Three teens on the cusp of womanhood and a matronly woman of about forty stood in front of the Biltmore hotel. The woman, Miss Dorcas Pepper, glanced at a slip of paper in her hand before turning her wrist to look at her expensive watch.
“Looks like we got here with a few minutes to spare, good.” She glanced at her young companions, the Blythe sisters. She let out a soft huff as she surveyed the girls’ dresses yet again. They were nice, to be sure, but they weren’t quite fancy enough by Miss Pepper’s standards for a visit to such a classy hotel as the Biltmore. Helen, the eldest, was wearing a pale blue dress with white lace accents with her dark ash blonde curls pulled up in a fancy bun. Margy, the middle sister, was wearing a golden yellow dress with a string of white beads around the waist and a matching clip pulled her sandy blonde hair away from her face. Rose, the youngest, was wearing a pink dress with a silver bow and she had let her light strawberry blonde curls cascade around her shoulders. “Let’s see what this Malcolm Edwards has to say.”
Rose clasped her hands with a fervent excitement. “Oh, I do hope he invites us with him on an adventure!”
“Rose!” berated Margy, her blue green eyes flashing. “Don’t jump to conclusions! Mr. Edwards might have something else he wants to talk to us about.”
“And it’s certainly not to ask you to marry Ralph,” said Helen with a merry twinkle in her violet eyes before taking the first step towards the fancy hotel. Dorcas tutted and followed her in. Margy took a step forward, before glancing at Rose. She was fiddling with her gloves, her face was beet red, which made Margy laugh.
“Nellie’s right, though, Mr. Edwards is more likely to ask us to join them on an adventure than that. Let’s find out what it is.” She paused and glanced down the street. “I do hope those guys don’t keep us waiting.”
Rose giggled as she nudged her sister’s shoulder. “I highly doubt Jimmy would want to keep you waiting.” It was Margy’s turn to turn beet red, but by the time the two had joined their eldest sister and Dorcas in the foyer, it was mostly gone. But Rose’s giggles lingered on until they entered the hotel’s lobby, when the blush came back. Ralph Edwards was sitting on one of the sofas by the roaring fire. Jimmy Stone and Bret Hartson were sitting in adjacent chairs, listening with rapture at whatever Ralph was telling them. Bret saw them first and rose from his chair, giving them each a nod, though his eyes lingered on Helen. The other two quickly rose as well when they saw the women.
“Oh good, you’re here!” said Ralph. “We’re just waiting for one more member of our party, and then we head on up.”
Dorcas took a seat. “Oh, and who are we waiting for?”
“I do believe that would be me, ma’am.” The girls jumped slightly as a sailor-looking fellow stepped into their midst.
“Ah, yes, you made it Mr. Green!” said Ralph enthusiastically as he grasped the man’s hand and shook it. Ralph introduced everyone to Stanley Green. “Well, now that that’s done, let’s head up. I do hate making Dad wait too long. But at least introductions are out of the way and we can get down to business.” His tone changed from its usual cheerfulness and became rather solemn, and a bit mysterious. He took a furtive glance around the lobby before offering his arm to Rose. She accepted it shyly. Jimmy offered his arm to Margy, and Bret to Helen. Stanley offered his arm hesitantly to Dorcas, but she refused, and he took up the rear as Ralph led the group towards the elevator. The girls oohed and aahed as they walked through the grand hallway, while Jimmy and Bret seemed to soak it all in almost like they thought they were in a dream. As soon as everyone was in, Ralph nodded at the elevator operator.
“My floor, please, Mr. O’Toole.”
Mr. O’Toole nodded. “Yes sir.” He closed the gates and took the group up to Ralph’s floor. Ralph led them quickly to a room near the far end of one of the halls. He rapped on the door.
“We’re all here, governor.” The group eyed him in surprise but he paid no mind as the sound of clicking could be heard from the other side of the door. Malcolm Edwards opened the door and surveyed the group before ushering them in.
“Was there anyone following you?” asked Malcolm as he and Ralph set about locking the door.
“Just us, as far as I could tell,” said Ralph.
Malcolm nodded. “Good.” He turned to the others. “Please, have a seat.” They sat down in the two sofas and one of the chairs that was situated in front of the fireplace. “Thank you. What I’m about to tell you must be kept secret from everyone. Are we clear?” They nodded and murmured ‘yes’. “Good.” He glanced at Ralph, then at the door. Ralph went to check on the door again and came back, nodding at his father. “Alright, basically, Ralph and I are treasure hunters.” Dorcas let out a gasp as she clutched her purse closer to her chest. “Miss Pepper, I said we are treasure hunters, not thieves. Please be reasonable.”
“I am,” said Doracs, clutching her purse even tighter. Ralph rolled his eyes and glanced at his father.
Malcolm sighed. “I see. I asked you all here today to give you a business proposition.” Rose leaned forward, grinning widely. Jimmy and Bret were also excited, while Helen and Margy shared a look of concern. “I’m asking all of you to join me and Ralph in becoming a great team of treasure hunters.”
Dorcas gasped. “Heavens, no!”
“Yes!” said Rose, Jimmy, and Bret in unison.
“Rose!” berated Margy. “We need to think about this! This is very serious!”
“Your sister’s right,” said Ralph, “you have to make your decision seriously and carefully. Treasure hunting is a very dangerous business.” He glanced down and mumbled, “People have lost their lives.” The girls looked between him and Malcolm, wide eyed.
“Is that, is that how you lost your mom?” whispered Rose. Ralph glanced at her as a sad look came into his grey eyes and nodded slowly. Rose quickly stood up and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m so sorry.”
The corners of Ralph’s mouth curled ever so slightly. “Thanks.”
Malcolm cleared his throat. “We will do our best to avoid death, but danger is inevitable. Even now, with you being here, is rather dangerous. There are men following me and Ralph throughout the city, who knows if they’ll keep an eye on you from now on as well, at least until they’ve come to realize that you’re not working with me.”
Stanley rose slowly from his seat, his eyes riveted on Malcolm. “You’re looking for the valley, aren’t you?” Everyone looked at him, curious as to what he meant by that, but Ralph looked at his father. “That stupid fable, the Valley of Diamonds. That’s the reason why you wanted me here. You couldn’t find Jack, so I would have to do?”
“Where’s the Valley of Diamonds?” asked Jimmy.
“What’s the Valley of Diamonds?” asked Margy.
“Why the Valley of Diamonds?” asked Dorcas. “Isn’t it just a fable, a fairy tale? Why not go to Australia, they’re abundant with opals, so I’ve heard.”
Malcolm glanced at her. “Even fairy tales have a grain of truth to them. And Australia is next.”
Dorcas scoffed. “Well, finding that grain is like finding a needle in the haystack.”
“Well I think we’ve found that grain.” He turned to the mantle and took a piece of paper off it. “This here is a map to the valley . . . somewhere in Botswana, Africa.”
Stanley gasped and took a few steps forward. “Where did you get that? There was only one man I know who had that, and he’s dead!”
“He gave this to us and told us that, should he die before the year’s end, to search for it. He did tell me that you and your friend Jack were the only two people he could trust and should have a share of it.”
“That was during the time when Jack and I were in Africa a few months ago, huh?”
Malcolm nodded. “Yes, and now Mr. Ferris is dead and Jack is missing.” He waved the map. “I can assure you it has to do with this.”
“Then why did you need to bring these young folk into this?”
Malcolm pointed at Jimmy and Bret. “I needed extra help.” The two grinned. He then turned to Dorcas. “And we’ve found out that your nephew, Rex, is involved with the gang of men following us. Tom Ferris recognized him.”
Dorcas heaved a heavy sigh and rolled her eyes. “Why am I not surprised?”
Margy groaned. “Go figure.”
“You have dealt with him before and know his ways. You would be a great help in giving me information about him, and, if you decide to join us, to keep an eye out for him and his goons. You will receive a share of the diamonds either way.”
“Africa is no place for a proper lady,” said Dorcas rather haughtily.
“But it does sound like an awful lot of fun,” said Rose with a wistful sigh.
“Oh, it is, but if you can’t come, I’ll try to bottle some of it up and bring it back to you,” said Ralph, the merry twinkle returning to his eyes.
Rose blushed ever so slightly. “I, I would like that.”
Malcolm turned to the others. “So, what do you say? Are you in?”
“Absolutely,” said Jimmy enthusiastically.
“All the way,” said Bret.
“I’m coming whether you like it or not,” said Stanley,” and since you like it, I guess we’re good.”
Malcolm grinned broadly at that. “I guess so.” He turned to the women. “Miss Pepper, Miss Blythe?”
Margy and Rose glanced at Helen. Rose seemed to plead with her eyes while Margy seemed unsure. Helen glanced between the two before looking at Malcolm. “Um, would I be able to bring some art supplies and, well, paint a picture or two?”
Malcolm’s smile began to reach into his eyes. “I see no problem with that.”
“Then I suppose a change of scenery will do us some good.”
“Yes!” cried out Rose and nearly pushed Helen off the sofa with a hug. Margy didn’t seem as thrilled, but she was resolved to help however she could.
“Oh, hogwash,” said Dorcas as she rose from her seat. “I’d better go too, if just to keep an eye on you.” She glanced at the girls, and then a glaring eye at the boys. Ralph merely grinned at her.
“Alright then, it’s settled. Tonight we celebrate, tomorrow, we head to Africa.”
(Characters from The Adventures Boys and the Blyths Girls)