Shades of Earl Grey Read Online Free Page A

Strangely enough, it appears to be . . . missing.”
    â€œYes,” said Theodosia. “I noticed that, too.” She had immediately seen that the wedding ring was no longer nestled in the black velvet ring box that had been prominently displayed at the head table. The ring must be . . . where? she wondered. Had it been knocked out of the ring box and now it was under one of these tables? She looked around at the terrible chaos. Probably.
    â€œSince you are such a dear friend to Delaine,” Hobcaw said, “could I impose upon you to . . .”
    â€œYou’d like us to stay here and search for it?” Theodosia finished the sentence for him.
    Cooper Hobcaw’s face seemed to sag with relief. “Yes,” he said. “Would you?”
    Drayton suddenly jumped feet-first into the conversation. “Of course we will,” he said graciously. “You go on to the hospital and lend what support you can to Delaine and Camille. We’ll stay behind and find that ring. Don’t worry about a thing.”
    Cooper Hobcaw clutched Drayton’s hand and pumped his arm mightily. “Thank you, thank you so much,” he said. Then he grabbed Theodosia’s hand and did the same. “You are a dear lady,” he told her, then strode quickly out of the room.
    Theodosia turned toward Haley. “Haley, why don’t you go home now.”
    â€œYou don’t want me to help?” she asked, her eyes still wide with concern. She still seemed rather jumpy.
    â€œNo need,” said Theodosia. “I’m sure the ring simply rolled under one of these tables.” She looked around the Garden Room, noting what an absolute mess it was.
    â€œOkay,” said Haley, relief palpable in her face, “but call me the minute you find something out about poor Captain Buchanan, okay?”
    â€œWe’ll do that,” Drayton assured her.
    Â 
    With the Garden Room empty of guests, Theodosia and Drayton stared at each other, unsure of where to begin.
    The rain had thankfully let up, but the room was a soggy mess with glass and debris scattered everywhere. In the paramedics’ haste to extract Captain Buchanan, they had rolled towels about their hands then shoved the larger hunks of glass aside. Smaller pieces had been ground under the wheels of the gurney and now glistened dangerously.
    â€œThe ring must have just rolled out of the box, don’t you think?” said Drayton. He sounded positive, but looked a trifle dubious.
    â€œI assume it did,” replied Theodosia. “I think if we pull up the edges of these tablecloths, we’ll probably find it soon enough.”
    But ten minutes of searching high and low, looking under tables, sliding back chairs, revealed nothing. Frustrated, Drayton found a broom and poked through the rubble. Still nothing.
    â€œOn top of one of the tables then?” said Drayton. He had removed his jacket and now his shirt was partially un-tucked and his bow tie hung askew. Theodosia had never seen him looking so frazzled.
    â€œMaybe,” Theodosia told him.
    This time they sorted through all the table settings, pawed through the damp table linens and wrecked floral centerpieces, and rearranged all the wrapped gifts that lay in a soggy, bedraggled pile on the gift table. Still no ring.
    â€œThis is very strange,” said Drayton. “I would have sworn the darn thing would turn up. A little thing like that couldn’t have rolled all that far.” He furrowed his brow and scratched his head, the picture of complete bewilderment.
    â€œDo you think one of the guests might have picked it up?” he asked aloud, then gave a mumbled answer to his own question. “No, they were all good friends. Friends of Delaine’s, friends of Camille and Captain Buchanan’s. If someone found the ring, they surely would have said something.”
    Theodosia, meanwhile, had turned her attention to the gaping hole in the glass