They had found the table at a yard sale last fall, out in the country. It needed a lot of work and was heavy. No doubt that was the reason it had been one of the last unsold items, even though the owner had already marked the price down considerably. But her mother’s discerning eye had caught the unique carving just visible under all the layers of peeling paint, and she had said that if they stripped it all off, then lightly sanded the wood and stained it, it would be a fine piece of furniture.
That was months before they knew they were moving. And long before the discovery inside the lady’s writing table. The writing table was proving to be the biggest project of all.
The desk had belonged to Garnet’s grandmother, Nana. She had brought it over from England after the Second World War. When Nana went into the nursing home, Garnet’s mother hadn’t sold the writing table like the rest of her furniture. Nana had kept it in her room at the nursing home. After Nana died, Garnet’s mother had brought it home and put it into her bedroom.
But it wasn’t until after they had moved to Kitchener that Garnet’s mother inspected the desk more carefully. It was at least a hundred years old, and had acquired plenty of scratches and dents over the years. But now there was a new gash on the side of it — a souvenir from their move. Garnet’s mother was running her fingers over the woodwork, opening all the drawers, trying to decide what might be the best way to refinish it, when she discovered a tiny bump in the back of one of the compartments. When she pressed it, to her surprise, a spring popped the back panel open, revealing a small hiding space. Inside, she found an old legal document — divorce papers between her mother, Joan Wood, and her father, Serge St. Jean.
The discovery was a shock to Garnet’s mother. She had known that her mother, a British nurse, and her father, a French-Canadian soldier, had met in 1944 while serving in France, that after the war they had married in England, and her mother had come to live in Canada with her new husband. But Garnet’s mother had been told that her father had died after a brief illness in 1952, when she was two years old. Her mother had remarried a short time later, and her stepfather, Henry Smith, had adopted Garnet’s mother as his own daughter and she had taken his last name. She had never known about the divorce.
The subject of her real father had rarely been brought up over the years, as Nana never wanted to talk about him. And now it appeared that 1952 was the year the divorce papers were signed.
Ever since Garnet’s mother discovered the papers, she had become almost obsessed with a search to find any information she could about her father and learning whether he was dead or perhaps alive, but so far her efforts had been fruitless.
Garnet pushed back the covers of her bed and went downstairs. As she expected, her mother was sitting in front of the computer, her fingers punching more inquiries onto the keyboard, with a half cup of coffee gone cold next to her.
“Any luck today?” Garnet asked.
“Mm. Not really,” her mother replied.
“You can’t find the name?”
Garnet’s mother looked over the top of her glasses. “No, that’s not the problem. I found the name on this website with telephone listings. But there are hundreds of St. Jean’s all over Canada, most of them in Quebec.”
“Have you tried the Kingston Penitentiary?” Garnet said, hiding a grin.
Her mother frowned. “The Kingston Penitentiary? What are you talking about?”
Garnet shrugged, trying to keep a straight face. “Well, you know how Nana never wanted to talk about him. If he isn’t dead, maybe he’s been in jail. Maybe that’s why he’s never called you.”
Her mother glared at her and Garnet couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“You’re not being helpful, Garnet,” her mother said, turning her eyes back to the computer screen.
“Oh, come on. I’m only kidding.” Garnet turned to go the kitchen for some breakfast, then stopped and swung back around. “Hey, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you try sending out a mass mailing? You could use the telephone listings and send a letter to everyone with the last name and ask if they know or knew your father, or ask if they know where he might be. Or why don’t you just hire a private detective?”
“Hire a private detective. Now that’s a good idea. I guess I was just hoping there’d be a way to do it myself.” Garnet’s mother bit her lower lip. “I’d still like to know why Mum didn’t tell me.”
“Maybe she was too embarrassed.”
Her mother nodded. “You’re probably right. I know how it was when your father and I divorced. I felt like such a loser. Sometimes I wished I could have just crawled into a hole. And back in your Nana’s day, well, getting a divorce was nearly unheard of. She would have been too proud to go back to England where she would have had to admit failure to her family and friends. Auntie Janet told me years ago, when I was in England, that my grandparents had never approved of Mum’s first marriage. Grandfather called my father a fortune hunter from the start and his point was only proven when Grandfather’s business dealings failed and he was forced to sell the manor. When my father realized Mum’s family had no money, Auntie Janet said he decided to go back to Canada and took Mum with him. She was already expecting me. So maybe by saying he’d died, Mum thought she wouldn’t have to explain anything to me or anyone else.”
Garnet’s mother shrugged. “Still, you’d think she could have told me, her own daughter, especially once I was old enough to understand. Of course, with her illness, she probably waited too long and couldn’t tell me later. I suppose I’ll never really know what she was thinking. Your suggestion of hiring a private detective is a good one, though. I might look into it.”
Garnet walked to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of orange juice. As she waited for her toast, she thought of her grandmother and how things had been before she became ill. When they all lived in Toronto, and Grandpa, or at least the man Garnet had always known as her grandfather, was still alive. And before Garnet’s dad left.
When Nana used to say her name, it sounded like Gah-net, her English accent making it sound more sophisticated somehow. Garnet remembered the gingersnaps and their spicy aroma as Nana pulled them from the oven and placed them on a Wedgwood china plate. Nana always liked to use her good china when company came. “Otherwise,” she remarked, “when will it be used?”
And Nana loved Christmas. She made it a fun and elaborate affair in the proper English tradition, with crackers, silly paper hats, and the flaming Christmas pudding. “That was the best one ever,” she would declare every year when the last of the blue flame on the pudding had burnt itself out. Garnet often slept over at Nana and Grandpa’s. They would take her to the park, or shopping, or they would do simple things like read books and play games or watch movies together.
But the year Garnet turned seven, everything changed. It started with her father’s decision to leave and her parents’ divorce. Though her father, Neil, had always been away for long periods on business, it had still seemed strange at home when he packed up all of his things and moved to Hong Kong to take the job at the new head office. At first, he had called twice a week as he always had when he was away, but over the years, the calls had dwindled, especially since he had remarried.
Then one day, Nana stopped talking. She stopped eating and became weak. As Nana lay back against the pillow, with her once carefully groomed hair matted to her head, Garnet finally began to understand. The person before her was only the shell of the woman she had once known and loved. Her pale blue eyes could not see the reality before her, her spirit was hiding somewhere in that tiny, frail body, and her mind was trapped in another place and time, in a world of its own, a place she had not chosen and from which she could not escape. She died soon after.
Garnet took the last bite of her toast and decided to visit Elizabeth.
As Garnet neared Elizabeth’s house, she noticed a black Grand Am pull into the driveway. The motor was turned off and the door on the driver’s side swung open. She was surprised to see
Dan jump out, wearing khaki pants and a short-sleeved shirt. He ran around to the passenger’s side to open the door, then took Elizabeth’s arm to help her as she steadied herself with her cane. Elizabeth appeared elegant in a navy suit accented with white trim.
Garnet turned her bike into the driveway and pulled off her headset. “Hello, Elizabeth,” she said.
Elizabeth’s face lit up. “Well, isn’t this a lovely surprise? Hello, Garnet, dear.”
“Hey, Garnet,” Dan said, smiling. Then his eyes dropped down to Garnet’s bare legs below her denim shorts, before darting back up again, and Garnet felt an unexpected flutter dance through her.
Did he just check out my legs? She dismissed the thought immediately. Of course not, stupid, she told herself. Why would he check out her legs? “Hi,” Garnet said quickly, feeling her face grow hot as she turned her attention back to Elizabeth. “I was just riding through the neighbourhood.”
“Well, that’s good timing. We’re just returning from church. Danny’s such a good boy and gave me a ride home. Would you like to come in? If fact, would you both like to come in? You could stay for lunch!”
Dan glanced at his watch. “I might just have enough time to do that, Mrs. Tate. I’m going to a ball game later with my dad and a friend.”
Garnet, who had eaten her breakfast barely an hour ago, heard herself say, “Okay.” Elizabeth beamed. “Wonderful!”
While Elizabeth made some sandwiches, Garnet and Dan helped set the table, putting out the dishes, some pickles, grapes, milk, and two-bite chocolate brownies. When they sat down, Elizabeth appeared pleased with herself as she looked over at Dan and then Garnet, who sat across from him. She passed the plate of sandwiches to Garnet, who took one before passing it to Dan, then remarked, “My, seeing you two young people here reminds me of when I met Albert.”
Garnet nearly choked on the first bite of her sandwich and reached for the glass of milk to wash it down. What did Elizabeth mean? How could she compare them to herself and Albert? Had Garnet somehow given an indication that she was attracted to Dan? There was no denying he was attractive, but that’s as far as it went. Someone like Dan would never seriously even consider her. He had too many other options that were far more interesting than her. Like that blond girl Garnet had seen him with. Laura. She was everything Garnet wasn’t: athletic, popular, and gorgeous. Not that it really mattered.
“How did you and Albert meet?” Garnet asked, recovering herself.
“It was at a concert at Victoria Park,” Elizabeth replied. She touched her locket, and her pale blue eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses gazed out the kitchen window. “It was 1939. Both of my parents had passed away by then and I was living with my aunt and uncle. I played the flute in the ladies’ music group, and one beautiful Sunday evening in early June we were performing at an outdoor concert in the bandstand at the park. Just before the concert began, as I was arranging my music for our first piece, called ’Summer Serenade,’ I looked up and spotted Albert in the audience. I couldn’t miss him with his flaming red hair. Our eyes met for a moment and then it was time to play. I felt him watching me the entire concert. When it was over, as I was packing my music away, he came up to me and said, ’Is your flute magical?’ I looked at him, a little puzzled, and said, ’No. Why do you ask?’ And he said, ’Because I was sure it was calling me like the Pied Piper of Hamelin.’” Elizabeth slapped her thigh and chuckled. “Imagine, a line like that!”
Her laughter was contagious and Garnet and Dan joined in. “So what happened? Did he ask you out?” Garnet asked.
“He asked my name and if he could call me. He phoned the next day to invite me to a dance, which was to be held in the pavilion in the park the following Saturday. Of course, I accepted. He came to pick me up in his car, and I introduced him to Aunt Ellie and Uncle Bill. Strangely though, I didn’t meet Albert’s father until months later, shortly before we were engaged.
Dan gave a low whistle. “Wow, that’s a long time to keep a girlfriend under wraps!”
“I’ll say,” Elizabeth agreed. “Especially in those days. I thought it odd as well. That is, until I actually met his father. Then I realized that Albert might have been afraid he might scare me away.”
Garnet laughed. “Do you think he would have?”
“There was a good chance of it. When we became engaged, my aunt and uncle were thrilled. Reginald only mumbled a brief congratulation and eyed me a little more closely, but that was all. He always seemed distracted somehow. It could have been partially due to his hearing loss, but all the same, I did take it personally at first. I thought that maybe he didn’t like me. Anyway, when Albert and I married, I came to live at this house. But it was only after Albert left for the war that Reginald seemed to become even more strange and I first noticed his ramblings.”
“So, what did you do?” Dan asked, reaching for a brownie and shoving the entire piece into his mouth.
“What could I do? I kept busy and stayed out of the house as much as possible. I taught school through the week and offered music lessons in private homes on Saturdays. I volunteered with the Red Cross. On Sundays, I went to church and visited Aunt Ellie and Uncle Bill. When I was home, Reginald and I rarely spoke except to acknowledge one another if we did happen to meet, which wasn’t often. We ate our meals separately and he usually just sat alone in the library with the door closed. From time to time in the first year, he met with businessmen, but those visits eventually stopped.”
Garnet tugged at a grape from the stem. “Why didn’t you go back to live with your aunt and uncle?”
“I thought about it, especially when I visited with them, but I worried what Albert might think. After all, we didn’t think the war would last as long as it did, and, of course, I wanted to believe that Albert would come back. As it turned out, Reginald died in the spring of 1942. Then later that year, in August, I received the telegram that Albert was missing in action after air operations in Dieppe. He was an RCAF sergeant and bomber navigator.” Elizabeth sighed. “When I first received the telegram, I refused to believe he was dead. I kept hoping he’d be found, that he’d only been hiding from the enemy, or was injured, perhaps suffering from temporary amnesia, or maybe was even a prisoner of war — anything but dead. I waited here for years, hoping against hope that someday he would walk in through that front door. But my Albert never did come home.”
They ate in silence for a few moments, then Dan asked, “Did you ever think of marrying again, Mrs. Tate?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “No one else was ever quite like Albert. There was something about him — that sparkle in his eyes, his sense of humour, that certain energy. He took life by the horns, living for the moment, wanting to help the cause and not worrying about the consequences. Whatever did he see in a schoolteacher like me? We were so different.” She smiled faintly at the memory. “I went out with a few men from time to time over the years but I never met anyone again whom I wished to marry. And I certainly didn’t need to marry anyone to keep me. Money was no worry. What was to become Albert’s inheritance became mine, and that, along with the widow’s pension and my salary, was more than enough. And as for children, every one of my students became a son or daughter to me. My only regret in all these years is that I’ve never been able to find the missing jewels. It would be a shame for them to be lost forever.”
As if on cue, the sapphire in Elizabeth’s ring caught the light and Garnet was reminded of what Elizabeth had told her the day before. But until Elizabeth mentioned the jewels in front of Dan, it hadn’t occurred to her that he might also know about them. Garnet glanced over at him now and noticed his eyebrows were knitted together. She gave a slight shrug, then asked, “Elizabeth, did Reginald have a safe or anything where he might have kept them?”
Elizabeth cocked her head to one side. “He did. Behind some books in the library. Reginald’s housekeeper, Ethel, told me about it. Poor Ethel. She had been like a mother to Albert and became a dear friend of mine as we waited for him
to return. Anyway, I had a locksmith come to crack the lock for me. The safe contained information on stocks and private documents about some of the businesses Reginald was involved with. There was also a copy of the will, but not the jewels. In fact, the will didn’t even mention any jewels.”
Dan cleared his throat and his eyes narrowed. “What jewels are you talking about, Mrs. Tate?”
“I’m sorry, Danny. Of course, you don’t know. I’ve carried this secret with me for so many years and didn’t tell a soul. Until I saw Garnet.” Elizabeth’s eyes rested on her before she continued. “She reminded me so much of the portrait of Albert’s mother, I ... well, I just couldn’t help myself. The story just started to spill out. Albert’s family had some valuable jewels. I don’t know where they are or whatever happened to them, but I’ve been searching for them for years. Now after all this time, I’m finally going to admit that I’m going to need some help to find them if I am ever to have a hope of seeing them.”
“Oh, and I will try to help you, Elizabeth,” Garnet reassured her.
“I would be so pleased if you did,” Elizabeth replied.
Dan said nothing and drank the rest of his milk.
After lunch, Dan and Garnet insisted that Elizabeth sit down while they cleaned up. She looked a little tired and didn’t protest. She sat in the chair and watched them, until her eyelids became heavy and she dozed off. As Garnet dried the dishes, she noticed the many medicine bottles on the countertop and a tray that was set up for pills, labelled for each day of the week and for various times of the day. And next to the phone, Garnet saw a small basket tray where Elizabeth kept an address book and phone numbers. Some were on business cards while others were on pieces of paper, including the receipt on which she had written her own name and phone number for Elizabeth. On top of the pile lay a business card that read, “Stanley Hunt. Broker. Rainbow Realty.” It had a picture of a man who appeared to be in his mid-fifties on it. That must be Gerdie’s fiancé, Garnet thought.
The Jewels of Sofia Tate Page 4
