“I would love to see the gardens again. It was such a peaceful retreat, even when stomping through it with impatient Chrissy.”
He reached for her hand. “I shall try not to interrupt your tranquil escape, my dear.”
“Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world”.
Chapter 11
Tilly was the one assigned to deliver Melanie upstairs. The woman appeared to be on-call, for one ring from her employer brought her running to do his bidding.
“Tilly, bring our guest to Chrissy’s suite in the east wing. It has been made up since the previous visit, right?”
“Of course, sir.”
“I thought you might like to spend some time reminiscing there. Thank you for joining me in the gardens. Your bags should arrive shortly. Enjoy a brief rest, and I will see you at one for lunch.” His lips brushed a slight kiss across her hand before he spun around and headed toward his office.
Tilly spoke: “This way, Miss Braxton.”
Melanie followed the maid up the ornate winding staircase. The loud click of her heels on the marble stairway seemed to amplify the only sign of activity within the manor. At the top, they turned to the left, then sidestepped into an inner-hallway. A plush carpet-runner stretched as far as she could see, centering the wide expanse with colors complementing the veins of blue-grey in the stone edges extending halfway up the wall. Melanie loved the blue hues, which always managed to calm her spirit.
They stopped. Tilly opened the door to Chrissy’s childhood room and stepped aside to allow Melanie first entry. Memories of her roommate and friend assaulted her with a force she could not control. Her knees felt weak under their impact, and tears pooled at the corners of her eyes. Melanie blinked hard, glanced sideways, and noticed the maid studying her.
Tilly cleared her throat and said, “Shall I open the drapes and windows for you, Miss?”
“That won’t be necessary, Tilly. I’m going to lie down until my bags arrive.”
“Very well.” She pivoted and closed the door behind her on the way out.
Suddenly alone with her grief and breathing the same air Chrissy had, became too much. Melanie sat on the edge of the bed to catch her breath. Memories of Chrissy streamed from every corner of the room. She hadn’t expected the overwhelming anguish, and it left her vulnerable and weak. She allowed the dammed tears to break loose without bothering to wipe them away.
Eventually, she laid against the mountain of decorative pillows and curled into a ball. The room appeared as dark as her heart. Before long, she slipped into a fitful sleep of anguish.
Unsure if the nightmare or tap on the door wakened her, Melanie shot from the bed a little too hastily, causing her to sway. She needed to start eating properly and drinking more water. Melanie slowly ambled across the room, opened the door a crack and discovered her bags had arrived. Silence filled the abandoned hallway. No one lingered within eyesight.
Grabbing the handles of the bags, she wheeled her belongings inside and tossed one case on the bed. She went to the patio exit, swung open the heavy drapery, and after the initial blast of sun, opened the white, glass-paneled door wide. Melanie stepped onto the balcony and breathed in the salty air the seashore estate offered. Leaning over the rail, she scanned the perfectly-manicured landscape of Trevor Knight’s property.
The grounds keeper was clipping and shaping a hedge that, to her untrained eye, did not need a haircut. No one swam in the huge pool, which looked rather inviting to her sleep-drenched body. She eagerly glanced at the clock: eleven thirty. Plenty of time to swim.
Melanie changed into her navy-blue bikini and pulled the cover-up over her head. She grabbed a beach towel from the bathroom shelf, and hurried out of the room. No one in the household had opted for an afternoon dip, leaving the pool vacant and hers to enjoy.
She dove in and did half a length underwater before her head bobbed to the surface. Trained arms and legs kicked into motion, and what began as a casual swim turned into a self-competition. Sheer energy and willpower raced against the turmoil of emotions piquing inside. Melanie began to unravel the newly considered idea that her spoiled Georgia class could be a positive attribute when vented constructively. A new strength infused her. She possessed the inner power to overcome this trial – if she could remain alive long enough to see it through to completion. No amount of training or mentoring could prepare a cop for the raw emotions she was experiencing. The adrenalin rush left in the wake of her violent attack, had somehow surged her to new levels of perseverance. Experience was a good teacher – she’d be a better officer for enduring and overcoming it.
Melanie climbed up the water-covered steps and onto the cement lounging pad. After dropping into a chair, she bent forward to towel-dry her dripping hair. When done, she stretched out, leaning against the back-rest and closing her eyes. The hot sun soaked deep into her tense muscles, and she relaxed.
“You’re covered in goosebumps even while the hot sun beats down on you. How can that be possible?”
She startled at the voice and looked up to stare into a pair of intense eyes belonging to a man, who, more than likely – given the boyish grin on his face – had noticed more than her goosebumps. Melanie sprang to her feet and nearly toppled over him.
“What are you doing here?” Melanie asked, anger rising in her voice, “and how did you find me?”
“Quite by accident, I assure you. I had some business with Trevor, but the real question is, what are you doing here?”
“Trevor Knight is a friend of mine. He invited me to stay at
