The Mystery of the Emeralds (21 page)

His eyes were shining as he lifted up the gems and insisted that each one have a chance to examine them personally.

“This must be worth a fortune!” Mrs. Lynch exclaimed as she held the necklace up to her throat and admired the effect in the mirror over the mantel. Then turning to the older man she said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Carver. I didn’t mean to sound mercenary. Naturally, being a family heirloom, its value to you is wholly sentimental, isn’t it?”

Trixie waited intently to hear what his reply to this rather casual question might be.

While everyone’s attention had been focused on the necklace, she had been doing some serious thinking. Whether the plan which had suddenly occurred to her might be possible depended a great deal on Mr. Carver’s answer.

His reply came slowly. He had been sitting with bowed head, running the palms of his hands over his
knees. Then he glanced at Trixie and took a deep breath.

“I suppose if I had a family I would be
very
sentimental about the necklace, Mrs. Lynch,” he said. “I would want the tradition to be carried on. I can see, in my mind’s eye, a festive Christmas here at Green Trees, like the ones when I was a child, complete with mistletoe and holly, with someone dear to me wearing the emeralds. But I’m alone, the last of the Carver line, and I feel very strongly that if these stones ever had a charm or a curse, now is the time to break it.”

Everyone leaned forward as Edgar Carver spoke. Trixie’s heart was pounding as she waited for him to continue.

“If Alex still thinks it possible for me to walk again, I propose to sell the emeralds right away and have the operation!”

“Just what I hoped! Just what I hoped!” Trixie cried. “Of course you can walk again, Mr. Carver! I
know
you can! I’ve never been so happy in my whole life!”

Her enthusiasm was infectious, and Mr. Carver positively glowed under the warmth of everyone’s encouragement. Di and Honey, half-laughing and half-crying, embraced each other. Brian and Mart found themselves shaking hands, and Jim and Trixie looked at each other, Trixie not too far from tears herself. Mr. and Mrs. Lynch
surveyed the tender scene with sympathetic approval. It was Edgar Carver who brought them all back to earth again.

“Alex told me it will take several months after the operation to strengthen the muscles in these old legs,” he said cheerily. “I’ll have to exercise like the very dickens, but I’ll do anything to walk again!”

“Edgar, what was that you said about walking again?”

It was Miss Bates. She had come up on the terrace just in time to catch his last words. Trixie ran to the door to meet her.

“Yes, Miss Bates,” she cried. “We found the necklace, and Mr. Carver’s going to have the operation and Mr. Lynch is going to—”

The words tumbled out in wild profusion, and stopped only when Miss Carolyn, waving her pink parasol menacingly over Trixie’s head, called for silence.

“Great day in the morning!” she exclaimed. “Every time I come into this house I find you all in an uproar. Edgar, will you be so kind as to explain what this child is trying to tell me?”

Trixie laughed good-humoredly, for she had caught the twinkle in Miss Bates’s eye, and knew that this tirade was just a matter of habit.

“First let me introduce Mr. and Mrs. Lynch,” Edgar Carver said, “Di’s parents. Miss Bates is my old and dear friend.”

“I do declare!” Carolyn Bates said, sweeping over to take Mrs. Lynch’s hand. “I thought you looked familiar. We met briefly at one of the meetings in Williamsburg, didn’t we?”

“We did indeed,” Mrs. Lynch replied warmly. “How nice to see you again!”

Miss Bates flounced down on the sofa, and Trixie held her breath as she heard the springs give a menacing squeak at the unaccustomed weight.

“Come, come, Edgar,” Miss Bates said. “No more stalling. What was Trixie trying to say about the necklace?”

“So much has happened since you were here, I scarcely know where to begin,” he replied. “Yes, Trixie found the emeralds, and here they are.”

He handed the box to Miss Bates, its cover opened to show the jewels nestled in the black velvet. She took a long look at them and started to speak, but for once words failed her.

“Aren’t they beautiful?” Trixie exclaimed, breaking the silence.

“They’re more than beautiful,” Miss Bates finally
said. “They are exquisite, and about as useful as a pink elephant! What do you propose to do with them, Edgar?”

Everyone in the room was completely taken aback at this reaction to Trixie’s discovery—everyone, that is, except Edgar Carver, who looked as if her question pleased him.

“Dear Carolyn,” he said affectionately, “I knew I could count on your practical good sense. I intend to sell the necklace and—” He paused as though not quite sure how his old friend would accept the rest of his plan.

“Yes, yes, go on,” she urged him.

“And if it’s not too late, I’m going to see if they can patch up my back so I can walk again.”

“At last!” Miss Carolyn cried. “At last the man is coming to his senses!” She turned to Mr. and Mrs. Lynch. “For years we who have been closest to Edgar have been trying to get him to do this, but no, he was as stubborn as—” She glanced at Mr. Carver and, leaving the sentence hanging in mid-air, got up and went over to him. Then, taking his hands in hers, she went on softly, “But all that doesn’t matter now. The important thing is that you’re finally able to have the operation, and Trixie, the credit is all yours!”

“Oh, I don’t
want
any credit, Miss Bates,” Trixie said. “It’s enough to know that the necklace will do him some good. Besides, I couldn’t have done a thing without the other Bob-Whites.”

Mr. Lynch had been watching this little scene with interest, and now he interrupted it by saying, with a glance at his watch, that much as he hated to leave, he had to get back to the motel in Williamsburg in time to keep his appointment with Neil.

“We never did get to tell you that I have bought Rosewood Hall,” he said, addressing Miss Bates, “and I certainly hope you will help me with its reconstruction.”

“I heard rumors you’d purchased it,” she replied with a smile. “News spreads fast around here, and I’m glad it’s true. Just think, Rosewood Hall and Green Trees can be Twin Houses again.” She sighed. “I’ll do everything I can to help. I love them both!”

As the group broke up, Honey suggested that the Bob-Whites go over to the Rosewood stables and check on the horses.

“Jenkins may not have left them any water or feed,” she said. “I couldn’t sleep tonight if I wasn’t sure they were all right.”

“That’s a good idea,” Mr. Carver said, “and I should like to make another suggestion. I would like all of you to come back tomorrow evening for a little farewell party. I’ll get Alex and I should like to have Neil, too. It’s
high time he and I met if we’re going to be neighbors.”

Everyone eagerly accepted his gracious invitation, at the same time offering to help with the arrangements for the party.

“Suppose you leave them to Mrs. Lynch and me,” Miss Bates said. “Men don’t know about such things. Do you agree?” she asked, turning expectantly to Di’s mother.

“I agree to help in whatever way I can.” Mrs. Lynch laughed. “And I also agree that most parties do need a woman’s touch.”

“I give up!” Mr. Carver said. “I’ve known Carolyn too long to cross her, so I’ll relax and enjoy my own party. Until tomorrow, then.”

The Bob-Whites, after arranging to meet Mr. and Mrs. Lynch in time for dinner, strolled over the lawn to Rosewood Hall.

“Doesn’t it seem funny to be able just to walk in?” Trixie commented as they made their way to the stables.

“I’m dying to see the horses!” Honey exclaimed. “The one Jenkins was riding the other day looked like a thoroughbred.”

“I know,” Brian said, “but after what Neil told Trixie about the way he treated them, I’m wondering what shape they’ll be in.”

They found the dilapidated stables a sad contrast to the beautiful ones Honey’s father maintained in Sleepyside. The doors were sagging, some of the broken windows had been stuffed with bits of burlap, and the roof was badly in need of new shingles. It was with real trepidation that they went through a small side door hanging ajar on one hinge. Soft whinnies and the sound of hoofs pawing the wooden floor came from the main part
of the building. Entering it, they saw that only three of the several stalls were occupied.

“Oh, you poor thing!” Trixie cried as she looked into the first space and found Honey’s fears were justified. Both the water bucket and the feed trough were empty. The horse, a lovely roan, shied away from her at first, tossing his head high. She spoke softly to him and presently he put his head down and let her rub his soft velvety nose.

“Brian, bring some water, will you?” she asked. “And, Jim, will you and Mart look around and see if you can find the feed bins? Let’s hope there’s some grain left in them. These horses are hungry!”

Honey and Di, in the meantime, had been soothing the other two horses, one a black stallion with a white star between his eyes, the other a piebald mare. The boys were soon back with pails of water and a bucket of feed.

“I don’t think we should give them very much at first,” Trixie warned. “No knowing how long it’s been since they were fed last. We don’t want to run the risk of making them sick.”

“You’re right,” Honey agreed. “We’ll give them a small ration now and then come out tomorrow morning again.”

“Maybe by then Neil will be able to take over,” Jim said hopefully. “Obviously someone has given them tender, loving care, even if Jenkins didn’t. Did you notice how their coats have been curried? I’ll bet that’s Neil’s work.”

“And the saddles and harnesses are beautifully polished,” Mart added, “even though they are practically worn out.”

Their chores over, Trixie gave each horse a farewell pat as she went by.

“I wish we had some sugar for you,” she said. “But I’ll see that each of you gets some tomorrow.”

They went back to Green Trees to pick up the station wagon, going by way of the gardens. The warmth of the sun had brought many of the flowers into bloom and the air was redolent with their heavy perfume. A soft breeze had come up during the last hour bringing welcome relief from the heat of the day.

“Just think,” Trixie sighed, pushing back the curls which stubbornly refused to stay off her forehead, “tomorrow is our last day.”

“Who would ever have thought a week ago that our trip would turn out to be so exciting!” Di said.

“You should know by now that where Trixie goes, there goes excitement!” Jim said.

“I guess if any of us wants peace and quiet, he’ll have to resign from the Bob-Whites,” Mart said.

“Never!” Brian cried. “United we stand, divided we’d be miserable!”

As they drove past Lizzie’s store, Trixie suddenly said, “You know, I feel badly about not being able to do something for poor Lizzie. Mr. Carver’s going to walk again, Neil’s back on the right track, and Rosewood’s going to be saved, but I can’t figure out a thing to do for Lizzie!”

“You can’t cure all the world’s ills, Sis,” Mart said affectionately. “And it isn’t as though Lizzie weren’t used to the kind of life she lives.”

“Oh, that’s not the point,” Trixie said sadly. “She may be used to it, but that doesn’t make it any more pleasant. You can learn how to carry a twenty-pound pack on your back, but it still weighs twenty pounds.”

“Something may turn up so we can help her,” Di said optimistically. “Try not to let it worry you, Trix.”

They rode the rest of the way back to Williamsburg in silence, and Trixie wasn’t sure whether it was because they were all so tired, or whether, like herself, the others were also thinking about Lizzie.

When they drove up to the cottage, they saw Neil
and Mr. Lynch standing on the porch, and Trixie knew immediately from the happy look on the boy’s face that the interview had gone well.

“Glad you got back when you did,” Mr. Lynch called to them. “Neil and I have worked out a plan and he’s going back to Rosewood right away.”

“Oh, Daddy!” Di cried, running up the porch steps and giving her father a hug. “Everything is working out just perfectly! The horses need Neil and I guess Neil needs the horses!”

Before he left, Trixie told Neil how they had watered and fed the animals.

“But we only gave them a little,” Honey said, “because we didn’t know when they’d been fed before and we didn’t want them to overeat.”

“Don’t you worry,” Neil said. “I’ll take care of them from now on. You wait and see!”

“I think that young man has real possibilities,” Mr. Lynch observed as he watched Neil running down the road, “and you’ll be interested to know there are more to the plans for him than he knows.”

“What do you mean, Mr. Lynch?” Trixie asked him eagerly.

He told the Bob-Whites that he had received a phone call from Dr. Brandon.

“He heard about Mr. Carver’s decision to have the operation, and also about my buying Rosewood,” Mr. Lynch began. “He asked if I would help in making some of the arrangements for the trip to the hospital in New York. In the course of the discussion, Dr. Brandon said he was concerned about Mr. Carver’s being alone after he returned to Green Trees, and so I—”