The Key in the Attic(59)

“What?” Alice and Mary Beth asked at the same time, and then both of them laughed.

Annie couldn’t help joining them. “I told you awhile ago that I looked up your great-great-grandparent’s marriage in the Fairfax County, Virginia, marriage records. I looked at the same time to see if Geoffrey Whyte had married anyone before he died. Elopements, especially in wartime, aren’t uncommon.”

Mary Beth caught her breath. “And?”

“Nothing. Not at the time.”

“Not at the time?” Alice repeated, narrowing her eyes.

“Then Mary Beth mentioned that back then her family, including Angeline, was from Clarke County, not Fairfax County. If she and Geoffrey did elope, especially if he wanted to keep it secret from his controlling mother, of course they wouldn’t get married in his home county. What would be more natural than for them to marry in Angeline’s?” Annie put the print out on the table in front of Mary Beth. “They were married on March 6, 1861, in Berryville, Virginia, in Clarke County.”

“That’s wonderful!” Alice exclaimed, her eyes alight.

Mary Beth stared at the page, blank-faced, not saying anything.

“They were married, Mary Beth.” Annie reached across the table and shook her friend by the forearm. “They were married. Even if she didn’t know it was there, everything Geoffrey had would have been legally hers once he died. That means it’s yours. It’s all yours!” She glanced around with a self-conscious giggle and then lowered her voice. “There will probably be some legal considerations, maybe some taxes.”

Alice rolled her eyes. “There are always taxes.”

“But I don’t think anyone can claim it’s not yours now,” Annie continued, “especially since it’s been in your family’s possession for the past one hundred and fifty years.”

“That’s great.” Mary Beth smiled tightly. “But let’s not get too excited until we find out if it’s really worth anything.”

****

The next day, Mary Beth arranged for an appointment with a certified jewelry appraiser in Portland. Ian agreed to go with her.

“I’m just going along to make sure there’s no trouble,” Ian said, a big smile on his face. Mary Beth was glad to have him. It was a little disturbing to know she might be carrying thousands of dollars worth of antique jewelry around with her.

The appraiser—a Mrs. Banks—was approximately Mary Beth’s age and looked more like she should be teaching Sunday School than dealing with expensive jewelry. But by the time she was through measuring and weighing and examining everything Mary Beth had brought, it was obvious she knew her business and did her job well.

“Now, as soon as I have the appraisal written up,” Mrs. Banks said, “I’ll mail it to you.”

“Oh.”

Mary Beth knew her disappointment must be plain to see.

Mrs. Banks smiled gently. “I know. Everyone thinks I can just come up with a number right away, but it’s just not that easy. Especially with a lovely piece like this. I’ll have to come up with comparables and compile all the information before I can give you a reasonable appraisal.”

“Then you don’t know yet if they’re real.”

“If they’re real? Bless you, dear—of course they’re real!” The appraiser’s eyes twinkled. “I won’t quote you a figure yet because it would just be a guess at this point, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. For now, you’d better get those back into your safe-deposit box.”

Ian took Mary Beth’s arm, grinning at her. “You all right?”

Mary Beth could only nod, and her hands trembled as she put the jewelry back into the little zippered bag she had brought them in. Then she put the bag into her purse and took out the keys to her SUV. Somehow she managed to thank Mrs. Banks, and then she made her way to the door.

With a chuckle, Ian took the keys from her hand. “I think you ought to let me drive us back to Stony Point.”

****

A few days later, Annie answered her telephone.

“Annie, it’s Mary Beth. Do you think you and Alice could come over for a little while?” Her voice was breathless and unsteady and unnaturally high.

“Is anything wrong?”

“I—” Mary Beth laughed nervously. “I got the letter from the appraiser.”

“What does it say?”

“Uh, I haven’t opened it yet.”

“Mary Beth!”

“I just can’t make myself. Not by myself. Do you think you and Alice could come over?”

Annie laughed. “You silly thing! Let me give her a call. Either we’ll be right over, or I’ll come alone.”