Tarnished Armor
Part 148

Chandler Mansion. Adam and Liza’s bedroom. Morning.

Adam watches Liza sleep. Then Adam gently moves her away from him and quietly gets up. He takes off his jacket, places it gently on the bed, and goes into the bathroom.

Liza wakes up.

Liza: Adam?

She looks around the room. She gets up.

Liza: Adam?

Liza goes to the bathroom and knocks on the door.

There’s no answer.

Liza opens the bathroom door and goes inside. She quickly comes back out.

She goes to the bedroom door and opens it.

Liza: Adam?

Adam comes out of the bathroom.

Adam: I’m here.

Liza looks at him for a moment. Then she goes over to her dressing table and sits down.

Adam: Would you like me to leave?

Liza doesn’t answer.

Adam: If you talk to Stuart, please don’t mention Lottie. It’s a bad subject for him.

Liza: I won't.

Adam: Thank you.

Adam runs his hand through his hair.

There’s a knock on the door.

Liza: Come in.

Winifred enters.

Winifred: Mr. Chandler, Grace Keefer is here to see you.

Adam: Grace Keefer?

Winifred: Yes. She said that she would like to see you first, and then Mrs. Chandler.

Adam looks at Liza.

Liza: You should go. I’ll be down in a minute.

Adam: Are you sure?

Liza: She asked for you.

Adam picks up his jacket and leaves the room. Winifred follows him out.

Liza goes into the bathroom.


  ******


Adam and Liza’s bathroom. Liza enters the bathroom and presses a panel. The secret door opens.

Liza enters, and then quickly comes back out.

She leaves the bathroom.


  ******


Adam and Liza’s bedroom.

Liza quickly takes her robe and wraps it around her.

She goes to the bedroom door and opens it.

Liza: Hayley? Hayley!

Liza hurries down the hallway.


  ******


Hayley’s room.

Hayley is on the phone.

Hayley (into phone): I’m not going to argue about this, Uncle Pork Chop. I’m staying here for now. I --

The door to the room opens and Liza rushes inside.

Liza: He’s going to do it.

Hayley hangs up the phone.

Hayley: What do you mean?

Liza: The boxes. He still has the boxes. They’re in the tunnels.

Hayley gets up.

  Hayley: Where is he now?

Liza: He’s in the study. I mean, we talked about this last night, and I thought... But he went into the passageway this morning. Oh, God.

Hayley moves to the door.

Hayley: Come on.

Hayley opens the door and then she turns to Liza.

Hayley: I’m glad you’re back.

The two rush out of the room.


  ******


Adam’s study.

Aunt Grace and Adam sit on the couch.

Adam: Of course. I’m sorry I didn’t think of it myself.

Aunt Grace: I hate to trouble you.

Adam: No trouble at all. I can call the university and get started on it immediately. Actually, I’d been thinking of something else, too.

The doors to the study open.

Hayley and Liza enter.

Adam looks up at them.

Liza looks at Aunt Grace.

Liza: I’m sorry to interrupt, Grace. This is important.

Hayley: Dad, enough is enough.

Adam: Enough of what?

Liza: I was in the tunnels, Adam. I saw the boxes.

Adam: Could we talk about this later?

Hayley: You went into the tunnels this morning, Dad.

Adam looks at Liza.

Liza: Don’t deny it.

Aunt Grace: Tunnels?

Adam turns to Aunt Grace.

Adam: Grace, I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but this house used to be a stop on the Underground Railroad. The passageways still exist throughout the house.

Liza: Adam!

Adam rolls up his shirt sleeve, exposing his watch.

Adam: My watch. I went to get my watch.

The room is silent.

Adam looks at Liza and Hayley.

Adam: I’m sorry I worried you. There’s no need to worry anymore.

Hayley: Why should I believe you?

Adam: Because... well, you can tell her, Liza. It’s because... because of our conversation last night. About the “shabby trick.”

Hayley: Shabby trick?

Adam: Remember, Liza? When you woke up and you asked about alphabetizing? And then you asked about the prince?

Liza: What are you...?

Aunt Grace: The prince. That reminds me. I have something for you, Liza.

Aunt Grace reaches into her pocketbook and pulls out a book.

Aunt Grace: Belinda wanted you to have this.

Aunt Grace hands the book to Liza.

Liza: “The Little Prince.”

Aunt Grace: Yes.

Aunt Grace’s eyes well up with tears.

Aunt Grace: She didn’t have time to inscribe it, but her nameplate is on the inside cover, so you’ll always know who it came from.

Liza opens the cover and looks at the name plate.

Liza: Thank you.

Aunt Grace stands up.

Aunt Grace: I should be going. I have some things to take care of. Thank you for your help, Adam.

Adam: Call me for whatever you need.

Aunt Grace nods.

Liza looks up from the book.

Liza: Thank you.

Aunt Grace: Bye, Liza. Hayley.

Aunt Grace leaves the room.

Adam: Well, I’m going up to shower and change. It’s a little late for breakfast, but I’ll see what Lucretia can do about it. Do either of you want anything special?

No one answers.

Adam: Fine. Pancakes for everyone.

Liza: I’ll be upstairs with Colby. I’ll come down in half an hour.

Adam goes to the door.

Hayley: Aren’t we going to talk about this?

Adam leaves.

Liza goes to the door.

Hayley: Liza?

Liza: Consider yourself lucky. You should see the way we treat Dr. Tolan. See you in half an hour?

Hayley stares at Liza.

Liza leaves.

Tarnished Armor Index
Part One Hundred and Forty Seven
Part One Hundred and Forty Nine