Yes, she would be interested in that. Dolphin’s Bay is beginning to be a lot more interesting than she initially thought it would be.
She notices that he doesn’t offer to take her to the museum. It is because he doesn’t intend to see her again after tonight, of course. She keeps reminding herself about that fact, and that she doesn’t and shouldn’t care. But somewhere at the corner of her psyche, it rankles.
Nevertheless, she has a maze to finish.
Turning her face away from him so that he will not see her sudden cloud of disappointment, she delves into the next part of the maze.
“Hey, wait up,” he says, laughing.
She stops short, and he almost bumps into her back. She stares at the final statue at the end of the leafy passage.
“What’s that?” she finally says.
He is staring too. He doesn’t speak. The statue is that of a witch. Or at least, a witch in folklore garb – with robes and a tall pointed hat and a broomstick. But the statue of the witch is not placed upon the ground like the others. This one would have come to her midriff as well, like the others, had it been so.
But now it is hanging by its neck from a rope which has been fashioned into a noose. The end of the rope has been tied to a protruding metal stick which has been stuck into the hedge. Shannon can only imagine the weight of the statue and the counterbalance on the other side to keep it hanging that way.
Even as she watches, the rope is beginning to fray.
“Is this meant to be the surprise?” she asks cautiously.
“No.”
His tone is sharp this tone, but she knows it is not directed at her.
The light allows her to see the inscription at the square base of the statue.
The inscription is that of a rope fashioned in the shape of a noose.
Lucien strides to the statue. He is visibly upset. He seizes the stone witch by the waist and wrenches it away from the rope. She already knows how strong he is, and so she is not surprised to see him successfully do this. The rope breaks away at its weakest point, and the metal rod is jerked downward, rustling and snapping the branches of the hedge wall.
Lucien sets the statue on the ground. He is bristling with anger. He grabs the noose and flings it off the neck of the witch.
“What is it?” she asks, frightened.
He composes himself. She can see the emotions struggling on his face.
“It is nothing,” he says. “Come away, Shannon.”
He grabs hold of her arm and leads her away from the statue. She turns to gaze at it. The witch’s face is just as exquisitely fashioned as the rest, and it appears to wear a saddened expression. Or maybe it is just the play of the growing shadows.
They exit the maze, her mind in a whirl. There is so much she wants to ask him. Obviously, the statue was not hung there by his design. Who did that? And what does it mean?
Once they are away from the maze and back in the gardens, he calms down.
“I’m sorry you had to see that,” he says.
“Are you all right, Lucien?”
“Yes. I am.” He says this as much to assure himself as her, she senses. “Come, let’s go into the hotel.”
He puts his arm around her again, and she is glad for his embrace in a different way this time. Once they are inside the reception, the wedding party is in full force again. The guests are trooping down the stairs from the second level, where the ballroom is situated. The laughter and gaiety and finery help put Shannon at ease. It is as though the whole incident of the maze didn’t happen.
She has her last clue.
Hanging rope.
Pieced together, it would have to mean something. But she doesn’t dare ask Lucien what it means tonight. Not with what happened.
He pauses for a while as a stream of giggling bridesmaids dressed in identical green gossamer gowns troop past them. Then he turns to her.
“Would you like to come up to my suite for some coffee?”
His beautiful face is solemn. Whatever demons which had passed through his head have clearly been exorcised.
The suggestion is unmistakable.
Do I really want to do this? she asks herself.
The events of the day and night are starting to take a toll on her now. The accident, arriving at Dolphin’s Bay, the arm-wrestling duel, meeting Lucien Walker, the wonderful dinner and its aftermath at the maze. She’s tired, despite her afternoon nap, but also in need of refuge. And if she were to be honest with herself, she does not want to return to her hotel suite alone – although that would be the best alternative.
She is certain Jared isn’t there anyway. He has probably gone out to explore whatever it is he is compelled to explore.
Tomorrow, they would have to look for a place to live. A rental apartment, perhaps. Or maybe even a little cottage. Hopefully one with a garden. They have lots of money to tide them over. The taken money had been a final act of vengeance by Jared for what those people back at Tupelo did to her.