Witch Charm

by Sonia Parin

  I can hear you grumbling. Could you tone it down a bit please?

  “Claudette’s been taking orders for food. Did you get your order in?” Millicent asked.

  “Yeah. I’m getting donuts.” Although... if Jake didn’t get back to her with a basket full of roast beef sandwiches, Lexie guessed she’d be put on a starvation diet as punishment. How would she deal with accusations of roast beef theft? Luna would be an easy scapegoat but she didn’t dare point the finger at her. The pupils... Claudette, in particular, might take it upon themselves to punish Luna.

  “Claudette said you’d been home schooled. How’s your history?”

  “I barely remember what I got up to yesterday. Why do you ask?”

  “That’s our next class with Ms Helena Dyson.”

  “Is she a hard taskmaster... mistress?”

  “Ms Helena is a typical Lauriston tutor.”

  Meaning... yes.

  “I’m not feeling well. I think I’ll visit the sickroom.”

  “Oh, I doubt you’ll get any sympathy there. Nurse Higgins doesn’t suffer fools.”

  Did anyone at the academy?

  She looked over Millicent’s shoulder and caught sight of Claudette standing on the top rung of the ladder. Was she talking with Lindsay Leonard?

  “Actually, you are looking quite pale.”

  Yes, she had reason to. “Oh... I’ve turned into a worrier. If I fail here, I’ve no idea what my folks will do with me. The headmistress put me on probation,” she ad-libbed. “I suppose she doesn’t suffer fools either.”

  “It’s hard to tell with her. She’s actually rather quiet and you know what they say about those types.”

  Eloisa Hamilton... a killer?

  Lexie let the idea bounce around her head in the hope that it might inspire some sparkly idea, but unfortunately it didn’t.

  “Come on. We don’t want to be late.” Lexie didn’t think she could shake Millicent off. That meant she’d have to suffer through a history lesson. On the bright side, she realized that gave her an extra hour. Surely Claudette wouldn’t confront her about the missing roast beef during class. By now, she was bound to know all about it.

  As Lexie entered the classroom, Ms Helena Dyson looked up.

  “Alexandra. The exception.”

  “Huh?”

  “You are the exception. Our fourteenth student.”

  Huh? Oh... right. Thirteen being the usual number of pupils at the academy.

  “Please find a place in the front row.”

  Great. She couldn’t even hope to hide in the back.

  Claudette entered and made eye contact with her but Lexie didn’t pick up on any telling signs.

  “Does anyone know anything about the eighteen hundreds?” Ms Helena Dyson asked.

  No one spoke.

  Hey, Luna. You’re a graduate. Surely you’ve sat through this lesson.

  I have indeed.

  Give me the answer.

  That would be wrong.

  Give me the answer or... or I’ll twist your tail.

  You wouldn’t dare.

  That’s it. Straight after class, I’m going in search of some starch.

  All right. All right. Mention Pride and Prejudice.

  Lexie’s arm shot out. “Pride and Prejudice is set in that time.”

  “Very good, Miss Mackenzie. Can you add to that?”

  Lexie nudged Luna.

  Fashion.

  You’re teasing me. You know I’m a denim and t-shirt girl.

  Just say... No respectable woman left the house without a bonnet. Young men wore their hair in short curls, while the older generation continued to wear wigs from the previous period.

  I can’t say that.

  Say it. Just say it.

  While Luna fed her the information, Lexie recited it. At first, the other pupils looked at her askance, but then Lexie got a few winks and smiles. She decided they must have realized she was filling in the time nicely, which meant they wouldn’t have to wrack their brains trying to add to the dialogue.

  “Well done, Miss Mackenzie. While I do not entirely approve of home schooling, I can see you have received a thorough education.”

  Helena Dyson took over from there spending the next half hour talking about the Napoleonic wars and the music played at the time. To her surprise, Helena left nothing out, offering detailed descriptions of battles, including the blood and gore.

  Interestingly enough, she also mentioned the trend at the time of wetting gowns and standing in front of fireplaces to emphasize silhouettes.

  Lexie listened with attention and even thought of some questions she wanted to ask about those wet gowns but just as she’d been about to, Penelope Stewart stepped inside the room and signaled for Lexie to follow her.

  Oooh. This is unheard of. I think you’re in trouble. You’re being pulled out of class.

  If I’m in trouble, you’re going down with me.

  * * *

  “Come in. Don’t just stand there like an ornament,” Penelope Stewart said as she gestured for Lexie to go into her office.

  Lexie gazed around and decided Penny had been doing a good job of disguising her no nonsense attitude. Lexie had never seen so many frilly cushions or cat ornaments. Every surface had a little statue on it and the walls were covered with photographs. Some so old, the edges had deteriorated.

  “Well?” Penny asked as she sat behind a dainty looking desk. “Have you discovered the killer?”

  “What do you know about Gertrude Lauriston?”

  Penny pointed to a small portrait on the far wall. “Ms Gertrude Lauriston was our founder.”

  Lexie moved in for a closer look at the portrait. “Who’s that?” she asked pointing at a portrait next to Gertie.

  “That is Cynthia Lauriston. Gertrude’s sister.”

  “She’s a co-founder?”

  “No. Cynthia Lauriston had no interest in academic pursuits. She followed a different path.”

  Okay. There’s a sister in the mix. Lexie had no idea what to make of the information but she knew there had to be something to it.

  “And what about the rumors? Is there any truth to them?”

  “Rumors?”

  “I heard say Gertie is responsible for beguiling the Leonard heiress into bequeathing her this land.”

  “Nothing but hearsay,” Penelope stated. “You know as well as I do it is against all laws governing covens to manipulate people or circumstances for personal gains. That is standard policy.”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard that, but I’m not entirely convinced people practice what they preach. Who’s ever around to monitor activities? Who’s to stop me from ordering a pizza at the click of my fingers?” She’d give anything to be able to do that... Lexie studied the portraits. Ms Gertie looked uptight, her stern features made more severe by her black clothing. Her sister, on the other hand, looked quite... jovial. She’d been painted with her head slightly tilted, her lips lifted into an easy smile, her eyes shining with mirth and her cheeks showing a rosy flush that suggested she’d rather enjoyed a tipple and a dance.

  You’re thinking of the Bennett sisters. In particular, Lydia Bennet.

  Strangely, I think I am. Also, I’m thinking some of the history lesson sunk in. How odd...

  “Did either of them marry?”

  Penny gave a stiff nod. “Ms Gertrude married once and Ms Cynthia married twice.”

  “Any children?”

  “Several.”

  Great. They were getting somewhere. If Jake didn’t come up with this information during his research, she’d be able to point him to it. Then they could work on a family tree and see if any of the current players popped up in it.

  “How much longer do you think this will take?” Penny asked.

  “Hey, I’m as eager as you are to wrap this up.”

  “I somehow doubt it,” Penny murmured.

  I get the feeling she’s treating me like a bad smell.

  Ms Penelope is results driven. If yo
u took her elocution class, she would have you all sorted out in no time.

  I’m beginning to suspect that’s what Mirabelle wants...

  “By the way, have there been any reports about more items going missing?” Lexie asked.

  “No.”

  Strange. Why would the girls go to all that trouble and not report the thefts? Did they want to avoid having their rooms searched?

  Come on, Lexie... She had to start thinking like a delinquent. And a killer.

  “Care to explain what that is about?” Penny asked and gestured to a chair behind Lexie.

  A basket sat on it. She peeked under the cloth napkin and saw a bundle of sandwiches.

  “Mister Jake O’Rourke dropped that off a short while ago. Do we not feed you?”

  “Oh, yes... of course. Those are... bribes for the girls. Someone mentioned a craving for roast beef and I thought it would be a nice icebreaker. Remember, I’m still undercover.”

  “If you have nothing else to tell me, then you should be on your way.”

  Lexie grabbed the basket and, giving Penny a wobbly curtsey, trotted off.

  Jake just saved my neck. I swear I saw Claudette talking to Lindsay over the wall. Heaven only knows what she told her. What if she complained about having to cook?

  Can you please stop swinging the basket. The smell is making me nauseous.

  Lexie made her way to her room, all the while wondering about Cynthia Lauriston. A sister. Jake hadn’t mentioned anything about Gertrude having a sister. She hoped it was a piece of the puzzle. She needed it to be, otherwise... She’d have to suffer through a geography class.

  “Please tell me they don’t teach Latin here.”

  “Etiam.”

  “Huh?”

  “Yes. Don’t sweat it. I’ll translate.”

  “What’s come over you? You’re never this helpful.”

  “I realize that, so I am trying to rectify the omission.”

  “Yeah... I’m not convinced. I think you want something. Everyone does...”

  Moments later she slipped inside her bedchamber only to find Claudette waiting for her.

  “I was wondering where you’d gotten to.”

  “Penny babe wanted to see how I was getting on and I had to retrieve this from a closet where I hid it earlier on.”

  You’re getting quite good at being evasive.

  “Roast beef sandwiches.”

  “How did you come by those?” Claudette asked.

  Was she testing her? “Oh... well... a funny thing happened to me on my way around the grounds. I was looking for an escape... I’m sure there must be one. Surely someone’s tried to at least dig their way out of here... Anyway, I found a ladder and I couldn’t help wondering if I could get over the wall. I did and I met one of the neighbors. The rest as they say, is history. I figured I’d save her the trouble of bringing these over and let me tell you, she was only too happy for me to take the basket. Apparently, she’s fed up with dropping food off for you.” Lexie scooped in a big breath.

  You’re a hopeless liar. You try too hard.

  Claudette took one of the sandwiches and handed it to Lexie. “I suppose your feline companion wants some too.”

  “Oh... no. I’m taking Lauren Bright’s advice and putting her on a diet.” Lexie nibbled on the sandwich. “So... this deal you have going with your neighbor... What does she get out of it?”

  “She loves to shop.”

  Liar. Claudette’s tone sounded wary enough to put Lexie on high alert. She couldn’t afford to fall under suspicion.

  “Did Lindsay say anything to you?” Claudette asked.

  Lexie shrugged. “I think she was frightened of me.”

  “If she wasn’t at first, she is now.”

  “Why?”

  Claudette snorted. “You disappeared right in front of her.”

  Oh... right. She had.

  “If Penelope finds out about that, she’ll have your head. She insists on discretion. That’s one of the many reasons why we have our powers bound. The days of persecution might have happened hundreds of years ago, but to her, it’s all still fresh in her mind, almost as if she’d lived through it.”

  “Really? Does she hold grudges?”

  “Who knows what goes on in her mind?”

  Lexie slumped back against the dresser and focused on eating. “How did you ever hook up with Lindsay?” Claudette didn’t show any signs of wanting to answer. “I mean... I only found the ladder because I was snooping around looking for a way out and I’m assuming she had something to do with supplying the ladder.”

  “We spotted her one night hanging around the grounds.”

  Caught red-handed. That would have given the girls ammunition. “What was she doing?”

  “Trying to find a way in, of course.”

  At the risk of sounding like a two year old, she asked, “Why?”

  “She wanted to break into Eloise’s office to look for proof.”

  Lexie made a hand gesture to encourage Claudette to say more.

  “Proof of the will.”

  Just in the nick of time, Lexie remembered Claudette didn’t know that she knew about the will...

  “What will?”

  Claudette sighed. “One of the Leonards bequeathed the land and house that eventually became Lauriston Academy to Gertrude Lauriston.”

  “Why would they do that? It sounds odd.”

  Claudette made a breezy gesture. “It all happened a long time ago.”

  “Does Lindsay want to contest the will?” Lexie made a mental note to create a list of grudges held against Mirabelle. No more assignments until she could learn a few of the basics such as how to interrogate possible suspects without appearing to be overly snoopy.

  “We didn’t ask.”

  “I would have asked. Aren’t you curious?”

  “We are only interested in what we can get out of her.”

  “Let me guess. By force?”

  Sasha raised her head and looked around her as if trying to figure out where she was. The poor scamp looked right out of it. Claudette retrieved the flask of brandy and gave her a cap full.

  “We used her attempt to break into the school as a threat. Needs must.”

  That had to be why Lindsay was afraid of going to prison... “So how does she get into the building? I assume the place is locked up at night.”

  “She has her ways.”

  Including dressing up as a tutor?

  It didn’t make sense to Lexie. Why would Lindsay risk getting caught? If she wanted to search for a document, wouldn’t it be easier to engage the pupils’ assistance? Last night she’d been in Eloise’s room. It had to have been her looking for the will. Eloise’s room would not have been the first place Lexie would think of snooping around in if she wanted to search for a legal document.

  “Hey, do you think she might have... you know... killed Lillian Somers?” Lexie asked matter-of-factly.

  “If she did, it’s her business.”

  Even before she’d arrived here, Lexie had known the Lauristonians were an odd lot. Heavens, she was related to two of them. She saw the proof of odd behavior every day. “Hang on. Lindsay said she’d had enough. The deal is off and she won’t be supplying you with any more contraband. So whatever you’ve threatened her with can’t be that serious.”

  Claudette picked up the basket and rose to her feet. “I doubt that.”

  “You sound sure of yourself.”

  “That’s because I am.”

  So she clearly knew something Lexie didn’t know.

  “Lindsay needs to keep us happy. She knows the consequences of breaking our agreement,” Claudette said as she swept out of the room.

  “Did you make any sense of that?” Lexie asked.

  “She took the roast beef. Why did you let her take the roast beef? What are we going to do for food now? I’m hungry.”

  “A moment ago you couldn’t stand even the mention of roast beef and now you’re hungry?”

&
nbsp; “That was then, this is now.”

  “Can you pull yourself together long enough to be of some use? I need to figure this out.” Lexie paced around the room and stopped at the window. “How am I supposed to do this by myself? I don’t know the first thing about catching a killer.” She turned and saw Luna sitting with her nose pressed against the door.

  “She took the roast beef with her. We’ll starve. We’ll wither away. And you can’t get us out of here. What if no one notices us missing? I’m too young to die.”

  Lexie waved a fist in the air. “Mirabelle, I know you can’t hear me, but just in case you can, I’m going to kill you.” Lexie turned. “Luna.”

  “Still here, but I don’t know how long I’ll be able to manage it. I can already feel my strength seeping away from me.”

  “Luna. Come here.”

  “Why are you looking at me like... like I’m a tasty morsel?” Luna shrunk away.

  “Come here before you sink into a state of delirium.”

  “You should know there really isn’t much meat in me. That’s what makes me agile.”

  “Come on. I don’t have all day.” Lexie opened the window.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Me? Nothing. You, on the other hand, are going to earn your keep.”

  “Does that mean you have food hidden somewhere?”

  Lexie scooped Luna up.

  “What are you doing? Put me down,” Luna wailed.

  She set her on the ledge. “Make your way down and across the wall. I need you to call Mirabelle. She’ll hear you from there. And if you can’t get through to her, contact your sister.”

  “We’re on the second floor. That’s a long way down.”

  “You didn’t seem to have any trouble today. Just find a way down. Look, there’s a gargoyle you can grab hold of.”

  Luna screeched in horror. “The retirement home is sounding better and better...”