The Agatha Christie Book Club-Borgia Stones

By Cheryl Lee

Salome, an international star of the screen and stage is dying and the ladies from the Agatha Christie Book Club have to gather the clues as to How, Why, Who, but will this lead to an international hunt as well? Leigh, Effie and the girls from the club are at it again. Can they find the culprit among the simple but handsome gigolo, the emotional yo-yo of a secretary, the mysterious nephew who job is dealing in ancient death, or the silent chauffer?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cheryl Lee
• Release date: Aug 23, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476296500

Cheryl Lee

A retired educator now living in the Pacific Northwest.Traveled through and visited forty-eight of the fifty United States, summered in Mexico, Canada, Great Britain-England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, visited western France, written plays for elementary, middle, and high school, taught classical fencing, volunteer reading, teaching puppetry, international artist with work displayed in greater London, Scotland, Wales, mid-west and western states.I will also go by my late husband's title name, Cheryl Lee DeLighton, to honour my late husband, C.N. Lee DeLighton and the stories he dictated to me. See zazzle.com/CherylLeeDesigns or contact:[e-mail]

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The Agatha Christie Book Club

The Borgia Stones

Cheryl Lee

Copyright 2012 by Cheryl Lee

Art by Photobucket

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The Borgia Stones

Prologue

Two Years ago

The alarm was almost piercing to their ears, as they peered up at the upper deck where they saw the security people scanning the ingoing and outgoing packages that were being processed and checked for dangerous items entering and being shipped abroad. Leigh had pointed to the balcony to her husband Nicolas, whose arms were holding onto his opened briefcase and newly stamped passport. She was next in line and inquired to the customs agent as to the disturbing sound practically knocking them down. The other people in the four separate lines on either side of her were also holding onto to their ears trying to save themselves from going deaf.

What is going on?

Something just arrived that set off the emergency alarms, a contraband item.

Really what kind of item could set it off, I don't see any drug sniffing dogs, or metal detectors up there?

Oh, that is for any kind of radio-active material, Madam. We have sensitive machines to check for even the slightest background noise, it will go to special storage next, don't worry. We have the finest security when it comes to that.

Indeed the men in hazardous-material clothing quickly came to the spot and using robots removed the large, plainly wrapped box from the loading zone. Everyone watched as the item was taken away and a sense of normalcy returned to the customs section of the Heathrow airport. Leigh then finished her check though and joined her husband to retrieve their luggage and go onto their hotel located in the South Kensington district. The charming hotel was a central point for the lecture series as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum of Natural Science and the Geological Museum were blocks apart from themselves and the hotel. The marvelous Royal Albert Hall faced the Albert Memorial in Hyde Park, where they would often ride on hired horses to ride through the pathways in the park or enjoy lazy picnic outings on Sundays. In addition they were a few blocks from South Kensington Tube Station that would let them travel to the great city of London, plus the trains to beyond its vast sights and a vigorous trot to Harrods. Both loved the brief time that they spent between lectures there and always looked forwards to them each year. She also loved to visit the Chelsea Antique Market a brisk walk away. Through the years they had acquired many dear friends in those places and were anxious to re-establish contacts, for the few weeks that Nicolas had to give tours to visiting dignitaries on the antiquities and art masterpieces found in the museums in attendance. She also looked forward to the final destination, Italy.

It was great to see Natalia again; her medium sized but beautiful booth was situated on the northern end of the Chelsea gallery, where hundreds of stalls were situated offering treasures of the past, be it Pre-Roman up to the last century. Natalia's huge golden retriever was still sleeping at the feet of her mistress and quietly guarding the stall from trespassers and would-be thieves. The artwork was still impressive and the glass counter showed and held a few pieces of magnificent items of antiquity and jewelry. Natalia's Naturally kiosk was well situated and lit to show off her items for sale. A small glass of hot tea was sitting on the countertop and Natalia was occupying herself with a paperback book for the moment. Tourist and patrons were scarce this morning. The short, black curly hair surrounded her countenance and framed her flawless porcelain skin. She sat on the tall stool accentuating her petite frame of barely over five feet and her graceful body perched high on the chair shone her matching outfit of stunning red silk blouse with its high collar and unbuttoned at the two top buttons, and her black silk straight leg pants that lead to her heeled short boots of red leather. Around her neck was a simple pendant of rose-cut diamonds and rubies all Burmese and glowing. Tsarina sat straight up at the sight of the two people approaching the stall. Natalia glanced to see who caught her guardian's attention and her bright brown eyes shone, as she recognized them.

Leigh, Nicolas how wonderful to see you, is it that time again? I should have expected you; time has gotten away from me. She reached out to greet them and they briefly hugged, meanwhile Tsarina wagged her tail widely, nearly knocking the stool that her mistress was sitting on.

We should have called when we came in, but we were delayed last evening and realized it might be too late to ring you up. Nicolas explained and apologized.

A better surprise then for me, you both look tired but I am so happy to see you. In an hour I will take lunch, will you join me at the kiosk around the corner? They have a great selection today, and I might add the best tea in town, save mine own.

Gladly, now what do you have saved away for us to see, I know you have the best put aside. Leigh added.

A sweet smile crossed Natalia's face and wink accompanied her answer, Two items, one a 17th century ring, 18 caret yellow gold, bead setting, and quite rare, with African emeralds and rose cut diamonds. Usually the families had over the ages either melted down the gold to make new rings, thinking that the newer styles were better, bah. Or the stones were replaced, or worse yet, re-cut! Here everything is intact, like the day it was conceived, isn't it magnificent? She had reached behind her and hidden under a small table that held miniature framed paintings on a simple white damask tablecloth she opened the safe and unlocked it to pull out the first item.

"Oh, Natalia, this is perfect, my wife and the classes will appreciate it, tell me how is the bead setting unusual?' Nicolas slyly turned to Leigh as he spoke. She blushed and grinned as she approved both ideas.

The goldsmiths had to use bellows and pipes to achieve the correct temperature to melt the gold, too little and the beads will not adhere, too much and the beads melt into a puddle. Delicate masterstrokes by craftsmen not like today's quick and slick to get done.

I'll remember that for my lectures, you are so kind to pass that knowledge on to me.

"I too wish to impart the past achievements onto the upcoming generations so that the skills can be documented. Oh, speaking of