“You’d open a branch of the Woodward-Lathrop gallery right on the harbor. And I’d be a cop. Guess I’d have to learn French, though.”
“I’d teach you,” she said.
They stayed for a few more minutes, then walked outside into the night air. One café was still open, so they sat at a table by the water. The half-moon was still up, tracing a silver web on the harbor. Kate remembered that night now, how she and Conor had held hands and shared a dream. They had gone back to their room and stayed awake until dawn. The moon had followed them into sleep. She was sure that one of the reasons they both lovedFoggy Nightby James Suydam was because it reminded them of the chapel and their moonlit stay at the Welcome.
Thinking about it, with the way they were now, was excruciating. Kate needed something to do, to get her mind off him. She thought about how the number 1740 kept coming up, starting with the decal on Suzanne’s truck. She grabbed her laptop from the low table in front of the fireplace and googled1740.
First, a page of real estate sites appeared, with properties that had “1740” as their house number:
1740 Pearl Street
1740 Fifth Avenue
1740 Broadway
And so many more. Next, she found a list of world events that had taken place in the year 1740:
The War of the Austrian Succession begins.
FrederickIibecomes king in Prussia.
The University of Pennsylvania is founded.
Anna Strong, one of the only female members of the Culper Spy Ring in the American Revolution, is born.
George Frideric Handel composesL’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, based on two poems by John Milton.
Johann Sebastian Bach begins to lose his sight.
Kate’s mind kept going back to the chapel, how it had felt as if Jean Cocteau and his paintings had blessed her and Conor. And he was connecting them now, but through that disturbing image from his film. Kate thought of all the elements from this case swirling together—Belle, the Beast, the film, and the number 1740.
That made her put two things together, and this time she googled1740,Beauty and the Beast.
She felt a jolt when she saw what came up. The original fairy tale had been written in 1740 by the French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. The name “Suzanne” jumped out at her. She read about how Villeneuve’s work had inspired many versions. Eventually the tale became the story that modern readers were most familiar with, adapted by French author Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont.
Villeneuve’s work had its own origins. It had been inspired by ancient Greek stories, including “Cupid and Psyche.” In school, Kate had read that powerful myth about overcoming obstacles to love. Back then, she had never realized that it was connected toBeauty and the Beast, but now she saw it.
Psychewas the name of the boat Conor was investigating on the island.
And Suzanne was the name of the girl so closely connected to Belinda. Was her name coincidence, or had it been chosen very consciously, an homage to the author of the fairy tale and a connection to 1740?
Kate looked at her phone, wondering when Conor would get back to Watch Hill, knowing he needed to hear all this. And knowing that she needed to sit down with him and hear the whole story of what had happened with Belinda. She was tired of being stuck with Belinda’s words in her head, with the baby photo emblazoned in her mind.
She heard a knock on the door. Her immediate thought was that Conor had forgotten his key, and she ran downstairs to let him in. Instead of Conor, she saw Miranda Forrest standing there in the hallway.
“Hello, Kate,” Miranda said. “I don’t want to intrude, but I was hoping to have that chat with you.”
“This isn’t a good time,” Kate said.
“Please,” Miranda said. “It’s important.”
Kate hesitated, wanting to get back to reading about 1740. But she stood aside, letting Miranda enter. She led her through the foyer and upstairs, past the small gallery of vintageNew Yorkercovers done by Garrett Price, an artist who had painted with the nearby Mystic Art Association. They were cheerful depictions of summer and sailing scenes. She and Conor had found them charming, perfect for the Tower Suite, but now her mind was on darker art, and she barely noticed them.
“What an amazing view,” Miranda said when they reached the living room. She walked from window to window, surveying the vista of three states. Then she looked up at the tall spiral staircase leading another full story up to the Crow’s Nest.
“Bernard and I were wondering what it was like up here,” Miranda said. “It must be the most romantic spot in the hotel ...” Then as if she realized how that must affect Kate, she touched Kate’s arm. “I’m sorry for saying that. I don’t want to bring up something hurtful.”
“That’s okay,” Kate said. She wanted to rush Miranda through whatever she wanted to say and be alone again, to get back to herreading—and waiting for Conor. But Miranda just stood there, saying nothing.
