The lost lamp, p.3
The Lost Lamp, page 3
“Oh, of course. We have heard so much about you, young man. It’s a pleasure to see you here tonight.”
Will glanced down at the hand on his arm, then back up at the lady, a hesitant smile on his face. “The pleasure’s all mine,” he said.
Lady Gardeau dropped her hand and turned to Marianna whispering, “Ooh, he is a fine specimen. Have an enjoyable time tonight.” She gave Marianna a sly wink before buzzing away to ferret out some other gossip.
“Oh, look, there’s Lady Roberta. We need to speak to her about the map.” Marianna pulled Will across the dance floor, weaving through a maze of dancing couples to reach the other side of the room.
She stopped when they reached a tall, slender woman with elaborately braided hair and copper colored skin. “Lady Roberta, good evening.”
“Good evening, Lady Marianna,” the lady said as she pulled Marianna in for a quick hug. “How are you? How is your family? It’s been ages since I’ve seen anyone.”
“We’re all doing well. I wasn’t sure if you’d be here tonight, or even if you were in town.”
Lady Roberta smiled. “Yes, I just got back from Rockoo two days ago. I’ll be here for awhile. I’m finishing a big assignment for the Lady’s Traveler magazine.”
“Rockoo? That sounds exciting. I’ll be sure to read the article.” Marianna loved reading everything Lady Roberta wrote. It was always entertaining and full of adventure.
“Oh, it was. And who is this young man?” Lady Roberta gave Will a smile.
“So sorry. This is Will, Lady Susan’s brother.”
Lady Roberta nodded. “I can see the familial similarities. A pleasure to meet you, Will.”
“You as well, ma’am.” Will flashed one of his sparkling smiles. Even Lady Roberta was impressed by his good looks and charming manners.
“We actually had a question for you,” Marianna said. “We have a map, but the names of the places are written in another language. Perhaps you would be willing to look at it and see if you could translate it or maybe at least tell us the language it’s written in?”
“A map? How interesting. Of course. Could you come by my house tomorrow?”
They made plans to meet up the next day, and Marianna could barely contain her excitement as she and Will made their way over to the drink table. “I can’t wait to see what she says about the map. This is like being in an adventure from one of my books.”
Will filled a cup with punch, handing it to her with a laugh. “You’re pretty excited about this.”
“Of course, aren’t you?” Marianna asked.
Will’s blue eyes twinkled and filled with something Marianna couldn’t quite name. “An adventure with you, yeah. I’m excited too,” he said softly, his gaze so intense Marianna averted her eyes, and scanned the room.
Marqi Jaffar stood in the corner, his eyes unwaveringly focused on them. Marianna tapped Will’s arm. “Look over there. By the food.”
He turned his head and the Marqi whirled around heading for the door.
“He’s kind of a strange fellow, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, but he was staring at us. Right before you looked. I think...” Marianna hesitated, not sure if she should voice her thoughts.
“That he’s the one who stole the map from your father’s ship?”
Marianna’s eyes widened. How had Will known what she was thinking? “Yes, exactly. I don’t want to accuse someone without cause, but he was acting strangely. Plus, he could have some kind of personal stake in finding the lamp since he is from Dubara.”
“That’s what I was thinking too,” Will murmured. “But he’s gone now. We’ll just have to keep an eye out for him.”
“Why, hello, young sir,” a tart voice interrupted them as a blonde girl swept in between them. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you,” Tarlie’s gratingly sweet voice chirped. She lifted a lacy white gloved hand and rested it on Will’s arm.
Marianna bit back the sigh that threatened to escape her lips. Of course Tarlie would have to make her presence known to Will. The girl believed all boys would automatically bow at her feet, ready to serve her. She honestly believed she was the most beautiful girl in all Prospera, and probably in all of Anderi.
“Umm..” Will stuttered and glanced over at Marianna. Marianna just shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. “I’m Will.”
“Tarlie, and the pleasure’s all mine.” Tarlie’s lips formed a sleek smile, and she squeezed Will’s arm and leaned closer ready to whisper something in Will’s ear.
“Umm,” Will took a step back and gently extracted his arm from the girl. “Nice to meet you, but I was just about to dance with the girl I came with.”
“Uh,” Tarlie snorted, and her face flushed bright red as she whirled around and strode away.
Will turned toward Marianna and held out a hand. “Care to dance? It’ll help take your mind off things.” He flashed her a radiant smile.
“Sure,” Marianna agreed. Joy spiraled through her. She’d never seen any young man put Tarlie in her place like that. She returned Will’s smile and butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she took his hand and followed him onto the dance floor. The orchestra started playing her favorite waltz and Will spun her around the floor with a surprising grace.
“Where did you learn to dance?”
Will chuckled. “My aunt made sure I had a proper education before allowing me to go traipsing about on ships with my father. I went to Porter Benson School for Boys, and I’ve been doing correspondent work with Strausburg Institute.”
“Really? That sounds wonderful.” Strausburg Institute was one of the most illustrious schools in the country, and Marianna wished they allowed girls to attend.
Will shrugged. “It's pretty nice, and I appreciate my aunt’s generosity.”
He swung her out in a twirl and then back into him. Marianna’s hand rested on his chest. His eyes met hers, and her breath caught in her throat. What was it about him that made her heart race and her head spin?
She’d had plenty of suitors, but none had ever made her feel like this. She didn’t even know him that well, but there was just something about him. Something that made her feel like they connected. Like he knew what she was thinking even before she said it.
Was it crazy to feel like she had known him forever when she’d only known him a few days? Logically, she knew it was, but that didn’t stop her from feeling lighter than air as they spun across the ballroom floor. She had nearly forgotten about the missing map by the time the ball ended.
Chapter 6
The next day, Will met Marianna outside Lady Roberta’s house. “Ready to go in?” he asked as he helped her out of the family carriage.
“Yes.” She looked up at Wilson, her family’s butler and driver. “We might be a while, so Will will bring me home.”
She glanced back at Will who nodded and added, “I’ll make sure she gets home safely, sir.”
“All right, then Miss Marianna.” Wilson tossed the reins, sending the horses towards home.
Lady Roberta met them at the wooden door framed with red, blue, and yellow stained glass. “Good afternoon!” She motioned them in. “I have a pot of tea already prepared.”
She led them through the marbled-floored entryway and into the parlor. With windows filling up two walls, the room was brightly lit by the sun. Lush burgundy carpet covered the floor, and two rose satin lounges and three armchairs surrounded a charming tea table covered in a delicate lace cloth.
On top of the table sat a tea service for four. A maid was just finishing up filling the last cup as they walked in.
“Thank-you, Rosie.” Lady Roberta nodded at the maid who curtsied before turning and leaving the room.
The cups were made of the finest china and had hand-painted pink roses with green leaves and thorny stems on them. The scent of orange and spice rose with the steam from the cups. Perfectly formed meringue cookies sat around some little lemon cakes on a platter that matched the teacups.
“Come sit.” Lady Roberta motioned towards the armchairs.
“This looks lovely. Thank-you.” Marianna perched on the closest chair, and Will took the seat next to her. Lady Roberta picked up two of the teacups and handed them each one before sitting in the other chair.
“So, this map...?”
“Oh, um yes,” Marianna glanced over at Will as she took a sip of the tea. The steamy drink was the perfect combination of citrus and spice.
“Yes, we have it right here.” Will dug into the knapsack he’d carried into the house and pulled out the book and a magnifying glass. He carefully put the bag onto the floor, then opened the book and handed it and the magnifying glass to Roberta. “The writing’s quite small, so you have to use the glass to see it clearly.”
Lady Roberta nodded as she accepted the items then studied the book through the glass. “Hmm, this isn't one of the more current maps, and it’s hard to be certain, but I believe this is referring to Catlyne Cove.” She motioned to the island with the little X drawn on it.
“Really? But that’s just a few miles south of here.” Marianna turned to Will. “We could easily sail there and back in a day.”
“Yeah, but...” he didn’t look as excited as Marianna felt. He almost looked worried. He turned back to Lady Roberta. “...it doesn’t really look like the land around here.”
Lady Roberta nodded. “You’re right. This map is probably a couple of hundred years old. Before the canal was built through here, it was all one big land mass. The canal and time wore away at the coastline, so it looks quite a bit different now. But I’m fairly sure it’s Prospera. It’s written in Dubari, and I’m fluent in the language.”
“I hadn’t even considered that the map could be that old.” Will got up and examined the map again. “But it does make sense. What does this little bit say right here?”
Lady Roberta lifted the book into the light and peered closer. “It says, ‘Under the shimmering water lies the... treasure.’” She looked up at Will and then at Marianna, astonishment covering her face. “What exactly are you looking for?”
“Umm,” Marianna hesitated, glancing over at Will. He shrugged, so she continued. “My father had the original, or maybe just a full-sized copy of this map on his ship that arrived in port last week, but now it’s missing. We think someone stole it. And Lord Rotari is coming for it, and he'll be here sometime soon.”
Lady Roberta’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, “she mouthed. “Well, this makes sense now.” Besides the king, Lord Rotari was the most powerful man in Anderi. With little more than a few appropriately placed words he could destroy someone.
“So... this map leads to what exactly?”
Marianna and Will shared a look before Marianna responded. “Umm, it’s supposed to lead to Aladdin’s lamp.”
Lady Roberta's eyes widened. “Really?”
Will nodded, and Marianna shrugged her shoulders. “I know it’s supposed to be just a myth, but apparently some people are taking it seriously now.”
“Well....” Lady Roberta hesitated, taking a sip of her tea before continuing, “it’s not as far-fetched as you might think.”
“What?” Marianna nearly dropped her teacup. “What do you mean? Do you think the lamp is real?”
Lady Roberta tilted her head and sighed. “I’m not sure. What I do know is that right about the time of this map, there was a large group of Dubari that came here and settled. There was a famine in their land, so many of them left to find another place to live. It makes sense, historically speaking, that it could be hidden nearby. It would also explain why no one has found it, since most people have been searching for it in Dubara or one of its neighboring countries.”
“Really?” Will leaned closer to the map, studying it. “What exactly does the ‘shimmering water’ mean?”
“Well, this appears to be inside of the cove. I believe it’s partially covered, but the top of the cove is open to the sky. So, my guess would be under the bit of water that shines in the sun or the moon.” Lady Roberta rested her elbow on the arm of her chair and leaned forward. “But the only way to really tell would be to go there. You were already planning to do that, weren’t you?” She smiled.
Marianna replied, “Of course,” as Will said at the same time, “Most definitely.” They looked at each other and laughed.
Marianna turned back to Lady Roberta. “Do you want to come with us?”
“Oh, no! I’ve had my fair share of adventures, and I think this is well and truly yours. Do be careful but have fun. You have a boat to get you out there, I assume?”
“Yes, we can use my father’s fishing boat,” Marianna replied.
Lady Roberta handed the book back to Will, and he slid it into his bag. “Was there anything else you wanted to ask me?”
Will looked at Marianna.
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Thank-you. We really appreciate your help.”
Will nodded his agreement as he stood and slung his bag over his shoulder. “Yes, thanks so much!”
“It was my pleasure. Let me walk you out.” Lady Roberta led the way back into the entryway and opened the door for them.
“Thanks again,” Marianna said as they started down the stairs. The sun had sunk low, and dusk was upon them. She hadn’t realized they'd been in Lady Roberta’s house for so long. Will offered his arm as they stepped out onto the street and Marianna accepted. It could be dangerous on the streets once darkness fell.
Will set a fast pace. Clearly he was nervous about being out after dark as well. It was a short walk to Marianna’s home as it was only a few blocks away from Lady Roberta’s.
“When do you want to sail out to the cove?” Will asked.
“I guess as soon as possible? My family has plans for the next couple of days, so I guess it will have to be next week, maybe Monday?”
“I can do Monday. Did you want to bring your brothers? They could help us search.”
Marianna nodded. “That’s a good idea. They could be helpful, and James is a great diver.”
They fell silent as they continued walking to Marianna’s house. Nothing but the sound of birds chirping and wind rustling.
And something else. A shuffling behind them. Was someone following them? Marianna glanced back. A figure darted across the street, clutching something long and thin, before melting into the darkness.
Will stopped. “What is it? Did you see something?”
Marianna shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess it was nothing.” She turned back home, and Will followed suit. Even though he hadn’t seen anything, Marianna was certain someone had been following them.
Chapter 7
“Just wait until you see where we’re going.” Annette’s eyes sparkled, and she bounced in her seat as the carriage rolled down Main Street. Any passerby would have assumed it was Annette’s birthday rather than Marianna’s.
“I’m sure it will be wonderful wherever it is.” Marianna laughed and took her sister’s hand, squeezing it.
Excitement swirled through Marianna, though she tried to hide it. Would Will be there tonight? Probably. Susan wouldn’t dare miss her birthday party, and even if no one else had thought to invite Will, she would’ve.
“Hush, Annette,” Henry scolded. “You know Father wants it to be a surprise.”
Annette glared at her brother before turning back to Marianna. “I’m not telling. I just can’t wait for Marianna to see it.”
Henry sighed and rolled his eyes. “We’ll see.”
“I’m not going to tell. Besides, we’re nearly there.”
Father and James had left early that morning to go to the secret location where they were having Marianna’s birthday party, and they had been gone for several hours before Henry announced it was time for the rest of them to leave.
Marianna had been surprised when she found they were throwing such a big party. Her father must have felt bad that she hadn’t had a big coming out ball last year. The merchant ships had arrived late, and they hadn’t had extra funds for such an extravagance. Marianna had assured her father it was fine, but he'd been so upset.
At the next corner, the carriage turned down a tree-lined road. Marianna gasped. There was only one place they could be going. The Flaunders Museum.
“You know, now, don’t you?” Annette erupted into giggles. “Isn’t amazing? You’ll be the talk of society, having your birthday party here. No one’s ever had a party here.”
Marianna nodded, speechless. How had Father managed such a thing? The museum was known for being stingy about the number of people they would let inside at a time, always wanting to protect the rare and expensive artifacts inside. However, her father had brought them some of their finest display pieces obtained through his various travels, so maybe that was why?
Apprehension slid through her. Lord Rotari owned Flaunders Museum, reminding her they still hadn't located the map or the lamp. But maybe there would be information about the lamp inside somewhere. Lord Rotari wanted the lamp to add to the rest of his collection, so maybe he knew things about it that no one else did.
The front wall of the museum was made of glass. A round dome rose above the structure, held up by slender wrought iron bars. Sunlight glinted off the crystal surface making it shine like a diamond.
The carriage pulled to a stop in front of the towering double doors. Marianna’s father helped her out, his face glowing. “Come, my daughter. Wait until you see inside.”
She accepted her father’s hand and followed him through the doors. Warm, moist air embraced her, and a sweet floral scent tickled her nose. Sunlight dappled the wooden tiled floor. Dozens of different plants lined the edges of the glass building. Every shade of green, from deep forest to light mint, was dotted with bright yellows, reds, purples, and pinks.
“Happy Birthday,” a chorus of voices cried.
Susan and Will hurried over to meet her. Ellen, the family housekeeper, Kendra, and Cook stood near a table laden with all of Marianna’s favorite foods. Lady Gardeau, Lady Roberta, and several other familiar faces ambled around the room examining the various kinds of plants.
