My Love at Last by Donna Hill

Author:Donna Hill [Hill, Donna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary
ISBN: 9781474044813
Publisher: Harlequin Kimani Romance
Published: 2015-09-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Olivia gathered her examination kit from the top of the bedroom closet. She brought it along with her camera bag into the kitchen, spread a special parchment paper on the counter and placed all the items on top of it. She took out two pairs of tweezers, white linen gloves, a magnifying glass, a video recorder and a small bottle that contained a preservative fluid. She dug in her camera bag and took out several lenses for extreme close-ups. Of course the technicians back at the lab would examine every detail, but she couldn’t wait until then. She should call Victor, but she wasn’t going to do that, either.

She set up the video recorder at an angle that would be able to capture everything that she did. Down the line, if this find was as valuable as she believed it to be, she didn’t want any issues about authenticity or altering of information. Everything that she did would be documented. She looked over the contents on the counter, then slipped on the white gloves, turned on the recorder and carefully removed the folder from the plastic bag. She laid it down on the parchment, got her camera and took several pictures. She turned it over and took more photographs. With the smaller of the tweezers she carefully undid the knot from the worn piece of fabric that held the folder closed.

Her heart was racing and her hand shook ever so slightly. She drew in a steadying breath and with the larger tweezers slowly lifted the cover. The pages inside were worn, cracked and yellowed with age, but under the circumstances appeared to be in good condition. Ideally these papers should be examined in a properly air-controlled room to avoid disintegration. She should stop. The command ran in her head even as she leaned closer to examine the top page. She grabbed her camera and took a series of shots.

My God, it was freedom papers for Elijah Dayton and his wife, Sarah Hailey. Excitement brewed in Olivia’s veins. This was a major discovery. Elijah Dayton had to be one of or the founder of Dayton Village.

What she wanted to do was tear through the sheaf of papers, but she knew she had to move slowly. The slightest wrong move could potentially destroy evidence. Meticulously she examined the contents of the folder. She found Elijah and Sarah’s wedding license. They were married in Virginia in 1890 and traveled north to Sag Harbor. It also contained the birth certificates of Elijah and Sarah’s six children, Joshua, Luke, John, Matthew, Ann and Ellen, and their children’s birth records. Elijah and Sarah had fifteen grandchildren, from what Olivia could determine.

There were other papers inside as well, receipts, notes and letters. The biggest find was what she was praying for. It was a receipt for $250. The receipt was made out to Elijah Dayton on July 6, 1891, for six acres of land, the land that eventually become Dayton Village.

Olivia plopped down in the chair. Her eyes scanned the contents that were spread out on the table.

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