“But why would anyone want to harm me? Harm us?” Susannah wondered aloud. “I have never done harm to anyone that I am aware.”
“Of course not. It makes no sense does it?” Catori agreed.
“Just when I thought my life was calming down…” Susannah sighed, “more worries present themselves. If it’s not one thing, it’s ten things.”
“We are both tired and it is late. I am sure Mrs. Ross will be able to clear things up in the morning,” said Catori, trying to put on a cheerful countenance. The ladies made their way back up the stairs. “Thank you for waiting up for me, Catori,” said Susannah.
“What is a friend, if not someone who will face problems together with you,” Catori said. “Good night, Susannah.”
“Good night. And lock your door,” was Susannah’s advice. But it seemed doubtful that their night would be good nor did it appear likely that either lady would enjoy a very restful sleep.
Catori returned to her bedchamber and prudently locked the door, but she did not immediately revisit her bed. Susannah’s suggestions for facing the dangerous situation in Jack’s warning to them seemed logical enough, but in Catori’s estimation the ideas fell short of the mark. To her way of thinking, preparing for an unnamed threat carried with it the need to defend oneself. Dangerous situation seemed to imply that bodily injury was a distinct possibility. That the detective was also traveling to England further convinced her that the matter was quite serious. She understood that detective Cookson was a war-hardened military man after all.
With this in mind, Catori entered the dressing room and opened her Saratoga trunk, rummaging through its contents. In a few minutes she had what she was looking for – a hunting knife with a leather handle and a five-inch blade. It was sheathed in a leather scabbard and had a strap attached, enabling it to be worn about the leg. The knife was a gift from her Grandfather High Elk when she turned fourteen. Over the course of several months, he patiently made certain that she learned full-well how to use it. She tested the blade – it was fine enough. In the morning she would begin carrying it on her person, secured to her leg and concealed beneath her dress. Whatever danger lay ahead, she would be more prepared, and she would not go down without a fight. At least that was what she told herself. When put to the test, she wondered if she would have the stomach for it.
*****
The next morning everyone woke up to a new year, 1877. But the new day did not bring the resolution Susannah and Catori hoped for. Mrs. Ross, the housekeeper, had indeed left the telegram on the hallway table before she retired for the evening. By mid-morning each staff member, one by one, had been interviewed and the telegram was nowhere to be found. The more Susannah and Catori reflected on it, the more perplexed they became. Most disquieting was the realization that a telegram evidently meant to warn them of serious danger would conveniently vanish from within their very own household. Was there someone right under their roof who meant them harm? It was impossible for anyone to fathom such a scenario. Lady Alice’s loyal staff was committed and devoted and had been with her at Larkspur for many years.
The missing telegram and discovering its whereabouts resulted in a very disruptive New Year’s Day at Larkspur. Later that morning Lady Alice, Susannah and Catori all found themselves alone in the drawing room once more, their mood, sullen.
“We have been so preoccupied with the whereabouts of your telegram that I have had no news of your ball last evening, and I do so want to hear all about it,” complained Lady Alice.
“Oh, I am sorry Grandmamma,” Susannah apologized. “You are right. The ball was magnificent – there were so many people. I danced nearly every dance. Edward was a most attentive chaperone. I indulged in three glasses of champagne!”
“Three!” repeated Lady Alice with a frown as Catori tried to stifle a giggle.
“Do not worry. I did not bring shame upon the family,” Susannah teased. “I conducted myself like a lady,” she added reassuringly, “and you may verify this with Lady Pomeroy.”
“Lady Pomeroy was there?” beamed Lady Alice. “How is Mary?”
“Looking well. She was chaperoning her granddaughters and told me she would call on you very soon,” said Susannah.
“I would love to see Lady Pomeroy. And I am so glad you had a nice time. Didn’t I tell you it was a good idea? Now, about your telegram, I would venture to guess that your cook, Mrs. Sheppard or perhaps that nice man, Mr. Simmons, just wanted to wish you much happiness in the New Year, Susannah,” Lady Alice suggested. “Why don’t you take a few minutes and write down short messages to them both. I will have them taken to the telegraph office in Stoke-on-Trent by this afternoon.”
“Grandmamma, that is very kind, but we have not told you all,” admitted Susannah, as she looked at Catori.
Lady Alice’s face clouded. “What do you mean?” she asked. “What have you not told me?” she said, looking from one to the other. “What is going on?”
Catori spoke up. “Lady Alice,” she began, “there was another telegram, a second telegram. It was sent to me from Mr. Simmons and delivered along with Susannah’s. My telegram gave us only a hint of what was said in Susannah’s. Nevertheless, my telegram warned us of a dangerous situation.”
“Yes,” said Susannah. “And what is more, Mr. Simmons and the private detective he hired, Mr. Cookson, are now on their way here.”
“This is extraordinary! They are coming here? Here? All the way to Larkspur from Denver? Now?” said Lady Alice in disbelief.
“Yes,” said Catori. “Evidently they left Denver today.”
“What is the dangerous situation?” asked Lady Alice. “There is no danger here at Larkspur.”
“That is the part we do not know and cannot possibly know without the missing telegram. Mr. Simmons was warning us of something, but we do not know what it is,” said Susannah. “The fact remains that both men are on their way here and we must believe it is something very serious indeed.”
“What, exactly are Mr. Simmons and Mr. Cookson going to do when they get here? Threaten someone? Arrest someone? Shoot someone?” demanded Lady Alice.
“Calm down, Grandmamma,” said Susannah. “It does no good to speculate on this until we have more information. We should be cautious, that’s all.”
“Well this is a fine beginning to a new year I’ll say that,” said Lady Alice sarcastically. “Just perfect. What do you say, Catori? Am I a crusty old woman who is overreacting?”
“No, Lady Alice,” said Catori calmly. “I think we have the strength and the intelligence to face any danger together. The situation we are in reminds me of when you throw a stone into the lake. The stone quickly sinks to the bottom and disappears. What is left behind is a ripple on the still water. The wrinkle continues outward until it is spent. Our stillness has been disturbed by a missing telegram. It will take time for the wrinkles it has caused to smooth out again.”
*****
Back in Denver, the storm that came racing over the Continental Divide in the wee hours of New Year’s Eve, blanketed the city with fifteen inches of heavy snow. It was unexpected; all activity came to a standstill, the city was paralyzed and folks were wise to remain indoors if they had any sense. Jack Simmons and Daniel Cookson were left with no choice but to postpone their departure. Another day lost. Winter was a rotten time to travel.
The next day the storm moved off. Youngsters could be seen outside testing their sleds while older boys loudly engaged in wild snowball fights. The clouds soon evaporated, the bright sunshine beat down and the wind that Simmons and Cookson were hoping for picked up. The Indians called it the Chinook, or ‘snow eater’. It was a warm wind from the west that would melt away all the snow almost as quickly as it had fallen. The welcome Chinook is a hot wind that blows in winter and raises the temperature in a very short time. The increase in temperature results in the rapid melting of snow, making prairie land available once again for grazing animals.
Their delayed departure was finally accomplished o
n January 3rd. The men got an early start, taking the 8:00 a.m. train to Kansas City. Things were back on schedule. Somehow they would have to find a way to make up for the precious time they lost with all due haste.
Jack recalled the day he shocked his family in Connecticut with the announcement that he was moving west. He wanted adventure, wanted to seek his fortune and find his own path. Well, he had certainly found adventure – a complicated murder investigation that now spanned two continents. Be careful what you wish for, he thought.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
That detective Cookson and Jack would travel all the way to England had Susannah on edge. She had not seen Jack since their evening together in November; he had made her feel so alive again that night. Would their connection soon be rekindled? Would they be able to build on their relationship and further it? She was anxious to see Jack, knew he would be straightforward and honest, but she was apprehensive all the same about what he might tell her. She hated the uncertainty.
The next few days passed quietly enough at Larkspur with the ladies resolved to be watchful but to continue on as they normally would. There were no unexpected callers and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The topic of the missing telegram had been exhausted and was no longer discussed. They contented themselves indoors with embroidery and reading, card games, dominoes and tea. As had become her habit, Catori put on her half-boots, gloves and wool cape and took a turn about the estate most afternoons to observe the starlings. Susannah retrieved her sketchbook from the Saratoga trunk, and labored over a few unfinished projects with renewed interest. It greatly pleased Lady Alice to see her granddaughter’s enthusiasm for her artistic talent slowly returning.
On January 6th Edward Mansfield paid them all a visit in the mid-afternoon. He was ushered into the drawing room where he found Lady Alice and Susannah at home.
Lady Alice was seated near the window. “Edward!” she gushed. “How delighted we are to see you.”
“Lady Alice,” he greeted her heartily with a slight bow. “And my dear Susannah,” he said as he took her outstretched hand and bestowed a kiss.
“How nice it is to see you, Edward,” was Susannah’s greeting. His hair was tussled from the invigorating ride, his cheeks red. He loosened his scarf and stepped closer to the fire, rubbing his hands together.
“I had hoped to call on you sooner,” he said, “as I have not yet had the opportunity to wish you, Lady Alice, a Happy New Year.”
“Thank you, Edward, and to you and Charlotte as well,” she replied. “1877! I can hardly believe it! Where is Charlotte?” she then asked.
“She remains at home today as I came on horseback,” he said. “I am on my way to Stoke-on-Trent.” The business he had to conduct there was particularly galling. With creditors nipping at his heels, it was only the beginning of the New Year and already he was selling off more of his flock to pay the most pressing bills. The timing was wretched. The ewes were pregnant and soon it would be lambing season – more income lost. Further, a reduced flock meant a smaller income from the precious wool that would be shorn in June. Bankruptcy loomed; the thought brought him up short. His pursuit of Susannah acquired an even greater urgency.
“Well, I have some exciting news for you to share with Charlotte. There is to be a wedding! Miss Parker and Mr. Griswold have set the date for their nuptials. It is to be June 10th!” exclaimed Lady Alice.
“I will be sure to let her know,” he said. “It pleases her greatly when I can return home with a bit of gossip.”
“Oh, there is nothing like a wedding to bring happiness to the neighborhood,” she beamed. “It gives everyone something to look forward to.” Then, changing the subject she added, “You look very handsome today, Edward.”
“Why Lady Alice, are you flirting with me?” he teased.
“Susannah gave me a full report of your evening together. She had such a lovely time at the ball and confessed to me that you were a most attentive escort.” This news pleased him tremendously. But Susannah blushed. “Grandmamma!” she exclaimed.
“I am glad to hear it,” said Edward to Lady Alice. “It was a splendid evening. The musicians played the new Johann Strauss waltz, Vienna Blood. Susannah was the loveliest woman there and made great use of her dancing shoes.”
“Edward, please, you will make me blush,” Susannah protested.
“I am sure Edward speaks the truth, dear,” said her grandmother.
“Edward, may I offer you some refreshment? Perhaps a glass of brandy to fortify you on this cold afternoon?” Susannah asked in an attempt to change the subject.
“Why a glass of brandy would be just the thing,” he said. “It is rather brisk out today.” He watched as she stood and gracefully walked toward the sideboard. How radiant she looked today he thought, her hair swept upward into an array of soft curls. Her gown was a pale peach, with long sleeves and a slight bustle. The color suited her. The square cut neckline and form-fitting bodice flattered the swell of her bosom. She filled a glass with the amber liquid and brought it to him, her fingers lightly brushing his as he accepted it from her.
“Thank you,” he said, holding her gaze.
“Please, won’t you sit with us?” Susannah asked, motioning to him.
He sat near her and sipped his brandy. “Have you had any news from Denver, Susannah?” he probed innocently. “Or your friend Mr. Simmons?”
“Unfortunately, no,” said Susannah quite firmly. Lady Alice started to speak, but hesitated and discreetly allowed the moment to pass. This was followed by awkward silence. Edward noticed Susannah’s sketchbook on the nearby table.
“Are you sketching again?” he asked her. She nodded in reply. “May I look?” he asked, reaching for the book.
“Of course,” she replied. “The images are rough, a little more than ideas really.”
“As always you are too modest,” he said as he thumbed the pages. “Squirrels, cats, a Chinese vase. This one is your flower garden in Denver, I think. These are all exquisite.”
“They need more work,” said Susannah.
“I am glad to see you doing what you find so enjoyable once again,” he said honestly as he handed the sketchbook back to her.
“Yes,” she agreed. “When I concentrate on my work, well, it helps me think about other things.”
“I understand,” he said. He sipped the last of his brandy, placed the glass on the table and rose.
“Ladies, I must be going if I am to reach home again before dark. Thank you for the brandy and the excellent company.”
“Please come to tea on Friday,” said Lady Alice. “And bring Charlotte.”
“We would be delighted, Lady Alice,” he said.
“Please allow me to walk you out,” said Susannah, surprising him as he gathered his cape and gloves.
As they slowly made their way to the foyer, Susannah revealed her worries. “I have been distracted these past few days,” she said.
Edward raised a brow. “Oh?” he said. “How so?”
“It seems a telegram was delivered here to me but mysteriously disappeared before I had a chance to read it,” she said candidly. She held his gaze, searched his face, tried to read his expression that he might betray some prior knowledge of it. But Edward carefully schooled his features.
“That is odd,” he responded. “Any idea who may have sent it?”
“No,” she lied. “It arrived the night of the ball, New Year’s Eve.”
“Perhaps someone from Denver wishing you happiness in the New Year?” he speculated.
“Perhaps,” was all she said in reply.
“It seems to me that if someone sent you an important telegram of great urgency but had no reply from you, then that person would be inclined to send you another telegram,” he observed, his tone a trifle dry.
“I would have to agree with your reasoning,” she affirmed.
“So, evidently, the message your telegram contained was not terribly urgent,” he said convincingly. “Still, for it to hav
e vanished would be unsettling. I can hardly credit it,” he mused. He drew his cape about his shoulders and secured his scarf, then turned to face her.
“Susannah,” he said quietly, “you must not worry so. I am here. If there is anything you need, I am at your disposal. You can rely on me.”
“I know,” she answered. “You have been a loyal friend; in Denver, and then to grandmother, it’s just…”
He fingered a loose tendril of her hair and placed it behind her ear, then tipped her chin upward as he drew nearer. “I want to be far more than that if you would only let me,” he said, as his lips brushed hers with a tender, feather-light kiss. “Your lips, they are as soft as flower petals,” he whispered, kissing her again.
“Please, Edward,” she said, pulling away. “I am your friend and hope I will always be so. I cannot promise more than that.”
“You know I adore you, Susannah, and would take care of you and your dear grandmother. End this loneliness for both of us. Let me be part of your life. Marry me,” he said insistently.
“Please Edward, do not ask me. You know I have found it very difficult to move forward, and with my grandmother’s recent illness, well, it is too much to contemplate.”
“You have been through quite an ordeal,” he said smoothly. “But you need not continue on alone. Think about my offer, Susannah. You could return to your artwork and not have to worry – I could easily watch over your investments, ease your burden. These business responsibilities only weigh you down. I give you my word you would not be disappointed. Please think on it,” he said as he stepped out into the cold.
“Thank you for coming Edward,” she said.
“Until Friday then,” he said in farewell as he pivoted and strolled away.
Edward knew he had Susannah’s friendship and was convinced he had her trust. He had made his feelings for her quite clear, yet again. Stubborn wretch. Time was running short. If he could not persuade her soon to accept his suit with flattery and pretty words, he would need to employ more persuasive measures. He would visit again on Friday, and perhaps could achieve his goal with the support of Lady Alice. She would champion his cause.
The Gold Miner's Wife: A Young Woman's Story of Romance, Passion and Murder Page 19
