by Mille West
“The Mills House. Interesting name, besides being your name.”
“The hotel is very elegant. We’d better dress if we’re going to be on time.” They went in the townhome and changed their clothes. Mills wore her favorite little black dress and Vivien put on a tea-length deep navy dress; they could have passed as twins as they walked together on Meeting Street.
“Are we going to see Jeff Radcliffe?”
“I don’t think so, unless we call him. I went to a party at his home recently, and I was uncomfortable. I’m more conservative than him and his friends.”
“Was it a wild party?”
“To me, it was.”
“I think with you being the director of the Heath Foundation, you should avoid events like that. You don’t want your name associated with outrageous parties and behavior.”
“I haven’t heard from Jeff since. When I told Cooper about it, he seemed angry.”
Vivien remarked that the lobby of the Mills House was one of the most sophisticated and classically designed hotel lobbies that she had ever seen.
“This is lovely. Where are we supposed to meet Cooper?”
“In the Barbadoes Room.”
The Barbadoes Room was located in the lobby of the hotel and, as they got closer, the sound of a jazz piano emanated from the room. The French doors of the lounge were opened up to a courtyard that had a large fountain in the center. When they entered the room, Mills immediately noticed Cooper waiting at the bar. She smiled at him, telling Vivien, “There he is.”
Cooper came forward to greet them and Vivien said, “I’m thrilled to meet you. Mills has told me so much about you.”
“I hope it was all favorable.”
“Every word of it.”
White wine was the drink of choice, and they went out into the courtyard to sit down.
“Vivien has a surprise.”
“What’s that?” Cooper asked.
She showed him her diamond ring and told Cooper about her engagement. “I’m very happy for you, Vivien,” he said with a smile.
They were silent for a moment before Vivien asked, “Where did the name Barbadoes Room come from?”
“Many of the original settlers who established the permanent English settlement in Charles Town in the 1670s came from Barbados. My ancestors on my mother’s side of the family came from Barbados during that time period. They started out as merchants, but later became planters.”
“I think that Mills did mention that to me. So, your family has been in the Charleston area for over three hundred years?”
“Yes, Vivien.”
“That, in itself, is amazing. Mills said that you left Charleston for several years while you were in the Air Force. What made you come back?”
“My mother was ill, but I always seemed to be drawn back here the years I was away. It’s hard to explain, other than to say this is my home.”
“Cooper, I’m sorry about your wife. Mills told me about her disappearance.”
“I still hope for the best.”
“We’ll hope with you.”
The courtyard and lounge began to get crowded, and Mills noticed that Jeff and his two real estate partners had just entered the Barbadoes Room. They were about to sit at a table when Jeff saw Cooper in the courtyard. All three of them—Jeff, Cassie, and Madge—came outside to speak. Cooper stood up when he realized they were approaching and took Jeff’s hand.
“Jeff, Cassandra, Madge, I’d like for you to meet Mills’s sister, Vivien. She’s visiting for a few days.”
Jeff took Vivien’s hand in his and kissed it. “I think you two look enough alike to be twins.” His intensely handsome face was accentuated by the beautiful smile that he gave Mills and Vivien. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, and I hope you have a wonderful experience in Charleston. I know that Cooper will enjoy entertaining you and Mills.”
He looked at Cooper again. “I think all the tables are about to be taken. I hope you’ll excuse us, but we have some business to discuss.”
Cooper replied, “Nice to see you three, enjoy your evening.”
Jeff walked into the lounge with Cassandra behind him. Madge snuggled against Cooper and spoke to him softly. “I see what it takes to interest you in a threesome. You have to look like you stepped off the pages of Vogue to get your attention.”
“Madge, you’ve said enough.”
“Oh, Cooper, don’t get testy with me. You know I’m crazy about you.” Cooper looked at her with a firm expression on his face.
“I’ll be going inside now. Goodnight, Cooper, ladies—have a lovely evening.”
When she entered the lounge, Vivien asked Mills, “What was that?”
“Madge Sinclair, that’s what.”
Cooper cleared his throat, “I hope you like the restaurant that I’ve selected for dinner.”
“I’m sure that your choice will be wonderful,” Mills added.
Veneto’s on Fulton was a diminutive Italian restaurant with fewer than twenty tables, but it was filled with character and ambiance. The maître d’ seated them at the most private table in the establishment. “Mr. Heath, I haven’t seen you in months. I’m so glad that you chose to dine with us tonight.”
When the waiter came by for a drink order, Cooper ordered wine, “Brunello di Montalcino.”
“Excellent choice—the nice, dark one,” the waiter replied.
“Vivien, how do you like working in the Capitol building?”
“Most of my work is concentrated in the Senate office building, but I visit the Capitol often.” She paused before saying, “Your South Carolina delegation knows you, Cooper.”
“Yes, I’m notorious.”
“No, they know you from your work in the shipping industry.”
The waiter brought their wine and poured a sample for Cooper to taste. After he approved the wine, the waiter poured a glass for each of the Taylor sisters.
“Cooper, I received Barry Simmons’s transcript from his high school. Just as he said, he has a 4.0 grade point average. The application has not been returned yet. I hope we can make that young man happy.”
Mills then explained to Vivien about Barry Simmons and of their desire to help him through the foundation.
The Italian cuisine was fantastic, and when they finished their meals, Cooper asked, “Would you like for me to walk you back to the townhouse?”
“Yes. We thought we might put on casual clothes and explore town.”
“I think you’ll be safe. I’ll get your coats.”
The maître d’ thanked Cooper and his guests for dining in the restaurant and then they went outside. Cooper stopped Mills and put his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. He attentively fixed the collar of her coat, which was bent under on one side, and then gazed into her eyes. “There, I’ve got you straightened out.”
Continuing to look into her eyes, he said, “Thank you both for the wonderful evening and tomorrow—your birthday—is just a few hours away. Happy birthday! Can you two meet me at the dock tomorrow at eleven?”
“Yes!” Mills responded.
“Good, wear casual clothes and bring a jacket. It will be cool on the water during the morning. And Vivien, you should bring your things from the townhome with you to the farm. I have plans for you both in the evening as well.”
She nodded and the group walked toward King Street. Suddenly, a man came out from behind several parked cars and approached them.
“Go back inside the restaurant,” Cooper told Mills and Vivien while he stood his ground.
The man’s voice sounded like a hiss as he yelled at Cooper. “You bluebeard! What are you doing with these women?”
Cooper calmly responded, “Carl, these two ladies are my guests. This is Miss Taylor, the director of the Heath Foundation, and her sister, Vivien. Would you please excuse us?”
“No, if I ever get the chance, I’m going to bash your brains in.”
He walked away in a huff then turned around to say, “You’re going to get what’s coming to you, Heath.”
“Good night, Carl,” Cooper calmly said.
“Who was that?” Vivien asked in a shaken voice.
“I’m sorry, Vivien. He’s my father-in-law, Carl Monroe. He has fighting in his blood. Once a Marine, always a Marine.”
Cooper walked them back to his townhouse before apologizing again for Carl Monroe’s outburst. “I have some paperwork I need to finish. If you need me, call the office and ask security to find me. I’ll be there for the next couple of hours.”
After they changed into casual clothes, Mills and Vivien walked around downtown, admiring the homes in the half-light. “Cooper is charming. I can understand why you like working for him.” Vivien paused for a moment before adding, “I think he should be careful. His father-in-law seems to be obsessed with harming him.”
In a concerned voice, Mills said, “He knew exactly where to find Cooper.” Is he having him followed?
There was silence between them before Mills asked, “You said that you had a second surprise. What is it?”
“Mom is dating someone. They met at the Mozart Club, and they’ve been dining and listening to classical music.”
“What’s his name?”
“Blake Franklin. He’s a retired English professor from George Washington University. They seem to be enjoying themselves.”
“Why didn’t she tell me?”
“This is all fairly recent. She probably hasn’t had the chance.”
“I think it’s wonderful,” Mills responded.
They reached the High Battery on East Bay Street, and as they climbed the steps, Mills asked, “What did you think of Jeff Radcliffe?”
“Like his cousin, he’s very handsome, but there’s something about him that disturbs me. He knows he’s handsome—he does have a mirror after all—but the way he looks at you with those intense sea-colored eyes, it’s as though he can see right into your soul.”
“I like him, even though he’s very different from me.”
“Please be careful of him, though. And his friend, Madge—she strikes me as quite ruthless.”
CHAPTER 17
The Best of Birthdays
T he first words to escape Vivien’s mouth when she saw Cooper’s farm were, “Mills, it’s like the Garden of Eden with all of the magnificent flowers and trees. I can’t recall ever seeing a place so bountiful.”
Mills parked her car in front of her cottage and proudly said, “This is my home.”
Vivien smiled. “In that case, does Cooper need another assistant for his projects?”
Mills had a phone message from Joseph Cook, Mr. van der Wolf’s assistant, asking her to call them about a luncheon appointment. When she returned the call, Mills explained that her sister was visiting and she would like to make an appointment for the following week. She wrote the date into her agenda and asked Mr. Cook to thank Mr. van der Wolf.
When they reached the boat dock, Cooper was already on board the Miss Elise.
“Happy birthday!” Cooper called out when he saw them.
“Thank you! What are we going to do?”
“Allow me to surprise you. Come on board.”
They traveled down river in the motorboat and into the Atlantic Ocean, passing dolphins and even a massive sea turtle. Cooper slowed the boat in front of a lengthy white sand beach and said, “This is where we’re going to have lunch.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many seashells before!” Mills exclaimed. Cooper eased himself out of the boat and waded in the surf as he pulled the Miss Elise onto the shore and anchored it on the beach.
He helped Mills and Vivien out of the boat and explained, “This property belongs to an old friend of my mother’s, Mrs. Salter. She gave us permission to come here today.”
“That was very gracious of her,” Vivien said.
“This property is the combination of two former plantations; some of the ruins are still standing.”
“Are the ruins similar to the old mansion that’s on your property?”
“No—only a portion of a foundation remains here.”
“Can we walk on the beach?”
“Sure, let’s go.”
They walked halfway down the beach when Cooper stopped them. “I’d like to show you something.”
He motioned for them to enter a lush corridor formed between rows of palmetto trees. When they emerged on the other side, a bay was situated between the beach and the interior land—the beach was connected by a land bridge to the interior. Multitudes of white birds were in the marsh area of the bay. Cooper put his finger to his lips.
“They’re a type of egret,” he whispered.
Small groups of birds would take off and return to the marsh. They watched for several minutes before Cooper motioned for them to follow him back to the shoreline. As they continued their walk, they noticed the bare skeletons of dead trees protruded from the beach, gray in death, and a stark contrast to the golden beauty of the sand.
“There is a never-ending supply of seashells!” Vivien exclaimed.
Ahead was an inlet where the ocean had cut into the beachfront, causing a sand dune to crop up sharply from the sea. They watched in amazement as a group of dolphins chased baitfish into the inlet. When they cornered their prey, they caught the fish in their mouths, rolled up on the bank, and then descended back into the sea. After some time, the dolphins disappeared.
When they returned to the section of the beach where the Miss Elise was anchored, Cooper removed a large picnic basket from the boat and spread a blanket on the beach. He poured wine for the three of them and then proposed a toast to Mills. “Happy birthday, and I wish you many more!”
They clinked their wine glasses together and then opened the picnic basket, which was filled with chicken, salad, and a variety of fruits. Cooper explained that Marian had prepared the basket and had wished her the happiest of birthdays.
The afternoon was spent on the beach talking and enjoying the natural surroundings. Occasionally, a speedboat would pass, rocking on the waves with surf spraying in the air.
By the time they returned to the dock, it was late afternoon. When the engines were shut down, the first noise that they heard was the call of an animal that sounded like a crackling noise.
“What is that?” Vivien asked.
“An owl,” Cooper answered.
“The cry is frightening,” Vivien said.
“According to local lore, the cry of a screech owl foreshadows danger or death,” Cooper added.
“That’s scary,” Mills said.
“No, it’s just an ancient myth handed down from early Gullah people.”
Within moments, another owl responded to the first call, and they began to communicate with each other.
“Cooper, thank you for the wonderful afternoon,” Mills said.
“See you two at six in my kitchen?”
“Yes, we’ll be there.”
The sisters walked around the property until dusk, and then made their way to Cooper’s house. When they entered through the screen door to the porch, both Jeff and Cooper were in the kitchen. The two men had their backs to them and appeared to be deeply involved in a conversation. Mills and Vivien went back into the courtyard and waited until they heard Jeff’s Yukon pull away from the front of the house. Then they knocked on the door.
Cooper smiled and waved them inside. “Dinner will be ready shortly, and Williston will be here any minute.”
“Is Jeff going to join us? We saw him when we came up from a walk.”
“No, he can’t. He has a commitment for the evening, but he said to tell you happy birthday.”
Williston knocked on the kitchen door before entering and then declared with enthusiasm, “Mills, happy birthday!”
She held a beautifully wrapped gift. “This is for you, but why don’t you wait until after dinner to open it?”
