Free The Brontë Plot by Katherine Reay Page B

followed Helen in where the view spread farther east and south, encompassing Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. Art covered the room’s interior walls, salon style, and reached two floors high.
    â€œThe frames. The paintings. They’re from so many periods. They don’t even blend, but they work.” Lucy heard her thoughts drift aloud.
    Helen laughed lightly. “There’s something I find exciting about the incongruence.” Her eyes swept the wall. “I chose them all and I’ve never regretted it, even that blood-red frame high on your left.”
    â€œIs that a Picasso?”
    â€œMy husband, Charles, gave me that to celebrate our thirtieth wedding anniversary. It’s a favorite of mine. Would you like to see them with the shades raised?”
    â€œPlease.”
    Helen pushed a button and light amber shades drew up simultaneously. Sunlight flooded the room, electrifying the impressionist paintings, deepening the modernist, and warming the metal statuary. She gestured to the sofa. “Please sit.”
    â€œSid told me this was a trip to London.”
    â€œIt is.” Helen tilted her head. “And I thought you’d be more excited about it. Your father is British, and then there are also your reading interests.”
    â€œAll that is true.” Lucy spoke the words slowly as she laid a few of Sid’s antiques and silver books on the coffee table. “But I can’t imagine James will find this comfortable and I—”
    â€œIt’s a buying trip, Lucy, if that clarifies things, which is why I didn’t mention it yesterday. It was proper to talk to Sid first. He assures me you are amply capable and qualified to assist me.”
    â€œI see.” Lucy let the words drift up, begging for the rest of the story.
    Helen complied with a quick smile. “While all that is true, there’s more . . .” Her eyes lit with secret excitement. “I don’t have many, if any, adventures left within me and I want this one. It feels right, and you need to be there.” She sat back on the small sofa and crossed her ankles. “Meeting you has stirred up so many memories, some wonderful, some I’d rather have left buried, but they’re out now and they need to be dealt with. They’ve reminded me of someone I once was and I’d like to meet her again before I die. She’s worth finding again, Lucy, and I can’t do that here and I can’t do that with my family, not yet.”
    â€œI don’t understand.”
    Helen pulled a gold pocket watch from the side table and held it out to Lucy. “Let’s start with this.”
    Lucy reached across and took the watch. She was surprised by its weight. The watch filled her entire palm and dropped her hand. Its outside case was scrolled with delicate filigree, the name Parrish laced in the lattice lines across the case. She opened it. The catch was firm and solid. Inside there was a clean face, a minute repeater dial, and the initials AGP , EDP, and TMP engraved on the case’s interior.
    â€œThis is a Patek Philippe. Probably early 1900s. Sid had me do some research on these for a client’s study last year . . . This must be worth a fortune.”
    â€œIt’s from the 1880s, and it is. But it’s not mine and it’s time I returned it.” Helen nodded to the watch. “I found out a few days ago that it belongs to the Parrish family in London. I have the address and they are expecting me a week from Saturday.”
    â€œWhen were you planning to fly over?”
    â€œ We are flying over a week from Friday. Can you make all the arrangements so quickly?”
    Lucy opened her mouth to ask another question but stopped at the sound of soft footsteps.
    It took only a moment before they became louder across the parquet floor and Helen noticed them as well. She whispered to Lucy, “Hold that in your lap, dear.”
    Lucy folded the watch in her