by V. M. Burns
“Oh, that’s okay. You two should talk.” Linda Kay smiled her gracious Southern lady smile. “I’ve got my paddle already, so I’m all set. Why don’t you two run up to your room and have a chat and you can join me when you’re done.” She winked. “No hurry.”
“But—”
“Good idea.” Red grabbed me by the elbow. “It was nice seeing you both, again.” He firmly but gently escorted me toward the door.
I sighed. I needed to talk to him sooner or later. I had hoped I would have more time to get my thoughts together. Unfortunately, his driving two hours during the middle of the night to Atlanta meant this conversation was going to happen much sooner. We walked in silence to the elevator. At the elevator, he held the door while I entered and pressed the button for my floor. When the elevator stopped, he let me exit first and followed me to my room. During the elevator ride, I made up my mind. No point in delaying. I needed to rip the Band-Aid off and just tell him. I opened the door to the room and he followed me inside.
When the door closed, I took a deep breath and then turned to face him. I opened my mouth, but the look on his face froze the words on my lips.
Red had learned over time to hide his emotions. In the short time I’d known him, I knew he rarely showed his feelings. However, for one unguarded moment, I saw behind the barrier. For a split second, I saw hurt.
He blinked, and the veil was back in place. He ran his hand through his hair. “Talk to me.”
I took a deep breath. Everything had seemed so clear earlier. “I don’t think we should see each other anymore.”
“Why?”
“Because you don’t trust me. We can’t have a relationship without trust, and it was clear you didn’t believe me.”
“I never said I didn’t believe you.”
His words caught me by surprise. “Well, you sounded like you didn’t believe me.”
He sighed. “Lilly, I wouldn’t have driven an hour to Pet Haven in the middle of the night if I didn’t believe you. I wouldn’t have searched that place with a fine-toothed comb or forced Officer Lewis to send a forensic team to go over the place if I hadn’t believed you.”
“But you…well, it sounded like you were questioning whether or not I saw what I said I saw.”
He sighed. “That’s my job. I have to ask questions to make sure witnesses are accurate.” He smirked. “It’s part of the training. We ask questions over and over in different ways. Sometimes people say things or remember things when a question is worded differently.” He sighed. “It doesn’t mean I don’t believe you or that I don’t trust you.” He took a step toward me so we were inches apart. “I certainly wouldn’t have driven two hours through the night to talk to you if I didn’t trust you or care deeply for you.”
This time when I looked into his eyes, I saw something entirely different and I melted.
He pulled me into his arms and kissed me, slowly and passionately. After an hour—or maybe it was a few minutes—I’d lost all sense of time, we came up for air.
I stroked his chin. “You need to shave.”
He laughed and rubbed the stubble. “Sorry.” He took a deep breath and paused. He looked as though he was searching for the right words. “Look, I’m not great at relationships. Communication isn’t my strong point. When you strip away the fancy TBI title, I’m a cop. I didn’t graduate from a fancy college. I’m pretty basic. Despite my mom and five older sisters’ best intentions, I suck at talking about my feelings. I’m just a guy, and if we’re going to try and make this work…” He raised an eyebrow. “You do want to make this work?”
I nodded.
He released a breath. “Good. Then I’m going to need you to help me out. If I’m being insensitive, I just need you to tell me straight. Don’t assume I know what you’re thinking or feeling, because I don’t even know what I’m feeling most of the time.”
I smiled and released a breath. “Okay.”
He pulled me close and placed his head on mine. He lifted my chin and stared in my eyes. “Next time can we talk, please?”
“You’re right. I shouldn’t have gotten so angry. I shouldn’t have hung up on you. It’s just…trust is really important, and when I felt like you didn’t believe me, it brought back all of my feelings of insecurity from Albert.”
He wrapped his arms tightly around me. “I’m not Albert,” he whispered. “I’m not saying I’ll do everything right, but could you give me a chance?”
“I’m sorry. It’s just that girl…she reminded me of Stephanie…” I laid my head on his shoulder and wept.
“Now I see, said the blind man.”
We stood there for a few minutes. When the tears stopped, I pulled away and he handed me a handkerchief.
I dried my eyes and then blew my nose. “I must look horrible.”
He shook his head. “You look beautiful to me.”
I smiled. “Liar.”
“That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. My sisters did teach me the right answer to that question,” he jested.
I gave him a playful punch.
He laughed and stifled a yawn.
“Sorry.” He yawned again, but this time he wasn’t able to suppress it. This time when I looked in his eyes, I saw weariness.
“You must be exhausted.”
He protested, but the strain was obvious.
“Look, I need to go to the auction. Why don’t you get some sleep here in my room? Linda Kay said we’ll break for lunch around noon. If you’re feeling up to it, you can join us for lunch.”
For a moment, I thought he would object, but fatigue won out and he sat on the edge of the bed.
I went to the bathroom and replaced the makeup I’d just shed. I noticed my eyes were brighter, and for some reason, I couldn’t stop grinning. I gave myself a final look in the mirror. I left the spare room key on the dresser, then placed the Do Not Disturb sign on the door and left him in the room. I went downstairs to join Linda Kay in the ballroom with a pep in my step and a smile on my face.
I found Linda Kay quite easily. There were few spots where her scooter would fit comfortably and where she would be easily visible to the auctioneer.
She had saved a seat between her and Edward. I sidled past her and sat down.
She looked at me. “You look happy.”
I reached over and gave her hand a quick squeeze. “We’re okay.”
“Good. I’m so happy.” She beamed. “I was afraid you were going to quit. You looked so angry when I encouraged you two to talk.”
I smiled. “You’re a wise woman.”
“And Red is a good man,” she added.
Edward nodded and mumbled, “Good man.”
“He drove all this way to make things right. That proves he really cares.” Linda Kay patted my knee. “I like him.”
I smiled. “I like him too.”
The auctioneer pounded his gavel, and the auction got underway. The day show wasn’t nearly as elegant or exciting as the night show had been. The objects bid on were smaller, less well-known, and a lot less expensive. Linda Kay got the egg pendant she wanted, along with several other pieces, including two paintings, a vase, a book of poetry, and a clock. We broke for lunch, and Linda Kay was ecstatic.
I rushed up to the room. Red was sound asleep. At some point, he had brought up a duffel bag, which puzzled me a bit until I remembered he must have taken it to his secret TBI training. I hurried out of the room, careful not to wake him, and went downstairs.
Linda Kay, Edward, and I ate lunch in the dining room.
“I can’t believe I got everything on my list,” Linda Kay said.
“I can understand why you wanted the pendant, considering it’s associated with Fabergé, but why did you want the other things?”
“The pendant was associated with Fabergé, but that’s not why I wanted it.” She
took a sip of sweet tea. “I wanted it because we believe there’s a connection between the Hopewells and Thielemann.”
“Really?” I ate a spoonful of my sea crab cream sherry-infused soup and tried to contain a moan. I must not have done a good job because when I opened my eyes, Linda Kay and Edward were both laughing.
“I’m sorry, but this soup is the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted. I’m so glad you suggested this.”
Linda Kay waved her hand. “Honey, I wish I could order a bathtub full of the stuff and swim in it.”
Edward shook his head, but his lips twitched as he tried to keep from smiling.
After a few minutes, Linda Kay put down her spoon. “Now, where was I?”
“You were saying you believe there’s a connection between the Hopewells and Alfred Thielemann.”
She took a bite of the chive cheese biscuits that were served with the soup. “Well, about a year ago, Jacob was looking for something in the attic of the Hopewell Mansion.”
The Hopewells were a prominent family in Chattanooga at the turn of the twentieth century. I’d learned that Ulysses Hopewell was a tycoon who made a ton of money and built a big mansion on the bluffs in Chattanooga. His wife, Sarah Jane, was a socialite who loved art. After her husband died, she became a well-known art patron and founded the Hopewell Museum and Trust, which established the Chattanooga Museum of Art. The Edwardian-style mansion had been home to Ulysses and Sarah Jane and their eight children. Eventually, the family died out and the mansion was left to the trust as a museum. The main building was built later to house the great collection that Sarah Jane had amassed.
“Well, Jacob found some old diaries Sarah Jane had written, along with some pictures.”
“Don’t tell me. Sarah Jane and Alfred Thielemann were secret lovers, and he made the egg pendant for her as a token of his undying love and devotion, right?”
Linda Kay laughed. “Nothing quite that juicy, I’m afraid.” She chuckled. “Although it does look as though Sarah Jane commissioned a few pieces of jewelry from Fabergé as a wedding gift for her daughter, Ruby.”
“Ruby?”
She nodded. “There were newspaper clippings of the wedding announcement and everything, but the wedding never took place.”
“What happened?”
“Jacob is still reading through the diaries. There are a lot of them, and the paper is old and the writing faint, but best we can tell, Ruby’s intended died.”
I put down my spoon. “How sad. Ruby must have been heartbroken.”
“Sadly, not uncommon.” She took a sip of her tea. “Medical science wasn’t very good back then.”
“Leeches and bloodletting were common practices,” Edward murmured.
Linda Kay nodded. “They even gave patients cocaine for pain relief.” She shook her head. “Her fiancé didn’t die from sickness or disease, and I don’t know if Ruby was that broken up about his death.”
I must have looked shocked because she chuckled. “Don’t look so shocked. From everything we can find, Sarah Jane was trying to make a good match for her daughter. Back then it was more important to make a good match than it was to make a love match. Feelings were rarely a consideration.”
“But the Hopewells had money. They didn’t need to find a wealthy husband to take care of their daughter,” I said.
“True, but young ladies were expected to get married and have babies. Based on the pictures, Ruby wasn’t exactly a raging beauty.”
I frowned. “Was she ugly?”
Linda Kay laughed. “Not ugly, but maybe a little…plain.” She shrugged. “Anyway, it looks like Sarah Jane was interested in prestige and…titles.”
“Titles? Like, Mrs. Ruby Somebody-Or-Other?”
She shook her head. “More like, Lady Ruby Somebody-Or-Other.”
“Oh, that kind of title. You mean Sarah Jane wanted to marry Ruby to some British aristocrat, like Winston Churchill’s mother, Jennie Jerome?”
She nodded. “That’s what it looks like, although Randolph was the third son and didn’t inherit money or the title Duke of Marlborough. There are several letters that were tucked into the diary that Jacob read that indicated Sarah Jane had reached out to a matchmaker and arranged a marriage between Ruby and some broke but titled member of the British aristocracy.”
I was barely able to hide my surprise. “That’s amazing. So, what happened?”
“The young man, an earl, was supposed to come to the United States to meet the family, but…unfortunately, his ship sank.” She paused and looked excited.
I waited for several seconds before the implication of what she was saying hit me. I stared for several seconds. “No way.”
She nodded.
Edward stared from me to Linda Kay. “What?”
“He booked passage on an ocean liner.” She smiled. “He left Southampton on April tenth, nineteen twelve, onboard the…”
“Titanic,” we both said together.
Linda Kay nodded. She was silent a few moments. “Based on the diaries, it looks like some of the jewels and trinkets Sarah Jane commissioned from Fabergé were created by Alfred Thielemann.” She sipped her tea. “We showed the diaries and letters to the chairman of the trust. Some of the descriptions fit. We may never be able to prove these are the exact objects, but they’re good pieces and we can certainly weave an interesting story for a display in April about the tragic lost love affair around the anniversary of the Titanic.”
I frowned. “Sounds a bit gruesome.”
“I know, but the chairman loved it and agreed to let me purchase the items.” She gave a smug smile. “Don’t worry. Jacob will make the display amazing. He has such a wonderful eye for art.”
We talked about the other pieces Linda Kay purchased, but none held the same allure as the lost love and the romanticism of the Titanic. We finished eating and returned for the last part of the auction.
There weren’t any other items that Linda Kay was specifically interested in, so after an hour, we left.
“Why don’t you go up and check on your young man? You two should go out and explore Atlanta.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Of course. I want to go to the Atlanta Botanical Garden. There’s a Dale Chihuly exhibit going on, and I don’t intend to miss it.”
Dale Chihuly was a world-famous glass artist, and Linda Kay was a big fan of his work. The museum had a couple of smaller pieces, but I had heard about his wonderful glass gardens. Under different circumstances, I would have tagged along to the botanical garden. However, I knew I should spend some time with Red, especially since he’d traveled so far.
“Well, speak of the devil.” Linda Kay smiled.
I turned to see what she was smiling at just as Red walked up to me. “You look better. Did you sleep well?”
“I feel much better, and yes, I did sleep well.” He rubbed his chin.
I turned to hide the smile that threatened to form on my lips as I remembered how much his stubble scratched.
“Edward and I are going to check out an exhibit at the botanical gardens, but Lilly is free if you two want to go exploring.” She gave a wicked smile and winked at Red.
He chuckled. “I’d like to stay, but unfortunately I need to head back to Chattanooga.” He looked at his watch. “I have about an hour or two, but then I want to get out of the city before the rush hour traffic.”
“So soon?” I struggled to keep the disappointment out of my voice.
“Sorry.”
“You know, I’m pretty much done with all of the items I planned to buy.” Linda Kay turned to me. “If you want to ride back to Chattanooga with Mr. Olson tonight, rather than waiting until tomorrow morning, that’s fine too.”
I looked from Red to Linda Kay, trying to read both of their faces. I wasn’t sure if Red would want me to ride back with him or if
he wanted to be alone. His face didn’t give me any clues to his feelings. Linda Kay seemed genuinely sincere.
I turned to her. “Are you sure?”
She waved and tsked. “Of course. I’m retiring my paddle. We’ll be leaving first thing tomorrow, once I confirm the shipping arrangements.”
I turned to Red. “How about you?”
“Sure. It’s fine with me.”
I didn’t detect any hesitation from him.
“Plus, you can go and pick up your baby.” Linda Kay sealed the deal when she mentioned Aggie.
Decision made, I hurried upstairs and quickly packed while Red waited patiently. When I was ready, he took both of our bags down to his car and I left my room keys in an envelope at the front desk. I felt guilty about the museum paying for my room, but Linda Kay had gotten the board chairman’s approval, so she took care of all of the charges.
Red pulled up in front of the hotel and waited for me. When I came out of the hotel, he jumped out of the car and made it around to open the door for me. I loved that he did old-fashioned things like opening doors.
It took longer for me to pack than I anticipated, and we didn’t make it out of town before rush hour traffic. We didn’t talk much while he concentrated on getting on the interstate, weaving in and out of the congestion of rush hour traffic, road construction, and disabled vehicles. After about thirty minutes, the traffic thinned out, and his grip on the steering wheel relaxed.
“Better now?” I asked.
He glanced at me. “Sorry. I tend to get a bit tense when I have to navigate through this city.”
“I think that’s why Linda Kay and Edward are leaving tomorrow. They timed their trip to avoid the worst of the traffic.”
“Are you hungry?”
I did a quick self-assessment. “Not really, but I had lunch. Are you?”
“I am, but I can wait until we get back to Chattanooga if I have to.”
“I think you need to eat.”
“There’s a Cheesecake Factory a few miles down the road, how does—”
“YES! You had me at cheesecake.”
