The Secret of Hollyfield House

by Jude Bayton

  Her face was livid. I believe if Evergreen could have, she would have slapped me. She was enraged, two pink dots shone on her cheeks. And that was all I needed to know. She did not have to corroborate my accusation—it was written all over her lovely face.

  I got to my feet and, without another word, left the conservatory. As the maid shut the door behind me, and I walked away from Hollyfield, I let out the deep breath it felt I’d been holding throughout the entire conversation. Evergreen was no pushover. It had taken all my resolve to maintain a steady demeanour and not be intimidated by her forceful disposition. I smiled, a little of my pride restored. I had succeeded.

  Now I understood why people were victims of Jareth’s blackmailing endeavour. Evergreen, Louisa, Marik and Perry. What a devious individual the blacksmith had been. In some ways, it was understandable someone wanted him dead and killed him. But it was never Billy Wolfe. The person responsible for killing Flynn could be commiserated with in part, because they certainly had motive—Flynn was a miscreant and despicable blackmailer. Yet the murderer had stolen Billy’s knife with the sole intention of killing Flynn and then framing an innocent young man. To be so devious, to incriminate a boy who could be convicted and subsequently hung for something he did not do? It was unforgivable.

  But which person did I seek? And what about Marabelle? I still had not accepted her death as an accidental fall. How on earth did she factor into this tangled mess, and who would want her dead?

  I walked back towards Ambleside, ruminating over what I already knew. I still had much to understand—yet something told me I was getting closer.

  As I turned up our street, someone stood waiting outside the front door. Too late I realised it was Dominic.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  HE SAW ME AT THE SAME TIME and immediately headed my way. I hesitated, wanting to escape—I was not yet ready to speak with him, for I still smarted. But he called my name, and there was nothing for it but to wait for him to approach.

  “Jillian. Where have you been? I take it you are feeling better?”

  “What do you mean?” I had no idea what he referenced and then remembered my excuse for avoiding him yesterday. “I am well. Why do you wish to see me?”

  “To ask if you would join me for a short walk. It is a fine morning, and we have much to discuss. Will you come?”

  In truth, I did not want to walk with him, I was still disgusted, full of regret. I wanted to spit my accusations in his face. Tell him I was no fool and berate him for giving me false hope. Tears pricked my eyes, but my fury dried them instantly.

  “Fine,” I relented. “I shall walk with you, but not far. I have much to attend to before Uncle returns later.” I did not look at his face. I could not.

  If he noticed the distance in my voice, he did not comment upon it. He joined step beside me, and we made our way down the street toward the village.

  “Jillian,” he began. “I want to clear the air between us. I know you are angry with me because of the behavior I displayed at the Mountjoy’s. But you must let me explain what has been going on before you convict me and toss me aside.”

  He was more intuitive than I had credited him to be. Consequently, he had my attention. I was extremely interested in what he would say and how he proposed to extricate himself. I glanced over at him none too kindly. “Go ahead. I cannot wait.”

  He threw me a wary glance. “I am innocent until proven guilty. Remember that.”

  I nodded acquiescence.

  “These past weeks have been surreal, and I have often found myself in a state of despair. The nightmare that began with Billy’s arrest, has spread like a thick fog, saturating my mind until I do not know if I come or if I go.” He ran his fingers through his dark wavy hair. “At each turn, there is conflict. To accuse one is to devastate another. My head has spun so much I am dizzy.”

  “Can you be more specific?” I said bluntly, not giving him an inch—he deserved it.

  “When we found evidence at the boathouse that day, I was astonished. I knew should Víctor learn of his daughter’s discretion he would be beyond devastated. So, I asked Evergreen to meet me, and I told her what I suspected. She was furious, and at first denied it all, but eventually owned up to having met the man once or twice.”

  “She lies.” The words burst from my lips.

  Dominic looked at me. “I know.” He went on. “As you discovered more of Flynn and his other liaisons, I believed Evergreen’s role in the entire affair must be greater than I first imagined. I became worried and also torn. I have a brother in the gaol while his half-sister conceals the fact she was involved with a murder victim. I was conflicted, but also concerned for Victor to bear this knowledge. I confronted Evergreen once again, but this time she decided to use a different tack, she began flirting with me.”

  I stiffened, and Dominic looked at me quickly. He continued. “When I was very young, Evergreen bestowed upon me my very first kiss. To a poor young farm boy, she was a princess. I was completely smitten with her from that moment on, though she had no feelings for me other than wanting my homage. However, as the years passed and I grew up, I finally understood the kind of woman Evergreen was then and is now. She has relied upon her gender and beauty her entire life. She has effortlessly collected young saps, myself included, along the way.

  But Evergreen has no moral compass, no concern for any but herself. When she decided to set her cap at me once again, it was not difficult for me to ignore her advances—I understood her intent. She sought to control me by seduction. But Jillian, I am no longer the foolish young boy from years ago. I have no interest in the woman beyond that of friendship. Besides.” He stopped and reached to take my hand. “My heart is already taken.”

  I saw the earnest affection in his eyes, and still I pulled my hand away sharply.

  “I have seen how she impacts you, Dominic. I have watched your expression change when she enters a room. She is lovely, and I cannot blame you for having your head turned…”

  “No, Jilly.” He gave a deep sigh. “You have it wrong. I admit my feelings toward Evergreen are complicated, but only because I have seen through the veneer of her character. I have been troubled, and I realise I should have explained my feelings to you. But where to start? Since we met I have worked the farm, seen Billy at every opportunity while also becoming involved with you, and trying to protect Victor. I am at a loss to juggle everything in my head. I have tried to behave as though all is well, especially when I am with you. Our time together has been the only thing stopping me from going mad—you have to believe that.”

  “I do not,” I said flatly.

  He was undaunted. We reached the church, and he indicated we should sit on the bench. I did so but kept a great distance between us.

  “The day of the Mountjoy’s dinner, Evergreen told me she had something of importance to tell me. She came to the farm and said the reason she hated my brother was that he had molested her on more than one occasion.”

  I gasped. “No, that is ridiculous!”

  “Yes,” he said mournfully. “I agree.” He turned to me. “But regardless of what I thought, she meant to tell Victor and then the constable. If she had done so, Billy’s fate would have been sealed.”

  “She is a manipulative and wicked girl,” I said. But now I began to understand Dominic’s strange mood the night of the dinner. He had been distant, so cold. And I had immediately assumed it was all about me.

  “Evergreen tormented me with her threats the entire evening. I was distracted and angry. Unsure of what to do next. When I looked for you and found you already gone, I realised I had offended you. But Jillian, I was in no state of mind to worry over that. I was consumed with fear for my brother. The following evening, Evergreen came to the farm. She told me she planned to tell Victor very soon, and then he would stop helping with Billy’s case. I argued with her. I called her every foul name I could think to call her. She responded by trying to kiss me. It was as though the passion of our rage seeme
d to fuel her desire. I was revolted.”

  I faced him. His pallor had whitened, and his eyes were sad.

  I took his hand. “Dominic, I was there.”

  He gave me a puzzled look. “Where?”

  “At the farm. I had come to see you because I was worried. You were so indifferent to me at Mountjoy’s dinner, and I was upset. The next day I sought you out to confront you, to ask if you were finished with me. I saw you with Evergreen, and I saw your kiss.” I watched his response carefully. His expression changed to relief. “Then you also witnessed how strangely she behaved, and how I pushed her away. It was too bizarre, Jillian. And now I do not know what I should do about any of it.”

  I did not tell Dominic about my reaction to the kiss, how I had flown from the farm in misery. I was gratified he assumed I witnessed the entire event and behaved as though he had nothing to hide from me. I took this as a great comfort. It had all been a misunderstanding, yet I had learned much.

  “I have just visited Evergreen,” I said. “And I told her I knew of the relationship she had with Jareth, and that others saw her with him. She is very angry with me, but I care not. Evergreen knows far more than she lets on, Dominic. I fear her role in Flynn’s demise goes further than we realise.”

  “What do you mean?” He frowned.

  “I believe Evergreen knows who killed him.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  DOMINIC AND I SPENT THE remainder of the day together at Wolfe Farm. I helped him clean out the chicken coop and muck out the stables and the barn. The physical labour must have been good for me, because by the next morning, my demeanour had greatly improved. Certainly, our disagreement had taken some of the shine from the relationship we had so recently begun. Yet traversing through our conflict and misunderstanding would hopefully serve to give us a stronger foundation.

  Today we planned to see Victor and tell him everything we knew. Dominic still had many misgivings, not the least what Evergreen would do with her fabrication of Billy molesting her. But I had convinced Dominic that, at this point, it was better to be honest with Victor. Although it was a great deal of bad news and would grieve the man to learn of it—he was much more robust than Dominic realised. His successful career certainly emphasized that.

  We met on Lake Road. Our moods were sombre, which was to be expected on such a solemn occasion. We walked together but were lost in our respective thoughts as we approached the house. Dominic planned our arrival to coincide with Victor’s breakfast. As a rule, he would be the first to rise, and we would therefore catch him alone.

  Victor exclaimed surprise at seeing us together and so early in the day. But before long we sat with him as he finished his eggs and kedgeree, and accepted a proffered cup of tea from the footman before he left the room. As the door closed behind the liveried man, Dominic cleared his throat. “Victor. Though I hate to do this, I have many things I must tell you, and none of them good.”

  The older man paused from eating and his green eyes narrowed. He looked like a tiger ready to pounce.

  “Then you’d better get started.”

  Dominic relayed all we had both learned, in a precise and orderly fashion. I found myself impressed at his capacity to make good sense of it all, and he wisely maintained his composure throughout the entire ordeal. He recalled each of our discoveries. His only omission was though he conceded Marik to be a victim of blackmail, he did not reveal why. We had agreed Marik and Perry’s relationship was for them, and only them, to speak of.

  It was a long speech and, thankfully, Victor did not interrupt, not one single time. His self-control appeared effortless, but I knew the man had to feel devastated, even angry. When Dominic was finished, Victor rose and went to the sideboard, where he poured himself another cup of tea. He then rejoined us at the table where we both sat in silence.

  “Well, Dom.” He spoke after a moment. “That is indeed much for me to take in. I am quite astounded and impressed you and Jillian have deduced all that you have. It appears you work harder than our local constabulary.

  We remained quiet. It was Victor’s turn to talk.

  “You know, building my business has taken much from me over the years. It has been hard work, and I readily admit I have not done it alone. Countless people have helped me succeed, yet it has come with great sacrifice.” He took a sip of his drink. “I have worked long hours and given much priority to my career and ambition. I have buried a wife and two infants, and now it is blatantly apparent that I have neglected my son and daughter.

  “I brought my family back home to England after the loss of Emma, because staying in India without a mother proved too painful for the twins, especially Evergreen. I hoped both the stability and the influence of our British family would aid my children after losing their mother so young. Yet I believe my absence has rendered me oblivious to signs that all was not as it should be.” He sighed, and I felt such empathy.

  He continued. “When Evergreen committed her indiscretion—though it was not her first—I thought it best to bring her here, away from the temptation of London and under the watchful eyes of Marabelle, my wife’s cousin. I knew it was not an ideal situation, but at least it would offer some structure, short of sending the girl away, which I did not want to do. But as time has passed, I have been increasingly aware that Evergreen has—” he struggled for the word. “Some difficulties adhering to rules, especially those dictated by her class in society. I have long overlooked her problems because, in truth, I have always feared she might be more like her mother than I suspected.”

  Dominic and I looked at one another. I knew his puzzled expression was the same as mine must be.

  “Evergreen’s mother was of a nervous disposition. I believe there was some thread of it in her family, yet it would not be noticeable to most. Emma struggled with many things in life. She was shy of strangers, and then alternatively too forward with others. She was prone to fits of anger and then might cry for days. Emma was somewhat of an enigma. But I ignored any misgivings I had and buried myself in my work.

  “In our first three years of marriage, we lost two sons to cholera. It is my belief Emma had not the time to recover emotionally before she was with child again. This time she gave birth to the twins, Perry and Evergreen. After their arrival, Emma’s depression became all-consuming, and her interest in the children was simply absent. It was a most trying time for all involved, culminating in her fatal overdose of laudanum before the twins’ second birthday.”

  He stopped for a moment, and I thought he must have travelled back to that time in his mind. There was such sadness in his story. I thought of his young wife, Emma. How unhappy she must have been to feel as though taking her life was the only choice.

  “Perry and I adjusted to moving back very well. We brought Marik with us, so I am sure it helped my son having as good as a brother to share things with. But for Evergreen, well, it was quite challenging. There were a succession of friends who marched in and out of her life. Yet none stayed long—I fear they saw in her that which I could not.”

  He stopped short as the sound of conversation approached. The dining-room door opened, and Perry and Marik walked in, closing it behind them.

  “Dom, Miss Farraday,” Perry said pleasantly. “What brings you here so early?” He must have comprehended the atmosphere in the room and seen our serious dispositions. “Is something amiss?” He addressed his father. “What is it?”

  “Would you and Marik join us please, Perry?” Victor requested. Perry looked swiftly over at Marik’s worried frown. They seated themselves across the table from Dominic and I and then glanced to Victor for clarity.

  “Son, why was Jareth Flynn blackmailing you?” His words were quietly spoken, yet their impact was as though he had shouted them.

  “Flynn?” Perry looked puzzled. “What on earth are you on about, Father? I barely knew the fellow. Don’t think I ever spoke to him more than once. Why ever would you think he was blackmailing me?” Perry’s voice was incredulous. He w
as telling the truth. “What’s this about?”

  Victor sighed. “We have evidence and information which proves Flynn was blackmailing several people in the area, and you are among them.”

  “That is ridiculous.” Perry was outraged. “I have never heard anything so preposterous. Do you think I am lying?” He rose to his feet, his face red with indignance.

  “Your father is right,” Marik said softly.

  Perry stared at him. “What do you mean?” He sat back down.

  Marik looked to the head of the table. “Victor, Perry has no knowledge of this, I promise you. Jareth Flynn planned to approach him, but I intercepted and told him he would have to deal with me instead.”

  Perry was aghast. “You never said—”

  “…I did not want to worry you.”

  “Why was he blackmailing you?” Victor addressed them together. Marik’s black eyes quickly shifted to Perry, whose face flushed—his blue eyes, so like his sister’s, shone bright with emotion. Neither answered.

  “Did Flynn discover you were lovers?” Victor asked, and the room went completely still. I could not look at them. I was an intruder to something too personal, too private. I kept my eyes downcast and wished I were somewhere far away. I had no desire to embarrass Perry or Marik.

  “Come on, Perry. For once, can my family not be honest with me?”

  Perry looked up at his father, his face both a mixture of sadness and defiance. “How long have you known about us?” he said quietly.

  Victor shook his head. “Years,” he said softly. “I was but waiting for you to tell me.”

  I glanced at Marik. He held his head high and did not flinch as Victor turned a cat-like gaze in his direction. “And what of you, Marik. Do you have nothing to say?”

  “I love your son, Victor—with all of my heart. Because of that I tried to protect him from Flynn. That despicable man would stop at nothing, and so I paid money for his silence. I just wanted to buy time so that I could determine the best course of action. But then he was killed. I would be lying if I did not say I felt immense relief when I found out he was dead. I thought our troubles were finally behind us.”