“I will return in a moment after I have located the file.” The man left the room.
“I wish I could send a message to Maude and Doris, so they could be here for this.” Frances rubbed her temples.
“What if it turns out to have been much ado about nothing?”
“I loved that play. It was one of Father’s favorites too.” Frances struck a pose, the corners of her mouth lifting.
“He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man: and he that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him.”
Nick had to resist the temptation to say that he had a good beard but decided it wouldn’t be safe and chose a quote instead.
“Friendship is constant in all other things.”
Frances finished the line, but her expression turned sad.
“Save in the office and affairs of love.”
Nick couldn’t help himself.
“I have railed so long against marriage. But doth not the appetite alter?”
“Stop,” Frances cried, jumping to her feet, her eyes now shiny.
Before he could apologize, the door opened. The man paused, wary, realizing he’d interrupted something.
Nick rose and took her hand, saying, “It’s been tough on my wife since the loss of her father. I don’t remember if you introduced yourself.”
“My name is Michael Boyle.”
“I’m Nicolas Reynolds,” Nick said extending his hand. “This is my wife, Frances Lancaster Reynolds.”
Mr. Boyle indicated the seats again and shifted around his chair. He made quite a ceremony of setting down the folder and opening it. He pulled out a sheet of paper.
“What is your middle name, Mrs. Reynolds?”
Frances’s grasp on Nick’s hand tightened a little, but she answered coolly enough.
“I never had one. None of us do. Our maiden names are now our middle names. Father said they weren’t necessary.”
“And your birthdays?” Mr. Boyle asked.
Frances stated each of them, including the years.
“There’s one final question. What did your mother bequeath each of her daughters?”
“Maude and Doris each received jewelry. She gave me riding lessons.”
For anyone else, Nick would have thought it a strange gift. He imagined Mr. Lancaster had thought his daughter too much of a tomboy already and had refused to let her ride.
“Very good. Your father’s instructions say he hoped the three of you would come together, but we were at liberty to give access to the box to any of you who could answer the questions. I will now escort you to a room where you will have privacy while you examine the contents.”
Frances’s took a deep breath but didn’t say anything. Mr. Boyle led them to a room and left. A small safe deposit box sat on a table in the center of the room.
“Whatever it is, it’s not very big,” Nick said.
Frances took a deep breath and went to the box. She stood by it but glanced over her shoulder at him, her expression expectant. He realized she was waiting for him to join her before unlocking it, so he did.
“We’ve done this together so far.” She brought her hand to one corner, and he put his on the other. Frances said, “Now.”
