Page 41 of Heartsong
The patron ran a hand over his parted, sandy blonde hair, perfectly coiffed with the expensive kind of pomade that didn’t look like anything at all held the hair in place. He looked at her from across the desk politely, with a boyish kind of charm, though his eyes belied his age and more calculating mind.
He wants something,her instinct observed.
She’d seen this man before, had noticed him in his smart suits and coats. When she’d first observed him, she was struck by the impression of a slick 80s businessman he gave and always remembered him afterwards because of it.
The man let her finish before nodding. “I was surprised when the museum was closed. It’s my favorite jaunt in the city.”
Anna put on her best charming, what-can-you-do customer service smile. “It was a surprise to us, but the safety of the collection and our patrons comes first.”
“Of course.” He shuffled a little closer to the desk. “I admired the two new statues in the gallery. I didn’t realize they weren’t all on display before.”
“Yes, the owners decided it would be good to rotate them, so the public can appreciate all of the beautiful statues.”
“Can we expect more to come on display?”
Anna’s smile grew brittle.So many questions.
“That’s up to the owners, but it may happen in a few months.”
The patron shifted his weight, one of his hands sliding into his overcoat pocket. A moment later, Anna felt an inexplicable tingle just under her chin.
“How many statues are there total in the museum’s collection?” he asked through his neutral smile.
Anna’s jaw worked a moment, the approximate number she’d heard from Carrie rushing to her lips, but she gritted her teeth against them.
“Over a hundred of the grotesques and double that in other statues and figurines,” she answered, and the tingling stopped.
Please don’t be a new migraine symptom.
“Most are on display already,” she continued. “The owners love their pieces and enjoy the public coming to visit them.”
Something like frustration flashed across the man’s face, but it was gone again in a moment before another smile, again boyish, showed off his perfectly straight white teeth. Perhaps that may have worked on whatever suave businessmen this guy worked with, but Anna knew what she saw.
“Sorry for all the questions,” he said, “this is just one of the most fascinating museums in the city. I’m Andrew Glendower.”
When he reached out his hand to shake, Anna ignored it and smiled instead. “Oh, like the Welsh rebel?”
Glendower’s smile spread wider, and he tucked his hand back in his pocket. “The very same. Though they changed the spelling on the boat over, of course.” His eyes glittered with pleasure when he added, “You know your history, Miss Anna.”
She fought the panic that wanted to leap into her throat at him knowing her name, but she reminded herself of the nametag pinned to her blouse.He doesn’t know anything, keep calm and carry on!
“Well, Idowork in a museum, Mr. Glendower.”
“Still, most can be forgiven for not knowing a medieval Welsh hero.”
“Sure, but not those of us who studied early-medieval British history.”
“Did you,” he said, though it wasn’t a question.
Anna shut her mouth with aclick, realizing she hadn’t meant to give that away.
“I’m a professor of ancient and early-medieval pagan religious practices, in fact. Ancient Celtic paganism, to be precise.”
Anna’s brows rose. “Then no wonder you enjoy the collection. Many of the pieces are from ancient Celtic origin.”
Glendower’s smile grew again. “Yes, when I heard about this place, I couldn’t resist.”
She didn’t hear Carrie coming, but Anna was grateful to break from the man’s long stare when her boss came to stand beside her at the desk. Graceful as ever, Carrie placed herself in Glendower’s full view, almost coming between him and Anna.
