Nancy Drew 3 - The Secret of the Jeweled Case

A Tale of Two Parties

"Anna!" screamed Emily as the girls all jumped up to tend to Mrs. Alexandra. "Anna, get Madame's salts!" The girls heard the thumping of footsteps quickly ascending the staircase as they gently moved Mrs. Alexandra to the sitting room. Ida began rubbing Mrs. Alexandra's wrists.

"Oh, I hope Anna hurries up," she muttered.

"I don't think even she thought you would find Mr. Baum that quickly," Helen said, giving Nancy a nervous chuckle. "I do hope the shock wasn't too much for her."

"It shouldn't if it's such good news as that," replied Ida. She shot Nancy a worried look. "But you're still concerned about him being the real deal?"

Nancy nodded slowly. "Yes, everything just seemed so ... perfectly placed, perfectly timed ... having read through several of my father's cases, even if he is the real deal, we must be absolutely sure."

Emily nodded. "Oh, I can understand that, especially considering recent incidents," she said, referring to them finding out that the Jane Willoughby who had been there earlier wasn't even Emily's real guardian.

The real Jane Willoughby walked in, a worried look on her face. "What happened?" Anna rushed past her to administer to Mrs. Alexandra while the girls began to explain. They paused when Mrs. Alexandra came around. When Anna helped her sit up, there were tears in her eyes.

"Oh, oh what a happy day! What luck! To have wanted to ask you to find my dear Michael and you find him the day before!"

"His wallet was in a place where Mr. Faber would have found it ..." Nancy trailed off. Yeah, right in the middle of the walkway. Not on the counter, not placing it in Mr. Faber's hand, right in the middle of the walkway.

"Which means that something did happen to Nada and she told him to go straight to Mr. Faber's once he was old enough." Mrs. Alexandra clasped her hands with ecstasy as a few tears fell down her face. "Oh, my years of waiting and searching are over!"

"I think it should be wisest to go about this slowly and cautiously," warned Nancy. "Just to be on the safe side. I might have found your grandson, but we don't know if your enemies are close by."

Anna glanced at Nancy. "I think the young lady is right, Madame, we should proceed with caution. A picture is easily copied."

Mrs. Alexandra bobbed her head. "Yes, yes, of course, that is why there were other means of authenticating my grandson's identity."

"Mrs. Alexandra, would your enemies also know that your grandson and his nanny were told to go to Mr. Faber's should the four of you be separated?"

Mrs. Alexandra pursed her lips. "I, I don't know. It's possible ... but I was sure the four of us were the only ones who knew, and I'm certain Michael's nanny would have told him once he was older." She grabbed Nancy's arm. "But this young man, he is still here?"

Nancy nodded slowly. "Yes ma'am, in fact, he's coming to my house tonight."

Mrs. Alexandra clasped her hands and let out a cry of delight. "Oh, oh how wonderful!" She turned to Anna. "Anna, please keep the tea set out. I want to invite him over!" She turned back to Nancy. "You will extend the invitation to him, won't you?"

"As soon as I've verified that it is your grandson, I will break the news to him and invite him for you."

"Wonderful! Thank you! You all must come, of course!"

"And his girlfriend?" asked Helen.

Mrs. Alexandra's eyes widened. "He has a girlfriend? Well, by all means, yes, invite her too!" Her eyes moistened with tears yet again. "Oh, to think he has been hidden so well that not even our enemies had found him yet!"