Page 50 of The Lady on Esplanade
I texted Christopher to let him know that Felicity would be coming and I’d keep him posted, and then I headed to the front door to call an Uber.After ordering my ride, I followed the sounds of the video game and the regular outbursts from Henry, who was still sitting on top of the coffee table.I was debating whether I should let him know about the drama unfolding in the library when I caught sight of a reflection on the floor next to the Aubusson rug in the parlor.
It was a small puddle of water in the perfect shape of a woman’s footprint and it faced into the room.I looked down to see a trail of fading footprints leading from the hallway where I’d just been and stopping in the threshold of the room where Henry was oblivious to everything except his game.Even to the scrutiny of a curious ghost.
Adele was still here.I could feel her right here in the foyer, where the temperature had suddenly plummeted.I watched as Henry shivered, his only motion beside his frenetic movements on the game controller.
If only I could speak with Adele, I’d get the answers now.But I wasn’t the one with the gift.I could ask, but I wouldn’t be able to hear her answers.But Beau could.When Beau had asked Madame Zoe if she could ask his mother where Buddy was, the fortune teller had told him no, but that Beau could.I didn’t know if he had, but I doubted it.I tiptoed across the foyer, remembering something elsethat Madame Zoe had said.Something about how Beau needed to find his father before others, who intended Buddy harm, did.I clenched my eyes, feeling exhaustion in every limb.I was way too tired to consider the implications of what Zoe might have meant.I’d think about that later.
I quietly let myself out of the house, then headed toward the gate to wait for my ride.I held on to the iron hourglass as I shut the gate softly behind me.
CHAPTER 15
My hair was still half up in pink foam rollers when my doorbell rang the following morning.I let out a short expletive, knowing it would irritate Jolene, since it was her fault I wasn’t already outside, waiting on the doorstep.
“If I thought I could wrassle you to the floor, I’d be washing your mouth out with soap right now.”She unclipped one of the curlers and slid it from my hair, yanking it from my head.
“Ouch,” I said as she moved on to the three remaining ones.She removed them all at the same time, along with most of my scalp.
“Sorry,” she said, her smile in the mirror telling me she wasn’t.“I’ll go get the door.Do not leave this room before I get back and can finish.”
I stared in horror at my reflection.My face looked small and pale beneath the massive cloud of dark curls.“I look like that clown fromIt,” I called after her.
“Oh, ye of little faith,” she said, her voice almost drowned out by Mardi excitedly barking to let us know that someone had rung the doorbell, in case we’d missed it.“You’d need red hair for that.”Herfootsteps and Mardi’s yelps faded as the two of them descended the stairs toward the front door.
Before I had time to wonder how I was supposed to interpret that, my phone buzzed with a text from Sarah.
You up?
I responded with an eye-roll emoji.
Tell Jolene Mom took me shopping have two new dresses and shoes with small heels
I smiled at the phone, picturing Melanie trying to guess what would be appropriate for a tween girl to wear for Thanksgiving with Jolene’s family in Mississippi.I felt a small pang and found myself wishing I could have been with them.
I’m packing Grandma Sarah’s brooch
I recalled the navy, green, and gold jeweled, peacock-shaped brooch that had belonged to Melanie’s grandmother and Sarah’s namesake.It was a beautiful piece of jewelry that deserved to be worn.But I also remembered that she’d worn it for the same reason Beau always kept a rubber band around his wrist.
I’m also bringing ten rubber bands just in case
I stared at my phone, a sense of unease erupting in my gut.Is there something I should know?
She waited a moment before responding.Don’t know yet just want to be prepared
Prepared for what?
Gotta go mom’s calling
I looked up as Jolene walked into the room, closing the door behind her.“Wow,” she said.“You weren’t kidding.Don’t worry.Give me five minutes and you’ll be beauty pageant–worthy.”
I grabbed her wrist as she reached for the hair straightener.“Please, no.How about just ‘I’m going to see a house before heading to the airport’ hair?”I pointed to my head.“I need at least three-quarters of this to go away, and you have three minutes to make it happen.”
Her look of disappointment quickly changed to one of determination.“Challenge accepted.Although I do think a bit of fullness here on top—”
“No.”
Something in the tone of my voice made her pause.With a resigned sigh, she began wielding the flat iron and a comb with rapid, precise movements like a seasoned surgeon’s.She stood between me and the mirror so I couldn’t watch, but when she was finished she stepped back.With a deep cotillion bow (in which she was well versed), she said, “Voilà.My work here is done.”
My hair had been coaxed into a vision of smooth glossiness, the ends bent upward in a chic flip.“You really are a miracle worker,” I said, starting to stand.
