Permelia Cottage

by Carole Lehr Johnson

  “Diann.” Wayne placed his hand on her arm. “Let God handle it.”

  ∞∞∞

  Ryan and Vernon finished lunch and discussed minor things about the case—trial dates, witnesses, etc.

  “Vernon, you seem to be avoiding the most important issue of this case. What did your investigator find? You said on the phone that he’d returned from Louisiana with his evaluation. Do you have bad news?”

  Vernon said flatly, “Actually, it’s quite the opposite—yet, there may be a small glitch in the process.”

  Ryan rubbed the back of his neck. “Like what?”

  “It seems there were a few other arrests within days of the event. They were only held a short while, paid a fine, and released. End of story. Well, end of their stories. Your mother’s name sort of fell through the cracks, and the prosecutor handling the case got in a bit of hot water because your mother wasn’t among those arrested at that time. The prosecutor was in the district attorney’s office trying to make a name for herself, fresh out of law school. She was determined to make amends for her error and keep a mark off her record.”

  Ryan tensed. “So, where does that leave us?”

  “At first, the prosecutor had difficulty finding your mother because she had moved to England. Once she found her, the attorney used it to her advantage and said your mother fled the country to avoid prosecution. That heightens the sentence on any given case. Therefore, the result being your mother’s prison sentence instead of a slap on the wrist, a fine, and released like the others.”

  “I see.” He swallowed a lump. “What next? How do we clear her name?”

  “Trial is the only way unless we find a judge willing to view the evidence and hear the witnesses in his chambers. Laws have changed drastically in a short span of time, and some are unwilling to bend. They may look on this case as being too little, too late.”

  Ryan’s hands squeezed into fists beneath the table, his mother’s face in his mind, her voice urging him on. “Do whatever it takes, Mr. Sturdivant. I owe it to her.” And far more, he thought.

  Chapter 23

  Neville, North Yorkshire, England

  2016

  Colin Heard’s sleek sedan pulled up in front of Susannah’s cottage. Humming a tune from the radio, he slid out of the car and sprinted along the stone path. After one knock, a voice called for him to come in.

  He opened it to Susannah pulling on a light sweater. She looked at him, smiling. “Right on time. I like a man who’s punctual.”

  Colin gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “In a hurry?”

  Grabbing her purse, she slung it over her shoulder and shrugged.

  “Hungry?” Colin teased her.

  “I am. Letice and I went to Northallerton today and did some research for the flats.” She turned and darted toward her office, calling out over her shoulder, “Just a minute. I almost forgot something.” Returning with a folder full of papers, she handed it to him. “I thought we could go over these at dinner.”

  “So, you mean I have to work for my meal tonight?”

  Susannah laughed, which pleased him. “Yes, I suppose you do, sort of, except you’re buying.” She cocked her head. “And don’t give me that impish grin.”

  His laughter rang out this time. “You, my dear, are incorrigible.” He gently took her arm and led her out the door.

  Their drive was spent listening to classical music and discussing Colin’s latest purchase—a 500-year-old historic inn near Salisbury. “I’ll complete the paperwork sometime next week. Would you like to go with me?”

  “I’d love to go, but I’ll be out of town a few days next week. I’m taking the train to Scotland to research for a travel article.” She pulled out her phone and showed him the dates on her calendar.

  He eased the car into a spot at the restaurant’s car park and asked her to repeat the dates and entered them into his phone’s calendar. “I’ll be gone that week as well.”

  “We should make the best of tonight.” He draped an arm on the back of her seat and fixed a steady gaze on her. Her intake of breath was audible. He smiled, and they both jumped as a loud thump sounded on her window.

  “Hey, you two!” Letice called out with a wave, beaming as if she hadn’t seen them in years. Amanda stood at her shoulder, eyes downcast.

  Colin let out an abysmal sigh and exited the car. Susannah had already emerged when he reached her side. “Evening, ladies,” he said, attempting to keep his agitation at bay. Talk about timing. Susannah offered a strained smile.

  Letice’s voice came between winded breaths. “What a coincidence. I sprinted across the lot to catch you. What brings you two to Northallerton?”

  Amanda’s cheeks flushed. “Sorry to bother you. Letice saw you and insisted we pop over and say hello.”

  Letice shot Amanda a glare. “Oh, don’t be ridiculous. They don’t mind at all. I see Susannah brought the research from today. So, see, they’re discussing it over dinner.”

  Colin glanced at Susannah, who hadn’t said a word but clutched the folder like a life preserver. He placed a hand at the small of her back. Susannah’s face showed relief at his nearness. “Yes, we’re reviewing it at dinner.”

  “Splendid.” Letice chimed in. “We can get a large table, so we can spread everything out.”

  Amanda and Letice stepped out, expecting them to follow. Colin took Susannah’s arm and led her to the restaurant, trailing the chatting women. He offered an apologetic look and whispered, “Sorry, I think we’re trapped.”

  Susannah gave a nervous laugh and squeezed his arm. He placed a hand over hers with reassurance. All he wanted was time alone with the wonderful woman beside him. Would it ever happen?

  ∞∞∞

  Susannah’s train ride from Northallerton to Edinburgh was uneventful. She’d decided to break her journey halfway, in Edinburgh, for a light lunch at her favorite tearoom. The trip continued back at Waverley Station to board the train to Aberdeen and switched to a bus that hugged the eastern coastline of Scotland. Sandy beaches came and went as the bus wound its way to its final destination of Cruden Bay.

  The gentle swaying of the bus left Susannah groggy after hours of train travel. She’d spent some of the time alternately texting Colin, Diann, and Letice and the remainder making notes for her article.

  Long grass blowing in the wind along the North Sea’s scenic coast seemed to wave hello to her. Many years had passed since her first visit to this part of Scotland where more of her ancestors had lived. It pulled her in as if she belonged there—the same way Neville did.

  How different her life would’ve been if she’d moved here instead. She exhaled as thoughts of Colin filled her mind. He seemed perfect—and though he obviously wasn’t, she prayed fervently that her heart would not be broken again. It was the unknown she feared. She thought she knew Aaron by the time they’d married. It didn’t take long for his true nature to appear.

  Cruden Bay came into view and past it, Slains Castle, its reddish stone glinting in the midday sun, mesmerizing her. As the setting of one of her favorite novels, it had captivated her, leading her to research its history.

  This time, instead of a fleeting tourist trip, she planned to thoroughly explore and spend three days getting familiar with the castle and its surroundings intimately.

  After checking in at the St. Olaf Hotel, she ate a quick lunch in their small dining room, her table by the window overlooking the golf course. From her upstairs room, she glimpsed the castle in the distance, perched on the cliffs as it had for hundreds of years, vast and imposing, a sentinel along the rugged coast with waves crashing beneath it. What an impressive sight it was.

  Susannah set off with her journal, bottled water, snacks, and other necessities in her bag. She walked through the village, past shops and the historic tavern. It was a long, yet pleasurable stroll that joined a path within a small wooded area, and crossed fields to end at the cliffs.

  The remainder of the afternoon she sat among the ruins facing t
he sea, scribbling furiously as the words came upon her like a flood. She consulted her previous research to blend it with her surrounding observations. Envisioning women in long dresses moving through the castle’s now abandoned passageways, their skirts swishing, brushing the walls with each step. Seagulls screeched into the wind, swooping into the surf below the castle in search of a meal.

  The sun began its decline behind her, leaving shadows, darkening the interior of the castle. Rising from her stone perch, she gave one last glance to the open sea to the east. The sun had nearly set before she reached the St. Olaf. She glanced behind as a temporary goodbye to the castle, a dark hulk on the cliff top.

  The next morning, she lounged in bed longer than she should’ve, and a relaxed breakfast left her invigorated for a full day of exploration. She ordered a take-away lunch, so she could spend the whole day out.

  Her plan was to walk through the village shops, taking pictures and interviewing the locals before returning to the castle. A glance out the window overlooking the beach revealed the wind more active than the previous day. She grabbed a gauzy purple scarf and entwined it around her hair, tying a loose knot under her chin. The interviews, a cup of Earl Grey at the Kilmarnock Arms Hotel, and a brisk walk across the fields energized Susannah to head to the castle again.

  After a couple hours of work, she had dozens of detailed photographs and a rough sketch of the castle’s floor plan. Her article would highlight the castle, an unofficial tourism destination the world had almost forgotten. Perched on the sill of the huge open window watching the sea, she sat with the wind whipping her scarf as she ate her sandwich.

  Occasionally, the murmur of disembodied voices walking the ruins broke her concentration—tourists. She watched a couple stroll hand in hand along the castle’s outer wall. The woman shaded her eyes and pointed far out to sea. Susannah squinted, the image reminding her of Aaron in the first—and only—sunny days of their relationship as they explored the Azores together.

  She stood, brushing crumbs from her lap. She wouldn’t think of him, not in this beautiful, peaceful place. Not today.

  Packing her trash, she reclaimed the camera for one more shot of the room. In her mind she visualized it as a parlor, or possibly a library—although it would’ve been the floor above as the lower floor held the kitchen, servants’ quarters and storage rooms. It most likely had been filled with darkly carved furniture lit by a warm glowing fire. She glanced to the brilliant blue sky where the upper floors were, so long ago. Through the paneless window, she took one last lingering look out to sea, studying the waves thrashing the rocks far below.

  “Searching for a ship?”

  The deep male voice startled her. She sank onto the sill, her legs weak, and grabbed the window’s rough edge.

  With wide eyes, she met Colin’s gleaming gaze and wicked grin. “Colin Heard, you scared the life out of me.”

  He shoved his hands into his pockets and pulled a face. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

  “You were off the mark a bit. I was so lost in thought…” Her voice trailed off as she regained composure.

  “Sorry.” He came to sit beside her. “I thought it’d be a nice surprise.”

  “It is, but aren’t you supposed to be on your business trip?”

  “Actually, no.” He rubbed his jaw and looked out to sea a moment, and back at her. “I made that up when you told me your dates. Spur of the moment decision.” He gave her an innocent smile. “A romantic gesture, I thought, but nearly scaring you off a cliff was certainly not my aim.”

  She shook her head with a grin. “Well, you achieved that whether intended or not. You’re so funny.”

  “Funny?” He gave her a playful shove with his shoulder, his broad smile reaching his eyes.

  She turned to look at the rolling waves. From her peripheral vision, she saw him follow her gaze.

  “Frightened of heights?”

  “Not so much. I do have a healthy respect for them though.” She lightly shoved him back. “You?”

  “Not at all. Used to hang glide a bit when I was younger.”

  “You didn’t?” She raised an eyebrow. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.”

  Through a wide grin, he said, “Yes, young and stupid, I might add. Won’t be doing that again. Learned my lesson.” He rolled his sleeve to his bicep and presented a nasty scar on his right forearm. “Had a foul run-in with a tree coming down that broke my fall and my arm.”

  Gently, her fingertips touched his scar, the sensation of the firmness in his muscular arm beneath leaving her short of breath. “I’m impressed. I’ve never been that brave. Born a chicken.”

  Colin laughed. “No harm there.” He stood and helped her up, not releasing her hand. Warmth spread through Susannah’s hand. She picked up her bag and fidgeted with the strap.

  “How about a stroll along the beach and dinner tonight?” He asked, his voice at her shoulder, his nearness both welcomed and unnerving. “I’m staying at the Kilmarnock Arms. I could collect you at half seven. Where are you staying?”

  She steeled herself and met his eyes. “That sounds perfect. I’m at the St. Olaf. I was about to leave when you startled me. I need to return to the village to take more pictures and interview a few more people. Walk with me?”

  He squeezed her hand, led her through the castle’s shadowed halls and into the soft waning light as they strode toward Cruden Bay.

  ∞∞∞

  Colin sat in the lounge at the St. Olaf perusing his phone when Susannah walked downstairs. He met her eyes and stood. “You look nice. I’m glad you took my suggestion of wearing comfortable shoes.”

  “Since it’s all I brought, I had no choice.” She returned his smile. “This is a business trip. And since I spend a lot of time on foot, I always bring two pairs of comfy walking shoes.”

  “Smart girl.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Haven’t been called a girl in decades.”

  “Pity, that. You still look like one.” He gave her a roguish wink.

  “Flattery will get you nowhere, mister.”

  “Pity that, as well.” He smiled. “Dinner?” He claimed her hand to lead her away when he turned and grabbed something she hadn’t noticed on the table. “Almost forgot my torch.”

  “What’s that for?”

  “It’s almost dark. We’ll need it to walk to dinner.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “You’re scaring me again.”

  “Properly so. Wait and see.”

  Once they reached the shops, Colin pulled out a long strip of fabric and told her to turn around.

  “You are joking, right? A blindfold. Seriously?”

  He nudged her. “Yes. Please hush and play along. I won’t let any harm befall you.”

  Her head slanted. “How do I know that? I mean, how do I identify you’re not another Jack the Ripper.” She teased. “After all, I don’t truly know you.”

  He covered her eyes with the cloth and tucked her arm in his. “Stay close, so you don’t trip. Let me guide you. This is going to take a while, so please be patient.” He paused. “Wait, where’d I put my knife?”

  Her laughter rang out, and she squeezed his arm.

  He whispered in her ear, “Although, I could carry you.”

  She whispered back, “We don’t have time to take you to the hospital and have dinner.”

  “Hardly,” he responded and smiled broadly.

  The walk was long, over uneven terrain. “We’re almost there. Just a few more steps.” He told her to stop, released her hand and moved behind her. He put his hands on her shoulders to angle her slightly. A gentle breeze rustled the hair at her neck, bringing with it the scent of the ocean, and he let the blindfold slip away.

  “Bon appétit,” he said, crossing his arms with satisfaction at her shocked expression.

  She covered her mouth and stared. Her lower lip quivered. “Colin … I …” She sniffled, her light eyes gleaming with unshed tears. “… I’m not certain what to say.�
��

  He turned to take in the scene he’d made just for her in the castle’s parlor. A large tartan blanket was spread across the ground. Flickering candles in glass jars rested on every available stone surface—the window opening, vacant spaces in the walls, tucked into corners, and on the blanket among the display of food and a bottle of sparkling water with two crystal stemware glasses. He may not be an interior designer, but he had to admit the scene held every bit of romance and tranquility he’d hoped to create.

  “Do you like it? Is it over the top?”

  Susannah gingerly stepped toward the blanket and looked at the thick cushions on either side of the food covered with a linen tablecloth.

  She turned to him, and he could see the depth of emotion she was fighting back. She sniffed again and swiped at her eyes; her voice affected. “Colin, no one has ever done anything remotely—” She broke down.

  “Please don’t cry.” He moved to her. “I simply wanted to show you how much I care for you. I don’t mean to rush anything.”

  He met her eyes. She offered a gentle smile as she dried her tears and gave a soft laugh. “Colin, I’m beyond pleased.” She wiped away a tear and moved to sit on a cushion. “But it’s breathtaking, literally.”

  He sighed with feeling. “You scared me this time. I thought you didn’t like it.”

  She sent him a disbelieving stare. “How could I not? This is phenomenal.”

  He poured her a glass of water, the tiny bubbles dancing in the candlelight and watched her take in the room, still in astonishment.

  “How did you do this? And when?”

  “After I left you to your interviews, I did a little research of my own. It is true that money can buy you about anything. Sad to say.” He shrugged. “Seeing your face was worth every pound.”

  He took a sip of water and smiled over the rim. “You’re not getting off too easy.” He surveyed the room. “We have to clean this up.”

  Susannah’s head lifted from peeking beneath the linen covering. “What? And you said I was incorrigible.”

  He smiled warmly, content and relaxed in her presence, and longed to see her so happy every single day if he could have any part in it. The room radiant with candlelight and the sound of the waves below the castle set the backdrop for what he hoped was the beginning promises of love.