Mischief and Magnolias (38 page)

Authors: Marie Patrick

“His writing reflected his illness and his fear. Many of his words are gibberish, out of context, and make little sense, even though I've read this over and over. His last entry is August 10, 1680. I imagine he died a short time later.”

Fascinated, Tristan watched her take another sip of brandy then lick her lips once again.

“To my knowledge, Izzy's Fortune is still hidden on the Island of the Sleeping Man.”

Anticipation surged through Tristan's veins, and yet he couldn't allow himself to show it. Why should he trust her? She was simply a woman he'd found on his ship, going through his maps. Perhaps she'd made it all up, wrote the journal herself, but to what purpose? Was she bored with her life? Did she long for adventure?

He studied the book, noticed again the brittle pages, the ink so faded in places he had trouble reading it, and knew with certainty, the journal wasn't forged.

He felt her intense stare and looked at her.

“You don't believe me,” she blurted, as if she'd read his thoughts. “I have this.” She reached for her valise again and laid a wooden box beside the book, slipped the lock, and lifted the lid. Nestled in a bed of black velvet lay a golden goblet encrusted with precious gems. Rubies and emeralds sparkled in the soft glow of the candles and created rainbows on the dark mahogany walls. “It was with Alexander's journal. I found them both hidden in the false bottom of an old grandfather clock my father had purchased many years ago. I don't think they were ever meant to be found. If an earthquake hadn't toppled that clock to the floor, I never would have known.”

Stunned, Tristan swallowed hard. He'd never seen anything so beautiful in his life, aside from the woman next to him. He said nothing as he lifted the goblet from its bed of velvet and inspected the gems, the perfection of the craftsmanship, the tiny inscription at the base.

“I will finance the expedition on the condition I am allowed to join in the hunt and we split the treasureâhalf for you and your crew, half for me.” She held her breath and waited for his answer.

He came to a quick decision. There were those, he knew, who would think him insane, unstable. A superstitious group, his crew would regard him as quite mad and would object to a woman on board the
Adventurer
, but he had to take the chanceâon her. On the journal. On the golden chalice in his hand and the possibility of finding Izzy's Fortune.

“I accept your proposition. We leave in four days.”

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