Chapter 6
B rent awoke the next morning, eager to continue his research. The fact that Felicity was helping had little to do with his excitement, he was sure. He shook his head at himself. He made his way downstairs to the kitchen, where he found Felicity and her grandmother preparing breakfast for the guests.
“Good morning, Felicity, Darlene.” He greeted them with a smile.
“Good morning, Brent.” Felicity turned and smiled widely at him. “I was just telling Gran about our plans to investigate the Prince Lawrence mystery further.”
Darlene chuckled. “You two seem to be quite the detective duo. I’m glad to see you so excited about something, Felicity.”
Brent turned to Felicity. “I was thinking, maybe we could head over to the mainland today and visit the library in Sarasota. They might have some historical records that could give us more information about Prince Lawrence’s visits to Magnolia Key.”
Her face lit up. “That’s a great idea! I’d love to go.” Then she frowned. “But I promised Gran I’d help with some baking. And we were going to do a thorough cleaning of the sitting room.”
Darlene waved her hand. “Don’t you worry about the B&B. I’ve got everything under control here. You two go and enjoy your little adventure.”
Felicity gave her grandmother a hug. “Thanks, Gran. You’re the best.”
After a quick breakfast, he and Felicity caught the ferry to the mainland. During the ride, they discussed their theories about Prince Lawrence and the potential scandal surrounding his visits. He found himself increasingly drawn to Felicity’s keen intellect and her passion for uncovering the truth.
Once they arrived in Sarasota, they made their way to the library. The librarian directed them to the local history section, where they began their search. They pored over microfilm of old newspapers, city records, and historical documents, looking for any mention of Prince Lawrence or his connection to Magnolia Key.
After several hours of digging, Felicity let out a small gasp. “Brent, look at this,” she whispered.
He leaned over her shoulder to scan the article. It was a society page from the 1920s detailing a grand party held at the Magnolia Landing Boardinghouse. Among the list of notable attendees was none other than Prince Lawrence of Bardonzia.
“It says here that many prominent members of the town were in attendance. I see some Whitmores on the list.” She pointed to the screen.
“But nothing mentioning a scandal that Dale thought he remembered?”
“Not that I can find.”
They continued their search, hoping to find more information about the prince. As they worked side by side, he found himself stealing glances at Felicity, admiring the way her brow creased in concentration and the way she bit her lip when she was deep in thought.
Hours later, he glanced at his watch and leaned closer to her, keeping his voice low. “I’m sorry. I forget how I lose track of time when I’m working. We should probably go. We worked right through lunch.”
She looked up from the old book she’d been reading on the history of the area. “Did we? I guess I lost track of time too.”
They gathered their notes and prepared to leave, and he turned to her. “How about I buy you some dinner before we take the ferry back? There’s a nice place on the waterfront I’ve been wanting to try.”
“That sounds great. Now that you’ve reminded me we skipped lunch, I’m starving.” She grinned at him.
He drove them to the wharf, and they walked along the waterfront, the warm Florida air enveloping them. The restaurant, a charming seafood spot called The Salty Pelican, sat perched on stilts overlooking the bay. Its weathered wood exterior and string lights gave it a cozy, inviting atmosphere.
As they approached the hostess stand, he noticed how the sun cast a golden glow on Felicity’s hair. He cleared his throat, pushing away the distracting thought.
“Table for two, please,” he said to the hostess.
They were led to a table on the covered outdoor deck, offering a stunning view of the water. Brent pulled out Felicity’s chair for her, earning a warm smile of thanks.
“This is lovely,” she said, taking in the view. “I can’t believe I’ve never been here before.”
Brent settled into his own seat and picked up the menu. “I’m glad you like it. I’ve heard great things about their seafood.”
They perused the menu, and when the waiter arrived, both opted for the fried grouper with a side of hush puppies. As they waited for their food, Brent found himself captivated by the delight in Felicity’s eyes as she looked out at the view.
“This really is beautiful,” she said, turning back to him. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
He nodded, feeling a warmth spread through his chest. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it. It’s nice to share this with someone who appreciates it as much as I do.”
A gentle breeze carried the salty scent of the ocean, ruffling her hair. She tucked a strand behind her ear, her fingers lingering for a moment on the sea glass necklace she wore. It was a small detail, but it struck him as quintessentially Floridian.
The clink of glasses and murmur of conversations around them created a cozy atmosphere. He found himself relaxing in her company. He watched as she absently traced patterns on the condensation of her water glass, seemingly lost in thought.
“Penny for your thoughts?” he asked, breaking the comfortable silence between them.
She looked up, a small smile playing on her lips. “Oh, I was just thinking about how nice this is. It’s been a while since I’ve had a dinner out like this.”
“Me, too. This is nice.”
“So,” she began, “you mentioned earlier that your mother had roots in this area and that’s why you’re so interested in the local history.”
He nodded, leaning back in his chair. “Partly, yes. To be honest, I don’t know much about my mother. I guess…” He shrugged. “It’s my way to try to feel closer to her? I’ve always been curious about her life and her family history.”
Their food arrived, interrupting their conversation. A mouthwatering aroma filled the air as the server set down steaming plates of golden-fried grouper and hush puppies. They both took a moment to enjoy the first bites before Brent continued.
“My father didn’t talk about her much. I think it was too painful for him. But I do know she grew up somewhere along this part of the coast.”
She nodded, listening intently. “Do you know anything else about her?”
He took a sip of his iced tea. “Not much. Right before I left to come here, I found an old photo of her standing on a beach. There’s a lighthouse in the background, but I haven’t had time to identify which one it is. And I don’t know if that’s where she lived, or just somewhere she was visiting.”
“That’s fascinating,” she said. “Maybe we could try and find out which lighthouse it is while you’re here. There are quite a few along this stretch of coast.”
“I’d like that. Thank you.” He paused, then convinced himself to continue. “I’ve really enjoyed working with you. Doing all this research. It’s so much more… enjoyable… with someone else.” Especially when that someone was Felicity.
She smiled back at him. “It has been fun, hasn’t it? And it’s so exciting when we find more little clues, like that party at Magnolia Landing Boardinghouse. I wonder why Prince Lawrence stayed at a boardinghouse instead of an inn?”
“I don’t know. Maybe there wasn’t an inn back then?” he suggested.
“Maybe. We could look into that too.”
“Sounds like we have hours and hours of research ahead of us.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” She smiled at him and didn’t seem bothered by that prospect.
They enjoyed a leisurely meal, then left to take the ferry back to Magnolia Key. The excitement of their research trip still buzzed between them. As he drove onto the ferry and put his car in park, he turned to her. “Want to go up to the top deck?” he asked. “We might catch a nice sunset.”
Felicity’s eyes lit up. “That sounds perfect.”
They made their way up the stairs to the open-air deck. A warm breeze buffeted them as they found a spot along the railing. The sky was ablaze with oranges and pinks, the sun a glowing orb sinking toward the horizon.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed, leaning against the railing.
Brent nodded in agreement, but found his gaze drawn more to her than the sunset. The fading light cast a glow on her face, highlighting the contentment in her expression.
“Thank you for today,” she said, turning to look at him. “I haven’t felt this… alive in a long time.”
“I’m glad,” he replied, pleased that he’d been able to do this for her. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
They fell into a comfortable silence as the sun dipped lower, painting the water with streaks of glistening gold. His hand rested on the railing, mere inches from hers. He was acutely aware of the small distance between them.
As the ferry cut through a wave, the deck shifted slightly. Her hand slid along the railing, brushing against his. A jolt of electricity seemed to pass between them at the contact. Neither pulled away.
His heart did a double beat as he made a decision. Slowly, carefully, he turned his hand, gently taking hers in his own. Her skin was soft and warm against his palm. He held his breath, waiting for her reaction.
Her fingers curled around his, returning the gentle pressure. He exhaled softly, a smile tugging at his lips. He glanced at her, only to find her looking up at him with a shy smile of her own.
They stood there, hand in hand, watching as the last sliver of sun disappeared beneath the horizon. The sky darkened, and stars began to twinkle overhead. Neither spoke, but he felt as though something significant had shifted between them.