The Secret of the Scarlet Stone (A Gabby Girls Adventure Novel, Book One) Read online

  Gabrielle gave her a puzzled stare. “Huh? Gift? Oh, Grandma Celeste, stop kidding me.”

  “Ah, but it’s true,” her grandmother responded mysteriously.

  Gabrielle’s face scrunched with puzzlement. “But I don’t under—,” she blurted out.

  The old woman placed a finger across Gabrielle’s lips to silence her. “For now, no more questions on that subject. It’s your job to figure it out. Now, run along. Mrs. Downey has made your favorite breakfast and she’ll be spitting mad if you let it get cold.”

  Gabrielle gave her a long stare. “But I still don’t understand.”

  Grandma Celeste smiled knowingly, gently shoving her toward the dining room.

  Gabrielle huffed with frustration, ultimately shrugging her shoulders in defeat as she ran into the dining room.

  Once in, she skipped over to the huge oval oak table, scraping the heavy oak chair loudly against the wood floor as she hurriedly pulled it out. Plopping down into the chair, she smacked her lips hungrily as she looked at the steaming plate in front of her. On the plate was a pancake with a smiley face made from strawberries and whipped cream, with raisins as eyes.

  “Yummy…I’m absolutely loving it,” Gabrielle exclaimed happily. She grabbed her fork and dug eagerly into the pancake, chomping loudly.

  Minutes later, she popped the last delicious morsel into her mouth. Yanking the crisp, white napkin from her lap, she wiped her lips.

  Mrs. Downey, a pleasantly plump, dark-eyed woman, hurried through the open door of the dining room. She smiled warmly as she gestured towards Gabrielle’s now-empty plate.

  “So, Miss Gabi, I can see from your clean plate that you enjoyed your breakfast,” Mrs. Downey chirped happily.

  “Yes, thank you, Mrs. Downey. You’re absolutely the best,” Gabrielle exclaimed. “I’m sure going to miss eating your pancakes.”

  The woman walked over, fondly fluffing Gabrielle’s ponytails. “Excuse me, young lady. Is that all you’re going to miss around here?” she asked with mock anger.

  Gabrielle giggled loudly. “Well, of course I’m going to miss you, too.”

  Mrs. Downey placed her hands on her ample hips, scrunching her face mischievously. “Well, that’s better. Now, run along…as usual I have to clean up the mess that you’ve made.”

  The heavy chair scraped loudly as Gabrielle pushed back and jumped up. She wistfully looked over at Mrs. Downey. “I’m really going to miss you, Mrs. Downey,” she said sadly as she wrapped her arms around the woman’s ample waist.

  Mrs. Downey’s dark eyes misted over with tears. She sniffed sadly as she reached down and hugged Gabrielle tightly. “I’m going to miss you, too, Miss Gabi.” Then she hurriedly unwrapped her arms and gently tugged at the lollipops stuck in Gabrielle’s ponytails. “Now, run along, Miss Gabi. You have a very long journey ahead of you.”

  Gabrielle smiled up at her and skipped out of the dining room. She walked down the hallway and quietly pushed open the heavy oak door that led to the den.

  Quietly, she walked over to the large black piano nestled in the corner, smiling as she looked lovingly at the framed photos that lined it. Adoringly, she touched each photo one by one, finally picking up the one of Grandma Celeste.

  Gabrielle’s lips curled into a large smile as she looked at the well-worn photo of Grandma Celeste as a young ballerina. She just loved the way her thick, long black hair and sky-blue skirt billowed around her body gracefully as she spun around in a tight circle. Gabrielle gently placed the picture down and lightly ran her fingers over the photo of her mother as a young girl.

  Her mother’s hazel-colored eyes sparkled brightly as she defiantly stuck out her tongue at the camera, all while her honey-toned arms playfully hugged the four other girls in the photo.

  Gabrielle quickly spun around when she heard the familiar clicking of Grandma Celeste’s cane hitting the floor. Grandma Celeste’s eyes twinkled as she walked over to Gabrielle and glanced knowingly at the photo she had clutched in her hand.

  “Look at her. You two look so much alike, it’s like you’re twins,” Grandma Celeste boasted proudly as she pinched Gabrielle’s cheek. “But she was also a handful, just like you, even down to that rebellious, stubborn attitude.”

  Gabrielle smiled proudly. “My mother was not rebellious; she was just a girl with a vision that absolutely didn’t include being a follower.”

  Grandma Celeste chuckled. “Yeah, yeah, yeah…call it what you want, but I know what two smart-alecks with an attitude look like,” she stated matter-of-factly.

  Suddenly, she stared into space, her thoughts seeming far away. “But one day, things changed and she had to grow up very quickly…and, someday, so will you.”

  “But I’m already grown-up, Grandma Celeste,” Gabrielle declared as she gently placed the photo back onto the piano and walked over to the large cushy couch, plopping down with a happy sigh. She pulled out a lollipop from her pocket and eagerly tore off the wrapper.

  Grandma Celeste smiled as she watched Gabrielle sloppily licking the lollipop. “Really? So, I’ve got a grown woman on my hands?” she asked jokingly. Her cane clicked softly as she walked over to the couch. Reaching into the pocket of her jacket, she pulled out a beautiful gold and enamel box, slowly handing it over to Gabrielle.

  “This is for you.”

  Fiona strolled into the room, jumped onto the couch, and meowed delightfully.

  Gabrielle smiled widely. “A gift for me? Thanks, Grandma,” she screamed happily as she grabbed the small box and hurriedly opened it.

  Her eyes widened with surprise as she stared dumbstruck at the large pendant attached to a gold necklace that was carefully nestled inside. Mesmerized, she ran her finger across the sparkling, bright, blood-red stones set in the pendant. Out of nowhere, a sharp shock tickled the tip of her finger and she quickly pulled it away.

  Grandma Celeste’s soft brown eyes twinkled mysteriously as she touched Gabrielle’s hair. “Is something wrong, Gabi?”

  “Uh, no, it’s just so beautiful,” Gabrielle replied nervously.

  Cautiously, she pulled the necklace from the box, watching as it swayed back and forth from her fingers. Suddenly her face lit up with excitement as she pointed to the sparkling scarlet-colored pendant that hung around Grandma Celeste’s neck.

  “This pendant looks a lot like yours. What do you call these stones, anyway?”

  Grandma Celeste smiled. “The stones are genuine rubies; in fact, the pendant that I gave you once belonged to your mother,” she said proudly. “I gave it to her when she was about your age and now it’s all yours.” She gently took the necklace from Gabrielle’s fingers, unhooked it, and placed it lovingly around Gabrielle’s neck.

  With fascination, Gabrielle looked down, examining the strange scarlet pendant that lay against her chest. Her eyes narrowed to look at the intricate design of the gold circle encrusted with five rubies: a huge ruby in the center and four smaller ones encircling it.

  “Uh, Grandma Celeste, there’s something awfully weird about this pendant. I mean, what are these strange symbols under the rubies?”

  Grandma Celeste smiled mysteriously. “Be patient, Gabi. It will all reveal itself in time. But in the meantime, I want you to promise me one thing.”

  Gabrielle looked at her eagerly. “Anything.”

  Grandma Celeste softly touched her granddaughter’s face. “Just promise me that you will never, ever take off your pendant.”

  Gabrielle gave her a puzzled look. “But why can’t I take it off?”

  “Because someday it just might be a guiding light in your darkest moment.”

  Gabrielle hugged her tightly. “As usual, I don’t really understand what that means, but I do promise you that I won’t ever take it off. I will treasure it forever.”

  “That’s my Gabi,” Grandma Celeste chirped happily as she touched Gabrielle’s hair. “Okay, now run along. We don’t want to be late. And make sure that Richard has put your luggage in the car.”

/>   Hours later, Gabrielle sat nervously in the backseat of a black car. She smiled sadly as she looked at the large oak tree that she spent many summers climbing.

  Grandma Celeste looked over at her. “Okay, so are you ready now?”

  “Yes, Grandma, I’m ready now,” she replied half-heartedly.

  Grandma Celeste nodded firmly at the driver. “Let’s go, Richard,” she ordered softly.

  Richard tipped his black driver’s cap, started up the car, and slowly pulled off.

  Gabrielle quickly scrambled to her knees, looking longingly through the back window at Fiona the Beautiful, who stood perched on the window’s ledge. Her eyes stayed glued on the cat until she could no longer see the twinkle in Fiona’s green eyes.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Welcome to Vineswell Academy

  Richard slowly pulled up to the closed, towering, wrought-iron gates, when a stern-looking man in a stiff, dark blue uniform hustled out of a tiny guard booth with a clipboard grasped in his chubby hand.

  He looked over at Richard impatiently. “Name, please?” he asked gruffly.

  Richard tipped his black cap politely. “Miss Gabrielle Martin,” he responded with a thick British accent.

  The guard leafed through the papers attached to his clipboard; he looked up quickly. “Go ahead, they’re expecting you. Just take this road straight out to the main building.” He politely stepped back into the guard’s booth and the gates slowly creaked open.

  Richard drove through the gates and down the long, windy road lined with huge, gnarled trees.

  Sitting silently, Gabrielle peered warily past the trees and into the thick wooded area. A cold chill swept through her body, causing her to shiver slightly.

  Grandma Celeste patted Gabrielle’s knee. “Is everything all right, Gabi? You look a tad bit nervous.”

  Gabrielle smiled shakily, never taking her gaze away from the thick wooded area. “Uh, I’m fine, Grandma Celeste.” But she could not shake the feeling of utter uneasiness.

  Grandma Celeste gave her a dubious glance but decided not to press her further.

  At the end of the long road, Richard slowly drove up a curved driveway and stopped in front of a huge, ivy-covered brick building.

  Gabi noticed the large, ominous-looking gold sign that hung prominently on the building:

  Vineswell Academy

  Richard jumped out of the car and respectfully opened the door for Grandma Celeste.

  She slowly stepped out and looked over her shoulder at Gabrielle. “Come on, Gabi. It’s time to get out of the car now,” she demanded firmly.

  “I’m coming,” Gabrielle responded as she scurried out of the car.

  A thin woman with milky-colored skin, cold, piercing green eyes, and brittle jet-black hair that was pulled tightly back into a bun stood on the steps. She stared at Gabrielle, her eyes narrowing as she silently looked at her from head to toe; her thin lips curled with obvious disapproval.

  Then the woman looked over at Grandma Celeste. “Nice to see you again, Celeste.” Her voice cracked slightly, but she cleared it impatiently.

  Grandma Celeste looked at her coldly then nodded her acknowledgment. But there was something in Grandma Celeste’s stare that Gabrielle had never seen from her before. It was cold; it was deadly; in fact, it was darn-right…frightening. For anyone who knows my Grandma Celeste, ‘deadly’ and ‘frightening’ are two words that no one in their right minds would ever associate with her kind and loving personality, Gabrielle thought. But before she could figure out what in the world was going on between them, Grandma Celeste’s eyes went completely blank of any emotion.

  The thin woman cleared her throat noisily then looked over at Gabrielle. “Good morning. My name is Ms. Vineswell, the head of Vineswell Academy,” she said in a nasal voice.

  Gabrielle boldly examined Ms. Vineswell. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something about her that she instantly didn’t like, not one bit.

  Grandma Celeste cleared her throat loudly as they waited for Gabrielle to say something—anything—but she stayed coldly silent.

  Ms. Vineswell’s green eyes instantly turned frosty. “Well, then, let’s get you situated,” she declared irritably as she sharply turned on the thick heels of her black shoes, swiftly stepping into the building.

  Gabrielle reluctantly followed, her steps slowing when she realized that Grandma Celeste had not moved.

  Grandma Celeste smiled softly. “I’m not coming in with you, Gabi. It’s time for you to find your own way now.”

  Gabrielle’s hazel eyes pleaded softly. “But Grandma…”

  “No complaining, young lady. Just get in there,” she demanded. “But before you go, give me a big hug.” She leaned heavily on her cane as she waited for Gabrielle to approach her.

  Gabrielle hugged her tightly like she never wanted to let her go.

  Grandma Celeste patted her on the back. “All right, it’s time to go inside now.”

  Gabrielle quickly blinked back the fast-approaching tears. “Grandma, when will I see you again?”

  Grandma Celeste leaned down, whispering in her ear, “Oh, Gabi, don’t you worry. This is not the end; it’s only the beginning. Now get inside, young lady.”

  “I heart you, Grandma Celeste,” Gabrielle mumbled.

  “I love you, too, Gabi,” she responded softly.

  Gabrielle reluctantly unwrapped her arms from around Grandma Celeste’s body and hesitantly walked towards Ms. Vineswell, who was impatiently standing in the doorway, tapping her feet. As Gabrielle stepped through the doorway, Ms. Vineswell firmly shut the heavy, dark wood door with a very loud thud.

  “Follow me,” Ms. Vineswell demanded briskly.

  She quickly turned on her heels and strode away; with every step, her black skirt swished back and forth stiffly.

  Gabrielle huffed and puffed, barely able to keep up with Ms. Vineswell as she walked through the horseshoe-shaped hallway.

  Ms. Vineswell stopped abruptly, spinning around with an impatient look on her face. “Keep up, Miss Martin. Stop dawdling,” she demanded. She angrily turned on her heels and continued walking.

  Tired and annoyed, Gabrielle stuck out her tongue at Ms. Vineswell’s departing back.

  Ms. Vineswell suddenly screeched to a stop and turned around.

  Gabrielle quickly pulled her tongue back into her mouth and pasted a far-from-innocent look on her face.

  “Miss Martin, I know that you are used to doing exactly what you want, when you want, but here at Vineswell Academy, I run a very tight ship,” Ms. Vineswell declared. “I assure you that rude behavior will never be tolerated.” Then she walked away.

  Gabrielle looked at her departing back with stunned disbelief. How in the world did Ms. Vineswell know that she was sticking out her tongue? She shook her head again and scurried to keep up with her.

  Ms. Vineswell abruptly stopped in front of a heavy door with a large gold plate nailed smack-dab in the middle that clearly stated:

  Headmistress

  Ms. Vineswell

  She impatiently pushed open the door, allowing them to step into the huge office. Swiftly, she strode around the huge oak desk and sat down in the huge leather chair that was tucked behind it.

  She glared at Gabrielle. “Have a seat.”

  Gabrielle threw herself into the leather chair in front of the desk and defensively crossed her arms in front of her chest.

  Ms. Vineswell placed her black horn-rimmed glasses onto her thin, pale face. She picked up a neat stack of papers from her desk and slowly started to leaf through them.

  Gabrielle glanced curiously around the office as she reached up and pulled a lollipop out of her ponytail. She quickly unwrapped it and popped it into her mouth.

  Every few seconds, Ms. Vineswell would glance up from reading, looking over at Gabrielle as she shook her head disapprovingly. When she was finished reading, she stacked the papers neatly onto her desk.

  Over the black rims of her glasses, Ms. Vinesw
ell glared coldly at Gabrielle. “Well, well, well, what a checkered past you have, young lady. So, let’s start by getting a few things straight, shall we?”

  She took off her glasses, placing them carefully onto the desk. “Vineswell Academy is a top-rated and highly respected institution, and I intend to keep it that way.”

  Gabrielle rolled her eyes skyward. “Whatever,” she muttered under her breath.

  Ms. Vineswell slammed her thin hands onto the desk, angrily leaning forward. “Martha Vineswell, the academy’s founder, strongly believed that a highly structured environment breeds a highly structured and disciplined young lady, but from what I just read in your school records, you are neither structured nor disciplined.”

  Gabrielle smirked rudely.

  Ms. Vineswell sniffed snootily. “Given that little tidbit, under normal circumstances you would have never been accepted into Vineswell Academy.” Smiling spitefully, displaying her stained teeth, she said, “But I made a special exception to the rule and granted you admission based on the fact that your grandmother is a highly respected woman with highly respected friends…but more importantly, she is a Vineswell Academy graduate.”

  Gabrielle glared at Ms. Vineswell, her lips loudly licking and smacking the lollipop as it rolled around in her mouth.

  Ms. Vineswell’s cold green eyes flashed angrily as she pointed to the trashcan with a boney finger. “How dare you disrespect me in my office? Throw out that lollipop right now, young lady!”

  Gabrielle rebelliously took one more lick before grudgingly tossing it into the trashcan.

  “I assure you that none of your rude behavior will be tolerated at Vineswell Academy. I will personally see to that,” Ms. Vineswell scoffed. “Do we have an understanding, Miss Martin?”

  Gabrielle gritted her teeth. “Yes, Ms. Vineswell. We have an understanding,” she said with forced politeness.

  Ms. Vineswell looked coldly at Gabrielle as she picked up the glass water pitcher that was tucked in the corner of her desk and slowly poured water into a thin, long glass.

  Gabrielle crossed her arms against her angry, heaving chest. Her eyes narrowed as Ms. Vineswell pressed the glass against her thin lips.