The Gilded Curse: Will the young heiress be the next victim of her family's curse? (37 page)

“Jack would like that. He dearly loves that little girl.” Russell studied her, a tender smile easing across his face.

“What are you looking at?” Lexie put her hands on her hips.

“You. You know Evelyn looks a lot like you.”

A knock sounded on the door and before Russell could answer, Bernon Prentice entered the office.

“Excuse me, Russell. I’m sorry to interrupt you, but this is important.” He remained standing, glanced at Lexie, and nodded. “Miss Smithfield, you can hear this since it affects you too.” Lexie sank down into a chair in front of Russell’s desk as he continued.

“The Coast Guard, based on orders from the White House, has ordered the island to be evacuated. We need to tell all our members and guests they must pack up and leave as soon as possible.”

Lexie glanced at Russell to see his reaction, knowing he’d expected the news for a while.

Russell nodded. “How would you like to do that, Bernon? Visit each one? Call a meeting?”

“Both. You and I can divide up the members at the cottages and the annex. We’ll post a sign about a meeting in the dining room for tomorrow afternoon.” Prentice put both hands on the back of the chair facing Russell’s desk.

“All right. And the staff—they have to leave, too, I suppose?”

“Yes, everyone, even those that live here year-around. We’ll have a meeting with them today before the rumor mills start flying.”

“Thankfully, I believe they all have relatives in Brunswick. I hope they can stay with them.”

Prentice shrugged. “I hope so too. We can’t afford to find housing for them.”

“I’ll take the cottages on the north side of the clubhouse.” Russell pointed in the direction of Hollybourne.

“Fine. I’ll take the rest.” Prentice faced Lexie. “I hate to end your stay this way, Miss Smithfield. I’m so sorry about what’s happened to you and Destiny. I wish you’d had a more pleasant visit here.”

Lexie smiled. “That’s quite all right. My time here has been exciting, for sure, but enlightening as well.”

Prentice raised an eyebrow. “Very well, then. I’m off to spread the news.”

They watched him leave, then Lexie turned to Russell. “So you’re finally going to tell the members.”

“Yes.” He nodded. “Finally.”

“Where will Abner go? Who will take care of him?”

“His roommate at the dorm has already offered his family’s home in Brunswick for Abner’s recuperation.”

“What about you, Russell? What will you do? Where will you go?”

“I have relatives on both coasts. But California is warmer than New England right now.”

“California?” Her heart sank. She hadn’t expected him to go so far away—from Jekyll Island or from her.

“Sure. Why not? I’ll need to get a job somewhere.”

“Will you look for a hotel or another club to manage?” Lexie made a sweeping movement with her arm, trying to keep her lips from trembling.

Russell smiled and rubbed his chin, his dimple teasing her. “I don’t know, maybe I’ll get a gig playing piano. You know, I play all types of music. That’s how I’ve picked up some extra money during the off-season.”

Lexie tried to imagine Russell playing piano professionally. What a different lifestyle that would be than managing the island club. Just when she thought she knew him, a picture of another Russell emerged.

Russell leaned forward, his elbows on the desk. “So I guess you’ll return to work at the hospital back home?”

She nodded, letting her gaze drop to her hands. “Yes, I guess so.” Tears filled her eyes. No one waited for her back home—no one that mattered. Would she ever see Russell again?

Russell got up from his chair and came around the desk, took Lexie’s hand, and kissed the back of it, pulling her to her feet. Her heart fluttered around inside her chest as he put his finger under her chin, lifted her face, and gazed into her eyes.

“Maybe I should move to New York instead. I’m sure there are jobs for piano players there.” His eyes twinkled as he studied her, running his finger down her face, stopping to push a curl away from her mouth.

She nodded, holding her breath.

“Swell. Because I don’t want to be too far from you. I love you, Lexie.”

He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. She melted into his embrace and allowed herself to be swept away to another dimension—one that was safe and filled with love.

After blissful moments passed, they parted to catch their breaths.

“Do you think you could marry a piano player?”

Lexie smiled and nodded as tears trickled down her cheek, then she tilted her head. “Guess that depends on who the piano player is.”

Russell laughed out loud and pulled her close. “This one.” He kissed her with such intensity, it took her breath away.

“Oh, then the answer is yes,” she whispered when the kiss ended.

He wrapped her in his arms and held her. “I’m sorry about Destiny, Lexie.”

She glanced up at him. “It was just a house, Russell, but God had other plans for my destiny.”

Acknowledgements

T
hanks to ongoing preservation, the “Millionaires’ Village” at Jekyll Island is being restored. Guests are still able to stay in the beautiful Victorian hotel, known as the Jekyll Island Club. I am thankful to all those who work to keep this historic area preserved.

I especially want to thank Gretchen Greminger, curator at the Jekyll Island Authority, for her long-suffering patience with my many questions and emails. Gretchen was immensely helpful in giving me information and pointing out references for me to use.

It was a rare privilege to stay in the hotel and imagine what it had been like a hundred years ago. Our hotel tour guide, Gail Rumble, was very informative and entertaining. I was thrilled when she let us tour Russell’s office, now the Presidential Suite, and climb the spiral staircase (which replaced the ladder) into the tower where the telescope is. What a thrill it was to see what Russell saw when he looked around the island from his tower office.

Of course, I have to thank my husband Chuck for taking me on these research trips, helping me take notes, and gathering information for my book. What facts I missed, he didn’t, and I so appreciate him being my partner in this endeavor.

Thank you to my patient, understanding critique partners Sandra Barnes, Kiersti Plog, and Sarah Tipton for their time and effort to help me make this book better. You ladies provided me with special support and encouragement through the writing process.

I’d like to also thank my beta readers for accepting the role of reading the book before publication and offering suggestions to improve it.

Thank you to Dan Walsh, whose book
The Discovery
opened my eyes to activities off our shores during World War II and inspired me to research that era in depth.

Thanks to my agent Joyce Hart, who encouraged me to write the book; to Leslie L. McKee, whose diligent editing polished all the rough places; and to Ann Tatlock, managing editor of Heritage Beacon, who saw the beauty in my story.

Discussion Questions for
The Gilded Curse

1.
Lexie Smithfield is afraid she’ll inherit her mother’s dementia. Have you “inherited” any traits from your parents? Are they good or bad?

2.
Lexie’s fears make her suspect everyone, even Russell. Who did you suspect was behind the unusual activities? Were you surprised by the ending?

3.
Russell is 4F due to the shooting accident. Spencer likes to make fun of his handicap. Have you ever known someone with a handicap? How did they handle it? How did others act toward them? Were they treated like they were inferior?

4.
Russell struggles with a promise he made to Robert, Lexie’s brother, not to tell her about the situation between Lexie’s father and Stella. Do you think he should have told her sooner? Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to tell someone something but had promised not to?

5.
Lexie grew up afraid of the grotesques in the gothic chapel on the island because her mother was superstitious about them. Do you have any superstitions? Why?

6.
Lexie thought God would be angry with her for ignoring him for so many years. Have you ever thought God was mad at you? Was it because of things that happened to you that you thought God was using to punish you?

7.
Lexie was attracted to Spencer because he was handsome, popular, and flamboyant. But his character was flawed, and she ignored the warning signs until it was almost too late. Do you or have you ever known anyone like Spencer? Were you attracted to him or appalled? Did you find out too late what he was really like?

8.
While Lexie is at Jekyll Island, Nazi submarines are off the coast torpedoing American ships. Did you know this really happened in 1942? Did you know the government tried to hide the reality of the situation from its citizens? Do you think that was right or wrong?

9.
Lexie’s family suffered a lot of losses. Some families seem to have more tragedy than others. Does that mean God didn’t care? How do you explain those situations to nonbelievers?

10.
Lexie’s mother suffered from mental illness, but she was fortunate to get the best treatment available at the time. Abner Jones suffered from PTSD, post-traumatic stress syndrome, as a result of his experiences in WWI and was put in a mental institution until Lexie’s grandfather got him out. Both were misunderstood. Do you think mental illness is still misunderstood? Do you know anyone who suffers from it? How are they treated? Can they get help?

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