“Well, prince or no prince, it sounds like you’re having quite the adventure,” Amanda said, skillfully steering the conversation back to safer ground. “I’d love to hear more about what you’ve discovered so far.”
Grateful for the change of subject, she launched into a detailed account of their findings and the items that other residents had found recently, from the mysterious painting to the coded letter. She told them about Gran’s house being used as a boardinghouse when the inn on the island was damaged in a storm. As she spoke, she realized how much she was enjoying this historical treasure hunt.
The knitting group listened attentively, asking questions and offering suggestions. She appreciated the collective wisdom of these women, many of whom had lived on Magnolia Key for decades.
As the morning wore on, her fingers grew more confident with the knitting needles, and she fell into an easy rhythm of knitting and conversation. She glanced up and saw Gran smiling at her, and she smiled back. Yes, coming to the island for the summer had been a smart decision.
Chapter11
Brent headed downstairs to find Felicity. He had to admit that he was a bit apprehensive. The other night during the storm, he’d felt very connected to her. But yesterday, she’d been so busy with the knitting club and helping Darlene that they didn’t have a chance to talk at all. He’d gone over to the nearby town of Moonbeam Bay, did some research, and went to the historical alcove at the re-opened Cabot Hotel. It had been late when he made it back to Magnolia Key and he hadn’t wanted to disturb Felicity at that hour.
But today he wanted to see her. Talk to her. See if the connection was still there, or was it something he’d imagined.
He approached Felicity as she cleared a table after breakfast. “Morning.” He was pleased she greeted him with a warm smile.
“Good morning, Brent. There’s still some breakfast in the kitchen. I could get you some.”
“No, don’t go to any trouble. But I really should watch the time when I’m doing research. Looks like I missed the actual breakfast time again. I’ll grab an early lunch.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure. And I was thinking about heading over to Dale’s shop to look through more of his historical files. Would you like to join me?”Say yes.
She looked up, her eyes apologetic. “I’d love to, but Gran asked me to watch the B&B while she runs some errands. I promised her I would.”
He nodded, disappointed. “No worries. I can handle the research on my own for a bit. You take care of things here.”
“I miss working with you. Guess we just both got busy. But be sure to let me know if you find out anything interesting.”
“Will do. Maybe we can connect back up later.”
“I’d like that.”
With that, he turned and went outside, stepping onto the porch. A few couples sat out on the comfortable chairs on the deck, enjoying their coffee. A fishing boat chugged by out on the bay. Just simple things that made him smile. Of course, a lot of things made him smile since he’d come to the island.
The short walk to Second Finds allowed him to enjoy the nice breeze and the quaint charm of Magnolia Key’s main street. He entered the shop, the bell above the door announcing his arrival.
Dale looked up from behind the counter, a smile spreading across his face. “Brent! Good to see you again. How’s the research going?”
He approached the counter, returning Dale’s smile. “It’s going well, thanks to your help. I was hoping to take another look through your historical files, if that’s all right.”
“Of course! You know you’re always welcome to dig through them. Find anything particularly interesting so far?” Dale asked.
“Not a lot. And I went over to Moonbeam Bay yesterday to do some research on that area. Can’t have the whole book I’m working on just be about Magnolia Key.” He grinned. “Anyway, I’m back today to try and see if I can find out more about Lawrence’s visits.”
“Feel free to dig through any of the boxes in the back. Most are labeled, but I do have some that are just piled there because I haven’t had time to go through them and sort and file.”
“Thanks, Dale.”
“Anytime. It’s not every day we get a historian digging into the island’s past. If There’s anything else I can do to help, just let me know.”
With a grateful nod, he made his way to the back of the shop, where Dale kept his collection of historical documents and records. He settled in, ready to immerse himself in the search for more clues about Prince Lawrence and his connection to Magnolia Key.
Darlene walked up the winding path to Eleanor’s house, admiring the meticulously tended garden. Eleanor could not abide by an errant weed or withered blossom, and her garden shone under her caring hand. She swore the flowers seemed to stand at attention, each petal perfectly aligned as if waiting for Eleanor to come out and inspect them.
She knocked on the door, and Winston’s excited barking came from inside. Eleanor opened the door, her silver hair neatly pinned back. “Darlene, come on in. I’m glad you called. I’ve just put the kettle on for tea.”
As she stepped inside, Winston bounded over, his whole body wiggling in excitement and tail swishing through the air. She bent down to pet him, her knees protesting slightly, and scratched behind his ears. “Hello, Winston. You’re looking as handsome as ever.”
