A Matter of Convenience by Gabi Anderson

Author:Gabi Anderson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gabi Anderson
Published: 2013-07-09T00:00:00+00:00

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Dusk darkened the dining room. Stuart glanced to the end of the table. Corinna ate her meal in silence. Grandmother’s gaze moved from him to Corinna and back, but she said nothing. Stuart picked up his fork. He had never experienced such a silent meal in his life. The fork clanked on his plate with enough noise to deafen him.

“If you ladies will excuse me.” He pushed back his plate.

“You barely ate.” Nellie frowned at him.

“I’m not hungry.”

“Very well. We shall join you in a moment.” Nellie shook her head and looked back at her food.

Stuart rose and strode into the parlor. He crossed to the table on which sat a velvet case. He pulled out the small package from his pocket and unwrapped it. Turning the coin over in his hand, he read the motto. Numquam tuas spes dedisce. The words seemed to mock him.

Moving a lamp to the table, he took a seat and examined the coins of his collection. Not one had Venus’s image on the front. They all had portraits of the various emperors. He looked at his newest object. With the exception of the tarnish, it hardly showed any wear, unusual for a coin this old.

It must not be a coin at all. Convinced the coin was some sort of talisman, Stuart wrapped it again. He was right not to keep it with the coins; it belonged next to the necklace just as he had first thought.

“Have you bought something new?” His grandmother’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Just confirming what I thought to be true.”

“Perhaps Corinna would like to see your collection.” Nellie nudged Corinna forward.

Stuart raised an eyebrow. “Of course.”

He waited until Corinna stood beside him. Turning his head slightly, he let the clean scent of her hair fill his nostrils. She smelled of roses and lavender, and something distinctly her own—something warm and elusive. He closed his eyes. Fanciful thoughts again. Since when did he indulge in fantasy?

“These are Roman coins?” Her voice was quiet, lacking any emotion.

“Yes. I have several, but my collection isn’t limited to coins.”

“I know. I have seen the other objects scattered throughout the house. They are lovely.”

“I’m glad you like them.”

“My mother gave me an old coin once, but I lost it.” Corinna touched the coins on the table. “When did you start collecting?”

“Several years ago. After I passed my Latin exams, Grandmother presented me with a small relic. That oil lamp there”—he pointed to a shelf in the corner—“was my first piece.”

Corinna walked over to the clay object. “It’s hard to believe something like this once lit a home a thousand years ago.”

“More than a thousand.”

“It makes me wonder what sort of family depended on this lamp for light. What sort of people held this? What happened to them?”

Fancy again. Yet he couldn’t deny he shared those exact thoughts whenever he held an ancient object. “I have often wondered the same thing.”

Her green eyes turned to gaze at him. He couldn’t move. Her gaze trapped him as surely as if chains bound him.

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