The Secret of Bourke's Mansion

by Carolyn (Moyer) Swayze

  “Let’s lock it. It’s the principle of the thing. By the way, what is the reason for that awful door? It’s so glaringly new.”

  “Oh, didn’t I tell you? I couldn’t locate a key for the old door when I was here, so I bought this one from Grayson’s to use temporarily. Luke was supposed to put a lock on the other one. It’s still down in the basement.”

  “Well, that explains a lot. Mr. Grayson probably distributed keys to one and all,” she said bitterly.

  “But why on earth should he, Katie? Are you sure you’re not becoming a bit paranoid about the whole thing? Maybe you’ve merely heard squirrels in the attic.”

  She stiffened uneasily. “That’s just what Lynn kept saying,” she replied thoughtfully. “How very curious.”

  They walked silently side by side down the lane. As they emerged from the shade onto the open road, they were startled to see a small man in a dapper business suit coming briskly toward them.

  “Hello,” he called cheerily. “So you’re both here, are you? I’d about given up finding you. I’ve left messages with that young fellow in your office with no results at all. When I saw this morning what a grand day it was going to be, I thought to myself, Why not take a cruise over and have a look? And so I did and here I am,” he finished breathlessly.

  “Kate,” said Grev, smiling at her bewilderment, “I’d like you to meet Mr. Peters from Tulley’s

  Auctions. Mr. Peters, this is my associate, Kate O’Brian, who has been busy here cataloguing items in preparation of your visit.”

  “Well, have you been doing that, young lady? Surely not all alone? I’m so pleased to meet you. I’ve taken my time coming up from the bay, trying to chat with the locals. Not too friendly. It doesn’t hurt, you know. Who knows what bonanza of lovely antiques may be hidden away in their homes? A beautiful place this. My, yes. I am so anxious to see what you have. That is, if you’re not in a hurry. But you were just going somewhere.”

  “Oh, it can wait Mr. Peters,” said Kate, trying to break into his prattling. “We can go a bit later, can’t we, Grev?”

  “Please don’t call me Mr. Peters. My name is Percival, you know, it really is.” He chirped happily as though sharing a delightful secret with them. “You may call me Percy.”

  “Well, then, Percy,” said Grev, smiling at the fey little man, “we’ll give you a guided tour. The fires are still going and the kettle is hot.”

  Kate tried, with no success, to catch Grev’s eye as they walked back to the house. She was astonished that this was the renowned antique and art appraiser, for he seemed a bit daft. Grev seemed to be paying him respectful attention.

  “You’ll be staying with us overnight, Percy, of course.”

  “Oh, no. Would that I could, but I must be back to the gallery this evening. Oh, yes, most important.”

  Kate spoke gently. “I’m afraid that there’s not another ferry until morning.”

  “I’m sorry, Miss O’Brian. I well remember that there is an early-evening ferry that services these islands. That’s the one I’ll be taking. That will be just right!” He nodded emphatically.

  “You see, that run has just been discontinued for the off-season. It’s only during the spring and summer that it makes the extra trip, it seems.”

  “That won’t do. No, not at all. I’m doing a private appraisal after the gallery closes tonight,” he explained patiently. “So you can see that I simply must be there.”

  “Don’t fret about it now,” Grev said soothingly. “Perhaps we can work something out with one of the men who have a suitable boat.”

  “Yes, that would be fine—oh, my!” he ex­claimed as they entered the house, his elfin face glowing. “This is truly a beautiful room. You have very good taste. Many fine pieces. It’s simply lovely.”

  Kate stifled a chuckle as he actually clapped his hands in pleasure. He really was a delightful, simple man; a joy to be with. “Tea or coffee, Mr. Peters?” she asked.

  “Percy, please. Thank you, my dear. A cup of tea would be the very thing. The tea on the ferry is atrocious, of course. You make it yourself, by shooting hot water from a spigot onto a sickly wee teabag in a little metal pot. Can you imagine such an abomination?”

  “I know. It’s terrible, isn’t it?” she commented. “This house came complete with a good brown

  Betty teapot, so I’ll have a decent cup brewed for you in no time at all. Just make yourself comfortable.”

  “I’ll not be comfortable sitting when there’s a whole house to explore. Do you mind if I peek around?”

  “This way, my good man,” said Grev amiably. He towered over the happy Mr. Peters and led the way with alacrity. Kate shook her head as they departed, Mr. Peters chattering excitedly.

  When he returned, his enthusiasm knew no bounds.

  “Simply super. Really first-rate.” He stroked his bald head in gleeful agitation.

  “If you wish, I’ll give you my itemized inventory and perhaps you could make your comments beside each listing.”

  “Yes. Splendid thought. She’s a clever girl, I’m thinking,” he said confidentially to Grev.

  “Yes, isn’t she though? I’ve found her most useful,” he said patronizingly as he patted her hand. She managed to control her rising temper as Mr. Peters continued.

  “Some of the items of course have no value except as pleasant utilitarian or ornamental pieces. Even those I’m certain you could find a market for and I will single out. However, I’m reasonably certain that we will be pleased to purchase a great deal by lot or individually. There’s that choice, or you could place them with us on consignment and take your chances on open auction. I’ll be going over everything today first, of course, before I make any decisions, but on the face of it I would say that you have a great deal of potential here.”

  “Fine,” said Grev. “That’s exactly what we wanted to know. Right, Kate?”

  “No. That’s wrong, Grev.” Both men looked surprised at the intensity of her Voice. She tried to compose herself for a moment before she elaborated. “What I mean to say is that I’ve become very fond of this house, and many of the things in it add to its charm and appeal.”

  “Well, of course. It all adds up to a lovely, warm atmosphere,” Mr. Peters said understandingly. “A body could feel quite at home here.”

  “That’s it exactly. I do feel as though I’ve found my home here, in spite of, well, in spite of a few strange occurrences.”

  “A few?” Grev interjected. “That’s not the way I heard it.”

  She had the grace to look abashed. “I suppose that’s why those very happenings have upset me so much—because I have a strong wish to stay here. Someday, at any rate,” she finished in answer to Grev’s look of amazement.

  “How could you possibly work that out?” he asked.

  “Grev, I am a partner,” she said defensively. “Anyway, I don’t know yet how it could be worked out. There’s so many other things to be settled.”

  The silence became uncomfortable. At last Mr. Peters spoke. “That was uncommonly fine tea, Miss O’Brian. I always say that half the secret of good tea is superior water.”

  “You’re most welcome,” she said automatically as she stacked the cups in the sink.

  “Why don’t you two continue on wherever you were going when I met you and discuss the situation. I’ll be happy as a clam poking about here. Whatever you ultimately decide to do, it will be most helpful to know exactly what you have here, so I’ll just continue with my appraisal.”

  “You’re very kind.”

  “Yes, that’s just fine, Percy, thank you,” said Grev. “We were just going down to the next house to speak to Mr. Morgan about the heat and power. You’ll find us there if you need anything, or perhaps we’ll have a look around the grounds.”

  “Take your time, children, take your time. This will keep me happily engaged for many hours. Enjoy the day. Away you go now.”

  When they were alone again in the open air, it was Grev who spoke first
. “Now, would you mind telling me what this is all about? I bought this place on the basis of a very short-term investment.”

  “Oh, did you?” she retorted. “I thought it was supposed to be we. My understanding was that I was engaged in a partnership with you and as such, am entitled to some say in the decisions.”

  “Now, get off your high horse. Of course we’re partners, but that’s one decision that you hadn’t shared with me until you blurted it out in front of Mr. Peters.”

  “That’s true and if you really want, I’ll apologize for the oversight.”

  “Kate, don’t be foolish. It’s just that you surprised me. It was the last thing I expected.”

  “Well, the last thing / expected was that dear funny little man masquerading as Percival Peters. He’s very sweet but I’m sure he doesn’t know beans. Maybe his sweetness is a masquerade as well. He’s probably loading his pockets right now with anything of value.”

  Grev glared at her angrily. “You know, you really are paranoid about this place. Really weird, Kate. That is the Percival Peters, owner of Tulley’s, and he is not about to steal anything.”

  “You seem very sure of yourself and of Mr. Peters,” she said tiredly. “It’s been such a united effort to get me off this island that I’ve come to the point where I don’t truly trust anyone. Not Mr. Peters and not even you, at least not completely,” she said honestly.

  “Oh, Katie, I hope you don’t mean that,” he said sadly. He looked at her searchingly. “There just doesn’t seem to be any logical reason why you should want to stay here at all, and that’s why I wondered if you weren’t reacting a bit hysterical­ly.”

  “But I do want to stay here, someday, somehow, and that’s why I’m reacting so strongly. Someone’s trying to take something away from me before I’ve even had it. Don’t you understand?”

  “Yes, I think I know what you mean. I’m confused though because you’ve always been a city girl, very career-oriented.”

  “Grev, how long have you known me?”

  “Just over a year.”

  “That’s right and during that year, I agree, I have lived in the city and had a career. But,” she said determinedly, “that year hasn’t been always and it certainly is not forever.”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry. It’s like the old saying about not seeing the forest for the trees or whatever. Has it been a good year for you, Kate? A happy year?”

  “Yes,” she assured him. “It’s been by far the happiest, most satisfying year of my life.”

  “That’s good to know,” he said, taking her hand, “because it’s been a great year for me as well, primarily because of you.”

  They sat on the stone wall, listening to the sounds of the day, recalling the past year and making plans for the next. Grev stretched contentedly. “You know, we’d better hustle down to see Luke before I lose all inclination to be cross with him. It’s hard to keep the fighting spirit on a day like today with a girl such as you.”

  “I’m beginning to feel just as lackadaisical myself, but you’re right. We’d best go before we decide it doesn’t matter a bit.”

  The Morgan house had an aura of gloominess about it. It was deep in the shade of the evergreens, in contrast to the brazen brightness of the road. The unimaginative exterior was painted a dark gray with the bordering trim a shade of green that was so dark it was almost black. There was little visible sign of any attempt to differentiate between yard, garden, and raw rough land. Any landscaping had been begun and abandoned many years ago. The same dog, a mangy border collie, was sprawled on the sagging wooden steps.

  “I think he’s been one of my midnight visitors,” Kate explained, pointing to the sleeping dog. “He howls feverishly at the moon. One night I thought it sounded much like a mournful lament.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about him. He doesn’t look too ferocious.”

  They carefully stepped over the dog. Grev knocked heavily on the door, and finally the dog raised his head and peered at them inquiringly. After a lengthy wait, Mrs. Morgan opened the door a crack. She didn’t speak, merely eyed them sullenly.

  “We’d like to speak to Luke please, Mrs. Morgan.”

  “You can’t,” she said flatly. “He’s not here.” The door shut firmly.

  Chapter 14

  “You know, Katie, I believe that you’re right about Mrs. Morgan. I’ll back you and say that you’re not imagining it when you say she’s not friendly.”

  “Thank you, kind sir. It’s so good to have moral support at a time like this.”

  “You’re most welcome. Please notice, however, that I said unfriendly, not threateningly evil. Luke’s probably down at the village, wouldn’t you think? Shall we walk down to find him?”

  “He’s more likely sitting in his own home by the fire. He probably saw us coming and knew he was in trouble,” she said sarcastically.

  “This island living has really jaded you. I’ve never seen such a personality transformation.”

  “I’m sure it won’t last long. Don’t worry. Before you know it, I’ll be back to being as gullible as ever. Anyway, we should go to see if we can locate a boat for Mr. Peters. It’s important that he leave today, you know,” she added impishly.

  “Look,” said Grev as they turned to go, “the old bat is watching us. I’m sure I saw the curtains moving. Let’s go back to check with Percy and find out what time he’ll be ready to go.”

  “Okay. We can check back with Luke after. If Percy is staying for dinner, I’ll pick up a few things at Grayson’s store.”

  “We’re back, Mr. Peters,” Kate called out cheerily. “How are you managing? I’ll bet you’re ready for some lunch.”

  There was no answering chatter. No sound at all.

  “Grev, where is he?”

  “I expect he’s poking around here somewhere, totally lost in thought.”

  “You’re probably right,” Kate said after Grev had made a quick check of the house. “I expect he’s gone to have a look around outside. I’ll get some lunch ready while we’re waiting. By the way, would you mind telling me how to get to the attic?”

  “The attic?” he said blankly. “What attic?”

  “Of course there must be an attic,” she said, more snappishly than she had meant to. “Haven’t you noticed the roof and the garret windows?”

  Grev groaned. “Talk about overlooking the obvious. Just think of the wealth of goodies that could be stored up there! I’ll find out right now.”

  While he was gone, Kate prickled with uncertainty. Had he really overlooked the attic? Not very likely, she brooded. Real estate was his business, after all. And there was the matter of the Indian room, which had not yet been mentioned by either of them. Surely he knew about that and yet he hadn’t discussed it with her. She was determined not to mention it to him, curious to know if he was holding out on her for some unfathomable reason. Monetary gain? At one time she would have sworn that he was above such motives.

  “Katie, you look as though you’ve just lost your best friend,” he said, startling her from her reverie.

  “I feel like I have,” she admitted honestly.

  “Oh, come on now, Mr. Peters will surely return. After all, he has an appointment to keep.”

  “I wasn’t thinking about Percy, to tell you the truth. I was thinking about you.”

  “I’m flattered. I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately, too. But you haven’t lost me and I hope I haven’t lost you.”

  “I’m sorry, Grev, but I really do feel suspicious about a lot of things that have happened pertaining to this property and naturally, that makes me doubt you, or I should say, doubt your integrity and motives.”

  “Hey, little girl, you’ve really been letting a lot build up. I suppose that’s from being alone, but let’s talk this out right now.”

  He really does seem sincere, she reflected as he patted her shoulder and said, “Come and sit down. Tell all to Papa Grev.”

  “I’m serious, I really am. I think it was
truly rotten of you to send me over here on this job without filling me in on the details of the islanders’ hostility. I came totally unaware and unprepared. You told me you loved this place,” she said accusingly.

  “I do love it,” he protested. “And when I came, I honestly wasn’t aware of any hostility at all. I grant that the locals weren’t aggressively friendly, but I took that to be a natural respect for privacy. Why should I have questioned that?”

  “There’s just been too many strange coincidences, such as my not being able to contact you by mail, phone, or personal messenger. Surely you could have arranged for heat and power, told me about the door and that the whole island population had keys. There’s something very unlikely about your story of how you just happened to arrive in the middle of the night.”

  “It’s true, it’s true, I swear it,” he interrupted. “When we get back, I’ll be able to prove everything to you.”

  “And what is your glib answer to the fact that you are pretending to have simply forgotten something as important as an attic?”

  His face was sober. “No answer at all, except to say that I was so swept away with the beauty and potential of the setting that I thought the house was the least important part of the deal.”

  “The house is important to me, but I suppose by potential you mean that you were visualizing hundreds of luxury summer homes being built here.”

  “You know me so well.” He sighed. “That was exactly what I was thinking at the time. But now when I think of that, I think what a shame it would be to despoil it. But that’s a decision we’ll both have to work on. One partner can’t reject riches at the expense of the other.”

  “Well, thank you for that small crumb,” she said caustically. “While we’re on the topic of partnership, would you mind telling me why our business is called Carlson Realty?”

  To her surprise and fury, Grev burst into a roar of laughter. “I was hoping that it wouldn’t occur to you to ask,” he said when he had caught his breath. “Particularly not at a time like this when you’re annoyed with me.” He continued to smile at his secret joke.