At the beginning of June, this summer looked to be no different than any other before it. Just as always they stayed in the colossal resort where all fashionable people vacationed in Rock Lucian. It was situated above the beach, which the resort owned, and it snaked along never taller than two stories. It was white, as was much of Rock Lucian. Few people actually lived in Rock Lucian, and many of those who did simply lived in the resort. The resort was called The White Bell: the name had little meaning, and everyone called it The Bell. Upon arriving, Lydia expected to spend her summer sailing, swimming, shopping, eating, and doing a lot of chatting and sleeping; there really was not much else to do. On the weekends, more visitors would arrive, and the ballrooms would fill up, as would the orchestral hall where operas would be performed. It was entertaining and relaxing. Lydia always enjoyed herself. The only real difference was that Lydia was being afforded private apartments for the first time. Her cousin, Valerie Pierce, who never was allowed a vacation, because she lived in a resort town, was living across the hallway in the less prestigious town view apartment, but the unfortunate girl greatly enjoyed even this false sense of independence. Lydia’s mother and father and her nurse were just down the hallway, but it was a welcome respite nonetheless.
The Pierces had only been in town for two days, when Valerie and Lydia were sitting unaccompanied in the Garden Room, where early evening drinks were served, and people gathered to talk. The girls were not drinking anything, instead they were looking around for people they knew and could wave to. The fans were on, blowing the girls’ hair slightly. Valerie was not particularly beautiful, but she was young and appealing. She had dark blond hair and uninspiring brown eyes, but her nose was small and sweet in its shape and her smile was pretty. Her figure was pleasing too, and she looked especially young and delightful in her light blue short sleeved dress. Lydia looked entirely different from her cousin. There was something more sensuous about her features, which she herself did not recognize. Her hair was very dark brown, almost black, and her eyes were very light blue with a piercing quality. She had a beautiful smile, with rose red lips and pearl white teeth. Her skin did not have the honey tanned quality of Valerie’s, instead it was a very milky white, making the contrast more marked with her raven hair. It was obvious she was young, but she had an mature, albeit innocent air about her. She had a white dress on with very light blue trimming, and it showed off her delicate figure, with out her being aware of it.
Valerie noticed the tall muscled man across the room and stared quizzically at him. She thought she had seen him before, and there was something interesting about him she could not quite remember. "Look at that man there across the way, Lydia." "Which?" "The magnificent one, with the dark looks." "Yes." "I heard something scandalous about him, only I can’t recall what." "He looks like he might be dangerous." "Doesn’t he? He’s not from Rock Lucian, but he spends a good deal of his time here, only he doesn’t move in the same circles as us." "Where is he from? He looks as if he has a great deal of money." "He does, I believe. I don’t recall where he comes from. Oh! I believe he’s seen us looking at him! Look away!" "He’s coming over this way, Valerie." The girls became agitated, as this was the last thing they wanted. It appeared as if the gentleman had known this, and had bad enough manners still to come over and talk to them.
"Good evening Ladies," he bowed. His voice was low and masculine. The sheer power of him gave Lydia goose bumps. The girls stood up and curtseyed. "My name is Brent Howard." "Lydia Pierce." "Valerie Pierce." "Very nice to meet you. Are you sisters?" "No, Lydia is my cousin, my father is Mr. Kenneth Pierce. Perhaps you’ve heard of him?" "Yes, I believe so, and you, Miss Lydia?" "My father is Mr. Randolph Pierce. My family is from Boston, and we visit every year." "How appropriate. Did you just arrive, Miss Lydia?" "Yes, we arrived yesterday." "I thought perhaps that I recognized you, just a few minutes ago." Lydia thought he looked like he was laughing beneath his smile. "Well it’s possible, if you have been here many summers." "True…Let me order you ladies a drink." "Oh, no thank you." Valerie quickly answered, knowing that accepting something from strange men would be totally inappropriate. Lydia felt embarrassed for her cousin’s quick reply: though the reason behind her rejection was correct, the method was rude nonetheless. "I’m afraid my nurse would be angry with us if we drank this early in the evening," Lydia said trying to make amends. "Ah! Nurses." He shifted on his feet. "Please join us, Mr. Howard." He reached for a small wooded chair, and lazily sat down. His posture reminded Lydia of a leopard she had once seen in a zoo: it looked relaxed, but every muscle was evident, and they both had that searching look in their eyes, as if ready to pounce. She could tell that Valerie wanted to leave: he was making her nervous. Lydia found him strangely curious.
"You must call me ‘Brent,’ everyone refers to me as ‘Brent.’" Lydia nodded, knowing this boded ill for his character: never did she encounter a gentleman who would tell a woman to call him by his Christian name, especially upon introduction. "Where are you from, Brent?" She nearly choked on his name. "Yes, always important. I live in many places, least of all where I’m from, but for all it’s worth, I’m from Charleston. I spend my time in New York mainly these days." "A Southern man?" He bowed from the waist, still sitting. "If you please." "I suppose you’re here on pleasure?" "How kind of you to notice Miss Lydia. To set your mind at ease, I’m staying right here in The Bell." "Really?" This was the first bit of information that interested Valerie, causing her to stir. "We’re staying on the South side. Where are you?" It was a bit of snobbery on Valerie’s part, because the rate of expense and the size of the apartment basically organized the resort. "Not so far away…I’m more towards the middle, but my apartment faces the East." As did Lydia’s. The most expensive apartments were located in the middle, and faced the ocean, or East. Valerie was duly impressed. "How lovely!" She smiled. Valerie was convinced a good deal of money must carry some good character along with it.
If Valerie had known anything about men’s clothes, she would have realized just how wealthy he was much earlier, as Lydia had. His clothes were made of expensive material, and were extremely well tailored. They suited him, and were not in the least way girlish or flighty as some well-dressed men appeared. And it seemed to Lydia that he was paying a great deal of attention to their clothes as well, or rather, she felt as if she was being scrutinized, and she did not know how to respond or react. "Why is it, if you live in Rock Lucian that you are staying here?" "To keep my dear cousin company of course!" Valerie took up Lydia’s hand, summoning up her courage to appear merry. ‘He’s staring at my hand,’ thought Lydia. "Excuse me, but what time is it?" Brent took out his watch upon Lydia’s request, barely taking his eyes off of her to look at it. "It is 10 till 5, Miss Lydia. Are you late for an appointment?" He smiled knowingly. "Yes, we are to meet my parents at 5 o’clock. We must return I’m afraid." The girls stood up, and Brent followed their lead. "It was very nice to meet you, Mr….I’m mean, rather, Brent." "The feeling is mutual I assure you, Miss Lydia, Miss Valerie. I certainly hope we will encounter each other again during our stays. Oh! And one more thing before you rush off, do tell your nurse that if she worries about men carrying you off to be married, I am perfectly harmless, because I am not a marrying man. Now that your mind is at rest, go off to change into your evening dress. Goodnight ladies." He bowed, and the girls hurried off. "Dear cousin! He spoke of our changing our clothes!" Valerie whispered astonished. "Yes, I could barely keep my countenance. But Valerie, for heaven’s sake don’t speak of our meeting with Mr. Howard when we see our family." "And he told you to call him Brent!" "Yes, but we mustn’t speak of it, all right?"
Something kept Brent at the front of her mind for the next few days, and she was not sure what it was. It was not merely his astounding speech. She knew she should be shocked and possibly frightened by him, but instead she was intensely curious. Every time she would picture his devilish smile and cut features, she would smile to herself as if she carried a great secret. Her curiosity was partly fulfilled when her uncle brought up the topic without any prodding. "I understand that Brent Howard is staying at The Bell again this season." "Yes, some of the ladies were saying that he’s rented the most expensive apartment," Lydia’s aunt offered. "Really?" Mrs. Randolph Pierce was impressed. "Who is he?" "No one that we care to know, that’s for sure." "Why?" "My dearest sister, he is known as an infamous character all over our great country." "Is he involved in crime?" "It isn’t a matter for ladies to discuss," Lydia’s father ordered. "Oh my!" Meanwhile, Valerie was using all of her strength to keep quiet, because Lydia was looking darts at her. Never again would they be allowed anywhere alone, if their family believed that they were in danger of speaking to Brent.
