Page 24 of Cursed

“Yes, yes, that makes sense.” He led them through the house to a wide back hallway, the house neatly bisected by the pale, polished hardwood floor. “To the right is the living space of the Pearl. We have twelve bedrooms, if you can believe that, and breakfast is served here and in the dining area—or out on the deck, weather permitting.” He allowed himself a small grin. “When we have guests, which isn’t often any more. My grandparents can only get around so well, and prefer to entertain their friends instead of strangers.” He stopped, shook his head slightly as if he’d said too much, and turned to left. “The museum is this way.”

He opened a heavy door and Vince kept his gaze on Edeena, taking in her reaction. As he’d hoped, she exclaimed in instant delight. “Oh, this is so charming!”

She took several steps into the wide space, turning around. “How in the world did you gather so many items?”

Vince moved in behind her, and Simon pulled the door shut. The place had a sense of not being disturbed for weeks—maybe months—but Simon gave no indication of irritation at their intrusion. Maybe he, too, was going a little stir crazy on the island. “We’ve had a lot of time to do it,” he said now, gesturing to the shelves lining the wall, the large white tables boasting all manner of items—some open to the air, some under glass. “Pinnacle House was built at the turn of the nineteenth century, by a woman who loved collecting things more than she loved breathing, I suspect. She was willing to pay to host collections, too, and at the time, money was tight for more than a few of the wealthy landowners of the area. In some cases, she paid more to keep the collections permanently, and one by one the items took up residence here. Now, there are records that would release the items back to their original owners, but most of the families recognize that the collections have little more than sentimental value. They prefer to think of them here, out on the Pearl, where they’ll be preserved and viewed on occasion instead of boxed up and shoved into an attic.”

“How could you ever box these up!” Edeena said, staring at an entire menagerie of animals created out of sea shells.

“An eccentric widow provided those, in 1930,” Simon explained. “She was too old to manage pets herself, but her mind was nimble, and so were her fingers.” He continued to supply Edeena with information while she drifted around the room, offering tidbits and anecdotes as she lost herself in the collection. There were dresses and hats and parasols, beach toys and a matched set of tea spoons, books and baubles and beads. But it wasn’t until she’d nearly circled the entire room that she reached the true treasure of the collection, as far as Vince was concerned. He wondered if she’d recognize it.

She stopped, her head tilting as she paused in front of the glass case. “What in the world . . .” she murmured, leaning close. Then she flinched back, her startled gaze flying to Vince’s.

“Those . . . that jewelry belonged to my family,” she spoke, the words all coming out in a rush. “They bear the Saleri seal!”

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