Part 31 (1/2)

'Did you say twenty thousand dollars?'

'Yes, in cash.'

Diane was staring at her. 'Kelly-'

Berry looked at the ring again and nodded. 'I-er-think we can arrange that. Just a moment.' He disappeared into the back office.

Diane said, 'Are you crazy? You're being robbed!'

'Am I? If we stay here, we'll be killed. Tell me how much our lives are worth.'

Diane had no answer.

Joseph Berry came out of the back office, smiling. 'I'll have someone go across the street to the bank and get the cash for you right away.'

Diane turned to Kelly. 'I wish you wouldn't do this.'

Kelly shrugged. 'It's only a piece of jewelry. . . .' She closed her eyes.

It's only a piece of jewelry. . . . she thought.

It was her birthday. The phone rang.

'Good morning, darling.' It was Mark.

'Good morning.'

She waited for him to say 'Happy birthday.'

Instead he said, 'You're not working today. Do you like hiking?'

That was not what Kelly had expected to hear. She felt a sharp sense of disappointment. They had talked about birthdays a week earlier. Mark had forgotten. Yes.

'How would you like to go for a hike this morning?'

'All right.'

'I'll pick you up in half an hour.'

'I'll be ready.'

'Where are we going?' Kelly asked, when they were in the car.

They were both dressed in hiking outfits.

'There are some wonderful trails outside of Fontainebleau.'

'Oh? Do you go there often?'

'I used to go there when I wanted to escape.'

Kelly looked at him, puzzled. 'Escape from what?'

He hesitated. 'Loneliness. I felt less lonely there.' He glanced at Kelly and smiled. 'I haven't been there since I met you.'

Fontainebleau is a magnificent royal palace, surrounded by sylvan forests, located southeast of Paris.

As the beautiful, regal estate loomed up in the distance, Mark said, 'A lot of kings named Louis have lived here, starting with Louis IV.'

'Oh, really?' Kelly looked at him and thought, I wonder if they had birthday cards in those days. I wish he had given me a birthday card. I'm acting like a schoolgirl.

They had reached the palace grounds. Mark pulled into one of the parking lots.

As they got out of the car and headed for the woods, Mark said, 'Can you handle a mile?'

Kelly laughed. 'I handle more than that every day on the runway.'

Mark took her hand. 'Good. Let's go.'

'I'm with you.'

They pa.s.sed a series of majestic buildings and started into the woodland. They were completely alone, wrapped in a greenery of ancient fields and storied old trees. It was a sun-kissed summer day filled with itself. The wind was warm and caressing, and there was a cloudless sky above.

'Isn't this beautiful?' Mark asked.

'It's lovely, Mark.'

'I'm glad you were free.'

Kelly remembered something. 'Aren't you supposed to be working today?'

'I decided to take the day off.'

'Oh.'

They were walking deeper and deeper into the mysterious forest.

After fifteen minutes, Kelly asked, 'How far do you want to go?'

'There's a spot up ahead that I like. We're almost there.'

A few minutes later, they emerged into a glade with an enormous oak tree in the centre.

'Here we are,' Mark said.

'It's so peaceful.'