The Gilded Curse: Will the young heiress be the next victim of her family's curse? (11 page)

Until she got to her room. Stepping into her old bedroom was like Alice walking through the looking glass into another world. The little-girl bed lacked its frilly pillows and ruffled bedspread, covered now with a sterile white sheet. The child-size wicker chair and table were void of the teddy bears and dolls that used to adorn them. Almost all semblance of the room to its former state was gone—missing, like the little girl who once inhabited it.

Lexie’s eyes pooled with tears as she remembered the way the room used to be but was no more. If only she could go back in time to the days before all the bad things happened. But she couldn’t. The past was gone, and she and the cottage were the only ones who had survived. What did the future hold for both of them? Would another family return life to the house? She thought of Floyd’s suggestion that Lexie and her future husband, namely Floyd, perish the thought, live there. No, no matter whom she married, she didn’t see herself staying in this house again. She didn’t belong here anymore.

A crack of lightning jolted Lexie back to the present and the sound of dripping water again. She headed out of the room to find the source of the noise. As she moved down the hall, she followed the sound to one of the guest rooms where a glance at the window disclosed the cause. The window set inside one of the dormers leaked, water running down the length of the glass and dripping off the window sill onto the floor. Lexie looked around for some way to stop the leak or catch the water. Perhaps she’d find a bucket in the bathroom.

As she stepped out of the room, the creak of floorboards came from the servants’ wing. She spun around and saw a shadow move along the wall. Her skin crawled as goose bumps sprouted.

She stared at the shadow, breathless, waiting. Someone must have come up the back stairs from the kitchen. But the longer she watched,
the more she noticed how shadows from the tree limbs played against the wall. And the storm buffeting the house caused the noises she heard.

She was imagining things. No one was in that wing. She allowed herself to exhale.

As she returned her attention back to the leaking window, a noise came from the first floor below. The leak would have to wait. She tiptoed out the door and leaned over the railing and down the stairwell. She glimpsed a shadow move beneath, and this one wasn’t from trees. Someone was down there. Her heart thumping against her ribs, she determined to find out who it was.

She eased down the stairs, hoping they wouldn’t give her away. As she took a step, she bent down to peer between the railings but saw no one. She reached the bottom of the stairs and stood still, listening. Her gaze fell on the floor where wet footprints left a mark. They couldn’t be hers, since she didn’t get wet. They seemed to come from the direction of the kitchen. Her heart pounded as she followed them, her fear telling her to go the opposite way.

The footsteps went several directions when she reached the kitchen. Apparently, whoever it was came in through the back door. They must’ve gone back out the way they came. As she stood looking at the footprints, she heard a noise behind her. She wheeled around as a flash of lightning revealed Abner Jones standing in the shadows.

Chapter 12

“O
h!” Lexie gasped, her hands covering her mouth. “Mr. Jones! Wh … what are you doing here?”

Abner Jones took a step toward her, shrugging. “Got caught in the rain. Tried the door and it was open so I came in.”

Lexie stepped back. Had he been following her around? The wet footprints throughout the house suggested it. She steadied herself, trying to control her shaking.

“I see. Well, you surprised me. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“You don’t mind if I come in out of the storm, do you? Or you want me to stay out in the rain?”

“Well, of course, I don’t want you to be out in the storm.” She leveled her gaze at him. “Did you know I was here?”

“Sure. Saw you roaming around.”

“Why didn’t you speak up and tell me you were here?”

He shrugged again. “Dunno.” The man’s blank indifference reminded her of someone she’d seen before.

Lexie glanced out the window and noticed the rain had slacked off. How could she get rid of this man? She wished Russell had come with her. Or even that the concierge had waited.

“Looks like the rain has almost stopped.” She nodded toward the window. “We should be able to leave soon.”

Abner made no effort to move. He just stared at her. She edged her way into the dining room, backing away as if she were trying to avoid a wild animal.

The front door hinge squealed as it opened. Lexie glanced to see why and noticed a man’s silhouette standing in the doorway, his coat dripping rain.

“Lexie! Are you in here?”

Russell. She’d never been so happy to see someone. She rushed over to meet him.

“Russell! You came!”

He grabbed her shoulders and peered down at her. “Hey, steady girl. You okay?”

She lowered her voice. “Russell, Abner Jones sneaked into the house. He’s back there, in the kitchen.” She nodded toward the back of the house.

“He’s in here?”

Lexie pointed back to the kitchen as Russell stalked through the house in that direction. She followed closely behind. When he got to the kitchen, he looked all around, then back at her.

“I don’t see anyone. Abner! You in here?”

The man didn’t materialize, and Russell turned to face Lexie with his eyebrow raised. “Are you sure you saw Abner? Maybe you just saw a shadow.”

“No, Russell. He was here! Look!” She pointed to the puddles on the floor. “He tracked that water in when he came in through the back door.”

“Well, he must be gone now. Abner! Abner!” Russell walked around in the kitchen, glancing around. He pulled the back door tight and locked it before returning to the dining room. Crossing his arms, he tilted his head at Lexie.

“You don’t believe me, do you?” Lexie glared at him with her hands on her hips.

“I didn’t say that. I just didn’t see him.”

“Russell, I’m not imagining things! He was here, in there.” She pointed to the place where Abner Jones had stood. “He spoke to me.”

“What did he say? Did he explain why he was in the house?”

“Why yes, he did. He said he saw the door open and came in out of the rain.”

“Funny that he’d be close enough to know the door was open unless it was wide open. And I can’t believe the maids would leave it like that.”

“You see? That’s what I find strange too. Do you think he followed me?”

“Mr. Simmons, the concierge, told me he drove you over.”

“That’s right.”

“So Abner wouldn’t have followed the car on foot.”

“Why not? He probably knew I was going to Destiny.”

“But I don’t think he followed you. I believe he was already nearby.”

Lexie recalled how Abner had hung around the house before. “Then he sure stays near here a lot. Doesn’t he have someplace else to go?”

Russell laughed, his dimple adding to the amusement on his face. How could he be so annoying and look so charming at the same time?

“I suppose he could go back to the staff dormitory, but if he got caught out in that storm, I can’t say as I blame him for seeking shelter.”

Lexie shook her head. “Something just doesn’t add up. And he acts so strange besides.”

“All right, he’s a little different. But still, you don’t have to worry about him.”

She remembered where she’d seen a man with the same dull expression—the hospital in Connecticut, where Mother had been.

“Russell, do you know if Abner has ever been hospitalized?”

“Sick?”

“Actually, I meant mental problems. Do you know if he ever had any psychiatric treatment?”

“Why do you ask?”

“His mannerisms remind me of a patient that was treated in the same hospital as Mother.”

Russell’s face sobered. “Oh.” He glanced out the window. “Apparently, his relatives put him in a mental hospital after he came back from the last war. Said he wasn’t ‘normal.’ But honestly, Lexie, Abner wouldn’t hurt a fly. I really don’t think you should be concerned about him.”

“If you say so.” After all her mother went through, she’d never want to unjustly accuse someone just because they were different.

“But I’ll talk to him if it’ll make you feel better. Tell him to keep his distance from you … and the house.” Russell’s smile returned as he pointed to the front door. “Storm’s passed. Ready to get outta here?”

Lexie glanced out the windows and saw the afternoon sun peeking through the clouds.

“Sure.”

They went outside to the car, and Russell opened the door for her as a brisk wind blew her hair into her eyes. “It’s getting colder. How about a hot beverage?”

“That sounds wonderful.” As they drove toward the clubhouse, they passed Abner Jones walking down the road. Russell brought the car to a halt beside the man.

“Russell, what are you doing?”

Lexie wanted to slide down below the dashboard. She had no desire to see this man again.

Russell hopped out of the car, leaving the door open and approached
the yardman.

“Say, Abner! Need a word with you.”

Abner stopped and waited for Russell to approach, eyeing Lexie in the car.

“Abner, were you in Destiny Cottage earlier?”

Abner looked to Lexie and back at Russell before nodding slowly.

“Mind telling me what you were doing there?” Russell stood, legs apart, his hands on his hips.

“Nope.”

“Nope, what?”

“I don’t mind.”

Russell waited for Abner’s answer while Lexie chewed on her hangnail. Abner peered over at her, then back at Russell.

“I went inside to get out of the rain.”

“How’d you get in?”

“Back door was unlocked, so I walked in.”

“Did you know Miss Smithfield was there?”

Abner nodded. “I saw her.”

“Did you announce your presence to her?”

“Nope. No need to.”

Lexie squirmed in the car seat. Couldn’t they just leave?

“So, how did you know the back door was open?”

Lexie sat up a little, straining to hear the answer.

“Saw somebody else go in before.”

“Oh, I see. I sent the maids over there to clean this morning.”

Abner shook his head. “Weren’t no maid. It was a man.”

Lexie froze.

“A man? Was he there when you arrived?”

“Dunno. Maybe. I never seen him come back out.”

“Did you recognize him?”

Lexie peered at the man from her side of the car, eager to hear the answer.

Abner shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. Had on an overcoat and hat, so couldn’t see much in the rain and all.”

“Hmmm. Well, if you remember anything else about him, please let me know. Meanwhile, I need you to work over by the golf course tomorrow, okay?”

Abner nodded and ambled on. Russell returned to the car and closed the door. He put his hands on the steering wheel and looked at Lexie.

“You heard all that?”

She moved her head up and down. “Do you think he’s telling the truth? Do you think he really saw another man?”

“Abner doesn’t lie. In fact, sometimes he’s too honest, blunt actually. I have no idea who he saw or why anybody else would be there, but I believe him.”

Lexie hugged herself against a sudden chill, remembering.

“I think there
was
someone else there.” She stared out the windshield. “I had the feeling I was being watched when I was upstairs, then I heard a noise coming from the servants’ quarters. When I looked over there, I saw a shadow move, but I convinced myself it was caused by the tree limbs outside.” She turned to face Russell as a thought occurred to her. “He must’ve come up the back stairs! Russell, who would be following me?”

Russell shook his head. “Maybe the same person who sent you the telegram.”

Chapter 13

W
hat in blazes was going on? Russell focused on the road ahead, but his mind stayed on the pretty young woman beside him.

He was doing a lousy job of making her feel welcome. Well, he was doing all he could, but everything else was scaring her away. Seemed like somebody wanted to make her get rid of the cottage while he was trying to get her to keep it. But why lure her here with a telegram?

Surely Abner wouldn’t harm her, but he was peculiar enough to scare some people. If he’d just quit turning up at the cottage when Lexie was there. He’d have to keep Abner assigned some place away from the cottage for a while.

But who was this other man Abner saw? He’d sure like to get his hands on him and find out what he was up to. Russell gripped the steering wheel as anger boiled inside his gut.

He pulled the car up to the clubhouse as a bellman opened the door for Lexie. Russell walked around and took her by the elbow. His foot ached as he led her up the stairs to the front door. It usually did in this kind of weather. As they reached the door, it opened and two well-dressed women engrossed in conversation walked out. When they saw Lexie, they stopped.