The Mistresses of Wistmere: A Neo-Gothic Novel

by Rachel Secor

  Cringing, Katherine stated loudly, “You won’t inherit anything now because Garth gets it all.”

  “I know the son of Robert, but he too will soon be dead.”

  Suddenly a groaning sound filled the air, and Selina momentarily froze in her descent, seeking the banister for support as the stairs trembled.

  Finally gaining her inner strength, Katherine shouted as she moved further along the wall toward the door, “You can’t kill everyone! Right now Garth’s looking for you!”

  “Liar! I know that he is not here! I watched him leave, and he has not returned. I will have what is mine!”

  All of a sudden, Katherine’s hand touched the knob. But before she could seek freedom, a loud rumble came and the floor under her feet shuddered. She looked back up to the stairs where Selina was standing.

  Brandishing a thin blade, Selina declared, “It is now your time to die!” She took another step down. But as she did so, the groaning beneath the staircase became a loud cracking sound.

  Katherine, pressed to the side of the door frame, locked her hand around the door knob. She jerked the door open, choosing Brice’s grasp over death at Selina’s hand.

  As Selina bounded down the steps, her knife held high, the rotten wood of the stairs separated itself from the floor above. The decayed bracing beneath the stairs gave way, and Selina’s triumphant cry became lost in the roar of shattering wood and the collapsing stairwell as it crashed to the floor below.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Garth’s lathered horse raced ahead of the horses rode by Constable Reed and his officers. It had taken Garth most of the day to locate them. The cool, late afternoon air did nothing to calm the fevered, worried thoughts he had of Katherine. He admonished himself for leaving her and May-Jewel alone and unguarded. Alex and Brice came to his mind. He remembered them as boys. Alex was sneaky and Brice was cruel. They hadn’t changed. Either one was capable of harming the women in some way. He spurred his horse on, leaving the authorities behind.

  It seemed an eternity before he finally reached Wistmere. Not seeing anyone about, Garth decided the women must be in Katherine’s room. Leaving the constable to enter on his own, he ran to the top of the stairs just as he heard a scream coming from the west wing. He tore off in that direction. The old manor groaned as a thunderous crash resounded throughout its corridors. A belch of grey smoke funneled down the hallway, engulfing everything.

  “Katherine!” he yelled.

  From out of the dust, she emerged, choking and coughing. She stumbled up to him. He caught her in his arms.

  “What happened?” he asked, looking past her at the destruction.

  “Selina… Brice…!” she gasped. “The stairs!” Trembling, Katherine pointed back down the hall.

  Not seeing anything beyond the settling dust, Garth questioned, “Are you all right?” He held her at arms’ length, looking for any harm. Satisfied she wasn’t hurt, he enclosed her in his arms again.

  She relaxed momentarily in his hold and the safety he offered, then pushed herself away. Nodding, she answered, “Yes, I’m all right, but Selina isn’t. The floor gave way and so did the stairs she was standing on. The second floor fell to the first.” She was shaking badly, and her last statement ended in a sob.

  Once again Garth held her to him until her sobs quieted. “Katherine, you must show me where Selina is.”

  Wiping her tears from her face, Katherine took Garth’s hand and led him to where she had last seen her nemesis.

  The dust was slower to settle there and everything was grey.

  “Here, in this room.”

  Garth tentatively looked past Katherine. “You stay here. I’ll see if I can find her.” Entering cautiously, it took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the haze of dust that was still in the air. He moved slowly and skirted the perimeter of the gaping hole and peered over the jagged edge. The wood groaned, and he moved quickly back, afraid it would suddenly give way.

  “Do you see her?” Katherine asked.

  “No, I can’t see much of anything through the dust.”

  “Let me look,” she said, starting to enter. “We can’t leave her there.” Even though Selina had tried to kill her, Katherine couldn’t just leave her to whatever wounds she might have sustained in the fall.

  Garth moved back to the door. “No, it’s too dangerous. The constable and his men should be here by now. Go and tell them what’s happened here. I’ll try again to find Selina.”

  “But what about Brice?” She called after him.

  “Not now!” came his reply as he disappeared from view.

  * * *

  Before the dust had even settled, Selina crawled out from among the broken boards. If I’m going to die, I will die the Mistress of Wistmere. She coughed. The blood in her mouth and the pain she felt with every breath confirmed her suspicions.

  Limping badly and cradling her useless left arm, she staggered toward the light filtering through the floating particles. With her good arm, she pulled bits of debris away from in front of a side door, making a small opening. Getting down on her knees brought so much pain that she almost lost consciousness. But with hatred-spurned grit, she made it through into the back corridor. Her one goal was to finish what she started. Believing Katherine would seek solace in her room, Selina moved to the servants’ stairs. They were no longer in use and had been her means of moving about the manor unseen.

  The stairs almost proved to be her undoing. The pain in her chest and stomach increased with every step. But she finally made it to the second floor. Down the corridor she shuffled. She had to stop and flatten herself against the wall when a man ran from the bedroom and headed in the direction of the front stairs. She smiled, realizing that her prey would now be alone and vulnerable to the fury that gave Selina life. But as she cracked open the bedroom door, she heard voices and saw two men and a woman near the bed. Selina knew one of the voices was that of the cook, but she didn’t recognize either man. Her heart surged in joy, thinking the woman that lay there was Katherine and that she must have been injured in the fall. But then the men moved and from her view point, Selina saw that it wasn’t Katherine at all but the other daughter, the one she knew would die soon anyway from the poisoned needles. Selina smiled at her work and silently closed the door.

  But where was Katherine? As she listened, she heard a commotion downstairs. Treading softly, she headed in that direction.

  * * *

  The deafening noise drew David from Katherine’s room. Not knowing where the noise stemmed from, he ran down the front stairs. Once down the steps, he quickly realized the magnitude of what had happened. The dust made it hard to see or breathe. Putting his handkerchief over his mouth, he moved slowly down the corridor and further down the hall until he saw a beam blocking a doorway. A slight settlement of dust allowed him to see into the room where the bulk of the damage had occurred. The room was filled with a huge mound of debris from the upper floor. He was thankful that no one appeared to be harmed in the incident.

  As David turned to leave, Garth suddenly appeared next to him.

  “Can you see anyone in there?” he asked urgently, peering past David’s shoulder.

  “No, no one. Why? Was anyone upstairs when the floor gave way?” David asked puzzled. He then grew fearful as he hadn’t seen Katherine since he had returned with the doctor. He hadn’t been able to find Brice so took it upon himself to seek the help May-Jewel needed.

  “Yes, Selina and Katherine.” If Garth had had his suspicions before about what Katherine meant to the vicar, seeing the terror in David’s eyes only confirmed it. Before David could respond, Garth quickly added, “Katherine’s shaken up a bit but is all right. I’ve sent her to wait for the constable.”

  “Oh, thank God,” David breathed. “But what about the other woman?”

  “She’s still be in there. Here, give me a hand.” He started to pry the boards that barred the doorway. “Selina? Are you there?” he called.

  But there wasn’t an
y answer and, with all their efforts, they weren’t able to gain full entrance to the room. Only the small opening at the foot of the door was widened slightly. The corridor was too narrow to afford them much maneuvering space. Each time they stopped for a moment in their attempts to enter, they would listen for any sound from under the rubble. But they heard nothing except their own breathing.

  “We’ll need more men,” Garth announced, wiping his hands free of dust.

  “How did this happen?”

  Shaking his head, Garth simply responded, “There are some floors that need to be replaced. I guess this one just gave way while Selina was on it.”

  Frowning, David said, “This place isn’t safe. I’d feel better if the women came and stayed at the manse until the threats against them cease and the dwelling can be inspected further.”

  Garth frowned, his voice edged in anger. “You needn’t worry, Vicar. Selina won’t be a threat to them much longer and, now that I’m back, the manor will be repaired. My sisters will be safe enough here with me.”

  Their eyes locked for a moment. David was the first to look away. He knew he hadn’t any ground to stand on, and this wasn’t the time to force the issue. He was certain that Katherine herself wouldn’t accept his offer for the women to stay at the manse. He changed the subject.

  “Did you say that you brought the constable?”

  “Yes, Katherine should be with them by now.” Looking back into the room, Garth finally said, “Maybe Selina escaped injury. She could have gotten out before we got here.”

  “Poor soul,” David commented, “that she be driven to such actions.”

  “Don’t feel too sorry for her, Vicar, she’s very resourceful and very evil.” But he, too, grew worried about the woman and decided to extend his search. “If anyone is going to be able to find her, it’s me. Come on, I remember some of the more hidden places to be found here in which she might be hiding.” He started walking away.

  David wasn’t sure what to do, to help Garth find Selina, to seek out Katherine, or return to May-Jewel and assist the doctor. After a moment’s hesitation, he followed after Garth. As they approached a divide in the hall, Garth pointed to the east side of the building.

  “We might as well split up. You look in the rooms down there, I’ll continue to search this way. Remember, although Selina is possibly wounded, she’s still to be approached with caution.”

  David nodded, and the men separated.

  * * *

  As she reached the great hall, Katherine stared in wonder not at the constable and his men but at Brice and Alex in shackles.

  “Are you Katherine St. Pierre?” the constable asked.

  Her urgent reply echoed throughout the hall. “Yes, and you must go immediately to the back corridor. There’s been a dreadful accident. A woman needs your help.”

  “In good time,” the officer replied. “Come here please. There are some questions I need to ask concerning these two. This one,” he pointed at Alex, “says you will be able to straighten things out for us.”

  As she drew closer, Katherine looked past the constable to Alex. Although he would have a black eye in the morning, he didn’t look as if his fight with Brice in the wine cellar had injured him much, and she was relieved. She turned her attention to the officer. “Constable…”

  “Reed, ma’am, Constable Reed.”

  She nodded and continued, “Constable Reed, before I take the time to answer your questions, please allow me to go to my sister’s bedside. I’m anxious to see if she’s out of harm’s way.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” he replied gruffly. “Mr. Fleming here told me of the incident, and I sent a man up to check on her. Tho’ the doctor is still with her, I’m told she’ll be just fine.”

  Katherine breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

  “This won’t take long,” the constable continued. “The sooner I get your statement, the sooner I can get to the other concern you mentioned. Then we can take these murdering devils off to gaol.”

  Alex violently lashed out at the men holding him. “I’m not a murderer! I haven’t broken any laws! Ask her!”

  Only too willing to help him, Katherine declared, “He’s right, Constable. He’s not a murderer. Brice confessed to the death of our man servant, as well as to the murder of Sir Robert and Angelique Belwood in America. Alex hasn’t killed anyone.”

  As he entered the hall, Garth heard her. Anger overcame his shock at hearing that Brice had killed his father. He pushed past the guards and the constable, and, lunging at Brice, grabbed him by the throat. With his hands and feet shackled, there was little Brice could do to defend himself.

  “Sir!” Constable Reed cried, Garth’s action taking him by surprise. “Stop him!” he yelled to his officers.

  “You murderer!” Garth roared, tightening his grip on Brice.

  Realizing that he could easily kill Brice and then hang for murder himself, Katherine cried, “Garth, no!” and pulled on his arms to try to make him let go.

  Constable Reed and his officers finally overpowered Garth and freed Brice from his grasp. Brice lay on the floor coughing and sputtering, trying to catch his breath.

  “No good will come of that now,” the constable said as he frowned at Garth. “He’ll hang for his crimes, that’s a certainty, so there’s comfort to you.”

  Garth pulled himself free from the officers that had restrained him. “I’ll admit that my father’s death didn’t pain me much, as there was little love lost between us, but to learn that it was murder is beyond comprehension and tolerance!”

  Katherine took hold of Garth’s arm in an attempt to calm him. “Brice will soon pay for his deeds. And it seems foolish to go on hating your father now. He’s already paid for his actions against us.”

  Looking at Katherine’s pale, scared face, he said quietly, “It’s not so much Brice that I’m furious with but myself. I’m sorry. I left you women here alone with him, and you were almost killed as a result. I shouldn’t have gone. I had a suspicion that Alex and Brice were in league with one another and, just thinking that, I should have stayed to keep you safe.”

  “But you’re wrong. You’re wrong about Alex,” she quickly informed him. “Brice would have killed me in the wine cellar had it not been for him.”

  “Is that true, Mr. Fleming?” the constable asked.

  “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you! Brice tried to kill us both!”

  Constable Reed rubbed his chin as he looked from Alex to Katherine. “You’re sure about that?”

  She nodded.

  “Well, then…” he removed the key from his belt and unlocked the shackles on Alex’s hands and feet.

  “Thank you,” Alex said snidely, rubbing the red flesh on his wrists.

  “I don’t know how I could have misjudged you so, Alex,” Katherine said, placing her hand upon his arm in an offer of friendship.

  A weary smile crept over his soiled face. “You weren’t wrong all together,” he admitted. “I did want the jewels, and for the reason that Brice stated, I was trying to steal them. But I didn’t kill anyone nor have I tried in any way to harm you.” He looked to Garth. “And I’m sorry about what happened between us. I know that I usurped your place beside Sir Robert, but I only did so because my father ordered me to. He was dying and knew that our estate would have to be sold, leaving me and my mother without any means of survival. So he told me to accept willingly all that your father gave me.” He looked away and said again, “I’m sorry.”

  At first Katherine wasn’t sure that Garth had heard Alex for he didn’t move, and he didn’t answer. She raised her eyebrows in question just as Garth responded.

  “I’m sorry, too. It wasn’t your fault that my father acted as he did. But…” he let the thought remain unsaid that Alex seemed overly eager, actually pleased, in doing his own father’s bidding and taking for himself what was rightfully Garth’s.

  From the corner of her eye, Katherine suddenly saw a movement at the top of the
stairs.

  “Selina!” she gasped and pointed in horror. She recoiled over the condition of the woman. Not only was Selina’s clothing torn and covered in dirt, but her one arm dangled uselessly at an odd angle, and her face was covered in blood.

  Katherine’s cry alerted the surrounding men, and they all turned to see where she was pointing. Transfixed, they watched as the battered woman swayed slightly and took hold of the banister.

  A smirk stretched across Selina’s bleeding lips until her gaze fell upon Garth. With her hand over her mouth as if to stifle a cry, she turned and disappeared back into the shadows of the second floor.

  “After her!” Garth cried. “She’s the one who tried to kill Katherine!

  Garth, Alex and the constable immediately took pursuit.

  “You’ll nair find her!” Brice hollered up at them. “She be a crafty one!” The echoes of his throaty laughter drowned out the sound of their retreating steps. “All this time she be right under yer noses an’ ye dinna find her!” A threatening hand from one of the officers silenced him.

  Fear soared through Katherine’s heart, and she paced nervously awaiting the return of the men. She told herself that Selina would soon be caught, and she tried to believe it. She wanted everything to be right, to be normal again. But what was normal? That she had spent her life hating a father that had, in reality, actually loved her, even if it were in a strange way? That the course of her life had been changed by a stableman and by an act of murder? The events of the past churned through her pounding head as a disruptive thought suddenly took form. Putting Selina from the foremost of her mind, she turned to the manacled Brice. She had to know the truth from this man. Her voice trembled as she spoke.