Land Sakes (25 page)

After the movie, I still had time to kill before I had to get ready for dinner. I went in the library to write my cards. I had picked the one with a picture of the ship for Beatrice because she and Carl would both like that one. The other card had a picture of the captain and officers in their sharp-looking uniforms, and I knew the Priscilla Home girls would get a kick out of that one.

That done, I started back to the penthouse. While I was waiting for the elevator, I heard someone calling me. “Miss Esmeralda! Wait up!”

It was Miss Peterson. She was all bubbly. “Oh, you won't believe what Katarina gave me!”

“Gave you?”

“Well, I paid her for it. But it's worth more than the seventy-five dollars she charged.” The elevator arrived. “Let's go up to the Skyroom. I doubt that there are many people there now. What I have to tell you is not for anyone else's ears.”

The elevator carried us to the Sports Deck, and we walked to the Skyroom. We had our choice of seats.

“First, let me tell you how amazing Katarina is. She knew all about me—knew I lived with my parents in Milwaukee, that I love to read and travel. Said my career had something to do with books. She knew I was single, but she said that will change soon.”

“Really? How does she know that?”

“Oh, I hope you won't think I'm silly.” Fumbling in her purse, she took out a slip of paper. “I wrote it down. It's a love potion, Miss Esmeralda. She gave me a love potion.”

“A love potion?”

“Yes. Listen to this: ‘In a bottle of water from a running spring, place three hairs from the tail of a red mare, stir with the feather from a bluebird's wing, seal the bottle, and place it in the fork of a tree when the moon is on the rise, and soon your lover will find you.' Oh, Miss Esmeralda, I know it's probably foolish of me to think this can work, but what have I to lose?”

That's about the silliest thing I ever heard of. Where's she going to find a running spring in Milwaukee, much less a red mare? Well, I won't rain on her parade
.

“Oh, but one thing more,” she said. “Katarina warned me that Mrs. Win
chus
ter is in grave danger.”

“What?”

“Just that. That Mrs. Win
chus
ter is in grave danger. She didn't say what it was—maybe it's because she drinks so much. Who knows. Maybe you shouldn't tell her. There might be nothing to it.”

I didn't know what to think. Maybe I should let it pass. On the other hand, if Katarina knew something we didn't, I needed to find out what it was.

25

I kept thinking about what the gypsy told Mildred about Mrs. Winchester being in danger. I did not have the slightest faith in any of that crystal ball, hocus-pocus stuff, but what if Katarina had overhead something, or saw something we weren't aware of?

Should I tell Mrs. Winchester?

I was looking in the closet for something to wear and decided on my navy suit. Wearing that apron full of jewels around my waist, I was more comfortable in the suit; the jacket was loose and even hid my bay window. I would save the blue dress for the night we were to eat at the captain's table. I swept up my hair in that French twist that Bud liked, wore the silver earrings he gave me, and said to myself, “They can like it or not; this is me.”

Mrs. Winchester came out of her room wearing a soft leather jacket and pants. Large as she was, I was surprised that she would wear pants. “You look great!” I told her.

“Oh, this? Well, I do like it.” She held out her arm so I could feel the leather of the sleeve. “They wash this Italian leather to make it soft,” she said.

“That crewneck looks soft too.”

“It is. It's silk and cashmere. I think the pants are brushed cotton, something like that.”

“Mrs. Winchester—”

“For heavens sake, when are you going to stop calling me Mrs. Winchester? I really wish you would call me Winnie.”

“No, that wouldn't be right. I'm your hired companion.”

“Tommyrot!”

“Well, maybe I'll think about it... Now I have something to say. I hope you won't mind my saying it.”

“Say whatever you like.”

“It's about last night. You really went overboard.” She laughed. “If you hadn't taken care of me I might have done just that—fallen overboard.”

“Well, I hope tonight you'll not put us through what we went through last night.”

“Okay,” she said. “But it was fun, wasn't it?”

“Maybe for you, but not for me.”

“Esmeralda, set your mind at ease. I have already decided to skip cocktails before dinner; there's plenty of wine served at dinner to satisfy me. I'll be good. Let's go.”

“Mrs. Winchester, do we have to sit at the table with the Baileys?”

“Oh, I wouldn't miss it for the world. I can't wait to see if she keeps her mouth shut. Besides, if he shows off
again tonight, ordering wine that's not on the list, I'm going to give him tit for tat.”

No one was on the elevator when we were riding down, so she asked me, “Did you happen to hear anyone talking about me today?”

“Yes, I did. That foulmouthed woman and her friends asked me if you smoked a cigar and drank brandy with the men.”

“Good. I don't suppose it made the papers, but tomorrow when we go ashore, we'll find a newspaper and see.”

Alphonso Pasquali, the Baileys, Lionel, and Mildred were already seated at our table when we arrived. I had too much on my mind to pay much attention to any of them. If what the gypsy said was true and Mrs. Winchester was in danger, it would be up to me to try and protect her.

I heard enough of the table conversation to know it was all about politics and the world situation. Raymond Bailey had made himself the star of that show, and Mrs. Bailey couldn't get a word in edgewise.

I ignored them and concentrated on the danger we might be in. There might be no truth in what Katarina had said. It could be nothing but a ruse to make Mrs. Winchester curious enough to pay big bucks for gypsy flapdoodle.

On the other hand, my being pinned to the wall by that guy in Salt Lake City, the Winchesters' safe being stolen out of the lodge, and our suspicion that we might have
been followed—well, there was good reason to think we were in danger.

Since we would be going into Ketchikan the next morning, I knew I must see Katarina that night and find out what, if anything, she knew.

After my herring appetizer I concentrated on eating the lobster I had ordered. I had always wanted to find out what lobster tasted like, since everybody raved about it being so great, but it cost more than I'd ever pay myself. Since I wasn't paying, I took a chance and ordered it, knowing I might make a fool of myself trying to eat it, cracking that shell and digging out the meat.

Fortunately for me, the lobster was served with the shell cracked open and the buttered meat in pieces, making it a breeze to eat. One taste and I was hooked for life!

By the time I had finished eating it, everyone was through and waiting for dessert. I ordered a peach sundae. Well, the desserts came, but, wouldn't you know it, Raymond tells the waiter to bring us all something not on the menu—cherries jubilee!

I had finished my sundae when the cherries jubilee arrived, brought in with a lot of hoopla, the dish in flames and creating quite a stir among the diners.

Mrs. Winchester had said that if he ordered something not on the menu, she was going to give him tit for tat. Well, nothing happened.

Once we were done with the cherries jubilee, we left the table and headed for the theater.

With ringside seats and Mrs. Winchester not so soused as to embarrass me, I looked forward to the show. Katarina Zigova was on the bill but not the first entertainer.
The first was a magician with a shapely female assistant. Billed as an “illusionist,” he caused the woman to float in the air. After that, he cut her in half. Then he shut her in a box and pushed swords through the box at different angles, only to have her step out totally unharmed. Those were tricks I had seen on TV, but frankly, I don't care for magic.

I was anxious for Katarina's act. Maybe there'd be some way I could get her attention and arrange to see her later. I had to get to the bottom of that warning.

The next entertainer was a comedian who sang as well as cracked jokes. He reminded me of Victor Borge. He would sing something pretty, get a body listening, then stop and say funny things.

During his act I was thinking that maybe if Katarina got offstage and danced near us, I could get her attention—pass her a note or something.

At long last, the band gave a big fanfare. Katarina came onstage, playing her violin fast and furious.

“She's playing ‘Flight of the Bumblebee,'” Mrs. Winchester told me.

That was exactly what it sounded like. I loved it! I could just hear bumblebees busy about my hollyhocks then streaming back to their hive.

Katarina brought down the house with every number she played. Along with the music, she danced, but not offstage where I might get her attention.

Maybe after this was over, I could get Mrs. Winchester back to the penthouse right away, then make some excuse to come back down here and catch Katarina in her dressing room.

26

We got up to leave the theater, and I purposely left my glasses on my chair so I'd have an excuse for coming back down there. Lionel tapped me on the shoulder, and I was afraid he was going to hand me my glasses. Instead he whispered, “Need any help?”

I thanked him but said I could manage.

Mrs. Winchester was really in good shape. We got on a crowded elevator and there were stops on the way up, but I heard not a peep out of her.

We were hardly inside the penthouse when she said, “Now, Esmeralda, you saw what Bailey did tonight ordering cherries jubilee, which was not on the menu. Now, I want you to be thinking about what we can order tomorrow night that will top anything he can imagine. Let's try to think of something that will stump even the chef!”

So anxious to get back down to the theater, I was hardly listening. “Okay,” I said, “but right now I need to go back downstairs. I've left my glasses somewhere.”

I got out of there as fast as I could. As I waited for the
elevator I prayed I wouldn't have any trouble finding Katarina.