by Rachel Secor
“Now here’s something I can eat.” May-Jewel replied, uncovering a meat pie.
As they ate, the silence penetrated Katherine’s thoughts. “I wonder where Molly is, and why she’s not here cooking.”
“Well, she needn’t cook for me now,” May-Jewel remarked. “I’m no longer hungry.”
As they lingered in the kitchen, the shadows became more pronounced with the setting sun. Katherine added another log to the fire before they left. As they moved down the dim corridor toward the great hall, the hushed air suddenly groaned with the opening of a door somewhere. The rhythm of the manor changed, and the great hall seemed to shudder as if laboring to breathe.
“Did you hear that?” Katherine whispered, the hair rising on her neck and arms.
They froze, listening to footfalls shuffling erratically across the expanse of the darkened hall. Another door opened and closed suddenly. As the heiresses stepped from the archway into the hall, they came to an abrupt halt. A second set of footsteps sounded across the vast antechamber. Moonlight shone in through the upper windows. They stood near its light, straining to see who was moving about.
“In the drawing room,” Katherine whispered as she pointed.
May-Jewel nodded, and the women moved stealthily along the wall. Alerted by another sound in the hall, they quickly slipped behind the partially opened drawing room door. A candle’s pale light bobbed across the hall, moving toward them. As the apparition passed the doorway, its light crept along the floor within inches of Katherine’s feet. Trembling, she grabbed her sister’s hand as she stood behind her. They both held their breath as the night stalker moved past. All was then as before, dim and silent.
“I think they went upstairs,” Katherine whispered. “I’m sure that it wasn’t Selina.”
“Oh, why?”
“The shadow was too tall, and she wouldn’t be so careless as to carry a light with her, nor would she so boldly use the front staircase. Whoever it was come from the direction of the dining room.”
Peeking around the door and making sure no one was about, they tiptoed from the drawing room to the opened dining room door. The dying fire in the hearth cast ominous shadows throughout the room. Fear impaled them just inside the door as their eyes beheld a form seated in the chair at the head of the table.
“Alexander!” May-Jewel’s whisper thundered through the silence as she started forward.
But the form remained still as the women inched closer, and no reply was given. As they moved closer, the sisters could see that it wasn’t Alex who was sitting there.
Then Katherine moved beside the chair.
“Charles!” she scolded. “You scared us witless!”
But when he didn’t answer, May-Jewel took a taper and lit it from the fire in the fireplace. Then she used it to light the candelabrum on the table. Its light spread in a circle over the table and engulfed Charles, who was slumped forward. As the light reached him, May-Jewel grabbed her sister’s arm in mute horror.
Katherine, poised at the outer edge of the light’s glow, reached forward and pulled his slumping form back against the chair. The inhuman sound that erupted from May-Jewel’s throat shattered the manacled silence, and she folded to the floor in a faint.
Katherine stared at the ghastly sight before her. Blood oozed from the servant’s opened eyes, trickled over his puckered cheeks, and seeped into the dry cracks of his mouth. His entire face, especially his mouth, was blistered as if put into a fire. As she stared in horror at him, Katherine tried desperately to extricate her hand from his stiff shoulder, but she was so frightened that her fingers were locked upon the corpse. Suddenly an arm shot out of the darkness to pry her hand loose. With that, she lost consciousness.
Chapter Thirteen
As May-Jewel’s scream shattered the stillness, Garth’s steps rang through the shadowy expanse of the great hall and were joined by the heavy thuds of Brice’s boots as he ran in from the front door. Both men rushed into the dining room. At the same time Alex, his hair mussed and his clothes rumpled, rushed in as well.
The men saw first the slumped body of Charles and then the women on the floor. Garth and Alex revived the sisters and assisted them into the sitting room.
Returning to the dining room, Garth leaned close to Charles’ face and examined the bloated flesh and coagulated black blood that sealed the corner of his lips.
Alex looked at the corpse and shuddered. “What the hell happened to him?”
“I dunna know,” Brice offered. “I were awakened by the noise of the sheep. I thought a riever were in the field an’ I ran out, that’s when I heard the scream.”
“Are you sure it was someone after the sheep in the field and not just someone running away from the manor?” Garth asked.
The stableman stood silent for a moment looking down at Charles. “I canna say. Shall I be takin’ a lantern and searchin’ the grounds?”
“Yes,” Garth replied. He then removed the tablecloth and gently covered the body with it.
As soon as Brice had left, Alex confronted Garth. “Strange, isn’t it, how you show up and poor, old Charles gets murdered? Yes, murdered, I say, because no one who dies naturally looks like that, and I’ll wager you know something about it.”
“If I did, I wouldn’t be staying about waiting for you to spout off some ridiculous, half-cocked theory to the law.”
“You really want to hear my theory?” Alex took hold of his arm to restrain him. “I think Charles wouldn’t tell you the whereabouts of the emeralds, so you killed him.”
“Think what you want,” Garth said pulling his arm free.
Footsteps at the door drew their attention as Katherine suddenly appeared.
Garth went to her immediately. “You shouldn’t be here,” he said, putting his arm around her shoulder.
“Garth,” she muttered, “Was Charles really murdered?” Her knees weakened, and she leaned against him.
He started to escort her back out of the room, but May-Jewel now blocked the doorway, trying to see past him and Katherine.
“Is he… is he?” she stammered.
“Yes,” Garth replied quickly. “Come, this is no place for either of you.”
But May-Jewel insisted on entering. She stared at the cloth-covered form at the table. The scene sickened and at the same time mesmerized her. “Poor old man! I’ve never seen such a sight before.” A sob escaped her lips.
“He was a good friend to mother and me,” Katherine whispered. “What could have happened to him?”
Garth replied before Alex could, saying, “We don’t have any answers yet. Did you see anyone here or in the hall? What brought you two in here in the first place?”
They told him what they had heard and seen just before entering the dining room. Alex listened, but he didn’t have a chance to question their story as Brice returned from his search of the grounds around the manor.
“There be no trace nor track of the murderer,” he announced, crossing the room to join the small group gathered near the fireplace.
“Murderer!” May-Jewel gasped, “Charles was murdered?”
“It had ta be, Mistress. When God takes ‘em, they die more peaceful like. But old Charles didna die peaceful.” He looked at Garth. “I stopped ta summon Molly. She canna be awakened.”
Horror shown in May-Jewel’s eyes. “Is she dead too?” She grabbed Katherine’s hand.
“Nay, she not be dead. Mayhaps she has taken too much o’ her medicine. What e’er the cause, she be in a deep sleep an’ canna be awakened.”
“We’ll see to her in a little while,” Garth assured them. He motioned Brice and Alex to the other side of the room and removed the cloth again to re-examine the body for the second time. Although the women didn’t leave the room, they did turn their eyes so as not to view Charles again. Garth pulled the light closer, inspecting Charles’ skin. He noted the vomit on Charles’ shirt and on the table itself. He took up a corner of the table cloth and wiped some blood off of the old ma
n’s cheek. Prying the mouth open, Garth saw large and vicious blisters on the inside of the lips and along the tongue. He moved to open the mouth further, but as he did so, some of the flesh actually peeled back exposing the old man’s teeth.
Katherine chose that moment to come up beside him. Her voice strangled by horror at his actions, she gasped, “Oh, Garth, please don’t.” She touched his arm, and he dropped the cloth down, covering Charles once again. Katherine closed her eyes for a second as if to erase the memory of that moment. Then she said, “Garth, shouldn’t we send Brice for Vicar Hawes.”
A questioning look creased Garth’s brow and for a long, hard moment he looked into her eyes. “The vicar?”
Katherine nodded.
“Oh, of course, yes. I never thought of that. If you and May-Jewel need the comfort of the ‘man of the cloth’, it won’t hurt to have him here.” He admitted, beating down the feeling of envy for the sake of whatever support the vicar might be able to give either woman at this time.
“It’s not for me,” she emphasized, “but for Charles.” She nodded at the body, hoping he’d understand her request.
“Oh… yes, of course. Sorry.” Pulling Brice aside, Garth gave him his instructions and added, “And notify the constable of what’s happened here also.” His attention back on the corpse, Garth frowned. “If I had to offer a guess as to what killed him, I’d have to say it was poison.”
“Poison!” May-Jewel repeated. “But it looks as if his head has been bashed in!”
“Or,” her sister remarked, “that someone stuck his head in a fire, although his hair isn’t burned.
“I’ve seen this sort of death before, and it’s never pretty. But it is caused by a poison, by manchineel sap.”
Katherine’s eyebrows rose in question. “What’s that?”
“It comes from a tree. It’s also called the ‘tree of death’ because every part of the tree, the fruit, the sap and even the wood is lethal. The local natives are warned not to even stand under one of those trees when it rains. And,” he glanced over at Alex, “the sap is easily obtained on the docks for the price of a half-keg of rum.”
Alex scowled. “Why are you looking at me? I don’t know anything about this.”
Garth continued, “Manchineel grows in Florida and in the Caribbean. The natives there use its sap on their arrows to kill wild game. It’s quite effective. According to the ship records, Alex, you made a trip to America just last year, didn’t you?”
A look of deep questioning and concern crossed May-Jewel’s face as she also stared at Alex.
“If memory serves me,” Alex retorted, “there are many plants and trees that can cause death. Some of which are even native to India, and isn’t that where you’ve just come from?” Brushing his mussed hair from his forehead and straightening his shirt, he continued, “As you can see, Mister Craig, I’ve been in my room all evening. Where have you been?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’ve been in the office checking into the estate’s affairs and its books.”
May-Jewel whispered to Katherine, “What books? We didn’t find any books.”
Katherine hushed her.
Turning to the women, Garth stated flatly, “By the way, I must tell you that according to my father’s will if, for any reason, either of you should forsake Wistmere or if you were to die, Alex and Neal Jameson would inherit the whole of it.”
“What?” May-Jewel gasped, “Mr. Jameson never mentioned that.”
“And neither did Alex,” Katherine added, scowling at him.
Alex glared at Garth. “Now is not the time to discuss such mundane matters. We have something more important than the will and the fate of Wistmere to think about at this moment. Have you forgotten about this?” He pointed to the body.
“No, I haven’t. We have only to wait for the constable to arrive. Meanwhile, Charles’ body should be taken to the ice house.”
May-Jewel was still thinking about what Garth had told them. If Alex withheld the fact that he was named heir apparent in the will and had been recently to Florida, then what else was he hiding?
“The letter,” Katherine whispered as if to read her sister’s mind. May-Jewel nodded and whispered, “I believe now that Alex has lied to me… to us all along.”
Their conversation was interrupted as Brice entered the room and announced, “The Vicar.”
David hurried to Katherine’s side, whose relief in seeing him was quite obvious.
“Katherine, Mistress Belwood, thank God you’re safe.” He took Katherine’s hand. Relief at seeing her unharmed was evident. He looked from her to May-Jewel and back again. But concern replaced relief as he saw that both women were in a frightful state. He glanced over at the form at the table and knew that he should see to the deceased. But his first concern was for the welfare of the living, especially Katherine. He then suggested, “Perhaps it would be better if you weren’t here. Can I see you to your rooms?”
“Oh, no!” May-Jewel gasped, moving behind her sister.
“Our rooms are less safe than here!” As much as Katherine tried, she failed in keeping a frightened quiver from her voice.
Overhearing the interchange between Katherine and the Vicar, Garth stepped forward. “Your rooms would be the best place for you. Perhaps both of you should remain in one room tonight. You would both be safe as long as you stay together and keep your door locked.”
“Come,” David volunteered, his arm around Katherine’s shoulder. “I’ll go up with you.”
Being usurped annoyed Garth. He hedged in between the Vicar and Katherine and asserted, “No, I’ll see my sisters to their room.”
“No, Garth,” Katherine insisted, reaching past him for David’s arm. “It would be better if you waited here for the constable. David can see us safely to our room.” Then with no more than a glance to Garth, Katherine walked out.
Biting her lip with worry and quite fearful, May-Jewel took one more look at the body and then hurried after her sister.
Garth stared after Katherine, a deep frown fixed upon his face. Then noticing the smirk on Alex’s, he turned back to the business of examining the body and waiting for the constable.
* * *
After inspecting the room and locking the windows, the vicar cautioned the women to bolt the door after him and not to open it unless it was he or Garth wanting to enter. As he was leaving, David turned, saying, “I’ll be just downstairs if you need me.”
Before closing the door, Katherine replied, “We’re most grateful, David, for your coming so quickly to our assistance.”
He smiled at her. “Now lock your door.”
It wasn’t until the bolt was slipped in place that the heiresses gave into the reality and horror of Charles’ death. Katherine’s heart finally ceased its fierce pounding. Though she had stopped shaking, the nausea she felt still lingered. The sense that their nightmare had only begun darted through her mind. Charles was dead and Selina had yet to be found.
“As long as I live,” May-Jewel said barely above a whisper, “I’ll never forget the sight of that old man’s face. Who could have done such a ghastly thing?” She paused and looked to her sister. “What are we going to do now?”
Having no answer, Katherine shook her head and stared silently into the fire, glad to be able to feel its warmth.
May-Jewel gave a heavy sigh. “I have another depressing thought. Alex admitted to being in the States and Garth came here from India. If poisons can be gotten that easily from either place, then either one can be guilty of murder.”
“Yes, but not both of them. I really wouldn’t like to think that it was either of the men. I was thinking it had to be Selina.” Katherine spoke in a nervous tone. “Let’s not talk about it anymore or I’ll never get to sleep. As it is I’ll never be able to close my eyes tonight without seeing Charles’ face before me.”
“Me neither. It was just so…” but seeing Katherine’s strained face, May-Jewel decided not to finish that sentence
.
Too tense to sleep and needing something else to take her mind off of what she had seen, Katherine secured the half made bodice pieces for May-Jewel’s dress from atop her trunk and spread it out over the bed.
“Surely you’re not going to work on that now?” Her sister asked.
“Sewing relaxes me and Jeremy’s still coming, regardless of what has happened tonight. You’ll need this dress soon.”
May-Jewel shrugged and toyed with a spool of thread.
* * *
The constable still hadn’t arrived as the pinkish gray rays of dawn caped the horizon. The women refreshed themselves with what water was left in the pitcher from the day before and waited for Garth or David to come and tell them what was happening. The women hadn’t slept well, and both were severely tired. May-Jewel sat in a chair, her eyes open but not really concentrating on anything, as Katherine stood before the window. Below her she suddenly saw Alex and Garth walk out on the steps. Unable to make out what they were saying through the thick glass panes, she watched in horror as they suddenly grappled with one another. Garth broke from Alex’s grasp, struck him on the jaw, and headed for the stable. Alex collapsed on the steps. Almost immediately, David appeared and helped him to his feet. They both disappeared from her view as they re-entered the manor.
“Garth!” Katherine banged with urgency on the window to get his attention as he left the stable leading his horse. “Where’s he going?” She asked as she watched him mount.
May-Jewel joined her at the window. “What’s happening?”
“Don’t leave here!” Katherine cried to her sister as she charged from the room, down the stairs, and out of the manor.
“Garth!” She yelled again.
Hearing her, he brought his horse about. Katherine ran to him and took hold of the reins. “Why are you leaving? You’re not running away, are you?”
“Is that what you think? No, I’m not running away. I thought you, of all people, trusted me.”
“I do trust you! But when the constable comes, Alex might try to convince him that you had something to do with Charles’ death. You won’t be here to defend yourself, and they won’t listen to me!”
