Nancy Drew and The Mystery Of The Ghost Maiden

Chapter Fifteen

They had a quick dinner that night of fried chicken, greens, and potatoes. None of them bought up the subject of what they had found that day, concerned that it might frighten Nancy's elderly aunt. "Thank you, so much for working in my yard, it looks so much better. If only I was a little younger, then we could have worked on it all together," said Aunt Betty.

"We were happy to help you out. Call us anytime you need us," replied Nancy with a wink.

"I know you girls will be leaving in just a few days, but I would like to invite you to stay a little longer. It's so nice to have company come visit me. This house hasn't been so lively since Roger left..." stated Aunt Betty.

"Who is Rodger? I've never heard of him before," replied Nancy.

"Rodger was my son that died many years ago at nine years old. There is a painting of him in the gallery along with the other family portraits." said the old women while wiping her tearing eyes. After dinner, Nancy asked her aunt to put the letters in the safe before the three girls headed off to their bedrooms for the night. This time they made sure to lock both their doors and windows securely.

Just as Nancy was about to begin to start studying the letters, she suddenly remembered the stained glass window from before. She got up from the bed went into the bathroom and found the paper crumbled up in the dirty laundry. She studied the paper carefully and it read, "Our loves lies beneath the woodland chapel." Could this have anything to do with the chapel pictured in the window? The next day, Nancy found herself faced with a difficult decision of what to investigate next.

After breakfast, she had a little talk with her aunt in the library. Nancy entered the room she found the women seated in a leather club chair reading a novel. She approached and asked "Aunt Bettie, do you remember hearing anything about a woodland chapel anywhere around here before?"

Aunt Betty looked from the book and took off her reading glasses. "Why yes, my dear but I am very surprised that you asked about it. It burned down many years ago, around the time your mother died."

Nancy sat down on a small love seat across from her aunt. Then leaned forward before asking "Can you tell me anything about it?"

"I can do better than that," she said, as she took a photo album off one of the many bookshelves that lined the walls. Turning the pages sweet Aunt Bettie said, "I was married there. It used to be a tradition within my late husband's family to be married there with a big party afterword's in this mansion. See it is right here." The pictures were in black and white and were just a little faded with age.

"Oh my! Aunt Betty was stunning in her dress and her husband was a real looker," thought Nancy as she flipped through the album. "Wow, you sure did look lovely, Aunt Bettie.

"Oh, my thank you. It was the happiest day of my life. All my family had come that day, even from as far away as New York."

"But wait what's this right here?" questioned the young girl as she pointed to a strange shape into the photograph.

"To be honest with you Nancy, I don't really remember what that is. I believe it looks like some sort of statue." replied her aunt as she stared intensely at the blurred image.

Nancy gave the women a pout and asked "Can you give me directions on how to get there? I take some pictures of this place and find out what that blur really is."

Aunt Better thought for a moment before replying. "Sure, but I have no idea why you would want to go there. There is nothing much left there but a few charred walls and the nearby cemetery." In an effort to help her niece, Aunt Betty began to dig through a nearby end table searching for a pen and notepad to write the directions.

Nancy leaned closer to give the women a kiss on the cheek before adding "Thanks, Aunt Betty, you are a doll."

Aunt Betty gave her a teasing look before adding "Oh do go do on!" with her best

Zsa Zsa Gabor impression.

After going back to the bedroom, Nancy studied what she could of her own handwritten notes and the old letters. They were not perfect, with many missing paragraphs and words. All the letters were written by James, addressed to his love, Heather. He wrote of how much he missed her and would return soon with a surprise in hand.

The second letter told how much he looked forward to their wedding and starting a family together. The thirds spoke of the last sea voyage he was to take before their wedding. Earlier Nancy had gotten it out of the safe to work on. It was very difficult to interpret. This letter was all about him warning her to hide her gift until he returned. He suspected one of her household staff to be a league with a terrible thief. "If he would go through the trouble to write this and have her hide her gift, then it must have been of great value. Maybe gold or silver perhaps. Could have even been a land deed. I need more to go on before we can figure this out." Nancy commented. Bess caught sight of Nancy, as she left her room.

"Nancy do you know the way to the gallery?" asked Bess.

"I think so. I'm very surprised that you would even want to see it." Nancy replied as she turned to show the way.

"Well, I was thinking out what your aunt had said last night about her son's portrait and thought it might be interesting to take a look at," George added.

>Bonus Content<

 Zsa Zsa Gabor was a very popular actress and socialite in America during the 1940's and 1960's. Originally from  Hungary, she became a sought-after actress with "European flair and style", she was considered to have a personality that "exuded charm and grace". Her first film role was a supporting role in. She later acted in and played one of her few leading roles in the -directed film, (1952).  Outside of her acting career, Gabor was known for her extravagant Hollywood lifestyle, her glamorous personality, and her many marriages.