Chapter 8
B rent sat working on some research as he ate his breakfast. Felicity caught a few moments here and there to chat with him as she waited on the guests, but mostly they were really busy. After things slowed down, she grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down with him.
“Sorry I couldn’t help with the research this morning. It was like every guest decided to come have their breakfast at the same time.”
Brent laughed. “It was rather busy, wasn’t it? I think I’m going to go and talk to Dale this morning. See if he’s found out anything. Then, maybe I’ll catch lunch at Coastal Coffee. Want to join me?”
She nodded. “That would be great. I’d love to see what else Dale has found.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “We’re about wrapped up here.”
They walked the short distance to Second Finds. Dale looked up from where he was sorting through a box of old books. “Ah, Felicity and Brent. I was hoping you’d stop by today.”
“Morning, Dale,” she said. “We were hoping you might have some new information for us about the boardinghouse?”
Dale nodded, setting aside the books and gesturing for them to follow him to the back of the store. “I did some digging through the old records and found out that back in the early 1920s, the Magnolia Landing Boardinghouse also served as an inn for a while.”
Brent looked thoughtful. “Really? I hadn’t come across that in any of my research.”
“Apparently, the main inn on the island was damaged pretty badly in a hurricane around that time. While it was being rebuilt, most of the visitors to Magnolia Key stayed at the boardinghouse instead.”
“Really? That’s kind of cool that the house has always been used as some sort of inn or B&B through the years. Thanks for finding that out for us.”
Dale shrugged, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “It’s what I do. Always happy to help uncover a bit more of the island’s history. Oh, and here.” He handed Brent a folder. “I found some articles on the island during that time period. Never know what else you might find out. Just return the folder when you’re finished with it.”
“This is great, thank you.”
She felt a thrill of excitement run through her. Every new piece of information they uncovered only made the mystery surrounding the prince’s connection to the island more intriguing. She glanced at her watch, realizing how much time had passed.
She and Brent thanked Dale for his help, and he smiled. “Make sure you let me know if you find out anything else.”
“We will,” Brent assured him.
They left Second Finds and headed for Coastal Coffee. As they entered, Beverly looked up from behind the counter and grinned. “Well, look who it is. How are you two doing today?”
“We’re good,” Felicity said, returning her smile. “Just stopping in for some lunch.”
“Take a seat anywhere you like. I’ll be right over.”
Felicity led Brent to a table near the window, and as they sat down, she noticed Miss Eleanor eating at a nearby table. The older woman glanced up, her sharp gaze assessing them before she returned to her meal. Felicity sat up straighter in her chair and straightened a fly-away lock of hair.
Brent leaned in and asked, “Everything okay? You have a look on your face. Like you just got caught misbehaving or something.”
She laughed softly. “That’s Miss Eleanor.” She nodded toward the woman’s table. “She used to scare me as a child. Always seemed to be judging me, like I wasn’t doing what I should be doing. I felt like I always was lacking. And, to be honest, maybe she still scares me a bit.”
Brent chuckled. “Sounds like a formidable woman.”
“You have no idea. No one ever says no to Miss Eleanor’s requests, that’s for sure.”
Beverly approached their table. “What can I get for you two today?”
They placed their orders, and as Beverly walked away, Felicity glanced at Miss Eleanor again. The older woman was watching them, a curious expression on her face. She quickly looked away, focusing on Brent instead.
“So, what do you think about the information Dale gave us?” she asked, trying to ignore the feeling of Miss Eleanor’s gaze.
Brent leaned forward. “It’s fascinating. I had no idea the boardinghouse had served as an inn during that time period. I can’t wait to look over the file Dale gave me.”
They continued to discuss the possibilities, their voices low and heads bent together. Felicity found herself drawn in by Brent’s enthusiasm and the way his mind worked, always seeking out new angles and connections.
As they talked, she felt a growing connection to Brent. It was more than just their shared interest in the island’s history. There was something about him that made her feel seen and understood.
Beverly returned with their food, and they dug in, savoring the delicious flavors. A warmth spread through her, a combination of the good food, the company, and the sense of purpose that came with their investigation.
As they finished, she saw that Miss Eleanor was still sitting at her table, sipping on coffee. “You know, we could go ask Miss Eleanor about what we’ve found out. Tell her about Prince Lawrence. She might know something. Her family has been on the island for generations. And it did say some Whitmores were at that party along with Prince Lawrence.” She laughed. “Though, I admit, I’m a little scared to go over there and ask her.”
He grinned. “Come on. We can do this.” They got up and crossed over to Miss Eleanor’s table.
“Good afternoon, Miss Eleanor.”
“Hello, Felicity. Darlene said you were coming to the island to help her this summer. Surprised to see you out on a date instead.”
There, that was it. The sense of judgment. “No, it’s not a date—” She blushed. “This is Brent Dunn. He’s here doing some research on the history of the area.”
“Ah, yes. The fellow giving the talk soon.”
Brent held out his hand. “That’s me.”
Miss Eleanor reached her hand out and shook his. “Glad to meet you. It’s important we learn more about our heritage and try to preserve it.”
“Yes, ma’am. And… we were wondering. We found out that Darlene’s B&B used to be a boardinghouse back in the early 1920s. We found some old guest books and there was a Prince Lawrence that visited regularly. I know it’s before your time, but did you ever hear anything about him?”
Miss Eleanor looked startled for a moment before she quickly covered it up. “Lawrence?” She shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. A prince, you say?”
“Yes, from Bardonzia. A small island in the Pacific.”
“I see.” Miss Eleanor stood. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but I need to go. Have an appointment.”
“Okay, well, thank you,” she said. Why was she thanking the woman? She’d insinuated Felicity was shirking her responsibilities and then didn’t even have any information to give them.
Miss Eleanor left, and she turned to Brent. “Did you get the feeling she was surprised when you brought up Prince Lawrence’s name?”
He frowned. “I did. Like she knew of him but didn’t want to talk about it.”
“Told you she was scary.” She laughed. “Come on. I should get back to the B&B and help Gran.”
They paid their bill and headed outside. She glanced up at the sky. “Looks like we might be getting a storm coming in.”
“It does. We should hurry or we’re going to get caught out in it.”
“I’d almost forgotten how quickly storms pop up here on the island. Swoop in, dump buckets of rain, then just as quickly head out and the sun comes back out.”
He took her hand as they walked briskly back to the B&B. They raced up the driveway just as the first raindrops were starting to fall.