Free In Love and In Danger (Loving) by Susan Leigh Carlton Page B

antiques prior to the fire in 2004 that destroyed most of the business district.
    It was a popular hunting ground for anyone interested in antiques.  Many of the farms in the area had been bought out by conglomerates and had liquidation sales after the buyout.  There was a lot of really old furniture, steamer trunks.  Nearly every farm had either a grandfather or grandmother clock, or at the very least, you could find an old Seth Thomas mantle clock.  Clocks were eagerly grabbed up by the tourists.
    Every farm house and barn in the county had lightning rods, another popular antique.
    People will collect anything.  Rebecca had once met a man that collected fire trucks, another that collected hearses.  She had even heard of a man in Texas that collected Cadillacs and then buried them nose down in the ground.  She had seen pictures of them in Life magazine before its demise.
    Tired and bleary eyed from staring at the shipping lists and catalogs, she decided to put the pricing off until the next morning.  She set the alarm, went out the back door and headed for her car.  She heard a rustling sound and spun around, seeing some movement out of the corner of her eye.  She stood there and saw nothing.  Rossville is a safe town; even so you have to be careful.  “It must have been a rat or dog or some other small animal.”   She got into the car and set out for home.
      Antique Symphonion
    A Symphonion plays music recorded on metal disks.  The sound is very good from the wooden box.  A Symphonion in good condition will sell for $1500-$2500.  Listen to the beautiful Music from a German Symphonion   (YouTube)

Chapter 2
    The next morning Rebecca opened the shop and began pricing and putting out her new merchandise. She decided to save the Symphonion sitting on her desk for last. It was rare something came into the shop that she was truly tempted not to sell.  The Symphonion was such an item.  After all, she was in business to make a profit and even though she collected music boxes, she couldn’t allow herself to keep it. 
    There was a steady stream of customers through the shop today.  Most of them were browsing but she sold an occasional antique.  She had to tend the customers because many of them had questions about various items on the shelves.  She didn’t get much of the stocking and pricing done as she was kept busy with the customers.  Just before noon, things slowed down enough to allow her to take a closer look at the Symphonion. 
    The cabinet top was beautiful and the inlay on the underside of the lid was spectacular.  She had difficulty turning the crank and it would not play.  This would dramatically reduce the value.  She examined the cabinet carefully.  There was a metal plate on the bottom containing the serial number, the manufacturer and the date, October, 1887.  She also noted pry marks where someone had removed the bottom of the box.  The marks would also decrease the value.  It would probably bring $700 in its present condition. 
    She was interrupted by the jingle of the bell on the shop door, indicating someone had entered the shop. She went to the front of the store and standing in the doorway looking around was the most stunningly handsome man she had ever seen.  There was a continental look about him.  He was well dressed.  No, make that expensively well dressed.  He had a bit of a haughty air of royalty about him.  He looked good and he knew it.  He reminded Rebecca of Prince Charming from Sleeping Beauty except he was dressed in modern clothes.  He removed the pair of expensive sunglasses from his striking face when he spotted her.  Walking toward her, his face tilted upward, he favored Rebecca with a mind blowing smile revealing white teeth that sparkled.  His hair was slightly long and an ebony color.  The aquiline nose equally divided the handsome face.  His alabaster skin was as white as a new snowfall.  It had probably never been exposed to the sun.
    In a