looking for my ring."
"Yes, I guess I am. Talking of which let me scan around your rose bushes."
After a few moments Abby heard the high pitch dolphin squeal in her ears and began to carefully dig. The object put up a fight and Abby wished she had brought the pin-pointer Mark used. After a few frustrating moments of probing her finger through the mud she felt something hard and circular. Holding her breath and pulling her hand out of the mud revealed a ring. It was another chunky silver ring, but this one had a red stone in the middle and the words 'United States Air Force' clearly embossed around the stone.
"Oh my dear, let me see," Mrs. Prescott said holding the ring in the air. "Oh Howie," she spoke as tears formed in her eyes.
"Are you alright?" Abby asked.
"This belonged to my husband. He was a pilot in the Second World War. He thought he lost this in the sea down in the cove."
Abby could see the ring was bringing back a flood of memories so she stood silently and let Mrs. Prescott have the moment to herself. Tears began to roll down her cheeks.
"Oh Mrs. Prescott I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Abby said offering a tissue.
"Thank you dear," she replied accepting the tissue and dabbing her eyes dry. "This hasn't upset me, quite the opposite. These are tears of joy."
She handed the ring back to Abby so she could look at it more closely.
"That ring my dear belonged to my late Howard, who lost it while on a break. We spent a lot of time together that year in the garden and he dug out this area to plant my rose bushes before leaving again for service. He was killed a few months later and I never saw him again. So this ring has been buried for over seventy years since."
"I'm sorry Mrs. Prescott."
"He was such a handsome man and we married young. I've been here on my own ever since. When I'm down the cove I always picture him flying over the sea for me, showing off like he used to. He'll get a kick out of you finding his ring. Stubborn fool, I always said it might be in the garden."
"He was an American?" Abby asked.
"Yes, he was stationed at Dunkeswell near Honiton a few miles north east from here and he was part of the crew who helped with the D-Day training at Slapton Sands up the road. That was a bad time, many soldiers died during that training," Mrs. Prescott said, her eyes fixed on the ground in front. She paused for a moment. "June Fifth. Operation Neptune. That was the last day I saw him. He flew out that night."
Abby handed the ring back to Mrs. Prescott who held it up to the light again for another good look. "Wonderful. Just wonderful. Would you like another cup of tea dear?"
"I would love to Mrs. Prescott but I'm afraid I must be going, I'm expecting an important call anytime now." Abby gave Mrs. Prescott a hug and said, "It has been lovely to meet you, I'm sorry we didn't find your diamond ring."
"It has been wonderful to meet you dear, and don't worry about my ring, I'm sure it will turn up here somewhere. I can't believe you have found Howie's ring, you have made me so happy."
Abby waved her hand out the window to a smiling Mrs. Prescott as she headed back to the lighthouse. Deep in thought about Mrs. Prescott and her late husband's ring, her thinking turned to her Grandpa and all the adventures he seemed to get up to when the family believed he was just taking another vacation in England.
She glanced over to the passenger seat where the document file sat and felt her Grandpa's presence sitting next to her. It was as though he was whispering to her about the treasures. She couldn't ignore the feeling and just blurted out loud, "Okay Grandpa. Okay."
Abby swung the car around in the entrance to a field. She drove back past Mrs. Prescott's house and headed out of Hope Cove. Her new destination was only a few miles away in the town of Kingsbridge. It felt more than a destination.
It felt like destiny.
16
A New HART
"Thank you Miss Hart, I'm sorry to have lost your Grandfather's account but I'm pleased to be welcoming your business," said Mr. Higgins.
A small, energetic man, Mr. Higgins had bulging eyes made all the more prominent through his round glasses. He spoke in a soft voice and if he wasn't a bank manager, could have easily been an accountant. He had the look of an accountant and the voice, but there was a twinkle in his eyes, a warmth in his look that gave the impression he was happy helping people, not locked behind a closed door and buried in numbers.
"Your account is active as of right now, cards and books will be out within the next fourteen days or so and here is your online pass code pack which you can begin using right away," he continued, handing Abby a 'welcome pack' and push button security key fob.
"And the money? Is it in the account yet?" asked Abby.
"I'm just waiting on Susan, one of our customer service advisors to confirm this. Shouldn't be a moment," Mr. Higgins said reassuringly.
A moment later there was a light tap at the door and Susan walked in handing a slip of paper to Mr. Higgins. Abby shuffled anxiously in her seat.
"Okay, that all looks to be in order," Mr. Higgins said to Abby looking up from his glasses. "Ninety four thousand, three hundred and forty eight pounds."
"Cleared?"
"Yes, cleared. These direct transfers are quick, we do a lot of them at this time of year, " Mr. Higgins said, noticing Abby's surprised look. "Boat transactions. It's our busiest time for people buying boats and instant transfers are the fastest and safest for boating sales."
"Ah," said Abby. "I will have to remember that for next year perhaps."
Mr. Higgins smiled and asked, "Is there anything else I can help you with today?"
"Thank you Mr. Higgins, it was nice to meet you," Abby said shaking his hand.
As the glass door closed behind her, Abby paused on the top step and looked down the sun lit street. Allowing the old English charm of Kingsbridge soak into her mind, she took a gentle stroll back to the car. Everything was slotting into place.
Mark had come through and provided the necessary deposit but he didn't know about Abby's plans with the lighthouse. Yet.
Arriving back in Hope Cove, Abby felt a sense of sadness knowing it was her last day. She didn't know when she'd be back but there was a pull on her heart she wouldn't be able to ignore. Looking down on the sandy beach of Inner Hope for the last time she felt the desire for one last quick hunt before the sun set. With the machine still in the trunk from earlier, Abby pulled alongside the lifeboat house.
Having never used a metal detector before she met Mark, Abby was getting into the swing like a natural. The treasure bug had bitten her and each bleep in the headphones brought the promise of mystery and the unknown. Abby walked slowly along, the search coil sweeping the carpet of soft sand sniffing out the treasures below her feet. The sea was calm and still, the muffled sound of the waves provided a relaxing ambience in Abby's headphones.
The cocktail of aromas added an exotic texture and slight salty taste on her lips brought a sense of peace that she hadn't experienced before. Thoughts in her head began to slow down and she began to imagine her Grandpa doing this very thing, in this very spot. It made her feel close to him as she imagined him digging through the sands looking for artifacts belonging to the San Pedro galleon. She looked over at the Shippen, a large group of rocks protruding out from the beach where the ill-fated ship struck during the storm all those centuries ago. Although it now provided a natural harbor for the local fishing boats, it still held a menacing feel with its rocky edges stretching out into the water like jagged teeth ready to snare any boat or ship that strayed too close.
It was hard for Abby to imagine the horror of the storms and the lives that were lost over the years on these very grains of sand. For now she was grateful to be here. The eccentric ways of her Grandpa didn't seem so crazy anymore and she was beginning to understand his reasoning to buy the lighthouse and travel here for his holidays.
The cove had a magic quality that was difficult to grasp. It felt so peaceful and so alive at the same time. The waves lapping along the rocks and sands of the bay gave it a quiet but powerful heartbeat. Abby could feel the beat in her bones and it gave her a sense of calling. A sense of belonging. A high pitched beep in her ear broke her ambient thoughtless bubble and brought her focus back into line. She placed the sand scoop, which was beginning to ache her arm, into the sand and pressed down with her foot. The scoop was too heavy to lift with one arm so she laid the machine at her side and removed her headphones. Even with two hands it felt impossible. Each tug of the scoop sucked in water from under the sand creating a vacuum seal and making it sink lower.
A distant crackle from the cliff edge caught her attention. It sounded familiar but with the lapping of the waves so close she couldn't be sure. Waiting and watching the hill above the sea wall, the welcoming site of the sleek black F-Type came into view as it rounded the bend. Abby jumped up immediately and began an enthusiastic wave as though she was being rescued from a desert island. The Jaguar flashed its lights and then disappeared, the crackling sound of its exhausts rumbling along behind the sea wall. Abby stayed put as she watched Mark walk down the lifeboat slipway and make his way across the beach.
"Found something?" he asked as he approached.
"Perfect timing," she said back.
Walking forward to meet him, Abby threw her arms around Mark and held him tight.
"What's this for?" he asked softly in her ear.
"Thank you. Thank you for all you've done, for sharing your world with me, for the money and for helping me achieve all this. It's more than I could ever imagine."
"You're welcome," he said. "I'm glad it was you that came over from the States."
Abby let go and looked Mark in the eyes.
"Well," he continued, "I'm not so sure I would have taken to your Aunt in the same way."
"Yes, it's probably a good job it was me that came over. She would have eaten you alive! You'd have had your hands full with that one, that's for sure," Abby said laughing.
"Talking of hands full, have you got stuck?" Mark asked looking at the sand scoop sticking out of the sand.
He walked over to it and with a short, sharp pull he yanked it out of the sand with one hand.
"You make it look so easy," Abby said as she crouched down with the pin-pointer.
The bleeps started to get louder and more solid as she sifted carefully through the sand. Suddenly the bleep leveled out into a continuous tone. She was right above it. Abby held her breath as she put her fingers around the thin band of metal sticking out. At this point it could be a ring or a pull tab from an old soda can. Mark watched as she gently shook the sand from it and held up a beautiful diamond cluster ring.
"Bloody hell, you've really got the knack of this," Mark said. "You've only been here a few days and you're clearing out our beaches, leave something for the rest of us," he said with a laugh.
"How about that?" she said with a tone of satisfaction looking at the ring as it glinted in the last remaining rays of sun.
"A fitting end to your vacation and a perfect souvenir to take home," Mark said.
"No, this isn't for me. I know exactly who this belongs to," she said handing Mark the ring. "If I give you an address would you do me a favor and be a hero to an old lady?"
"Of course," Mark said reassuringly. "How did the rest of your day go?"
"Good. Really good. And I received your funds into our new account, so we are set for the deposit," Abby said.
"Well, I have passed your account details to Mr. Lyons for your next batch of funds," Mark said with a twinkle in his eye.
"Next batch? Have we sold the coin?" Abby asked excitedly.
"Done and done."
Abby waited for the details. "Well? How much? What did it go for?" she asked impatiently.
"The estimate was one hundred and fifty, yes? We dealt at four hundred and sixty!"
"Pounds? Four hundred and sixty thousand pounds?" Abby asked almost bursting.
"Yes, but there are some fees to come out of it. There's one percent auction fee which is about four and a half thousand... then there's the auction house commission of fifteen percent, which is like nearly eighty three grand... "
"Whaaat??!! That's an enormous commission!" Abby blasted.
"That's auctions for you," Mark replied.
"Hey, wait a sec... fifteen percent of four hundred and sixty is... sixty nine grand. How do you get eighty three?"
&nbs
p; "Yes, you're right, but there's VAT added on to that which is an additional thirteen thousand, eight hundred pounds," Mark explained.
"And then there's ten percent for Mr. Lyons..."
"So the bottom line is?"
"Bottom line is after expenses we are left with three hundred and thirty five thousand pounds."
Abby started laughing. "Three thirty five? For that one little coin? Holy shit."
"Yeah the guy at the auction house said holy shit too!"
"So who buys a coin for four hundred and sixty big ones? A dealer? A collector? A museum?"
"I don't know all the details but I understand it is an investment group who manage client funds. They bought it and were keen for it not to go to auction. They weren't prepared to go to half a million because they have a buyers fee to pay on top to the auction house, so they gave a final offer at four sixty. I told Mr. Lyons to accept, so it's all done now and a legally binding contract."
"When will we receive the money?"
"Within twenty eight days as per the norm. Except being an investment company, they'll probably transfer it immediately so they can secure immediate delivery. The money will be in your account well before you need to pay for the lighthouse."
"Our account," Abbey said wrapping her arms around Mark. "Our account."
"And what is this account?" Mark asked.
"Our new company."
"So you're staying?"
"No, I can't. I have an important case to finish back in the states."
"Oh yes, you're the heir hunter," Mark said with a smile.
"That's right, I am. But I'll be back. Very soon. The company is all set up but I need to go over a few things with you," she said. "Would you mind helping me pack and I've got some paperwork for you to sign."
Mark picked up the sand scoop and began walking back with her. "Paperwork? What paperwork?"
17
Just Sign Here
Abby sat down in the comfy window sofa of the lighthouse with her coffee and looked down on the cove. The black glass showed only her reflection and the brightness of the lantern room.
