Afterwards, I pulled on a giant t-shirt and climbed into the feather bed and fell asleep almost immediately. For once, I didn’t have a worry in the world.
***
I woke up with Hooney’s face so close to mine that I could feel her breath on my cheek. She whispered to me, but I was half asleep and had difficulty understanding what she said.
“Your mother wants you to go. Leave this place, Miss Calpurnia. Leave now.”
I had given up trying to convince the old woman that I was not my sister. In a perverse sort of way, the misidentification made me feel closer to Calpurnia.
“Why? Why should I go?” I pressed her, but Hooney’s tight grimace let me know that I would get nothing else out of her. She had passed on the message and believed it should be enough. “Where is my mother? Why does she not tell me this herself, Hooney?”
“You know good and well why.” I heard a noise from the hallway…someone was here! Karah was not in the room with me, and I could see that her rose pink dress was no longer hanging in the armoire. She must have dressed in one of the other rooms because she never dressed quietly. That meant Isla would be here any moment—if she had not yet arrived.
“Tell me, is Karah’s mother here? I have to get dressed.”
“She is, Miss. But if I were you, I would run the other way. She’s the devil, that one.” With that, the old woman left me without another word or glance. I flopped on the bed wondering what to do. If Hooney was truly relaying messages from my mother, was I wise to ignore them? I snorted at myself. When did I begin believing in ghosts? Gooseflesh ran up and down my arms. Then I remembered. Probably when I saw the man in the Moonlight Garden…the one whose hair did not move in the breeze!
I dressed quickly and managed to arrange my hair in a decent fashion with the few pins that I found remaining in the bowl on the vanity table. Sliding on my purple heels, I dabbed perfume on my neck and headed toward the stairs when I heard Karah’s voice. The sound was coming from the guest room, so I politely tapped on the door and waited. Nobody came, but I could still hear muffled voices. With a frown, I opened the door slowly and hoped it wouldn’t give me away. Of course, it groaned as I pushed it open, and I cringed. “Karah, I am sorry to interrupt, but I could not wait to meet your…”
I left off speaking, surprised to see that no one was in the room. There were trunks and packages everywhere; obviously Cousin Isla intended to stay in this room. I heard the voices again and followed the source. I discovered that the sounds were coming from the floor grate. Not wanting to intrude, I turned to walk away, but something in Karah’s voice compelled me to listen.
“Please, Mother. You could not be more wrong. She is not your enemy or mine. I like her!”
“You always…take my side for a change…weak, just like your father!” Isla’s voice wasn’t as clear. It sounded like she was moving about. Where were they? The Blue Room? “Maybe you have already found it. Are you keeping it from me, Karah?”
“Never! I would never do that, Mother. I have searched high and low, and I cannot find it. I swear to you, I do not have it!”
“If that is true, you had better get her out of here before she finds it. Oh, if only you had been a boy. None of this would matter.”
I heard Karah’s voice, soft and sad, “I am sorry, Mother. I will find it if it takes me…”
“What are you doing there, Miss Page?”
I rose from the floor to find Docie in the doorway, her arms crossed. She wore her usual black dress and severe bun. I stammered, “Well, I thought I heard Karah, but I was mistaken. Nobody is here.” I walked towards the doorway, intending to slip out, but Docie would not let me pass.
“You should not be in here without an invitation. This is Miss Beaumont’s room, and she is very particular about her things.” She suddenly frowned and walked to an open trunk, examining the sumptuous gowns inside. “You have not touched these, have you?”
“No, of course not.”
“Good. You will stain her fine gowns. Such lovely fabrics, don’t you agree? It would be a crime to damage such an elegant wardrobe.”
The voices from the grate had faded; the women had obviously left the room below us. “Very fine. Excuse me.”
“Wait, Miss Page.”
I froze in the hallway, and Docie purred, “Remember my warning. I hope I make myself clear.” I knew that was a threat, and I would be a fool not to heed it. Docie was dangerous, and it sounded as if her mistress had a secret of her own.
Instead of running downstairs to greet Karah’s mother, I went back to my room to catch my breath. I knew that Karah had been looking for something, but what? A book, a love letter, a will? The only way I would find out would be to ask her, but I did not want to put my cousin in such a position. Her mother sounded like a hard woman to please. After seeing Isla’s gowns, I changed mine, choosing instead a bright yellow dress with plenty of lace and a respectable neckline. I loathed the idea of presenting myself as the “poor cousin” who had nowhere to go. I was a dressmaker, for goodness’ sake! I changed shoes and earrings too and then headed towards the stairs for a second time.
There was no one in the ladies’ parlor, but I could hear the musical sound of tinkling laughter. The beautiful Isla Beaumont was now holding court on the patio near the Rose Garden. From the half-open door I could see Jackson Keene, Karah and a man I did not recognize listening to a riveting story told as only an actress could. Isla was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, with dainty facial features and hair like an angel’s, blond and perfectly curled. Even though she was Karah’s mother, she barely looked old enough to have had a child. Isla paused her monologue and tilted her head toward me.
“Come now. Don’t be shy.” I immediately felt embarrassed to have been spotted dawdling behind the door like an awkward child. She rose to her feet and neatly arranged her ethereal blue dress before making a beeline for me. “You must be Delilah. I am Isla Beaumont.” I felt ill at ease, perhaps because all her attention seemed to rest upon me now. It was as intense as her storytelling had been.
I blushed and said, “I am Delilah Page. And you are Karah’s mother. It is very nice to meet you at last.” The older woman flinched at my words even though I could not fathom why. Had I offended her already?
“You do have the look of your sister. I am sure you hear that all the time.”
“Only since I have been here, but I never tire of hearing it. You knew her?”
“We spoke a few times.”
“A few times? Surely you jest, dear Miss Beaumont. You were Miss Cottonwood’s constant companion for some time. I’ve often wondered how she managed to escape Seven Sisters without your knowing anything about it.” The man who spoke to her had a round belly, a balding head and an obvious love for sweets. Even now his fingers could not resist plucking sugared grapes from the silver platter on a nearby table.
“Why yes, Mr. Ball, we did spend some time together. But Calpurnia was very shy and not one for social gatherings, and as you know, I spent much of my time out and about getting to know our neighbors. Ah, but that was before the dreadful old war. Tell me, Delilah, do you suffer the same maladies as your sister?”
I blinked at her, unsure how I should respond. “What do you mean? What maladies?”
She giggled and smiled at the audience watching us. “Am I speaking out of turn? Please forgive me, Karah. You know what I speak of, Mr. Ball. But I promised Karah I would not embarrass you, dear girl. Come join us, Delilah. What a lovely name! Have you ever considered becoming an actress? You have the name for it, you know. I wonder why your mother bestowed such a name on you. Not a very proper name, is it, and Christine Cottonwood was nothing but proper. Or so we all thought.” She giggled again as if she knew some great joke and I was the butt of it. Sadness welled up in me. This woman did not like me, and I had so wanted her to. The gathering appeared shocked and embarrassed by her description of my mother, but nobody said a thing against her. My first instinct was usually wrong, as
Maundy often reminded me. So I kept my mouth shut and sat quietly listening to Isla’s news about the London stage and how wonderfully she had played Claudia DuMont in some play called “The Delight of New York.” Everyone nodded and asked the appropriate questions, but I could not help but notice she did not look in my direction again or shower her smiles upon me. Those she reserved for the men and occasionally for her faithful servant, Docie, who was never more than a few feet away from her mistress. Karah appeared to be as miserable as I was, but there was something else there too. I could not understand it. I watched the silent interactions carefully, just as I had been trained to in the dress shop. It was obvious that Docie worshipped Isla and waited on her as if she were the Queen of England. Karah seemed a mere afterthought to her mother. Isla had a way of selfishly stealing all the air out of a room.
Jackson Keene received more than his share of Isla’s attentions, and I wasn’t the only one who noticed. Karah’s pretty face was awash with red color, obviously flushed with embarrassment at her mother’s forwardness. Once Isla even touched Jackson’s leg as she spoke. Although she acted like it was an accident, I believed no such thing. As quickly as I could politely arrange it, I excused myself; I was eager to remove myself from her presence. But where would I go?
As I walked through the patio door into the ladies’ parlor and then down the downstairs hallway, Docie followed me, watching every step I took.
“May I help you, Docie?”
“No, miss.” She did not move but stood in the hallway like a sentinel, her hands clasped in front of her. I wanted to go upstairs and hide, but then thankfully Jackson stepped into the hallway.
“Miss Page, may I speak to you for a moment?”
“Yes, of course. Why don’t you take a walk with me, Mr. Keene? It’s a lovely night, and it’s much too stuffy in here.”
“Indeed it is.”
As soon as our feet hit the path of the Moonlight Garden, I felt the burden lift. “What do you think of Isla Beaumont, Jackson?”
He mulled over his answer and then said, “How can the daughter be so different from the mother? Karah is the picture of virtuousness, but her mother has no such restraint.” That wasn’t exactly the answer I had expected. I had no idea that Jackson thought so highly of Miss Cottonwood. He looked about him; when he was finally convinced that no one was listening he said, “I have had a difficult time of proving your cousin’s parentage.” We strolled down the brick path together, circled the fountain and walked into the garden maze. “Everyone in the county says that her mother was never a respectable young woman. Isla herself was born out of wedlock, and now her daughter shares her status.” He glanced over and added quickly, “I mean no insult. I am merely repeating what others have said.”
“That is gossip, Jackson, and I am surprised to hear you repeat it.”
“No, it is fact. As Miss Cottonwood’s attorney, I have a professional duty to investigate these matters. Supposedly, Miss Beaumont took up with a riverboat captain, a David Garrett, but he was murdered a few years ago. By all accounts he was a man of few restraints. I should not like to shock you, but I have it on good authority that this Captain Garrett once had designs on your sister, until he met Miss Beaumont. After that, he cared for no other woman. I am almost convinced that he is Karah’s true father, but what can I do?”
“I can hardly believe what I am hearing. No wonder Isla does not like me—I take it she was no friend of my sister’s, then?”
“Not in the truest sense of the word, no. And to make matters more complicated, she had an affair with Jeremiah Cottonwood, while he was married to your mother.”
“I see,” I said as I pondered what he had told me.
“However, I have good news to share. I have had an offer from Claudette Page. Would you like to hear it? Perhaps I should wait until tomorrow to tell you the details?”
“No, please I want to hear her offer now. I need something else to think about.” I sat on a nearby bench and waited.
“Very well. Your aunt came to my office yesterday and says she will agree to acknowledge you in name and will not contest any deed you possess if you agree to leave Mobile. She says she will give you everything that her brother wanted you to have but insists that you must leave and remain away from the city until her death.”
I shot up from the bench. “How dare she ask me to leave? How can I leave Karah and Seven Sisters?”
“My dear, Karah could always come visit you wherever you reside. Think about what this would mean. You would never have to work again—no more late nights at Miss Weaver’s shop. You could travel and see the world. With this act, Miss Page has sealed your future. You are a very wealthy woman now, Delilah. The world is your oyster!”
Exasperated, I stormed off, walking deeper into the garden.
“Delilah! Wait!”
“You don’t understand, Jackson! It was never about the money.”
“Please, just think about this.”
“No! And don’t follow me!” I turned to the left, then to the right and then to the left again, slapping branches out of my way as I went. After all this time, Jackson still didn’t understand. Yes, I would have money and possessions, but I would still be denied the thing I wanted most—a family! I wanted to belong somewhere…to someone. Claudette Page was willing to sacrifice her fortune to see that I never had that.
I was so angry that I barely noticed the dark-haired man watching me from the other side of the clearing. Yes! There he was—near the Atlas fountain. It was the same man who had followed me the other night. I froze on the spot. He smiled, and my stomach twisted. I turned to walk away and nearly walked into Isla Beaumont.
Her eyes were fierce—she reminded me of a wild animal. One that was trapped inside the body of an innocent sheep and desperately wanted to be released. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t hear you,” I said. “I think we should go, Miss Beaumont. There is an intruder in our garden.”
She stared at me and then turned her attention to the man standing at the Atlas fountain. She could see him too! The wind picked up, sending her ethereal blue dress fluttering. I just watched as she took down her hair and let her blond tresses blow freely behind her. I looked from her to him and felt my unease growing.
She took my hand and tugged on it, dragging me after her. She was walking toward the man and taking me with her! He hadn’t moved, but he had an evil smile plastered on his pale face. “Let go of me!” I yelled at her, wrenching my hand free from her deathly grip. She did not seem to notice. She continued toward him as the wind continued to blow.
I ran! I ran as fast as I could all the way back to the entrance of the maze. I ran so fast that I collided with Jackson Keene. “There you are,” he said, steadying me. “Have you changed your mind? Delilah, what is it?”
“Didn’t you see Isla? She was just here with that man. The evil-looking one with the dark hair. He…she…they are just in there.”
“Nobody came out here. Just you and me. I wish you would reconsider Claudette’s offer. I do believe she is being sincere.”
“Very well. Make the arrangements. I am ready to leave Mobile.” With one more glance over my shoulder, I practically ran back into the house. I could hardly believe it…when I passed the ladies’ parlor, Isla was still there, regaling her guests, except for Jackson and me, about her experiences on the stage. How could I have seen her just now in the garden with that evil man? With that ghost? As if she knew what I was thinking, she stopped talking and smiled at me innocently.
Yes, I was ready to go. I would go to my room and pack, and then leave first thing in the morning. I heard Jackson’s carriage leave almost immediately, but I went upstairs and asked Hooney to help me pack. I went to my mother’s room and plundered her hope chest and treasures. If I was going to leave, I would take something of hers with me. Karah had told me repeatedly to take whatever I liked. She had no need of it. In fact, she hinted that when her mother left Seven Sisters, she wished to go with her. Then no one would live here, e
xcept a few forgotten former slaves.
I found a few books, ribbons and sewing pieces that I decided to take with me. Walking back to my room, Hooney surprised me by bringing supper to me. I ate it, hungry now that I did not have to entertain Isla any longer. “Please ask Stokes to come get my things, Hooney. I am going to stay in town tonight.”
“It’s too late, Miss Calpurnia. Stokes isn’t here now. He had to go somewhere for that lady. I suspect he won’t be home until late.”
I tried to keep the tremor out of my voice as I replied, “Well, I can send for these things tomorrow. I’ll just take one bag with me.” My hands shook as I sorted through everything. Just as I was ready to leave, Isla walked into my room. Hooney scurried out, making the sign of the cross as she went.
“What’s this, cousin? Are you leaving when I just got here? I was hoping we would have some fun, get to know one another. I have so much to tell you.”
“I saw you in the garden, Isla. I saw you with that man.” I said, nervously clutching my bag. “I think I will stay in town tonight. Stokes can bring my things tomorrow.”
“Hmm…you act like you are the lady of the house here, Delilah. You don’t command my servants. In regards to what you think you saw, I must confess I am at a loss as to what you mean.” Then in a sad, sweet voice she added, “You know, those are just the maladies I was referring to when I spoke about your sister. She had…such an imagination. It must be a trait the two of you inherited from your father. A Beaumont would never go about saying such things.”
“How dare you…”
“How dare I what? Tell you the truth?” She sat on the bed and ran her hands across the leather suitcase. As quick as lightning she opened it and began rummaging through my things. She plucked out the things that belonged to my mother. “This is thievery,” she said indignantly as she rose from the bed. “Are you stealing from me, cousin?”
“These are my mother’s things. You can’t stop me from taking them.”
The Stars We Walked Upon (Seven Sisters Series Book 5) Page 15
