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The Pearl Brooch
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The Pearl Brooch
The Celtic Brooch Series, Book 9
Katherine Lowry Logan
COPYRIGHT PAGE
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
An original work by Katherine Lowry Logan. The Pearl Brooch copyright © 2019 by Katherine Lowry Logan
Kindle Edition
Website: www.katherinellogan.com
Editor: Faith Freewoman
Virtual Assistant and Story Development Consultant: Annette Glahn
Studio pictured on the cover: Studio d’Arte Toscanella, Owner and Artist Lukas Brändli #firenze
Willow Oak illustration—pencil on paper—by Lukas Brändli
Cover Design by Damonza
Interior design by BB eBooks
THE CELTIC BROOCH SERIES
The Ruby Brooch
The Last MacKlenna
The Sapphire Brooch
The Emerald Brooch
The Broken Brooch
The Three Brooches
The Diamond Brooch
The Amber Brooch
Family Trees
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Page
The Celtic Brooch Series
Cast of Characters
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Author Notes
About the Author
The Celtic Brooch Series
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Alphabetical Order
1. Bonnard, Marguerite: Sophia’s French maid and companion, seamstress
2. David, Jacques-Louis: French painter, supporter of French Revolution
3. Digby, Seamus (present-time): deceased grandfather of Sophia Orsini, solicitor in Edinburgh, Scotland (first mentioned in The Sapphire Brooch)
4. Digby, Seamus (1700s): solicitor in Richmond, Representative in Virginia House of Delegates, ancestor of the mysterious Mr. Digby
5. Fraser, Blane Allen: son of JL and Kevin Fraser, grandson of Elliott Fraser and Meredith Montgomery, grandson of Pops O’Grady, brother of Austin O’Grady and Lawrence
6. Fraser, Elliott: Chairman of the Board of the MacKlenna Corporation, husband of Meredith Montgomery, father of James Cullen Fraser and Kevin Allen Fraser, grandfather of Blane and Lawrence, former equine vet (first appeared in The Ruby Brooch)
7. Fraser, James Cullen: son of Meredith Montgomery and Elliott Fraser (first appeared in The Last MacKlenna)
8. Fraser, Jenny “JL” Lynn: former NYPD detective, VP of Development and Operations MacKlenna Corporation, wife of Kevin Allen Fraser, mother of Austin O’Grady, mother of Blane and Lawrence Fraser, sister of Connor, Patrick “Rick”, Shane, and Jeff O’Grady, daughter of Retired Deputy Chief Lawrence “Pops” O’Grady (first appeared in The Broken Brooch)
9. Fraser, Kevin: husband of JL O’Grady, CFO for MacKlenna Corporation, biological son of Elliott Fraser, brother of James Cullen Fraser, father of Blane and Lawrence (first appeared in The Last MacKlenna)
10. Fraser, Lawrence “Lance” Paul: newborn son of JL and Kevin Fraser, grandson of Elliott Fraser and Meredith Montgomery, grandson of Lawrence “Pops” O’Grady, brother of Austin and Blane
11. Grant, Amber: wife of Daniel Grant, mother of Heather, stepmother of Noah, sister of Olivia Kelly O’Grady, daughter of Matthew and Elizabeth Kelly, mining lawyer, amateur paleontologist, gourmet cook (first appeared in The Amber Brooch)
12. Grant, Daniel: husband of Amber Kelly Grant, father of Noah and Heather, former Pinkerton agent, former Union cavalry officer, member of President Lincoln’s security detail during the Civil War (first appeared in The Amber Brooch)
13. Grant, Noah: son of Daniel and Amber Grant (first appeared in The Amber Brooch)
14. Hemings, Sally: Thomas Jefferson’s enslaved maid, half-sister of his late wife
15. Jefferson, Martha “Patsy”: Thomas Jefferson’s older daughter
16. Jefferson, Maria “Polly”: Thomas Jefferson’s younger daughter
17. Jefferson, Thomas: Ambassador to France, Secretary of State, sage of Monticello
18. Kelly, Elizabeth: mother of Amber and Olivia, grandmother of Noah and Heather Grant, grandmother of Elizabeth “Betsy” O’Grady, lawyer (first appeared in The Amber Brooch)
19. Kelly, Matthew “Matt”: lawyer, father of Amber and Olivia, grandfather of Noah and Heather Grant, grandmother of Elizabeth “Betsy” O’Grady (first appeared in The Amber Brooch)
20. Lafayette, Marquis de: French aristocrat and military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War and in the French Revolution
21. MacKlenna, James Thomas: land owner, Representative in Virginia House of Delegates, father of James Thomas Sean MacKlenna (first mentioned in The Ruby Brooch)
22. Mallory, Amy: wife of Jack Mallory, mother of Patrick (adopted) and Margaret Ann, former Olympian, ESPN baseball analyst (first mentioned in The Broken Brooch)
23. Mallory, Carlton Jackson “Jack”: husband of Amy Spalding Mallory, father of Patrick (adopted) and Margaret Ann, brother of Charlotte Mallory, New York Times best-selling author (first appeared in The Sapphire Brooch)
24. Mallory, Charlotte: surgeon, wife of Braham McCabe and mother of Lincoln, Kitherina, and Amelia Rose, sister of Jack Mallory (first appeared in The Sapphire Brooch)
25. Mallory, General: Jack’s ancestor
26. Mallory, Mrs: wife of General Mallory
27. Mallory, Patrick: adopted son of Jack and Amy Mallory (first appeared in The Diamond Brooch as Patrick Wilson)
28. McBain, David: veteran, author, President of MacKlenna Corporation, husband of Kenzie McBain, father of Henry, Robbie, Laurie Wallis, Alicyn, and Rebecca (first appeared in The Last MacKlenna)
29. McBain, Kenzie: veteran, West Point graduate, MacKlenna Corporation attorney, wife of David
McBain, mother of Henry, Robbie, Laurie Wallis, Alicyn, and Rebecca (first appeared in The Emerald Brooch)
30. McBain, Henry and Robbie: twin sons of David and Kenzie McBain (first appeared in The Broken Brooch)
31. McCabe, Braham: former Union cavalry officer, lawyer, senator, husband of Charlotte Mallory and father of Lincoln, Kitherina, and Amelia Rose, Jack Mallory’s brother-in-law, Kit MacKlenna Montgomery’s first cousin (first appeared in The Ruby Brooch)
32. McCabe, Lincoln: son of Braham McCabe and Charlotte Mallory (first appeared in The Sapphire Brooch)
33. Montgomery, Cullen: lawyer, author, founder of Montgomery Winery, husband of Kit MacKlenna Montgomery (first appeared in The Ruby Brooch)
34. Montgomery, Kit MacKlenna: founder of Montgomery Winery, wife of Cullen Montgomery, goddaughter of Elliott Fraser, guardian of Emily Duffy (first appeared in The Ruby Brooch)
35. Montgomery, Meredith: owner of Montgomery Winery, wife of Elliott Fraser and mother of James Cullen Fraser, grandmother of Blane and Lawrence Fraser, breast cancer survivor (first appeared in The Last MacKlenna)
36. Moretti, Gabriele “Gabe”: General manager at Montgomery Winery in Tuscany (first appeared in The Diamond Brooch)
37. O’Grady, Austin: son of JL O’Grady Fraser, brother of Blane and Lawrence Fraser, drafted by the Cavaliers (first appeared in The Broken Brooch)
38. O’Grady, Connor: former NYPD detective, Vice President of Global Security for MacKlenna Corporation, husband of Olivia Kelly O’Grady, father of Elizabeth “Betsy”, brother of JL Fraser, Shane, Rick, and Jeff O’Grady, son of Retired Deputy Chief Lawrence “Pops” O’Grady (first appeared in The Broken Brooch)
39. O’Grady, Jeffrey “Jeff”: former NYPD detective, lawyer for MacKlenna Corporation, husband of Julie O’Grady, brother of JL, Shane, Patrick, and Connor O’Grady, son of Retired Deputy Chief Lawrence “Pops” O’Grady (first appeared in The Broken Brooch)
40. O’Grady, Julie: wife of Jeffrey O’Grady (first mentioned in The Broken Brooch)
41. O’Grady, Olivia Allison: wife of Connor O’Grady, mother of Elizabeth “Betsy”, older sister of Amber Kelly Grant, daughter of Matthew and Elizabeth Kelly, Realtor, lawyer (first mentioned in The Diamond Brooch)
42. O’Grady, Patrick “Rick”: Marine, former NYPD detective, brother of JL, Connor, Shane, and Jeff, marketing director of Montgomery Winery, son of Retired Deputy Chief Lawrence “Pops” O’Grady (first appeared in The Broken Brooch)
43. O’Grady, Shane: Director of Global Security for MacKlenna Corporation, brother of JL, Connor, and Jeff O’Grady, son of Retired Deputy Chief Lawrence “Pops” O’Grady (first appeared in The Broken Brooch)
44. Orsini, Sophia Frances: painter, art instructor, granddaughter of Seamus Digby
45. Parrino, Peter “Pete” Francis: former NYPD detective, VP of Global Security for MacKlenna Corporation, JL O’Grady’s former NYPD partner (first appeared in The Broken Brooch)
46. Monsieur Petit: Jefferson’s butler in Paris
47. Ricci, Isabella: granddaughter of Maria Ricci (first appeared in The Diamond Brooch)
48. Ricci, Maria: companion of Lawrence “Pops” O’Grady (first appeared in The Diamond Brooch)
49. Short, William: Thomas Jefferson’s secretary
50. Watin, Léopold: 18th century French painter and color merchant
1
Florence, Italy—Sophia
Artist Sophia Orsini’s reproduction of the Mona Lisa had the same enigmatic smile that made the original oil the most famous painting in the world. But was the Mona Lisa special because people believed her to be, or was there some other quality that made her fame inevitable?
As of six years ago, Sophia no longer wondered. There was no other artist in the world who could have rendered a work of art so skillfully and with such controlled majesty as the original Renaissance Man, Leonardo da Vinci. He was a man born with infinite grace, talent, beauty, and intelligence, and the most lovable and generous man Sophia had ever met.
With one exception—Pete Parrino.
Their annulment when she was seventeen left her full of regrets, and even after twenty years she was still berating herself for not fighting for him, and heartbroken because he didn’t fight for her.
Two emotions about the same thing—lost love.
Now, twirling a paintbrush back and forth between finger and thumb, she critically evaluated her painting’s texture and brushwork. Did she get it right this time? While she was mentally comparing her first attempt at recreating a masterpiece with this painting, her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and gave a resigned laugh.
Setting her palette aside, she answered the call. “Pronto.”
“You don’t have time to laugh. You should be finishing my painting,” her client Ivan Bianchi said.
“I am,” she said. “I have a couple more things to do, then I’ll put her aside to dry while I’m on holiday.”
“She can dry at my house as easily as she can dry at the studio.”
“If you want to risk smudging the portrait, come pick her up.”
His heavy sigh came through the phone. “I’m out of town and won’t be back until you return.”
“Two weeks from tomorrow, Ivan. I’ll be here, tanned and rested. But even then, the painting won’t be completely dry.”
“I’ll be careful. Ciao a presto.”
She laughed again and hung up.
This was the fourth painting Ivan had commissioned. Their business relationship got off to a rocky start because he couldn’t keep his hands to himself, but he finally got the message she didn’t mix business with pleasure, and he wanted the painting more than he wanted Sophia. After that he kept his hands in his pockets and only pulled them out to pay her. And he paid well.
The techniques she learned from Leonardo, and the other Old Masters, improved the quality of her paintings to such an extent that her work routinely sold in the six-figure range. This painting was no exception. Combining her talent with a strong business model, she reached thriving artist status four years ago and was now at full sustainability.
Ivan’s commission had come at an opportune time, and the down payment was financing her upcoming holiday. Her annual adventures weren’t cheap. Not only did they require months of planning and extensive research, but also a significant cash outlay. While she’d budgeted for the trip, the fabrics and embellishments for her dress were more expensive than other period-correct ensembles she made in the past. And the wholesaler where she previously bought her gemstones and pearls was out of business, forcing her to pay full price for white South Sea pearls. The plan was to sell the pearls to pay her living expenses in Paris. The diamonds were for emergencies.
There was one last thing she needed to do with her Mona Lisa before leaving it on the easel to dry in her climate-controlled studio.
She tipped the brush in the black paint on her palette and signed her John Hancock—S.F. Orsini—at the bottom right-hand corner. Once she was finished with a painting, she always signed it. It was her way of saying, “This piece is complete, don’t rework it.”
And this one was complete, finally.
On the back of the portrait, she added the date, location, and Ivan’s name on the bottom left-hand corner.
The timer beeped, and she glanced at the clock on the wall. It was five o’clock. She went to lock the studio’s front door and lower the automatic security gate, but before she could turn the lock, she was startled by the appearance of two of her pre-teen art students, sisters Emma and Greta Russo.
“What a wonderful surprise,” Sophia said. “What brings you two out on a hot Friday afternoon?”
The giddy girls bounced on the balls of their feet. Even in class, keeping them still was a challenge. “Miss Sophia, we couldn’t let you leave town without bringing you a bag of ciambelle,” Emma said.
“We thought you’d want some snacks while you’re traveling,” Greta said.
Sophia gave both girls a big hug. �
�I love your nonna’s ciambelle. What a treat.” She peeked inside the bag. “Yum. I might eat them all tonight.”
“You have to save them for the train…or plane,” Greta said, obviously fishing for information.
“Or maybe you’re driving,” Emma added.
Sophia put her finger to her lips. “I never give any hints about my holiday.” Nobody would believe her anyway.
They giggled. “We know. We were just hoping something would slip out.”
Emma craned her neck to see inside the studio. “Did you finish her? Can we see?”
“Yes, I finished. And yes, you can see.” Sophia stood aside, holding the door, and let the budding artists in to view what she had created.
Emma and Greta stood in front of the painting, mouths agape. “She’s exquisite,” Emma said.
“Will we ever be able to paint like this?” Greta asked.
Sophia sat on her stool. The girls wouldn’t dare touch the painting, but Sophia was overprotective, and until she released the portrait to Ivan, she would continue to be. “If you practice, practice—”
“And practice,” Emma said. “We’re going to sketch every day while you’re gone.”
“When I get back, you’ll have to come over and show me your work so I don’t have to wait until class starts in September. Now give me a hug. I’ve got a ton of stuff to do before I leave.”
They hugged her, and she ushered them to the door. “Have fun, Miss Sophia, and don’t eat the ciambelle until you’re on your holiday,” Emma said.
Sophia waved goodbye. Five seconds later, the girls were distracted by their phones. Which was why Sophia required all electronic devices to be turned off during class. But she had the best students. They were talented and creative, and she loved them all. Of course she loved kids, whether they were her students or not.
When Emma and Greta disappeared around the corner, Sophia checked the sidewalk in both directions to make sure no one else was coming to surprise her. The coast was clear. She locked the door, flipped the BUSINESS OPEN sign to CLOSED, and lowered the automatic security gate. When she heard the lock click, she sashayed into the back room to turn on the alarm, dropping a few bars.