Midnight Secrets (9 page)

“It would help to telegram your housekeeper to see if Mary’s diary is amongst her things and have it sent to you here. Knowing Mary’s thoughts about the people in Killdaren’s castle would be invaluable.” I then told them what I’d learned so far, omitting my encounter with Sean, the possibility that Mary might have been romantically involved with Stuart Frye, and the fact that Lady Helen’s murder may have happened in the Killdaren’s maze. Those were matters were too upsetting to disclose just yet. Not until I knew more. But I did tell them of Bridget’s story about Mary possibly drowning while saving Rebecca.

“Oh dear,” Aunt Lavinia wept, dabbing furiously at more tears. “Mary would have sacrificed her last breath to keep a child from harm. Why did they not inform me of this?”

“I suspect it is because they are very protective of Rebecca and feared you’d wish to speak with her. I’ve never even seen or heard the child yet. Bridget did say that the child screams for days if anyone mentions Mary’s name.”

Aunt Lavinia dabbed at her eyes. “My heart still cries that Mary would never have let the girl close enough to the sea to require saving in the first place, and even more so because of the child’s blindness.”
 

“I thought the same thing myself. Mary wouldn’t have let Rebecca out of her sight for a minute.”
 

Andromeda frowned. “What if something more sinister was afoot? The child couldn’t see if anything untoward happened. What if someone else had been with them and harmed Mary? Are you sure the constable won’t make a further inquiry into the matter?”

I shook my head. “Not until we have something more than suppositions. Still, Aunt Lavinia, you should visit the constable every few days, but please don’t tell him I’m at the castle. While I am searching for the truth, I want him to be reminded frequently that we are not accepting his assessment of Mary’s disappearance.”

Andromeda jumped up. “Cassie, dear me, but I almost forgot to tell you. I overheard some maids talking yesterday. There are two gentlemen from London staying here at the Inn. They have spent every summer here with the Killdaren brothers since their youth, but haven’t stayed with the family since the death of Lady Helen.”

“Do you know the names of the men?” I asked, realizing they might have been the occupants of the carriage who had laughed at the mud splattered on me and Bridget. I didn’t like the fact that men in close association with the Killdarens were under the same roof as my family.

Andromeda shook her head. “No, the maids didn’t mention names. But I shall learn who they are.” Determined purpose narrowed my sister’s eyes, an emotion akin to the one that had me sneaking into Killdaren’s Castle. I grew more alarmed.

“No. Don’t make any inquiries, Andrie. Asking too many questions from intimates of the Killdarens might jeopardize my investigations. I’ll learn who the men are from the servants at the castle. Besides, one of the men might interpret your curiosity as a familiarity and question your respectability. In fact, you, Gemini and Aunt Lavinia should go back to Oxford and wait for Mother and Father’s return there.”

“Good Lord, Cassie! Have you lost your wits completely? Not only should you have never taken on the post of maid, possibly endangering yourself, but how could you ever think we’d leave you here alone!” Andromeda’s incensed words hit me in the face. She was right, and the burden weighing on my shoulders grew heavier. My decisions for us to come to Cornwall and to masquerade as a maid had set us all upon a path from which there was no turning back, unless I wanted to abandon my investigation into Mary’s death.

I wasn’t ready to do that.

I reached the church later than our arranged time, just as the town clock chimed the half-hour. At the last minute I had decided to gather a few things to give to Bridget for her birthday on Friday and that delayed me. I found her pacing in front of the stone and stain-glassed building.

“Sorry, I’m late,” I called out, rushing to her with my package tucked under my arm.

“Wherever ’ave ya been? Gone through the ’ole village, I ’ave.”

“I went to the dock near the inn. The fishing boats are so much fun to observe.”

“Ya been watching boats?” she cried, her eyes rolling with disbelief. “Lord, but what am I going to do with you? We need to hurry fast. Iffen Mrs. Frye catches us coming in late, we’ll be scrubbing every floor in the castle day and night till it’s done, I tell ya.”

I pulled a piece of straw from Bridget’s hair and realized she wasn’t upset with just me. “What happened?”

Panicked, Bridget patted her air. “Is there more?”

“I’ll look as we hurry back. What happened?”

“When I was walking by the livery, Tom tried to force a birthday kiss on me.”

I nearly tripped. “He did?”

“He tried. Made us both go tumbling into the hay. He wasn’t too happy when I left ’im.”

“Did he hurt you?” I asked.

“No, I hurt him, though.” She grabbed my hand. “I may want to know what a kiss is like, but not from ’im.”

“Who then?”

She didn’t answer, but raced up the rise and I hurried after her. Running downhill to the village had been much more exhilarating than running uphill while juggling a package. Halfway, I had to slow to a gasping walk. The afternoon sun was hot on our backs and a lull in the tangy sea breeze made it even hotter. My muscles were heavy, as if they couldn’t make another step, and my lungs ached as if I couldn’t take another breath. I ached everywhere. Cleaning was not as easy a job as I supposed.

Whatever energy I had possessed this morning had abandoned me and left a pervasive lethargy behind. I itched from head to toe and I smelled awful. I wanted a bath, and I wanted to crawl into my bed at home and sleep without dreaming for a week. I wanted Mary back, too. For a brief moment, I stopped in my tracks, hesitant to return to Killdaren’s Castle, for I saw nothing but trouble ahead.

Mary wasn’t coming back though, and I couldn’t turn away from finding out why. The mysteries cloaked within the heavy stone walls of Killdaren’s castle drew me. Mysteries surrounding Mary and whether I wanted to admit it or not, the mysteries surrounded Sean, too.

I put myself in motion and kept climbing the hill to catch up with Bridget. She and I were a good distance from the village, walking the path near the forest, when a branch snapped loudly from the thick foliage. Someone was there, just beyond our sight.

Startled, we both jumped and increased our pace. But the person hiding behind the shadowed boughs of the maritime forest followed. We ran. Whoever it was cried out, angry, their heavy breathing crawled over me like spiders.

“Wait,” Bridget gasped, pulling on my arm as she dug in her heels. “Jamie Frye,” she yelled. “Come out of there, ya fool! What are ya don’ a spyin’ and a frightenin’ us so?”

Her shout was met with another scalp-tingling cry and the crash of brush as Jamie Frye emerged from the forest. He had tears in his eyes and bloody scratches on his face, as if he’d run without blocking the scraping branches.

“M-m…ary.” He looked at me. “Sh-h…e gone.”

Though my pulse pounded as if I still ran for my life, I forced myself to draw a deep breath and steady my voice. I didn’t know what to make of this giant of a man with the emotions of a child. “I’m sorry that she’s gone.”
 

He stood there, gasping, making me feel as if I should do something, to make the impossible happen and bring Mary back.

Bridget had no such notion. She planted her hands on her hips and fussed at him. “Jamie, ya get back and do your chores before your mama finds out ya left.”

“Noo,” Jamie yelled, his eyes narrowing to angry, stubborn slits as his fists smacked his thick thighs. I took a step back in case he decided to use one of the massive fists on us. Bridget did too.

Hoof beats, muted by sand, preceded the appearance of a rider approaching us on a stormy black horse. The bright sun behind him blinded me, casting him into dark shadows, and I thought for sure I was about to encounter Alexander Killdaren.

Horse and rider came to a thunderous halt so close that flying bits of sod would have splattered me and Bridget if we hadn’t moved to the side. Stuart Frye swung down.

“Miss Bridget, Miss Cassie.” He nodded our way. Then he glared at his brother. “Jamie, go back home.”

“Mary.” Jamie shook his head then pointed at me. “She’ll die. Not an accident.”

“Why?” I looked Jamie in the eye. “What wasn’t an accident?”

He grabbed me, his ham-like hands digging into my shoulders. “Mary! I’ll help you.”

Stuart put his face in front of Jamie’s. “I’m sorry, Miss Cassie,” Stuart said loudly, very forcefully, and slowly, his gaze boring into his brother’s. “Jamie is a little confused right now. He is going to go home and we are all going to forget what he just said, right? I’ll escort the ladies back just to make sure that is exactly what happens. Do you understand, Jamie?”

Jamie and Stuart stared at each other. Finally, Jamie released me, and after sending an angry glare in Stuart’s direction, he left. Stuart had a white-knuckled hold of the horse’s reins and his riding crop. I rubbed my stinging shoulders and watched him take a number of deep breaths as he waited until his brother was well ahead on the path home. Then he turned our way and gestured for us to precede him.

“Ladies, I apologize for my brother’s confusion. Sometimes it is difficult for him to understand things that happen and he is having a hard time right now. If you will permit me, I will escort you.” He spoke as cultured as any gentleman, making me wonder just exactly who he was. Not that I doubted he was Stuart Frye, but that he’d had more education and training than an ordinary groomsman.

“He is confused about the…the teacher that died.” I hoped to get more information with my question.

“Yes, but I think he’s finally understanding that Mary won’t be coming back. He wants to help her, and has connected you to her because of your hair, which is like sunshine and silk in the sun. Very beautiful, so I can’t blame him for following you.” Stuart peered closer at me, too close. I looked away, and let the subject of Mary drop before he became suspicious.

Bridget turned her nose up. “Don’t be flirting with Cassie, Stuart Frye. I’ll not let her be fooled by your wiles, that’s for sure. And I’ll not be speakin to ya myself, iffen’ ya don’t stop yer flirtin’ ways.”

Stuart wasn’t the least bit bothered by Bridget’s set down. He grinned at me. “Tell Lady Bridget she’d best remove the straw from her skirts before she condemns another.”

Bridget gasped, ruffling her skirts and indeed sending several straws of hay flying. The sudden change from fear over having Jamie stalking us and predicting my death to this left me giddy. I tried to muffle my laugh, but didn’t quite succeed. Bridget glared at me, then at Stuart. She opened her mouth as if to admonish him for another infraction and he shook his finger.

“I’d hold my tongue, Miss Bridget. My mother sent me out to discover why it was taking you two so long. As it is, I’ll be able to ease her ire by mentioning Jamie’s upset. At this point I see no need to let her know that my brother only delayed you for a few minutes, but I could change my mind.”

“Hmmph.” Bridget closed her mouth and hurried her step.

The huge black horse reared up, and Stuart settled the beast effortlessly, speaking low and soft in words I couldn’t discern. It was as if he wove some sort of spell over the animal, for it followed us meekly, not even flicking its tail in dissent.

“What did you say to the beast?” I asked.

“Just a few ancient words from the Celts,” he replied mysteriously.

Though I doubted simple words could have procured such immediate results.

“Weren’t you on a white horse earlier?”

“Such is the lot of a groomsman. Can’t be true to one because I have to see to the needs of so many.”

Bridget huffed at his remark and picked up her irritated pace, staying ahead of us.

Though he flirted with me as we walked, Stuart watched Bridget’s back with an interest I hadn’t notice him give her before. Despite the tensions between them, I had to admit his escort had a soothing effect on me, especially when we passed the dark hedges of the towering maze. My encounter with Jamie had scraped over my emotions, leaving them raw.

In the gardens, Bridget turned to Stuart. “No matter what trouble ya cause me, Stuart Frye, I’ll not be letting ya take advantage of Cassie.”

“Then we’re on the same side. I plan to see that nothing happens to her either.” He directed his gaze toward me. “You should go though. You should leave here and never come back.”

I had the distinct feeling that he knew more about me than I wanted him to. “I can’t do that.”

“God help us all.” He walked away then, leading the horse with softly spoken words of an unknown language. Bridget and I watched him go.

“Who is he?”

“The Earl of Dartraven’s bastard son.”

Though I’d suspected as much, I still found myself recoiling from the harshness of Bridget’s tone.

“Is that why you don’t like him? He had the misfortune to be born out of wedlock?”

“Ack no. A man’s born where God wills, and there’s naught he can do about it.”

“Then why the animosity?”

She stiffened her spine. “No amimosness about it. Just keepin’ ’is flirtin’ ways clean. Thanks to the Killdaren, he’s been educated and all. He’s livin’ here now, but he won’t for long.”

“What about Jamie? Is he the earl’s son as well?”

“No. From what I ’eard, he’s a Frye, the man the earl foisted Stuart’s mum on when he found out she was pregnant with Stuart.”

Chapter Six

After assessing us with a suspicious eye that surely would have caught the least bit of dangling straw, Mrs. Frye gave us a lecture about tardiness and put us to work helping Mrs. Murphy in the steamy kitchens. My discomfort from the heat and no bath became an unbearable itch. I had to do something about my situation tonight or die.

Ever since I learned about Stuart, I found myself looking at Mrs. Frye with a different eye. I could see how at one time she might have been pretty enough to have attracted the earl’s attention, but I still couldn’t imagine her stern nature ever permitting herself to have an affair. Perhaps my growing itch kept me from empathizing with her. I almost couldn’t sit still, and I greatly resented the fact that I couldn’t go strip all my clothes off and ease myself into a soothing bath.