ride out to Fort Sumter. Far too much for one day , she concluded wearily. But the fire of determination to find Vanessa burned hot and strong, and pushed her forward every day.
“Excuse me, Miss Annabelle?” Ruth Haley peered around the half open door. Annabelle tugged the sheet up until she was decently covered, and then bade Mrs. Haley enter. The older woman clucked her tongue in reprimand.
“Child, you look all tuckered out! I know I told you to come back and nap in the heat of the day. After all, the whole state does it. If you took my advice, you wouldn’t feel so poorly now.” She fussed about Annabelle like a mother hen as she spoke, plumping the pillows and straightening the quilt.
“I appreciate your concern and advice, truly,” Annabelle said, with a soft touch to Ruth’s hand. “But sometimes a nap isn’t on my agenda.”
“You make sure you squeeze one in tomorrow. I can’t have my guests wandering about the city looking as exhausted as you do. It’s bad for business. And I’ve bragged to almost everyone about the famous writer I have staying here. The ladies at the garden club were mighty impressed, and the Daughters of Charleston want to know if you might mention us in your article. But I don’t think you could write a word, looking as purely wrung out as you do.”
It was nice to be mothered every once in a while. “I’ll take a quick nap before dinner. It should make me presentable enough to mingle with the other guests.”
Mrs. Haley shook her head. “Now, you would surely disappoint your gentleman caller. On the other hand, it might be wise…”
“A gentleman caller? Do you mean there’s a man downstairs waiting for me?”
“Why yes, dear. That’s what I came up here to tell you.”
“Well, why didn’t you?” This Southern habit of chatting for five minutes before getting to the point grated on Annabelle’s nerves. She jumped out of bed and grabbed her recently discarded shorts. Her mind raced with possibilities. Maybe Mr. Shaw had remembered something else from his last conversation with Tad.
“Land sakes alive, I just did!” Mrs. Haley defended herself. “Now dear,” she laid a restraining hand on Annabelle’s arm, “don’t you have a pretty dress to put on? Your young man looks so nice.”
“Why? Do you know who it is?” She shifted gears and grabbed a sundress. If whoever was downstairs was in a suit, it could be the police, or even the FBI. They ended up with missing persons’ cases fairly often. If anything had developed, Ralph Paxton would naturally tell them to contact her.
Mrs. Haley smiled enigmatically. “Certainly I know, but I surely don’t intend to spoil the surprise.”
Annabelle bent over and gave a quick fluff to her curls. It must be the FBI, or Mrs. Haley wouldn’t be acting so strangely. She slipped into sandals and grabbed her purse, complete with her ever-present notebook.
Mrs. Haley preceded her down the hallway, and paused at the top of the stairs. “Don’t dawdle now; your young man is waiting.” She swept her arm towards the foot of the stairs. Stunned, Annabelle stopped dead in her tracks. It was definitely not an FBI agent in the foyer.
CHAPTER FIVE
Propped casually against the door with long legs crossed at the ankles was Mark. But it was a vastly different Mark. This man was elegantly attired in a pale gray summer suit accented with a stylish mauve tie. Annabelle hastily descended the staircase, caught completely off guard. Mark met her at the bottom step.
“For you, Miss Annabelle.” His eyes held hers as he produced a nosegay from behind his back. She took it and buried her face in the fluffy white blossoms. Her exhaustion disappeared with one whiff of their heady scent.
“Carolina jasmine,” Mark said, in answer to her unspoken question. “I know people always associate magnolias with the South, but…”
“They smell
“Excuse me, Miss Annabelle?” Ruth Haley peered around the half open door. Annabelle tugged the sheet up until she was decently covered, and then bade Mrs. Haley enter. The older woman clucked her tongue in reprimand.
“Child, you look all tuckered out! I know I told you to come back and nap in the heat of the day. After all, the whole state does it. If you took my advice, you wouldn’t feel so poorly now.” She fussed about Annabelle like a mother hen as she spoke, plumping the pillows and straightening the quilt.
“I appreciate your concern and advice, truly,” Annabelle said, with a soft touch to Ruth’s hand. “But sometimes a nap isn’t on my agenda.”
“You make sure you squeeze one in tomorrow. I can’t have my guests wandering about the city looking as exhausted as you do. It’s bad for business. And I’ve bragged to almost everyone about the famous writer I have staying here. The ladies at the garden club were mighty impressed, and the Daughters of Charleston want to know if you might mention us in your article. But I don’t think you could write a word, looking as purely wrung out as you do.”
It was nice to be mothered every once in a while. “I’ll take a quick nap before dinner. It should make me presentable enough to mingle with the other guests.”
Mrs. Haley shook her head. “Now, you would surely disappoint your gentleman caller. On the other hand, it might be wise…”
“A gentleman caller? Do you mean there’s a man downstairs waiting for me?”
“Why yes, dear. That’s what I came up here to tell you.”
“Well, why didn’t you?” This Southern habit of chatting for five minutes before getting to the point grated on Annabelle’s nerves. She jumped out of bed and grabbed her recently discarded shorts. Her mind raced with possibilities. Maybe Mr. Shaw had remembered something else from his last conversation with Tad.
“Land sakes alive, I just did!” Mrs. Haley defended herself. “Now dear,” she laid a restraining hand on Annabelle’s arm, “don’t you have a pretty dress to put on? Your young man looks so nice.”
“Why? Do you know who it is?” She shifted gears and grabbed a sundress. If whoever was downstairs was in a suit, it could be the police, or even the FBI. They ended up with missing persons’ cases fairly often. If anything had developed, Ralph Paxton would naturally tell them to contact her.
Mrs. Haley smiled enigmatically. “Certainly I know, but I surely don’t intend to spoil the surprise.”
Annabelle bent over and gave a quick fluff to her curls. It must be the FBI, or Mrs. Haley wouldn’t be acting so strangely. She slipped into sandals and grabbed her purse, complete with her ever-present notebook.
Mrs. Haley preceded her down the hallway, and paused at the top of the stairs. “Don’t dawdle now; your young man is waiting.” She swept her arm towards the foot of the stairs. Stunned, Annabelle stopped dead in her tracks. It was definitely not an FBI agent in the foyer.
CHAPTER FIVE
Propped casually against the door with long legs crossed at the ankles was Mark. But it was a vastly different Mark. This man was elegantly attired in a pale gray summer suit accented with a stylish mauve tie. Annabelle hastily descended the staircase, caught completely off guard. Mark met her at the bottom step.
“For you, Miss Annabelle.” His eyes held hers as he produced a nosegay from behind his back. She took it and buried her face in the fluffy white blossoms. Her exhaustion disappeared with one whiff of their heady scent.
“Carolina jasmine,” Mark said, in answer to her unspoken question. “I know people always associate magnolias with the South, but…”
“They smell
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