Page 55 of The Guests on South Battery
Veronica frowned at me but didn’t say anything.
“Please tell me you don’t believe in that stuff, too?” he asked, his voice wavering with a tinge of belligerence.
“Let’s just say I prefer to keep an open mind.”
He shook his head. “Even if by coincidence something did turn up because of what a psychic medium said, that stuff’s not admissible in a court of law, right?”
“I’m not sure how it works in the legal system, but evidence is still evidence.”
“But thereisn’tany,” he said through gritted teeth, and I stepped back, wondering when the conversation had gotten so out of hand.
Veronica must have thought the same thing, because she pulled on his arm. “I’m sure Melanie has heard more than enough of our issues, Michael. Let’s allow her to mingle with her other guests.”
I watched them walk away and saw Veronica shoot me a questioning glance over her shoulder.
I joined Jack in a group with Cooper and his parents. I was relieved that the conversation wasn’t about blood-alcohol levels or the importance of safe sex—not that Jack would be a role model for either topic—but on the much safer subject of golf. Apparently, both Cecily and Cal were avid golfers, as were their children. When Cal suggested I make up a foursome on Sunday, I saw the horror in Jack’s eyes. I had the coordination and athletic grace of a bear and had nearly permanentlyblinded and crippled Jack on our first—and only—visit to the driving range.
“I don’t play,” I said, hoping to end the conversation.
“Nola said that Jayne is a pretty good golfer,” Cooper interjected. “She apparently used to work for a golf pro and she taught Jayne how to play. Her employer said she was a natural and that if Jayne devoted herself to golf, she could be giving the other pros a run for their money.”
Cecily laughed and took a sip of her wine. “Well, now I’m intrigued. I’m not a bad golfer myself and would like to know how I measure up.” She faced me. “I’m sure the nanny gets days off. You wouldn’t mind her taking your spot, would you, Melanie?”
I thought my cheeks would crack from holding my frozen smile in place. “Wow, of course not—that sounds like so much fun! I’d be happy to watch the children so she could go golfing with my husband.”
Jack sent me an odd look.
“I meant my husband and friends. I mean, what’s wrong with that?” I was starting to sound like Jayne, so I took a sip from my own wineglass just so I couldn’t speak anymore.
Cooper looked at his watch. “Excuse us, but I think it’s time to head out.”
The girls ran upstairs to refresh their makeup and giggle, then returned to gather their evening bags and wraps. I surreptitiously checked Nola’s bag to make sure her father hadn’t sneaked in a small can of Mace, and handed it to her.
We ushered the young adults out onto the piazza and forced them all to stand in a group so I could get one picture that wasn’t a selfie. As they headed out to the street, where the limo waited, Nola hung back. Giving her a hug, I said, “You look beautiful. Have fun tonight.”
“I will. Just please tell Dad to chill out. He kept giving those looks to Cooper all night. I’m afraid he won’t even dance with me now. I mean, Dad should trust me. Especially because I have never given him a reason not to.”
I glanced back at Jack, who stood on the piazza at the railing and was nursing another Coke on the rocks. He was doing a great impression ofa vulture hovering over an unlucky roadkill victim that wasn’t quite dead. “I will, and I know. Just please understand that you’re his daughter, and he’s being protective because he adores you. And I know Sarah appreciates you smoothing the way for her.” I squeezed her again and gave her a light peck on the cheek.
She smiled, then sent another uncertain look behind her. “You don’t think he’ll be waiting on the porch when we get back, do you?”
“Of course not,” I said, not completely sure how I’d keep him inside. Maybe I could slip Benadryl into his Coke and knock him out.
Cooper held out his arm to Nola and she took it, allowing him to escort her down the piazza steps into the garden. A cool breeze swept from around the fountain, gently moving her hair and dress, and bringing with it the scent of roses that were at least a month away from blooming.
“Why are you smiling?” Jack said as he put his arm around me.
I looked up at him. “Oh, I don’t know. Just a feeling I have that we’re being watched over.”
Nola was already tucked into the limo with the other two girls and their dates, leaving Cooper by the back door to turn around and wave good-bye. I watched in horror as Jack made a V with his two fingers, pointed at his eyes with them, and then turned them toward Cooper.
I knocked his hand down and waved back at Cooper, whose smile had vanished. “Don’t mind him,” I called out. “Have fun!”
The limo pulled away and the parents left shortly afterward, leaving a tense Jack and me alone. “Nola asked me to help you chill out. We do have four empty hours to fill.” I stood on my toes and kissed him.
“Hold that thought,” he said, taking my hand and leading me to his study. “I’ve been dying to share this with you all day. After several postponements, I finally went into the family archives today at the Charleston Museum, and I think I might have found something interesting.”
He flipped on the banker’s lamp on the corner of his desk and began to riffle through sheets of photocopied papers strewn over its surface. I closed my eyes, wishing I had a baby to sniff to help with the rising bloodpressure. “Apparently, Rosalind—Button’s mother—left all her correspondence to the museum, including her son Sumter’s. I don’t know if there’s anything significant in that collection, but I figured I’d go through it just in case, so I made copies. The donation was made after Anna’s death, probably a posthumous request made by Rosalind so as not to offend the living. Anyway, I’ve just had a chance to thumb through it so far, but I did find this. I’m assuming Button cut this from thePost and Courierwhen Anna died, and put it with her brother’s papers.”
