She jumped at the surprise, hitting her head against an open desk drawer. Her eyes slammed shut in pain, and a hand started to rub the offending spot on her head.
"I was ahead, trying to find out more about these snuff boxes."
The sincerity in her words filled my mouth with the bitter taste of instant regret. I unfolded my arms from their spot across my chest and rushed to where she still sat, kneeling on the floor.
"Of course you are. I wonder why I thought you were doing anything different. Please forgive me. I am more wound up tonight than I thought I would be."
I held her hand and walked her to one of the plush leather couches. Brushing my hand on her head and felt a knot at the area she was rubbing.
"No blood," I told her. "But it looks like this is going to swell. Can I get you an ice pack?"
“No, I’ll be fine. Just a little bump. Blossom has done worse to me before.”
In the silence that followed, I noticed how closely we were sitting. Legs folded under, she leaned against the back of the couch; I mirrored her position with one leg tucked under me, the other on the floor, wrapping us in.
“Don’t mind me,” Asta called from the door. "I'm just going to set this tray down and retire for the night."
We both watched her tiptoe into the room with a tray laden with an entire cake and two cups of steaming hot tea.
“Cake?” Agotia asked, her aching head forgotten as she leaped from the couch.
"It is not a wedding day without cake. You two enjoy it. Don't worry about the mess; I will get it in the morning."
And with that, Agotia and I were left alone once more. It was not the first time it had been just the two of us, but there was an unspoken tension in the room tonight.
“Can you show me the files on those snuff boxes?” Agotia requested between mouthfuls of cake.
I chuckled at the sight, glad someone would enjoy Asta’s efforts.
"They're over here. My grandfather was an avid collector, especially of anything he felt was a Norwegian artifact. As such, he kept meticulous records of every piece he bought. He kept track of when there were repairs and when the pieces were last cleaned; he even noted how he stored them."
“And you’re okay with giving away one of his collections?”
"He e was always secretly hoped that some of his pieces would wind up in the museum. He would take me to visit it every summer, especially when they had a new exhibit. He just loved the history of it all more than anything. So yeah, it does not bother me. Besides, they are admired only by Asta, who more frequently complains about having to clean them than anything.”
"They'll get the attention they deserve in a museum," she finished.
"Exactly. Plus, the museum has threatened a lawsuit if I don't return them. And with the media circus, Bridget has created, a lawsuit is the last thing I need."
“I guess we better find them then.”
The hours passed quickly as we poured over each page in every folder. Her attention to detail surpassed my own, and she noted little things about each snuff-box I had never seen before. We sat closely on the leather couch, our legs brushing. When she returned from the farm, she changed into a mid-casual dress, honoring her wedding day. I admired her tenacity.
“Look at this one,” she crooned. “It was the king’s favorite. I can’t believe this is one of the boxes that’s missing. It’s probably the most valuable piece in the entire collection. Do you think someone robbed you?”
"That's what I thought at first, too, but it doesn't make any sense. Unless the person was an avid historian buff or snuff box collector, would anyone know their true value? Who would come into the library to take two boxes, especially when there are many more valuable pieces in this office alone?"
“You are right. That doesn’t make any sense. And Asta never noticed them missing?”
"No. She noticed after I asked about it a week or two ago. When I first explored them, I did not pay enough attention to details; only after I found the letter from the museum did I look through the files and the box with new eyes.”
Is someone doing this as a personal attack against you?
“What do you mean?”
"Well, what if someone knew about the museum's request or threats and decided to use it against you? They could steal just enough of the collection to ensure you get in trouble with the museum. This does not look like grand thieves; they would have carried the entire box with them."
"Plausibly," I conceded, "But I don't know anyone who would want to do that and has access to the lodge. So few people even know about this place, let alone the collection. I don't see how it's possible."
