“Minna Darcy,” Cassidy repeated in sudden remembrance and understanding. “The girl LaMont loved before Devonna.”
The old woman nodded and smiled. “He told you of her then?”
“He did. The day he died,” Cassidy confirmed.
“A good man he was to remember her that day.” Cassidy watched as an expression of grief crossed Katie’s face. The young woman placed her head restfully on her grandmother’s lap, closing her eyes as if readying for some painful remembrance. “Minna Darcy was my granddaughter…and Katie’s mother.”
Cassidy gasped and looked to Katie to see only that her eyes were still closed, though a tear escaped each one and moistened her face.
“Minna Darcy was Katie’s mother…as well as the mother of the man you know as Havroneck and the kitchen maid you know as Syndle.” The old woman paused, as if waiting for Cassidy to guess her next words.
“You…Katie,” Cassidy whispered. “You’re Havroneck’s sister?”
Katie only turned her face from Cassidy, burying her tears in her grandmother’s coverlet. “Katherine is half sister to Blythe and Syndle. She is Minna’s daughter from her second marriage to Robert Minson, and they know not of her.”
“What?” Cassidy questioned as her head began to pound with trying to decipher the secretive and confusing information and relationships. “How could they not know of her if she is their sister? She works at Carlisle Manor. I don’t understand all this! What has this to do with—”
“Let me begin once more, my dear,” the old woman suggested. “Minna was heartbroken when LaMont married Devonna. I…I do not think LaMont realized how fully she loved him. Her heartbreak was deep, and she strove desperately to heal it. In searching for the cure, she met and married quickly a man named Kenneth Havroneck. Shortly, almost on the eve of their marriage, Minna found out what a vile character Havroneck was, but it was too late. She had wed him, and he owned her. Abusive he was and a drunkard. He stayed only a few months.
“Minna kept her marriage secret, using her maiden name, for she feared that news of her villainous husband would give cause for her dismissal at Carlisle. She continued to work for the Carlisle family, even though I, as her legal guardian, for her parents had died of a sudden illness shortly before, thought she should seek other venues of employment. So Minna married a man she did not love, who left her forthwith, and she continued working for the man she did love until she feared it would be obvious that she was with child. She left the Carlisle service and stayed with me until after Blythe and Syndle, twin children conceived of a violent drunkard, were born. It became necessary for our survival that Minna work once again. Lord and Lady Carlisle very generously welcomed her back into their service. While she worked, she left the children in my care.
“All went along for nearly three years, until one day, when Minna was at the manor and I was here alone…Kenneth returned. He hit me about the head with a large tree branch and took the children, taking with him, thief and coward that he was, Minna’s only hope for happiness. She had no word where he had gone, where he had taken her babies. There was naught to do but try to live life, try to find happiness again somehow.
“Then LaMont’s wife gave birth to a boy, Mason LaMont Carlisle. He was a beautiful baby and took to Minna quickly. Devonna was a doting, loving, and good mother. There was little time left for nursemaids or governesses, but the lad took to Minna when his mother was not with him. She pampered him and loved him like her own child, and I think he felt her love for him. It healed Minna somehow to have a baby to love and cuddle. The fact that it was LaMont Carlisle’s baby made it all the more dear to her.
“And then the news came—the news of Kenneth’s murder. Well he deserved it, for there was no trace of the children until years and years later. But that must wait in the telling.
“Minna’s heart was again opened, and when the first man at Carlisle Manor, Robert Minson, took notice of her, although he was considerably older than she, she did take to him. They fell in love and married. They were happy, and I was happy for Minna. Finally she had found love again, someone who could and would love her back.
“Well, not so long after Devonna Carlisle gave birth to a baby girl, Jillian, there was born to Minna and Robert a girl, and they named her Katherine. Katherine Darcy Minson. She was her mother’s pride and joy and happiness in life. Minna continued to work at the manor, for she loved Mason and Jillian…not quite as she did her own, but she had true affection for them and they for her. Robert wished that she would not work so hard as she did for the Carlisles, but he did not force her to stop.
“Life went merrily along, until one day a young man and a young woman appeared at Carlisle Manor, a brother and sister, but no one knew they were siblings. No one. Secretive twins seeking employment. Minna, however, knew. A mother knows. Blythe was…Blythe is very appealing and convincing when he connives to be. As is Syndle. Young Mason was reaching the age of manhood and needed a valet. Blythe was offered the position, and Syndle was employed in the kitchen. At first, Minna was overjoyed. Her long-lost children were near!
“On their first day she spoke to them, not revealing herself, but asking about their families, backgrounds, and so forth. They responded they knew who she was, their own mother who had sold them for money to try to win the heart of the lord of the manor at which they now worked. Kenneth had told them all manner of atrocious lies about her before he died—lies that his sister continued to tell and embellished upon after his death while she was left to raise them and plant the seed of envy and hate deep in their hearts. Minna argued with them, trying to let them know the truth, to give them her heart. But they would not hear it, would not listen. Would not see the truth in her soul. They told her to speak to no one of their relationship to her else they would reveal her lying, deceitful soul to LaMont Carlisle and all else in the household.
“I will never forget the day Minna came home with the tale. It was frightened she was! In pain and grief, yet frightened. ‘They have the evil of Kenneth in their eyes,’ she told me. And she told me else. She told me that never was anyone to know that Katherine was her daughter. She and Robert agreed that night that Katherine should remain a secret from Blythe and Syndle, for something—maternal instinct, I believe it to be—spoke to Minna, telling her that if it were known to Blythe and Syndle that they had a sister…Katherine’s life would be in ruins at the least.
“They told young Katherine that, for reasons they could not explain to her at the time, she must from that point forward be known as Katie Pearson—that someday they would reveal the necessity for it, but she must promise to keep her true name a secret until such time as they gave her leave to do otherwise.
“Soon after Blythe and Syndle came to Carlisle Manor, Robert took gravely ill and died very suddenly. You cannot imagine the horror in Minna’s face when she returned home one evening shortly after and told me who would be taking Robert’s place at the manor. It was as if her greatest nightmares had come true. Oh, how she grieved for Robert! How she grieved for the Carlisle family at having such hardhearted servants in their home as her own children. Still, she held hope that the goodness of LaMont and his family would have influence and soften the hearts of Blythe and Syndle. And all seemed well enough. Blythe and Syndle continued to work at Carlisle, happily, it appeared.
“Then young Jillian fell in love with a wealthy young man from the next county. Minna came home in a panic one day. ‘I fear for her,’ she said of Jillian. ‘For Blythe wants her. I have seen it in his eyes! He is intent on her, Nanna,’ she said to me. ‘He is still his father’s son, and I fear for the safety of her virtue. For her well-being.’ I assured her that her mind was contriving imaginative dangers.” The old woman paused and then whispered, “I was wrong to soothe her. So wrong.” The bright emerald eyes clouded with tears, and she reached out, taking Cassidy’s hand in her own. “I meant to keep Katie safe. You must understand that. By this time Katie was working at Carlisle Manor as well, having been introduce
d to Lord and Lady Carlisle as a friend of the Minson family. I…I…I feared for her life. It’s why I’ve kept silent. It’s the only reason. You must understand.”
Cassidy swallowed hard, for intuition whispered to her of what would come next in the woman’s tale. “Are you…are you saying…that Havroneck and Syndle had something to do with…with Jillian’s accident?”
The old woman raised her head and brushed a tear from her weathered cheek with a gnarled hand. “There was no accident, miss. Blythe Havroneck…my own posterity…charged his horse at Jillian and his mother that rainy day on the cliffs. He drove them to the edge, then had his horse pound at the ground with its hooves until the ledge upon which they stood—screaming and crying out for mercy, huddled in each other’s embrace—until the rain and the mad pounding of the horse’s hooves upon the softened ground…caused the ledge where they stood to give way, sending them to their deaths on the rocky beaches below.”
Cassidy shook her head and let the tears run freely down her face as she sat in astonished disbelief at the revelation. “That…that’s impossible. She was his own mother!”
“His own mother, whom he had been told had abandoned him and his sister in desperation to win the lord of the manor house. His own mother, who now coddled and loved the manor house children as her own! He hated her. And he hated Jillian for not seeing him.”
“But surely you’re only guessing at…” Cassidy began.
“I saw it. With my own eyes, I witnessed it,” the woman confessed. Katie began to sob bitterly.
“And you never spoke of it? You never told Mason or his father or anyone?” Cassidy cried out.
“No,” she answered flatly. “Katie was now parentless. No one to care for her. I had seen with my own eyes what Blythe was capable of. Capable of killing! I knew her life would not be worth the embers in the fire were Blythe or Syndle to know who she was. I…I did not even tell Katie of this until yesterday when she came to me with concern for your safety. Until yesterday, Katie had no knowledge that Blythe and Syndle were her brother and sister. Or that Blythe had killed her mother and young Jillian.”
It was only natural that, after hearing this story so connected with the infamous cliffs, Cassidy should find herself at the place. After the revelations of Katie’s grandmother, Cassidy had begged Nobel to accompany her there. Oh, there was much to think on. And Mason must be told, the moment he returned! It was all too horrifying—almost too fantastic to be believable! To think that the Carlisles had harbored such villainous souls under their own roof for so long. And there were other questions that nagged at Cassidy’s mind. Now, knowing what she did, knowing of what Havroneck was capable…she wondered about the other deaths. The sudden death of Katie’s father, head manservant at Carlisle. And who should be waiting to step into his shoes? None other than Havroneck. If a man were capable of killing such innocence as Jillian, capable of sending his own mother over the cliffs, then…what of Lord Carlisle? Was his mysterious illness due to Havroneck’s presence at Carlisle Manor as well?
Shaking her head violently to dispel thoughts of such incomprehensible ideas, Cassidy closed her eyes for a moment and breathed deeply of the fresh sea air. She felt almost numb in her knowledge: her own life was in danger. She knew it. She’d known for some time that it was her life that someone wanted ended, not just her presence at Carlisle. Now she knew for certain who wished her harm. She’d known it all along—seen it in his eyes. Somehow she’d always felt Havroneck’s hatred of her. But for what reason? He had hated his mother because of the lies with which he’d grown up. He’d hated Lord Carlisle for not being his father. He’d hated Jillian for being beautiful and indifferent to him. No doubt he hated Mason for being the son of the manor, for inheriting everything Havroneck never would. But why then, why had he chosen to terrorize her? Did it not make more sense to attack Mason? Or Devonna, for that matter?
“It’s…it’s all so…so…” Nobel stammered, the first words either she or Nobel had uttered since leaving Katie sobbing in her grandmother’s lap and heading for the cliffs.
“So inconceivably evil,” Cassidy finished for him. “To think that someone so trusted in the household, someone so close to the family…”
“I understand now why Mr. Mason…uh…his lordship was so determined that Fieves, Dalton, and I guard you and milady, miss. Always before Havroneck was left in charge of things when Mr. Mason or his father, before he was taken so ill, was away. I…I was surprised when Mr. Mason…his lordship ordered me to stay with you. I couldn’t understand why he gave me specific instructions to let no one attend to you and his mother. He must’ve had his own suspicions.”
“Then why would he leave me…us? If he suspects Havroneck is up to the devil’s work…why leave?” Cassidy asked more to herself than Nobel.
“Please, miss. Let’s return to the manor. It’s now known that you’re not safe nor milady. And…and I’ve never liked this place anyway. It holds even more alarm for me now than ever, after what I just heard of it.”
“Mason,” she said aloud. Oh, why had he left? He must be told! He would believe her. For all that she was to him, she knew he would believe her. Perhaps she would have him hear the tale himself from Nobel, who had also witnessed the telling of the story. Or perhaps even from Katie’s Nanna. Turning from the cliffs and the sea, she began to walk quickly toward the house. The winds off the water seemed to follow them as she called to Nobel, “Make haste, Nobel! Make haste!” She found herself running frantically to seek out Mason immediately upon his return, to warn him! For in her heart, she was assured Havroneck meant him harm as well.
Cassidy and Nobel returned to the manor to find Lady Carlisle resting, Fieves and Dalton with her faithfully on guard. Cassidy was relieved to find her sleeping, for she did not want to reveal her newly gained knowledge to her. Yet she knew that, were Lady Carlisle to even look upon her, she would sense that something had happened. She asked Nobel to accompany her to Mason’s study. She would wait for him in his study; she would wait for his return and immediately tell him all she knew. His study exuded his presence, for it smelled of him, housed his things. He spent long hours there, especially since his father’s death, and it was his essence there that comforted Cassidy.
Nobel waited outside the door. “In case Havroneck should return,” he mumbled after tucking a pistol into the waist of his trousers at his back.
“Sit and wait,” Cassidy told herself out loud. “Just stay in one place and wait. He will be back soon enough.”
The overpowering feeling of impending doom was thick in the air. Cassidy could hardly keep herself from being wracked with trembling. Diversion was what she needed—just a short diversion until Mason returned to her. Her entire body was engulfed with goose pimples even for the extreme warmth of the room. Going to the fire, she stood before the large hearth, telling herself over and over to relax—only to wait. Mason would return soon. He must!
Having found herself unable to face the hot heat of the fire, she turned her back to it and began visually searching the room for distraction. When there seemed to come none whatsoever, her eyes glanced down at Mason’s desk sitting not too far from where she stood. A drawer stood ajar, a bottom drawer of the desk, near to the floor and shallow in its depths. Several parchments protruded haphazardly from its interior.
If nothing else, Cassidy knew Mason to be rather careless about the cluttering of his desk. She smiled at the knowledge of this wonderful imperfection in him. For lack of anything better to do with her time, she went to the drawer and opened it, intent on setting to order the documents within. Kneeling and withdrawing the parchments that threatened to take flight from the drawer, she began placing them in neat order on her lap. Though she had no care and no mind to know the contents of the documents, something caught her eye. She picked up two of the papers, one in each hand, and looked at them carefully, for they appeared to be written in a manner used in organizing verse. They were very simila
r to the poetic description of the woman sleeping that she found on Mason’s study floor some time before. She could not help herself. She began to read the contents of one of the parchments.
It is the flavor of your mouth I desire.
The thought of it I cannot banish.
I have desire for you that cannot be assuaged.
And I will not sell my soul for a lie…
For I crave you…in all cravings mannish.
To look upon you, To touch you…
I may satisfy this.
To hold you, To own you…
To savor your lips.
But beyond…I must needs stay.
And I can.
For I am an honorable man.
Still, it is the flavor of your mouth I most desire.
For I can drink of it.
And I have.
Have bathed in the warmth of it.
Have tasted its flavor.
For this…I cannot deny myself longer.
And as you walk near to me
Or glance at me from across a space
Or simply breathe….
Then I cannot refuse myself the one part of you allowed me.
And I take your mouth…With my own…
And for this moment…
It will atone.
Astonished by the depth of emotion portrayed in the poem, by the intimacy implied, Cassidy momentarily forgot the horrors revealed to her earlier, momentarily setting aside the knowledge of murder and danger. Placing the parchment in her lap as she knelt, Cassidy drew another from the drawer and read on.
You were reading today as I watched you
Sitting beneath a tree, your book in hand…
And I watched you.
The sun, warm bright, as you brushed away a lock of your hair,
The grass soft and fragrant and green as you lingered there.
Shackles of Honor Page 41
