Beneath the Estate, page 30
“Hello. May I help you?” a pleasant voice asked. He turned and saw a middle-aged woman with short, wavy blond hair smile in his direction as she stocked a shelf of sweatshirts.
“I was hoping you might have a woman’s rain jacket.”
“We do! Here,” she said as she set the sweatshirts down and walked over to a rack of vinyl sunshine yellow raincoats.
“What size might you be looking for?”
“I don’t know. Uh … she’s this tall and thin,” he said while holding out his hand to show Penny’s height.
“Okay. I think this one will do,” the shop attendant said as she took one off the rack and held it out. On the front of the raincoat, on the upper left, was a navy-blue Biltmore logo.
“Oh. That’s great!”
Outside, the catering van pulled up underneath the portico, and Penny exited wearing her white chef’s coat and black pants. Holding a to-go bag, she hurried toward the entrance and found Daniel walking toward her. He had his leather backpack on his shoulder and a black paper shopping bag in his right hand. Her face had small raindrops speckled about, and her hair was wet.
“So glad I get to see you before you go!” she said, handing him the to-go bag.
“You brought me food?”
“It’s how we first met,” she said with a smile. Daniel smiled back.
“It is! That’s very sweet of you,” he replied as he looked in the bag.
“Call me when you get home so I know you made it okay,” said Penny.
“I will.”
“So, we are officially courting?” she asked.
“We are,” he smiled. Daniel opened the door to the Lincoln and set his bags inside while holding on to the black shopping bag. He removed the yellow raincoat and held it out toward her. “I got you this. Early Christmas present,” he said, holding it in such a way that implied that he would help her into it. She turned and placed her arms inside the sleeves, smiling the whole time.
“This is so nice of you,” she said as she displayed her new yellow raincoat by taking a step back and looking down. He reached up and flipped the vinyl hood over her head. “I feel like not a moment has passed that you haven’t taken care of me,” she said, the raindrops on her face mixed with her tears.
“It will always feel that way.”
They embraced and kissed before he got into the Lincoln.
“Give Pepper a hug from me.”
“I will. We’ll FaceTime you tonight,” he added. Just as the Lincoln pulled off from underneath the portico, she walked behind it while waving. Standing in the rain while wearing her yellow raincoat, she smiled as the car left her sight.
When Daniel got home, he was greeted by Pepper at the door. Licks and jumps and ears that flopped.
“Pepper! Did you miss me? I missed you so much! Pepper! Yes! Yes! I am so glad to see you! I missed you! I did. Yes, I did!” he said while giving her pets and scratches.
He turned on the lights throughout the house and looked through the refrigerator, finding nothing but condiments. “Looks like we are ordering out, Pep,” said Daniel as he scratched her head. He walked into his father’s office and sat in the chair while Pepper found her giant pillow and plopped down on the pillowy surface. Before ordering food, Daniel decided to FaceTime Penny like he’d said he would.
Ring. Ring.
The screen showed Penny’s face as she smiled.
“Hello!” said Daniel as he knelt on the floor and lay on his back with his head next to Pepper, using her bed as a pillow.
“Hey! So glad you made it home safely! Hi, Pepper!”
After twenty minutes of speaking with Penny and discussing the next time they would see each other, Daniel walked Pepper to a nearby pizza parlor and took a large pepperoni and sausage pizza home while giving Pepper time to sniff every leaf on the way.
Four slices and a ballgame later, he sank into his bed with Pepper at his side. It was late. She was fast asleep, but he was not. He knew the department-head meeting was tomorrow and, in the end, he might or might not still have a job. While the thoughts rumbled through his head, he resisted the urge to look at the time on his phone.
CHAPTER 69
Present day
Middlebury College
Daniel left his house early in the morning and rode his Trek mountain bike to Alexander Twilight Hall. After securing his bike in a rack, he went inside through the front door. The ancient floors squeaked with every step. After finding the meeting room behind a heavy wooden door, he found a seat at the table where his enemies sat like jury members before a guilty verdict was unleashed: quiet, expressionless. He set his leather backpack down next to his chair and smoothed out his button-up shirt and khaki pants. Not one professor looked Daniel’s way.
Dean Fritz entered, with the president of Middlebury College walking in behind him. Dr. David Rosenfeld, fifty-five, had a very thin frame, as his free time was spent training to run half-marathons. His suit fit close to his body, and his eyeglasses made him look academic as well as presidential.
“Good morning,” Dr. Rosenfeld said. His tall frame took some time to lower into his chair at the head of the table. Daniel always thought he looked more like a medical doctor than an academic one. It always felt like he wanted to quickly know everything about the situation so he could prescribe medicine and leave. “Gentlemen, just so we don’t waste anyone’s time here, I need to know if there is a unanimous vote before Dr. Garrison’s counsel arrives. If there isn’t a unanimous vote, we will adjourn,” he explained. Wait. Did he say counsel? thought Daniel. Dr. Rosenfeld continued. “Shall we just go by a show of hands?” he asked. “Raise them to vote for Dr. Garrison’s removal.” One by one, every department head raised a hand. “Fine. We will proceed,” he said as he turned to Dean Fritz and spoke at a lower volume. “Is Dr. Garrison’s counsel here?”
“I’m sorry,” said Daniel. “My counsel?”
Dr. Rosenfeld looked up from the files that he was reviewing in front of him. “Yes. I am told he’s here. Just a moment,” he said as he leaned over to Fritz and whispered. Daniel, confused as a puppy on a Ferris wheel, watched Fritz stand up, walk to the heavy wooden door, and motion for someone to enter. Daniel watched as Jackson Lang entered the room. He walked over to the head of the table and stood next to President Rosenfeld. What? said Daniel’s inner voice. Jackson had yet to even look at Daniel.
Fritz began: “We will consider the vote by show of hands as reason enough to proceed. Our bylaws state that the President can overturn the vote after a recommendation from the Dean,” he explained.
A professor with thick glasses stood up. “The veto can only be reversed if the vote is detrimental or damaging to the institution, and such evidence of damages must be proven,” he recited aloud as he read from a copy of their bylaws.
“Mr. Lang here is Dr. Garrison’s counsel and brings such evidence,” explained Dr. Rosenfeld.
“This is not a court of law. Why do we involve attorneys in this matter?” the eldest professor said.
“He is only serving as counsel in this matter. Proceed, Mr. Lang,” Dr. Rosenfeld said as he sat back in his chair. Jackson, full of confidence, stood next to the president with his hands in his pockets. His Breitling Navitimer watch could be seen peeking out beneath the cuff of his dress shirt.
“A week ago, Castle Rock Press contacted the Biltmore Estate and inquired about publishing an account of the machine that was found in the basement of the estate. The book will feature photographs of the machine and excerpts from the journal originally written by the man who invented it. The estate intends on having Dr. Garrison write this book from his own point of view,” he said, gesturing toward Daniel. “Everyone here needs to know that part of his agreement will include a media tour with a stop on Good Morning America and other highly rated TV shows. The dollar amount in exposure will be very significant for both the Biltmore Estate and Middlebury College. We will also reserve a place on the book’s back cover that announces his title and position here at Middlebury. Obviously, that all goes away if he is forced to resign his position,” he stated and took a step back from the table.
“Thank you, Mr. Lang,” said President Rosenfeld as he set his pen down on top of his files.
Dean Fritz shifted in his seat as he spoke up. “Seems like I have a very good reason to request a vote reversal, as missing out on national exposure would be detrimental.”
“A marketing opportunity hardly qualifies as detrimental or damaging under the definition of our bylaws,” a professor said.
“Dr. Garrison,” said Dr. Rosenfeld as he looked up at him. Daniel looked right at Jackson for a second before looking at Dr. Rosenfeld. “How long do you wish to teach here at Middlebury?”
“How long? I guess I always felt that I would retire here.”
“Do you intend to write more books and possibly achieve the same level of notoriety as your father?”
“Yes.”
“I tend to agree that you have not earned your place here in a traditional sense. I also feel that increasing our level of exposure through media is not a reason to overturn a vote. However, Mr. Lang has made a great point. If I have to explain to our board why we removed a professor who has an excellent teaching track record and is on national television representing another university and is almost perfectly following in his father’s footsteps, who I have to say was one of the most notable and respected professors in our academic history, well, I don’t think I can explain that. The thought of standing in front of the board and telling them something that foolish is both damaging and detrimental, as far as I am concerned, so I overturn the vote,” he said, closing the file in front of him, causing the professors to grumble and scoff at the announcement. Jackson immediately walked over to where Daniel was seated on the other side of the table and removed something from his perfectly tailored jacket pocket. He leaned over the table, temporarily inconveniencing two professors as he reached across the table, setting the other two journals in front of Daniel.
“You’ll need these. Kay will contact you. You’re welcome,” he said as he righted himself and left the room. Bewildered and disoriented, Daniel put his hand on the journals, unable to speak.
CHAPTER 70
Six months later
Middlebury College
Ever since Daniel had come home, he and Penny had been talking on the phone when they weren’t together. Their weekends were often spent traveling to Asheville or to Middlebury to see each other in what Daniel still called their “courtship.” While he never revealed to her why he used the term, she considered it gentlemanly and came to adore it.
On a rare weekend when Penny had three days off, she immediately took off for Daniel’s house. They spent Friday night eating pizza and watching a movie on the couch with Pepper, and on Saturday, Daniel spent the entire morning working on the book. Shopping and a visit to the UVM Morgan Horse Farm took up most of their afternoon and evening that day, with Sunday being a lazy day as a drizzle covered the area.
Just after lunch on that rainy Sunday, Penny took Pepper for a walk around campus while wearing her Biltmore sunshine-yellow raincoat, giving Pepper a chance to chase squirrels and sniff the ground for chipmunks. Sitting in his father’s office, Daniel carefully packaged two of the three journals and addressed them to Emma Rossi. In his letter, he promised to return the journal that contained Antonio’s design of the machine at a later date. Setting the package aside, he continued his work on the book in his father’s office; and, from the window next to him, he saw Penny holding a stick and running through the yard with Pepper chasing her. She laughed as she dodged Pepper’s lunges before finally giving in and throwing the stick.
About an hour later, after she had dried off Pepper with an old towel, she brought Daniel a sandwich with chips on a ceramic plate, along with an iced tea.
He had been reading Antonio’s journal on that particular rainy, gray afternoon; and, after eating lunch, he had decided to sit out on the covered back porch. While the drizzle from the sky turned into a light rain, he stepped out from the sliding glass door in his father’s office and sat on a cushioned patio couch. His thumb was marking the page he intended to read, and the sound of the gentle patter of raindrops provided the soundtrack as he read:
I often think of Mr. Vanderbilt back in the States. While I am working a new job in Milan, my thoughts will drift without warning to the Biltmore and how beautiful it is to me. I miss the Winter Garden, the aroma of the fresh flowers that were potted and placed with care, the smell of furniture polish in the Billiard Room and the library. Oh, how I miss the library and finding Mr. Vanderbilt asleep like an old dog in front of the fireplace. I miss working underground and allowing myself to be consumed by my work, only to have Ann Phillips visit me with food and her smiling face.
The other day, I went to the Piazza del Duomo and found the alleyway with the warm orange-yellow light of the paper lanterns above. While walking on the cobblestone path, I found where I’d had my presentation booth at the World Expo, where Mr. Vanderbilt had approached me and asked about my invention. I keep thinking how I wouldn’t have ever met Ann Phillips if it hadn’t been for Mr. Vanderbilt’s ability to bring something to life that was only meant to exist on paper. To make it a reality. For me, my life began the moment Mr. Vanderbilt approached me that night, and I will ever be so grateful to him. As I write this, I can see Ann Phillips across the room from me, sitting on the windowsill, reading a book. That windowsill is where my heart is.
Daniel closed the journal and turned his head to look through the window and into the living room. The TV was on, and Penny and Pepper were both lying asleep on the couch.
THE END
BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS
Prior to its revelation, what did you think the machine was before its reveal?
Where do you think Penny Bradlee would have ended up if she hadn’t been assigned the task of bringing Daniel his meals?
What are your favorite moments between George and Edith Vanderbilt?
Why do you think Jackson ended up helping Daniel?
What did you think of the chapter centered around the Harvest Festival?
In a notable chapter, the author highlights a moment when Penny briefly leaves Daniel’s side during the forestry ball to express gratitude to Chef Colson in the kitchen. What did you take away from that moment?
Why do you believe the narrative draws a parallel between the characters of Antonio and Daniel?
Do you feel that this novel has the potential to be made into a movie or TV miniseries? If so, who do you imagine playing each character?
Which part of this novel is the most memorable for you?
What do you think happens to the characters after the novel concludes?
AUTHOR Q & A
When did you first get the idea for Machine in the Biltmore?
I was driving through the Blue Ridge mountains by myself in the middle of the night when I saw many signs that advertised The Biltmore. I turned off the music I was listening to and became lost in my own thoughts about my previous visits to the estate. I then began to form an idea about something being found behind a hidden wall. In the basement perhaps? I then found myself driving along the interstate without any streetlights and only my headlights and the moon above led the way. The moon. This is where the idea for this novel began.
What was your favorite part about writing this story? What was the most challenging?
I love Daniel and Penny. Especially Penny. I identify with her challenges and having nowhere to turn. She is a very strong character—and we get to see a strong character near their breaking point…and then Daniel comes along. This is my favorite part. The most challenging was writing the complexity of the machine and have it make sense to the reader. Instead of describing the machine, it was more about dropping very subtle clues.
Why did you decide to write the story as a dual timeline?
I love reading books and I especially enjoy stories that have two separate timelines and seeing how they come together at the end. Also, without the 1906 timeline, we wouldn’t get to see Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt or Anthony and Ann Phillips and how they all interacted with each other. I love all of my characters.
Some of the characters throughout your book are real or inspired by real historical figures. Can you walk us through which of your characters are real people and which you invented?
The real characters are only present in the chapters that take place in 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt, Mrs. King, and W. A. Thompson are real. The rest are either invented characters or an amalgam of several characters combined into one. The personality of George Vanderbilt was derived from the imagination required for one to create a wonder such as the Biltmore, its stables, the gardens, and Buck Spring Lodge.
Do you have a favorite secondary character in this book?
Mr. Collins. He isn’t just an employee of Mr. Vanderbilt, he’s also a friend. I love it so much that he “tightens up” whenever someone enters the room after he and George had been chatting away. There are two sides to him, Mr. Collins the consummate professional and the dear friend of Mr. Vanderbilt.
How long do you research your storylines and characters?
It takes me three to five years. When I finally sit down to write, it will take between twelve and eighteen months to get a final draft. While this might sound daunting to some, I enjoy every minute of it.
Have you ever used an incident from current events and developed it into a story?
I haven’t used current events for anything. At least not yet. I live and breathe books and movies. Especially movies. All I am doing when writing a novel is writing a book or movie I would like to read or watch.
What was the best part of writing The Machine in the Biltmore?
For me, it is two chapters that involve Penny. The first one is where she goes to the salon and gets made up (accidentally) into Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The second is when she goes into the kitchen and says thank you to Chef Colson during the ball—oh, and the end of the book. I love that last line.
