my guts to you.”
“Madeleine, please, don’t feel like that.”
“You’ll go back now and tell your news friends what I’ve told you, won’t you?”
Grace was torn between wanting to do just that—or at least telling B.J. what Madeleine had spoken of—and wanting to honor the confidence shared by a young woman with whom she was united in a painful bond. It would be an act of betrayal to broadcast what Madeleine, in great vulnerability, had confided. Technically,Grace had never indicated that their conversation would be off the record, but morally, she felt bound to honor the intimacy.
“No, Madeleine. I’m not going to tell anyone. I promise.”
“I would really appreciate that, Grace.” Madeleine seemed to relax a bit.
The silence that followed was awkward.
“Want to go back outside?” asked Grace. “The fireworks will probably be starting soon.”
They rose from the sofa as the eavesdropper in the hallway just outside the living room retreated.
CHAPTER
24
Dessert was strawberry shortcake and an ice-cream sundae bar, but the grand finale of the clambake was to be the fireworks, graciously provided by the city of Newport. Rain on the Fourth of July, followed by a soggy weekend, had postponed the pyrotechnic display until tonight.
The guests, given flashlights by their thoughtful hosts, paraded down Narragansett Avenue for two long blocks to the Cliff Walk. Some enthusiastically sang “Yankee Doodle Dandy”in their alcohol-induced patriotic fervor. They gathered at the top of the cliff on the ocean’s edge and waited for the fireworks to be shot off from the water off Easton’s Beach down to their left. A long, steep staircase led ominously from the Cliff Walk to the rocks pounded by the surf below.
Grace found herself standing next to Professor Cox. “Those are the Forty Steps,” he volunteered, noticing her peering downward. “The servants in all the mansions here had nowhere to gather on their one night off a week. This was where they came to socialize. Of course, the steps were wooden back then. Now they’re stone.”
“Interesting,” said Grace, picturing the hardworking domestics dancing in the moonlight on the cliffs or resting on the steps with their bottles of ale. Maybe they had even skinny-dipped in the cold Atlantic water. But somehow Grace doubted it. Not the females at least. That was a pretty straitlaced era, and a young girl’s reputation would be irreparably ruined by a stunt like that.
The first boom reverberated through the summer night air, and the crowd roared. Rockets whizzed into the sky, bursting into giant blossoms of gold and silver, followed by sprays of red, white, and blue. Over and over, the brilliant explosions rocked the sky, holding the mortals below spellbound.
Grace looked over to where Professor Cox had been standing to share an appreciative glance. But the professor wasn’t there.
Instead, several feet away, Grace saw Madeleine Sloane, wipinga tear from her eye. Grace wasn’t sure if she should go over to her, and before she could make up her mind, she watched Madeleine turn her back on the dark ocean and the glowing fireworks and disappear into the crowd.
CHAPTER
25
Madeleine could figure it out. If she remembered any more, if any more came back to her, she might be able to piece together what happened.
It was a chance that couldn’t be taken.
No matter how unfortunate, there was no getting around it. There was really no other way. It had to be taken care of now, before she ranted on to anyone else. Madeleine had already said too much to that Grace Callahan.
The fireworks were over. People were sauntering back to the Vickerses’ for one last drink before calling it a night. In the hubbub, it wasn’t hard to separate from one’s companions.
Where was Madeleine?
Eyes searched the crowd, watching as the guests headed back on Narragansett Avenue. The last stragglers finally passedand still there was no sign of Madeleine.
“Madeleine, please, don’t feel like that.”
“You’ll go back now and tell your news friends what I’ve told you, won’t you?”
Grace was torn between wanting to do just that—or at least telling B.J. what Madeleine had spoken of—and wanting to honor the confidence shared by a young woman with whom she was united in a painful bond. It would be an act of betrayal to broadcast what Madeleine, in great vulnerability, had confided. Technically,Grace had never indicated that their conversation would be off the record, but morally, she felt bound to honor the intimacy.
“No, Madeleine. I’m not going to tell anyone. I promise.”
“I would really appreciate that, Grace.” Madeleine seemed to relax a bit.
The silence that followed was awkward.
“Want to go back outside?” asked Grace. “The fireworks will probably be starting soon.”
They rose from the sofa as the eavesdropper in the hallway just outside the living room retreated.
CHAPTER
24
Dessert was strawberry shortcake and an ice-cream sundae bar, but the grand finale of the clambake was to be the fireworks, graciously provided by the city of Newport. Rain on the Fourth of July, followed by a soggy weekend, had postponed the pyrotechnic display until tonight.
The guests, given flashlights by their thoughtful hosts, paraded down Narragansett Avenue for two long blocks to the Cliff Walk. Some enthusiastically sang “Yankee Doodle Dandy”in their alcohol-induced patriotic fervor. They gathered at the top of the cliff on the ocean’s edge and waited for the fireworks to be shot off from the water off Easton’s Beach down to their left. A long, steep staircase led ominously from the Cliff Walk to the rocks pounded by the surf below.
Grace found herself standing next to Professor Cox. “Those are the Forty Steps,” he volunteered, noticing her peering downward. “The servants in all the mansions here had nowhere to gather on their one night off a week. This was where they came to socialize. Of course, the steps were wooden back then. Now they’re stone.”
“Interesting,” said Grace, picturing the hardworking domestics dancing in the moonlight on the cliffs or resting on the steps with their bottles of ale. Maybe they had even skinny-dipped in the cold Atlantic water. But somehow Grace doubted it. Not the females at least. That was a pretty straitlaced era, and a young girl’s reputation would be irreparably ruined by a stunt like that.
The first boom reverberated through the summer night air, and the crowd roared. Rockets whizzed into the sky, bursting into giant blossoms of gold and silver, followed by sprays of red, white, and blue. Over and over, the brilliant explosions rocked the sky, holding the mortals below spellbound.
Grace looked over to where Professor Cox had been standing to share an appreciative glance. But the professor wasn’t there.
Instead, several feet away, Grace saw Madeleine Sloane, wipinga tear from her eye. Grace wasn’t sure if she should go over to her, and before she could make up her mind, she watched Madeleine turn her back on the dark ocean and the glowing fireworks and disappear into the crowd.
CHAPTER
25
Madeleine could figure it out. If she remembered any more, if any more came back to her, she might be able to piece together what happened.
It was a chance that couldn’t be taken.
No matter how unfortunate, there was no getting around it. There was really no other way. It had to be taken care of now, before she ranted on to anyone else. Madeleine had already said too much to that Grace Callahan.
The fireworks were over. People were sauntering back to the Vickerses’ for one last drink before calling it a night. In the hubbub, it wasn’t hard to separate from one’s companions.
Where was Madeleine?
Eyes searched the crowd, watching as the guests headed back on Narragansett Avenue. The last stragglers finally passedand still there was no sign of Madeleine.
Similar Books
