The Life She Wanted: A Novel(13)

“I’ll need one of those,” Archie said, pointing to Pandora’s cocktail. “You haven’t been to one of Mabel Winthrop’s treasure hunts. The items are impossible to find, and she gives extra clues to the people she likes best. It’s as if we’re in grade school and have to compete with the teacher’s pet.”

“Or you’re lazy and can’t be bothered to look.” Pandora laughed.

“The whole purpose of a house party is to be lazy,” Archie grumbled. “Instead, I spent hours rowing on the Hudson. My arms are tired.”

“I’m sure you’ll find a partner who’ll do the work for you,” Pandora said sweetly. Already girls were looking with interest in their direction.

“I thought you’d be my partner,” Archie objected. He glanced at the terrace, where Owen had appeared. “Is that the way it’s going to be from now on? You’re going to wait on Owen hand and foot while Virginia and I get shuffled to the background?” He sighed theatrically. “If I had known that ten years ago, I wouldn’t have risked a broken arm to get your cat down from that tree.”

“Whiskers wasn’t my cat, I was taking care of him for the stable boy.” Pandora smiled at the memory. “And you’re the one who put him in the tree.”

“I was eleven. I thought cats liked trees,” Archie said in his defense. “Owen doesn’t deserve you as a partner, but at least you’ll get the best clues.” He glanced around for a waiter. “I’m going to find a cocktail. I need something to get me through the next hour.”

Pandora spotted Owen. He was dressed similarly to Archie, but he wore a vest instead of a sweater. She took one more gulp of her cocktail for courage and raised her hand in a small wave.

“Pandora, it’s wonderful to see you. Mother’s gone all out with the treasure hunt,” Owen said. “I hope you have your thinking cap on.”

“I’ve never been to a treasure hunt before,” Pandora admitted.

“It’s great fun; she hides things all over the house and grounds. At Christmas, she hid six live partridges in the pantry, and last July she hid a lion cub in the boathouse.”

“I’ll let someone else search the boathouse,” Pandora said with a smile.

“I talked to her about the Enrights’ party,” Owen continued. “The Enrights are away, but you’re as good as invited.”

A sparkling feeling formed in Pandora’s chest. Owen hadn’t forgotten about the party! And he hadn’t mentioned tennis. Pandora was right. Owen must be in love with her.

“Owen, I found you.” Lillian approached them. “I just finished helping your mother with the final clue. Are you ready?”

“I better go.” Owen turned to Pandora. “Have you chosen a partner?”

Pandora faltered. Her drink spilled on the ground.

“He’s around here somewhere,” she said offhandedly.

She hated not telling the truth. But she couldn’t let Lillian believe Owen chose her over Pandora.

“My parents and I attended a treasure hunt at the Ritz in Paris last year. That’s where treasure hunts started,” Lillian said knowledgeably. “One guest found a diamond bracelet in the chandelier and was allowed to keep it.” She put her arm through Owen’s. “The trick is to start early. While everyone else is fighting over the clues, you and your partner start looking.”

Pandora glanced around for Archie, but he was talking to a pretty girl wearing a lilac tea dress. Virginia had taken the car to Byrdcliffe, and Pandora didn’t know anyone else at the party. She was going to have to hunt for treasures by herself.

“He must be inside,” she said. “I’ll go find him.”

Even without a partner, the treasure hunt was more fun than Pandora expected. For a while, she forgot about Owen’s promises, about Lillian’s jarring comments, and concentrated on the clues. Archie and Owen were right, Mabel hid things in the most unlikely places. Pandora found a live lobster in the swimming pool. The gardener fished it out and gave it to the cook to boil for dinner. She found an American flag rolled up in the piano in the music room and a pistol that Mabel’s ancestor used in the Revolutionary War inside a head of lettuce in the greenhouse.

Archie and his partner found the most outrageous treasure: a six-foot Statue of Liberty wearing a diamond tiara. It stood in the statuary in the garden, but only Archie noticed that it was different from the others.

As the hunt wound down, the guests gathered on the lawn. “There’s one more treasure,” Owen announced, standing on the stone steps.

The guests each glanced at their sheet of clues, puzzled. All the items had been found.

“Please follow me to the front of the house,” Owen instructed.

Pandora’s feet hurt, and her head throbbed from the alcohol. She longed for something cold and sweet to drink.

The latest model Winthrop GT stood on the gravel. Pandora didn’t know much about cars, but she could tell it was expensive. It was lime green, with a white canvas top and leather seats. It had a spare wheel displayed on the side and a jump seat in the back.

“No, I didn’t drag everyone here to admire the newest car from Winthrop Motors,” Owen said when the guests gathered in a half circle. “Though she’s a beauty. She’s the 1926 touring sedan with the Winthrop-patented engine.”