The Stolen Queen

Charlotte meets with the director of the museum in hopes of finding out who lent the necklace to the Met. Charlotte explains that she was present when the necklace was found and that it was intended to go to the Egyptian Museum. She suspects that the necklace was stolen. The director insists that, to protect donor privacy, Charlotte cannot have any information or access to records about the necklace. Charlotte is particularly anxious because the necklace being displayed at the Met Gala makes it vulnerable to theft. Charlotte decides to consult a private detective who specializes in stolen art.

A few months after Charlotte gives birth in 1937, she, Henry, and the baby go to stay in Luxor so that Henry can work directly on archaeological digs. In November 1937, the Polish team abruptly decides to leave Egypt due to concerns about Hitler’s invasion of Poland. Charlotte is shocked when Henry announces that they are also going to leave for New York: He wants to sail from Luxor to Cairo that very night and then continue to New York. Charlotte is confused and worried but agrees to the plan, believing that “maybe, by the time they arrive[], she’[ll] have gotten to the bottom of whatever [i]s going on with Henry” (116).

On board a ship sailing on the Nile, a violent storm breaks out. The ship collides with something and begins to take on water. As they prepare to evacuate, Henry fixates on a single piece of luggage, which he claims belongs to Leon (another archaeologist who worked with their team and was present when the tomb was opened). When it breaks open, Charlotte sees that it contains artifacts, including the gold collar necklace. She is confused because this necklace was supposed to remain in Egypt; Henry shoves it into his pocket without explaining. Moments later, as the ship breaks apart, Charlotte is swept overboard and loses sight of both Henry and their baby.

Annie meets and chats with a Met security guard named Billy. Later, Diana Vreeland summons Annie to her apartment. Diana gives Annie many tasks, including instructions for “butterflies. Hundreds of them” to be present for a special VIP tour of the exhibition (131). Annie arranges for a box of live butterflies to be delivered; she is excited to attend the gala, and she has also secured a ticket for her mother.

Charlotte goes to meet with a private detective named Tenny Woods. She explains that she suspects the collar necklace is stolen and wants to determine who lent it to the Met. Charlotte shares that the necklace is listed in the catalog of the Egyptian Museum, but she thinks this entry was forged and that the necklace never made it there. She also admits that the last time she saw the necklace, it was in Henry’s pocket: He was presumed to have drowned after the shipwreck, and since his body was never recovered, she believed that the necklace had been lost. Charlotte is desperate to know how the necklace came to be in New York because it may shed light on the fate of her husband and daughter; she also wonders if Leon Pitcairn (the other archaeologist) is somehow involved.

A few days later, as Charlotte is preparing for the Met Gala, she receives a call from Tenny. He explains that he can’t uncover the identity of the necklace’s owner but that a married couple owns it. However, Tenny has other information: In November 1937 (when Henry abruptly told Charlotte that they needed to leave Egypt), an arrest warrant went out for Henry and Leon. Henry vanished in the shipwreck, but Leon was subsequently arrested and spent time in prison in Egypt. Released, he now works in Egypt as a guide. Charlotte is astonished that Leon survived the shipwreck and is determined to find out more, especially since this could shed light on the fate of Henry and Layla.

After the shipwreck, Charlotte returns to New York, where her parents encourage her to act as if her husband and daughter never existed. Her parents do not want her to continue with her career, but Charlotte accepts an offer to work at the Met. She continues to advance in her studies and her career. Although Charlotte is initially hesitant to engage in romantic relationships, she eventually becomes engaged to a man named Everett. Her parents are very happy about this relationship, and Charlotte’s mother cautions her not to tell Everett about her past: “Consider [the deaths] the same as having a marriage annulled, like the Catholics do. Poof, never happened” (152). Charlotte tells Everett about her first marriage, and shortly thereafter, he breaks off their engagement.

Charlotte decides to live a quiet life, focusing on her career. Her father dies, and before her mother dies, she makes a cryptic comment about a regret: Someone seems to have come looking for Charlotte. Charlotte doesn’t understand what her mother means.

On the evening of the Met Gala, everything initially seems to go well. However, when Annie releases what she believes to be a box of live butterflies, she unleashes a hoard of moths. The moths not only are unattractive but also have the potential to destroy the precious and fragile items of clothing on display. The mistake horrifies Annie, but she doesn’t understand how she ended up with a box of moths.

On the night of the gala, Charlotte slips into her office and finds a threatening note. She realizes that someone has stolen the file containing all her research into Hathorkare. Charlotte hears screams from the exhibition room (where the moths have been released). As she hurries to see what has happened, Charlotte notices that the case that usually holds the Cerulean Queen statue (a priceless ancient Egyptian artifact) is empty. She catches sight of a man behaving suspiciously nearby, and when he takes off running, she chases him.

Charlotte pursues the strange man into the exhibition room, which has erupted into chaos due to the hoard of moths. Charlotte realizes that “this moth debacle made the perfect distraction for a thief” and quickly confirms that the gold collar necklace is stolen (172). Then, she alerts the guards that the Cerulean Queen has been stolen and urges them to look for the thief.

Annie and Charlotte pursue the thief into the basement storage area; Annie explains that she doesn’t understand how she ended up with a box of moths rather than butterflies. They abruptly run into the sinister man whom Charlotte believes has taken the statue; he knocks Charlotte over and lunges at Annie. She can defend herself by seizing an antique dagger from the artifact storage, but the thief escapes. Later, Annie and Charlotte meet with the Met security team and explain their theory that “the moths pulled the guards away from the gallery with the statue so the thief could steal it” (179).

Diana Vreeland rebukes Annie for her mistake, explaining that she never meant literal butterflies, just some sort of lighting effect that would mimic butterflies. Security investigates and finds that someone called the Museum of Natural History earlier that day, identified themselves as Annie Jenkins, and requested moths instead of butterflies. Annie is frightened that people will think she played a role in the theft, and the encounter with the sinister thief has shaken her.

Charlotte explains to security that Annie acted bravely and likely saved both of their lives. Based on Annie’s description of the thief, they surmised that the man was Egyptian. Charlotte increasingly feels that “it was all connected: the missing file, the missing statue, and the broad collar—she was sure of it” (184). When Mark arrives a short time later, Charlotte explains that she thinks the thief took her research file before also taking the statue. Overwhelmed and emotional, Charlotte finally reveals her past to Mark, explaining that she had a husband and daughter in Egypt. She reveals that the reappearance of the collar necklace and the news that Leon survived the shipwreck have left her questioning whether Henry could have also survived.