An Irresistible Bachelor (An Unforgettable Lady #2)(53)

She smiled back at him. “You sound like you miss him.”

“Yeah, I guess I do. He was good to me even if he could be . . . difficult with others.” Thomas clamped his mouth shut. “Listen, if you want a phone with a private line, go to the library.”

Callie thanked him, and when she came back downstairs with her address book, she found the room, sat in a leather club chair, and picked up the phone. When Gray answered, he asked her out for dinner at seven and she agreed.

Next, she called the Hall Foundation and Grace’s assistant put her right through.

“Callie! How are you? I just got back from a trip and I was about to call you at Jack’s this very minute. I’m so excited that you took the job.”

“And I owe you some thanks for the good word you put in for me.”

“It was the least I could do. How are you and Nathaniel getting along?”

“We’re doing quite well. He’s quiet, but his eyes follow me everywhere.”

Grace laughed. “How’s the rest of the family treating you?”

Callie dropped her voice. “Mrs. Walker is a bit of a challenge.”

“I can only imagine. And Jack?”

“He’s good. Okay. Yup, definitely fine. But how are you?”

There was a pause.

“Not all that well, to tell you the truth. I feel like everyone I know is trying to sell off a piece of me. My ex-husband is threatening to write a tell-all book about our marriage, in spite of the confidentiality provisions of our separation agreement. My former chief development officer was shopping around an exposé about the Hall Foundation and I had to level an injunction against him. And a doorman has picked up a ghostwriter and is going to write his memoirs about working in my building. Which will of course include details about me and my marriage.”

Callie shook her head. “Grace, that’s awful, especially considering what you’ve just been through. You must be exhausted.”

“I am. With all these book proposals swirling around, the press is worked up. ‘No comment’ is becoming my middle name.” There was a pause. “You know, Callie, you’re the one who could do the most damage to me, to the Hall Foundation, to my mother. You could so easily cash in on your story and blow our father’s reputation sky-high, but you haven’t. I can’t tell you what that means to me.”

Callie smiled with gratitude.

“I would never betray you, Grace. I’m not going to say anything to anybody. Ever. You can trust me.”

“You know, I’ve had a lot of people tell me that over the years. But coming from you, I actually believe it.” Grace fell silent for a moment. “Trust is not something I’ve had a lot of experience with. Except for Ross, and now you.”

“Ross?”

“You remember—my bodyguard?”

“Oh, I thought his name was something else.”

“It was. But this is what he goes by now.”

Callie was tempted to ask questions, but figured she shouldn’t pry.

They talked a little more and then she said, “Listen, I wanted to ask you something. I’ve been going through some old Walker family papers and I found part of a letter from the original Nathaniel Walker to a woman. At least I think it is the first Nathaniel, but I’m not sure. It mentions the Battle of Concord and a general. Do you remember who Walker fought with at Concord? Before he was captured by the British?”

“Sure. It was General Rowe. He was a wealthy gentleman from Boston. One of the founding fathers.” Grace’s voice rose with excitement. “But tell me more about the letter.”

Callie shared the details and the two talked over various points.

“The thing is—” Callie hesitated. “There was a very intimate feeling to it. But he didn’t marry until after the War of Independence, correct?”

“That’s right. He married Jane Hatte when he was in his late forties, which was ancient in those days. They had four children.”

“So perhaps Nathaniel didn’t write the letter. Or maybe he was writing to Jane,” she suggested.

Grace laughed lightly. “I doubt it was to his wife. The Battle of Concord was in 1775. When the two of them married in 1793, she was twenty. He would have been writing to a two-year-old.”

“Well, I hope I find the rest of the letter.”

“So do I. This could be big news. Correspondence between Walker and any of his contemporaries would garner tremendous attention, especially if it shed light on a previously unknown relationship.” Grace paused. “Tell me, what do you think of the portrait, now that you’ve had a chance to work on it?”

“Copley is a genius. With the old varnish coming off, his use of color, particularly in the darkest parts of the painting, is really coming out. It’s extraordinary. He can make a black sleeve cast a shadow. And his brushwork is fantastic.”

“Any problems?”

“No. Not really. The canvas support is sound. Paint’s in really good shape for the most part. There’s only one small area that I’m suspicious about but I don’t think it’s a big deal. There may have been some repainting.”

“Really?”

“But I’m not sure. I’m cleaning around the edges first, so it’s going to be a while before I get a clear view of the area. Right now, it’s just my instinct talking.”