Maxwell’s Silver Hammer

by Ciana Stone

  He nodded and she laughed. She saw the look on his face and reached out to put her hand on his forearm. “I’m sorry. It’s not funny. It’s just that I thought all this time you were just purposely being rude.”

  Relief flooded through him and he returned the smile.

  “You have a nice smile.” She gave his arm a little squeeze then moved her hand away. He stared at her for a moment then inclined his head in a gesture of thanks and pointed to her, glad that she didn’t know how fast his heart was pounding, or how vulnerable he felt at that moment.

  “Me? What about me?”

  Max pointed to her mouth and smiled. Nikki thought about it. Was he returning the compliment? “Thanks…I think. Listen, Maxwell…” she trailed off. Somehow Maxwell just didn’t roll off her tongue very easily.

  “Say, does everyone call you Maxwell? I mean it’s a great name and all that, but sounds kind of formal. Do you have a nickname?”

  He shook his head. She wondered if she was pushing too hard but decided to go for it anyway. “Would it be okay if I called you Max?”

  He nodded enthusiastically. No one had ever known but he hated the name Maxwell. He supposed his parents had chosen it to eliminate confusion. His full name was Richard Maxwell Weston II.

  “Okay, how about we start over?” Nikki smiled again and extended her hand. “Hi, Max. I’m Nikki. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  Max looked at her hand then up at her for a long moment. His heart wasn’t pounding anymore, but it did feel like it was lodged in his throat. Hesitantly, he took her hand. On an impulse he bowed over it with a dramatic little flourish, like a character he’d seen in a movie once.

  “My, how gallant,” she giggled.

  Immediately he tensed. Had he made a fool of himself?

  “Hey, I’m sorry,” she said. “I just thought it was cute.”

  Cute? He’d never imagined how happy it would make him to hear such a thing, or how self-conscious. The smile he gave her was timid.

  She leaned back on one elbow, angling to face him. “Would it be okay if I asked you some questions?”

  He nodded guardedly. What kind of questions?

  “Great, thanks. First, I know you can’t speak, but obviously you can hear. Right?”

  He nodded.

  “Could you ever talk?”

  Max shrugged and she frowned. “You don’t know?”

  He shook his head. What was she getting at?

  Nikki’s eyes narrowed and she bit her bottom lip as she thought. “Can you write?”

  He didn’t quite know how to respond and she apparently took his lack of response as an answer. “So you can’t read or write.”

  But I can! He nodded vigorously. Suddenly it was vital that he prove to her he could understand. And he would not have to go against Simon’s warnings by letting her know he could communicate.

  Nikki’s frown returned. “I don’t understand.”

  How do I make you understand? Max thought about it for a second then pantomimed putting on glasses and reading. She didn’t understand, so he did it again. The second time she got the message.

  “You can read?”

  A sense of victory washed through him. He’d made her understand. He nodded.

  Nikki nodded along with him. “Okay, so you can hear and read but you can’t write or talk.”

  He nodded again.

  “Then how do you communicate with your family and friends?”

  Max had no idea how to communicate the fact that he had no friends and his family wasn’t interested in communicating. How could he explain that when he’d tried ASL training some years ago and it looked like it would prove the way he would be able to finally communicate, that his parents had suddenly fired the tutors, initiated a fight with him and had him put back into an institution for three months? He got so caught up in trying to answer her questions and make her understand his answers that he forgot to be suspicious about her motives for wanting to know about him.

  It took quite some time and a lot of questions for Nikki to finally understand that Max didn’t have any friends, and aside from the people on the estate, didn’t have any contact with anyone.

  “My god! You mean you’ve been here…all this time?”

  He saw the shock on her face and nodded, not realizing that a look of sadness had taken hold of his features.

  “Oh my god, Max. All the loneliness and isolation I’ve felt just being here this long and you…” She put her hand on his arm. “Now I understand.”

  Understand? What? He raised his eyebrows and tapped his temple, tilting his head to one side and making a face. Nikki smiled at him.

  “I mean I understand why you wouldn’t like it here. It’d be like being in jail and never having committed a crime.”

  At that moment, Max felt like someone who’d been granted a lifelong dream. For the first time, someone actually understood something about him. It both elated and frightened him.

  “I don’t know what you’re thinking right now, Max, but I sure would like to,” she said softly.

  I wish I could tell you. Max pointed to his chest and nodded. I wish I knew I could trust you enough to be honest.

  Nikki’s hand slid down his arm to take his hand. “Look, I know we’re strangers and we had kind of a rough beginning. But all friends start off as strangers. What do you say we forget about our initial difficulties? If you want to, that is. I’d really like to get to know you and understand. Plus, I have to admit, I have a selfish motive.”

  He felt an acid burn of dread take hold in his stomach. He was sure she was about to drop the bomb and mentally kicked himself for ever allowing himself to get his hopes up that she might actually be interested in him.

  Nikki gave his hand a squeeze and smiled. “Come on, don’t look like that. I’m not talking about stealing the family jewels or anything. What I meant is that I’m really feeling out of place here, surrounded by strangers in an environment that’s completely foreign to me. It’d really help to have someone show me the ropes, so I don’t make a complete fool out of myself. Not to mention the fact that I could really use a friend.”

  My god, she’s lonely. The revelation stunned Max. The breath he’d been holding eased out. He’d never stopped to consider that she might be lonely or ill at ease. The estate was home to him. There wasn’t anything alien or intimidating about it. What made her feel that way? And how could he ask her?

  Tell me. Using a trick he’d seen on television, he made his hand “talk” and then pointed to her.

  “Huh?”

  He did it again. Come on, you can get it.

  “Talk?”

  He nodded.

  “Me talk?”

  He nodded again.

  “Okay, about what?”

  Anything, everything. I don’t care. No, he had to make it simple, so she’d understand. An inspiration hit him and he pointed to her.

  “Me?”

  He nodded and she hesitated for a moment.

  “You want to know about me?”

  All right, touchdown! Again he nodded.

  “There’s not much to tell.”

  That’s not what your eyes say. Max saw the expression that flitted across her face and the way her eyes changed. She was afraid. Or at least that’s how it seemed to him. It made him even more curious. How could he get her to talk?

  Being what she called cute seemed to work so he rolled his eyes and put his hands prayer-like in front of him and made a pleading face.

  Nikki smiled at his antics and started telling him about surface things, where she went to school and things like that. Before long she was telling him about her life. It apparently made her uncomfortable to have revealed so much about herself because she suddenly fell silent and looked away.

  Max watched her for a while, thinking how much he admired her. Not just for what she had overcome in her life, but for having the courage to speak about it, to admit her pain and fears. Something inside told him it was not something she did
easily and he felt an unusual sense of pride for having been someone in whom she confided.

  More importantly, he realized that she was not at all like the gossip he’d heard about her from the staff. Unexpectedly, her admissions had granted him something he didn’t expect. He couldn’t explain it, not even to himself, but now he wanted to trust her. More importantly, he wanted her to trust him.

  He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder and she turned to look at him. Your secrets are safe with me, Nikki. He’d never had anyone share things with before but he did understand how much it meant to be able to trust someone.

  He mimicked locking his lips and throwing away the key. Please trust me. I won’t betray you.

  Nikki smiled and tilted her head so that her cheek was against the back of his hand as it rested on her shoulder.

  “Thanks,” she whispered. “It’s kind of scary letting someone in. I don’t even know why I told you those things.”

  Max didn’t know how to let her know that she didn’t have to be scared. Not in the way he wanted to, anyway. That would require a lot of words. And maybe the only reason she’d told him was because he couldn’t share her secrets with anyone else.

  He made like he was trying to talk but couldn’t and she shook her head. “I know you can’t talk. Oh no, no, it doesn’t have anything to do with you not being able to talk. That’s not why I trusted you. It’s something else…”

  She lowered her eyes as she trailed off. Max wiggled his fingers beneath her cheek resting on his hand and she looked up again For a long moment she just stared at him. She was terrified to speak the truth and afraid if she didn’t it would ruin everything.

  “Oh god, Max, I don’t know how to explain it so that it’d make sense—or sound believable—not even to myself. It’s…it’s a little embarrassing.”

  He acted out locking his lips and crossing his heart and hoped she got it. No matter what she said it was safe with him.

  She smiled slightly and lowered her eyes. “This will sound crazy, but for the last year I’ve been having these dreams. Well, at first they were dreams. Then they started happening when I was awake—like waking dreams but more real—they…wipe out reality. Does that sound insane?” She looked up to meet his eyes.

  Max shook his head, feeling a lump form in his throat. It was like she was talking about his life instead of her own.

  “Max…” She looked away again. “In all those dreams and visions, there’s one constant element. You.”

  Max’s heart leapt in his chest. This could not be a coincidence. How could he have been having visions of her and she of him? It had to mean something. But what?

  He pointed to himself and raised his eyebrows.

  “Yes, you. I dream of you.”

  The way she said “I dream of you”, the tone of her voice, it made his breath catch in his throat. It was too much to wish for that the feeling he thought he heard was actually felt. He could not allow himself to hope for such a thing.

  But the need to trust, Max understood. Feeling safe enough to let someone else know things that frighten or hurt you was what he’d always wanted. He’d never been given the opportunity before. He’d never seen anything in anyone’s eyes before that made him want to trust them. Not until now. Looking into Nikki’s eyes made him feel as if he had finally found someone who was worthy of trust simply because she was as vulnerable, afraid and insecure as he.

  And more than that, they were connected in a way he didn’t understand. For whatever reason, whatever quirk of fate was at work, they’d dreamed of each other. He wondered if her dreams had been half as passionate as his.

  He pointed to himself and then to her. She thought about it for a few moments.

  “I don’t understand.”

  Max acted out being asleep then opened his eyes and touched his forehead then pointed to her.

  “You…you dream of me?”

  He nodded and smiled shyly.

  “Oh my god,” she breathed. “How is that possible?”

  Suddenly she was seized with uncertainty. She shouldn’t have told him. What was wrong with her? She leaned back on her elbows, looking over the water. Was it relief at his apparent change of heart and improved behavior that had made her so loose-lipped? Or maybe it was having spent these last long weeks at the estate feeling like an unwanted guest.

  Or maybe it’s more than that, a voice inside spoke to her. She didn’t want to acknowledge that particular voice. It was the one that was dealing with trying not to see Max as a fully functional, normal male when he looked into her eyes. God knows it wasn’t easy. There was something about him that got to her.

  Be smart. Don’t let this one good moment make you careless. He could change right back to the prick he was.

  She turned to look at him and their eyes met. For a long time their eyes remained locked. Nikki was once more seized with an unexplainable certainty that there was much more to Max than anyone knew. She’d already discovered things that proved it, such as his loneliness and isolation.

  Suddenly a decision was reached in her mind without conscious thought. She was going to find a way to communicate with Max, to find out for herself what was hidden inside him. There had to be some way the two of them could communicate.

  “Max, will you do something for me?”

  He hesitated, not sure how to respond. She looked so pleading he couldn’t refuse, so he nodded.

  Nikki became very animated. “I want to try to figure out a way we can communicate—better I mean. There has to be a way, we just have to think of it. Will you help me?”

  Max was sure at that moment that either he was having the most marvelous dream of his life, or that his prayers had finally been answered. He would’ve pinched himself to make sure he was awake, but if it was a dream he’d just as soon let it continue.

  He extended his hand to her and nodded. Nikki smiled as she grasped it in both of hers.

  There was no way either could have known that they had just entered into a partnership that would change things forever.

  Chapter Five

  Maxwell was on his way back from the kitchen, munching an apple, when he saw Mark Robinson talking with Osgood outside the library. Mark looked in his direction and excused himself from Osgood.

  “Maxwell, hello. It’s been awhile. How are you?”

  Maxwell’s inner defense system went on red alert. In all the years he’d known Mark Robinson, he’d never been friendly. What was up? And why was he there? He had to know that Richard and Helen were in Europe.

  He stopped and stared at Mark.

  “Your parents asked me to drop by whenever I was in the area to see how you are.”

  Maxwell didn’t believe that for a moment. Now he was sure something was up.

  “I understand you have a new companion. Nikki, I believe Osgood called her?”

  Maxwell wanted to look and see if Osgood was paying attention, but to look around would let Mr. Robinson know more than he should. As far as he was concerned, Maxwell was an idiot. Better to keep it that way.

  “How are things working out with her? You like her?”

  Max just looked at him dumbly.

  “Good, good.” Mark smiled and patted Maxwell’s shoulder. “I hear your father’s quite fond of her as well. Not so fond as she is of him, I would imagine, but he seems satisfied with her…performance thus far.”

  Maxwell didn’t like the tone of Mr. Robinson’s voice, or the innuendos either. Of course, he wouldn’t let Mr. Robinson know that.

  “I understand she’s quite attractive. I’m sure that’s a nice change of pace for you, eh?”

  Maxwell wouldn’t raise his eyes to look at Mr. Robinson. If he did he’d surely give himself away. What he couldn’t figure was why Mr. Robinson was even saying those things. What was his interest in Nikki?

  “By the way, is she around? I spoke with your father and he wanted me to give her a personal message.”

  Maxwell shook his head and walked away. A person
al message? What kind of personal message? Suspicions began to creep in. Had he been fooled? Was Nikki involved with his father? The thought made him sick.

  Mark watched Maxwell leave then turned to Osgood. “How’s the new girl working out, Osgood?”

  “Mr. Weston seems quite pleased thus far, Mr. Robinson.”

  “Yes, I know. I was interested in your perceptions.”

  “As long as Mr. Weston is happy, it is not for me to say, sir.”

  Mark smiled at the butler in a conspiratorial manner. “I understand completely. Is she here? I do have a message for her.”

  “I’ll summon her, sir. If you’d care to wait in the conservatory?”

  “Thank you, Osgood. That’ll be fine.”

  As Mark made his way to the conservatory, Osgood called Nikki’s room and told her she had a visitor.

  Nikki couldn’t imagine who would be visiting her, but she hurried to the conservatory.

  Mark Robinson stood as she entered. “Hello, Ms. Morgan, I’m Mark Robinson.”

  “Hello.” She accepted his hand and gave it a brief shake. “What can I do for you?”

  Mark took her arm just above the elbow and led her toward a divan. “You may not be aware of this, Ms. Morgan, but I handle all of the security for Weston International.”

  “Congratulations, but what does that have to do with me?”

  “As a matter of policy, a thorough background check is done on all employees, including those employed here on the estate.”

  “So?”

  Mark leveled an icy stare at her. “It is my duty to ask about your relationship with the late Christian Bernard.”

  “I don’t think that’s any of your business, Mr. Robinson.”

  “On the contrary. Why don’t you tell me about your relationship with Professor Bernard?”

  Before she met Gaspar de Troyes, she would’ve bristled at the question and told him to take a hike. Now, however, his interest in her relationship with Christian made her nervous. How much did he know?

  “Well, if you’d been thorough in your background check, Mr. Robinson, you’d know that Christian is—was—my doctoral advisor, as well as my friend.”