Across the Years (Beymani)

Chapter Two: The Box

Beyoncé's POV

Call me obsessed if you wish, I'll wear the label if you choose to hang it on me. But I can't stop thinking about her. Like a ghost, she constantly haunts my thoughts. That mysterious woman from 1869. A young beautiful thing that makes my damaged heart move every time I see her. Today, as I left my flat and headed to school on a rather foggy morning, I thought of her. From the old church that's across the street, to the point where I sat down in class, I thought of her.

I wanted to know more. Halfway through my costume design class, it hit me. The old man at the antique store mentioned that there were still quite a few items left over from the Rhodes Estate. It's possible that some of those items belonged to this Normani. As soon as classes were done for the day, I headed straight back to the antique store.

Entering the place, I found the older gentleman waiting behind the counter with a friendly smile.

"Hello, may I help you?"

"Yes. I was here more than a week ago. I bought an old picture from the Rhodes Estate. You said there was some stuff that had been forgotten in the basement." I asked, trying hard to not let my eagerness show.

The old man scratched his head for a moment, then seemed to remember.

"Oh, yes! That picture of the pretty young woman. I remember now. You don't want to return it don't you? All sales are final, I'm afraid."

I shook my head. "No... Actually, I'm interested in seeing what else you may have."

The man tapped his fingers on the counter for a moment as he appeared to think. "Hmm...Let me see. I sold most of that stuff just the other day to some collector. Some old candlesticks, an end table....Oh...I do have something left! Follow me."

He got out from behind the counter, then started leading me towards a staircase.

As I followed the man, I asked, "What do you know about the estate itself?"

The antique store owner nods his head in response. He seems to have the answer for everything.

"The Rhodes family was once quite prosperous. One of them was even a member of Parliament for a time, ages ago. But over the last century or so, their fortune disintegrated. Some scandal there was, some time back. Um... one of the main heirs, a rather promising young fellow I hear, was killed at the Battle of the Somme in 1916. The family gradually died off and the last of them passed away in the 1980's. The estate was completely bankrupt by then. Their old mansion sat unoccupied for years as people fought over it in the courts. The land was sold off to pay off the debts to some developer who, as I said, knocked it down and is currently putting a supermarket in its place," he said as he rummaged around in a dark corner.

"Ahh...here it is," he said as he pulled out a small wooden chest. It was plain, appearing to be made of maple, and about two feet by two feet standing at about a foot high. "This is the last piece. A small wooden chest."

"What's in it?"

He shrugged. "Haven't the foggiest idea. It's locked and no key was found."

I had no idea what was in it, but I had to know if something of Normani's was. "How much?"

He put his hand to his chin. "Forty pounds."

I cursed silently, as I only had thirty-one. "I have thirty-one, how about that?" I asked as I placed my hand on his shoulder. Just a casual touch works wonders sometimes.

It must have worked as he nodded. "Ok, thirty-one pounds it is."

I reached over and picked up the chest. It had something inside as it had some weight. But I was still able to carry it.