The Guests on South Battery (Tradd Street #5)(62)

But Amelia didn’t laugh or step back. Instead she continued to hold on to Jayne’s hand and stare into her face. “It’s just the oddest thing. . . .” She stopped and then smiled, finally dropping Jayne’s hand. “I’m sorry. I know we haven’t met. But for a moment there, I could have sworn you were someone else. Wrong age entirely, which brought me to my senses. They say we all have a doppelg?nger—perhaps not in the same generation.” She laughed, but the sound seemed forced.

“So you’re the marvelous nanny Jack has told us so much about. I thought that you might have a halo and wings the way he carries on.”

Jayne blushed and I laughed, although I didn’t find it funny at all. Not the image of Jayne as an angel, but the fact that Jack talked about her to other people. But she was our nanny. Of course he talked about her. Other people with nannies talked about them, too, didn’t they? I didn’t know anyone with a nanny, so I’d have to take that as a probably.

“We have no idea how we’d get on without her,” I said.

Amelia smiled at Jayne, but there was something behind the look I couldn’t translate. “I got here a little early and one of the nice workmen let me in. I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of walking around and jotting down some notes. You have some very valuable and sought-after furniture here. Several pieces by famed cabinetmaker Thomas Elf as well as a few from Chippendale. And you have quite a collection of Royal Albert bone china—I believe I counted place settings for at least seventy, with plenty of serving pieces.”

“Are those the rose-patterned dishes?” Jayne asked.

“Yes. Is that something you would like to keep?” Amelia asked.

“No,” Jayne and I answered in unison.

Amelia laughed and then wrote something on the notepad she carried with her. “Got it. It’s not my taste, either, but there are a lot of people who love that pattern. I think I could get a very good price for the entire lot.” She led us from the dining room, through the kitchen, and into the butler’s pantry. “As you can see, there’s even more china here. But there’s also a very large collection of salt and pepper shakers.” She arched her elegant eyebrows. “I happen to know that Button collected these, but only after she visited each state. There are fifty sets, all in pristine condition.”

“Are they worth anything?” I asked.

Amelia gave me a rueful smile. “Only sentimental value, I’m afraid. Although there is this one set.” She put down her notepad and pen, then gently pulled open one of the glass-paned doors. Reaching over a yellow triangular set meant to look like cheese with eyeballs and with the words “Wis” and “Consin” written on each one, she carefully lifted a pair from behind them.

They were shaped like fluffy white cotton balls, the words “Lake Jasper, Alabama” painted in black on each one. She held them in the flat of her hand. “It’s been a while, but I’m pretty sure that this is where Button’s family had their lake house back in the day.”

“They’re cute,” Jayne said generously. “Is there something special about them?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t usually carry this sort of thing in my shop, so I really have no idea. But I noticed on the bottom of these that someone had painted something.” Flipping them over, she showed us where someone had added on each shaker May 30, 1984. “I’ll ask Jack to research it, find out if the date has any significance. Perhaps they were souvenirs for a Woodstock type of event. That might up the value a little but not a lot, I wouldn’t think.”

“That would be great,” Jayne said. “Thanks. And no, I really don’t have any plans to hang on to this collection, as lovely as it is.”

“You’re very diplomatic,” Amelia said, carefully closing the cabinet doors. “It’s probably one of the reasons why you’re such a good nanny.” She led us back into the foyer. “I’ll give you a complete list of what I find and approximate values. You don’t have to do anything with it right now—take your time. But you really should get an alarm system. There are a lot of priceless things in this house.”

I frowned at Jayne. “I thought you were working with Thomas to get one installed.”

“Yes, I was. I mean, I am. He’s very tall.”

Amelia raised her eyebrows.

Jayne shook her head. “I mean, yes, he’s tall, but that doesn’t have anything to do with the alarm system.” She swallowed and took a moment to regain her composure. “What I meant to say is that we’re working on it. We just need to set up an appointment.”

“We work with a wonderful company at the shop,” Amelia said. “If you’d like, I could ask him to come look around here and give you an estimate. Would that work?”

Jayne nodded vigorously. “Yes, that would. Thank you. And I’ll tell Detective Riley that he doesn’t need to worry.” She seemed almost relieved.

“Have you seen the attic?” I asked Amelia.

“Yes, although I had been up there before, with Button. When sweet Hasell was still alive.”

“So you met her?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yes. A few times when I was visiting Button, she asked me to come say hello. That poor little girl was so lonely, and so desperate to see people. Her mother was afraid of germs, you see, and kept Hasell pretty isolated. I was only allowed up when Anna wasn’t home.”