Just then, a thin layer of fog gathered around Honor, but she wasn’t pulled from the scene. Instead, as she continued to watch the grand opening through the veil of mist, a voice began to fill her thoughts.
“Rory told me he wasn’t able to keep his eyes off me from the moment I arrived.”
The scene in the lobby blurred in the misty background and people moved as if in slow motion. Honor concentrated on the voice. It belonged to Darcy, but now she sounded like an old woman.
“He said he looked everywhere for me in the days and weeks after our night in the tent. Rory hoped I would make an excuse to see him; perhaps to take another golf lesson. He stood for hours beneath my balcony, hoping to catch a glimpse of me when I came out to enjoy the stars. But I never did. He said it was as if I had disappeared from the face of the earth.”
Honor shook her head. If Reginald hadn’t been so busy kowtowing to Sir Servos, he surly would have noticed Rory sneering at him with contempt.
At that moment, the fog thickened and engulfed Honor, pulling her away. When it dissipated, Honor was standing beside Darcy. She was holding her special hat box, while a maid busied herself unpacking the three steamer trunks. Darcy carefully stored her secret treasure in the closet, hoping the maid hadn’t noticed she was unusually possessive with the box.
As soon as the two of them were alone in the closet, Darcy spoke. “I anticipated crossing paths with Rory sometime during our stay at the Belleview, but I wasn’t prepared for this event to occur so soon.” Her hands were still shaking from the surprise encounter. “I haven’t seen Rory since the night we made love by the river, but I constantly dream of running away with him; escaping this unhappy life forever.”
Her confession was interrupted by a knock on the hotel room door. When the maid answered, Darcy froze at the sound of Rory’s voice.
“I have a message for Mrs. Loughman and I am to wait for her reply.”
“Very well. Wait there.” The maid closed the door and brought the note to Darcy.
Darcy tried her best not to let her excitement show. With trembling fingers, she pulled the note from the envelope and read, ‘Please join me on the south portico after dinner this evening, to discuss unfinished business. Respectfully yours, R.’
Darcy walked to a nearby table, dipped a pen in ink and wrote, ‘I will try. Warm regards, D.’ She slipped her response into the envelope and handed it to the maid, who in turn, cracked open the door and passed it back to Rory.
As the door closed, the familiar fog rolled in, but Honor had only a moment to be curious about the next memory. The mist cleared as abruptly as it had formed, leaving Honor dizzy and trying to focus in the darkness that now engulfed the hotel property. In the light of a gas lamp, she was able to make out Rory’s figure standing still as a statue at the end of a winding path. Honor surmised it was the South Portico.
Darcy approached him and held out a nervous hand. Rory took it and bestowed a light kiss. The air between them was thick with desire, but they held their distance; each fearing the forbidden attraction.
Rory finally spoke. “Until tonight, I believed longing for you was the worst pain my heart could ever experience. But watching you walk through that door this evening on the arm of another man, looking even more beautiful than I remembered, well—that was agonizing.”
“I understand. You see, I dread each sunrise because it means I have to leave you behind in my dreams and wake to the reality that I am married to another.”
“Is that why you hid yourself from me? You regretted breaking your vows?”
“I have no regrets. Reginald was ill when he returned from his trip and by the time he was well, I myself had become indisposed. When my health finally returned, I summoned the courage to look for you, but you had already gone.”
Rory’s jaw dropped. “I left only because I believed you wished it so. I’ve spent weeks working for Sir Servos, hoping in vain to forget my love for you.”
Darcy shook her head. “Whatever are we to do?”
“I watched your husband tonight, fawning over Sir Servos, intoxicated by his celebrity. Only a buffoon would choose to spend time with an old man over you. It’s as if he’s willing to exchange the diamond in his grasp for fool’s gold.” Rory’s disgust was palpable. “A man who doesn’t value his treasure doesn’t deserve to keep it.”
“Tonight I am glad Reginald is fascinated with Sir Servos. His desire to spend the evening playing cards with the gentleman is the reason I am able to be here with you.”
“The card game was my doing,” Rory confessed. “You see, Sir Servos and I have played cards almost every night since I arrived here. I suspected your husband wouldn’t be able to resist an opportunity to spend time with the famous golfer, so I told Sir Servos I wanted to walk the new golf course to make sure it was ready for play. When I asked Reginald if he could take my place at the table, he became as giddy as a school girl.” A sly smile played at the corners of Rory’s mouth.
“Being with you makes me feel as giddy as a schoolgirl myself.” Darcy glanced down and gently placed her hands around the small bulge on her abdomen. “Actually, we’re both in high spirits.”
“Both?” Rory’s expression quickly changed from confusion to understanding.
The fog had begun collect, but just before Honor lost sight of the couple, they locked together in a tight embrace. She smiled at the young lovers, now certain the lesson Darcy was trying to teach her is that a brief separation doesn’t necessarily signal the end of a relationship.
Memories started flashing in front of Honor in rapid sequence, reminding her of a strobe light. Rory and Darcy were meeting secretly at every opportunity, often hiding in one of the private rail cars, stored behind the hotel. When Reginald was traveling, Rory would sneak Darcy out through the servants’ tunnels. A few times, she even dared to slip out while Reginald slept.
Finally the memories stopped whizzing by and Honor, feeling as though she had just disembarked a roller coaster, found herself in a Pullman car with Darcy and Rory.
Darcy was worried. “Reginald hasn’t demanded his husbandly rights since we arrived in Florida, so my adultery is bound to soon be discovered.”
“We’ll be in California, living as husband and wife before that happens. But we haven’t yet saved enough money for our journey. Sir Servos is fond of me and is recommending my golf lessons to all inquiring guests, so it shouldn’t be too much longer now.”
Darcy smiled and then laid an ivory brush, comb and mirror set on the table. “Here are some more of my belongings you can trade for pearls.”
Local oyster shuckers were well-known for their bartering business, trading pearls for items of interest. Like gold, pearls could be used as alternate currency during their journey.
Rory admired the pieces. “These are beautiful. I promise to buy you new ones once we are settled in California.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, black velvet pouch. “Take this. Our savings will be safer in your keeping than on my person.” Rory gave Darcy all the money he had earned, along with three pearls from previous bartering sessions.
The mist returned and once again, memories started flashing by. Each time Darcy returned to her room, she added precious funds to the velvet pouch, hidden in a small compartment at the bottom of her special hat box.
The next time the mist cleared to show Honor a full memory, it was dark and the couple was just inside one of the servant’s tunnel entrances, concealing Darcy’s identity beneath a long, black hooded cloak.
“Our blissful time together evaporates so quickly,” Darcy lamented.
Just then, one of the hotel workers entered the tunnel. Darcy quickly looked away, covering her face with a gloved hand. The man gave Rory a knowing wink and a smile, assuming he was sneaking a prostitute in for one of the gentlemen guests. Rory nodded in conspiratorial agreement.
When the man was out of earshot, Rory muttered, “I detest sneaking around like this.”
“I, too, hate the lies, but soon this life will be behind us.”
Rory nodded. “And we’ll never have to say goodbye again.”
They shared a tender kiss and moved down the dark corridor to a worn wooden staircase, lit by a single bare bulb protruding from the wall. When they reached the third floor, Rory removed the cloak and Darcy slipped into the hallway near her room.
Honor could feel Darcy’s heart racing as she opened the door, even though Reginald’s snores could have concealed the sound of a trumpeting elephant entering the room. Thankful there was a door between their sleeping chambers, Darcy quickly drifted off to sleep, dreaming of California.