by Marilyn Turk
She glanced at the sisters on either side, whose eyes were closed, their heads bobbing to the tune. Her attention diverted to the reverend who approached the pulpit. When the music stopped, he welcomed the guests then invited everyone to stand and sing along with the next hymn. Each of the sisters picked up a hymnal and Lexie looked on with Peg. Not wanting to appear heathen, she attempted to sing along. As she sang “Nearer my God to Thee,” the words pricked her, asking her if she really meant them.
The hymn ended and the minister began his sermon. She watched Russell move from the piano bench to a place on the end of the first pew where he could face the altar. Their eyes met before he sat down and the grin that spread across his face made her heart do a little dance. Her face warmed, and her own smile eased onto it. Knowing she had made Russell happy made her happy in return. She still couldn’t believe he was the pianist. No wonder she’d seen him coming from the chapel before. He must have been the person playing the piano the day she went for a horse ride.
Her mind drifted to the events of that day, the day she’d found Abner on the beach looking for Nazis. Her heart wrenched, knowing how the man had frightened her. Before she knew more about him. She had been so wrong to judge him, so wrong to judge his motives. He wasn’t the person to be afraid of, yet someone was. Someone who didn’t mind hurting him. It angered her now that Abner had been unfairly attacked. How dare they? They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it. The words of the minister yanked her attention back to the present when he said, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
All? Her eyes flitted to Russell, his gaze fixed on the minister. Even Russell? So, no one was perfect, not her, not Russell. Then the minister said, “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” And God still loved her. Even though she had ignored him. Her eyes misted as Russell returned to the piano bench and began to play another hymn. This one sounded familiar. The one she heard when she passed the chapel the day of the horse ride. The sisters opened the hymnal and began singing, “It Is Well with My Soul.” As the words and the music swept over her, Lexie wanted that to be true.
When the minister finished the benediction, the congregation began to shuffle out. Russell caught up with Lexie and greeted the women.
“Good morning, ladies. So glad to see you today.” He leaned over and kissed each of the sisters on the cheeks. “I see you brought my girl.” He clasped Lexie’s hands in his and kissed her on the forehead.
His girl? Although she wanted to argue his claim of possession, she didn’t, not caring to spoil the joy that bubbled inside her. She’d discuss his reference later.
“Good morning, Russell. I didn’t know you played the piano.”
“You didn’t? Sorry, I thought everyone here knew that. Yes, I’ve been playing since I came back from college and our former pianist retired.”
“And we’re so glad he was here to take her place, “Aren’t we, Sister?” Marian nodded to Peg.
“Certainly.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Maybe we can talk him into playing for us next time he comes over. That piano of ours doesn’t get enough use.”
Russell laughed as the sisters turned and walked up the aisle to the rear of the sanctuary, which led to the front door. As they did, Russell put his hand on Lexie’s back and ushered her along.
“So how do you feel about being in the chapel after all these years?”
“It’s lovely. I really enjoyed the service, and the chapel was more welcoming than I expected. I was afraid God was angry with me for staying out of church so long.”
“Well, you see, God isn’t angry with you. He’s even happier to see you here than I am, which is saying a lot.”
Her gaze fell on the stained glass window at the rear of the church, the sunlight filtering through, sending streaks of color across the floor.
“How lovely. I’d forgotten about this stained glass window.”
“This is the one commissioned by Tiffany for the chapel.”
Lexie studied the picture, marveling at the image of people standing before a king on a throne. As she took another step, she had the sensation of being watched. She glanced around but saw no one looking at her. When she looked up, her breath caught.
There they were—the object of her mother’s fears and the source of her paranoia.
Chapter 36
Thank God, she came to church today. Russell’s heart almost leaped out of his chest when he saw her sitting there in the pew between the Maurice sisters. She looked so innocent, so angelic, but a little bit timid. He chuckled to himself. Timid was not a word he would normally use to describe her. Feisty maybe, independent yes, but the last couple of days had changed her. First the ordeal with Spencer, then finding Abner had sobered her, perhaps even humbled her.
He smiled, remembering the look of surprise on her face when she saw him at the piano. Her eyes were big with wonder when he joined her after the service. Yet she seemed comfortable, even appeared to have enjoyed the service. Maybe now she could put the past behind her.
But when she glanced at the ceiling and stopped, her eyes filled with terror. “Lexie, what is it? What’s wrong?” Russell followed her gaze to the carved wooden animal heads that adorned the ends of the exposed beams.
“Those.” She pointed up. “I remember now how they frightened me as a child.”
“But now that you’re an adult, you know they’re just decorations. Surely now, you’re not afraid of them.”
Lexie studied the six different animal heads, their features contorted into grimaces, above her. “Why would they put such hideous things in a chapel?”
Russell shrugged. “It goes with the gothic architecture of the building, like the gargoyles outside.”
“Mother said they represented the six faces of death, and that they cursed our family. Each time one of our family members died, she said it was the curse.”
“Do you really believe that, Lexie?” Russell peered into her eyes, hoping she didn’t.
“The sensible person in me says it’s just superstition. Yet, it’s uncanny, don’t you think, that our family deaths have paralleled the six faces?”
Russell noticed the Maurice sisters waiting at the front door with the minister.
“You ladies go ahead. We’ll be along shortly.”
“Will you join us for lunch at the clubhouse, Russell?” Marian said.
“Thank you, yes. I’d love to.”
“Reverend, would you like to accompany us?” Peg addressed the minister.
“It’d be my pleasure.” He grabbed his hat and coat, which were lying across a chair in the corner, and followed the sisters out.
“Please. Sit down a minute.” Russell motioned to the pew. “Let’s talk about this. You say your family was cursed. How is that?”
“Well, my little brother Kenneth drowned when he was only three, so I guess that fits the curse of flood. Next Grandmother Smithfield died from typhoid fever, which she got here, they said, so that’s the curse of pestilence. Grandfather had a heart attack, so that’s the curse of disease. Robert died at Pearl Harbor, so that’s the war curse, and you could say Mother died of starvation because she quit eating and just wasted away in the hospital. But Father’s accident—I don’t know where that fits, but he died here too. There’s only one curse that hasn’t gotten us, the curse of fire.”
Tears ran down Lexie’s cheeks, breaking Russell’s heart. There was a reason her father’s accident didn’t fit, but he couldn’t tell her. Not now. Not ever. What good would it do? Only upset her more. He reached for her and wrapped his arms around her slim shoulders, stroking her silky hair with his hand.
“Lexie, it’s true your family has had its share of trouble. But not because of a curse from these things.” He pointed overhead. “Lots of people have problems, and they’re not connected to the island in any way. Maybe in your mother’s mind it made sense, but did you believe everything she said?”
“Lexie, sadly, there is evil in the world—everywhere—the Germans and the Japanese represent evil to us now because of the war. But there’s evil here, too, and, unfortunately, Abner ran into it. And don’t tell me it was because he was in your cottage.”
She relaxed against him and sighed. Then she sat upright with a start.
“Abner! I haven’t checked on him today. I need to see him, find out how he’s doing.”
“All right, we’ll go to the infirmary after lunch.”
“No, Russell. I can’t eat until I see about him. Don’t you understand?”
Determination flashed in her eyes, and he knew he was beaten. Shrugging, he said, “Sure Lexie. We’ll go see him first.” His stomach growled, but he told it to wait. There were more important things than food.
When Lexie and Russell entered Abner’s room in the infirmary, they walked to the other side of the screen. But he wasn’t there. The bed had been made up, and the room was empty.
Lexie covered her mouth as her heart plummeted. She stared at Russell. “No, Russell! He couldn’t have died!”
“Surely someone would have sent word.” Russell took her hand and pulled her toward the door. “Let’s find the doctor.”
At the nurses’ desk, Lexie breathed a sigh of relief to discover Abner was still there and still alive but had been moved to a private room, per doctor’s orders.
“He’s in room six.” The nurse pointed two doors down the hall to her right.
The room at the end of the hall was smaller than the first, with only one bed instead of two. They walked in to find Abner propped up in a sitting position. Lexie glanced at Russell before hurrying over to the man.
“Mr. Jones, can you hear me? It’s Alexandra Smithfield.”
The old man’s eyes opened slowly. He stared at Lexie, then found his voice.
“Miss Smithfield.”
“Oh, you’re conscious! Thank God!” Maybe God had listened to her after all.
“Yes, ma’am. Got a bit of a headache though.” He pointed to his bandage-wrapped head.
“I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
Russell stepped forward. “Abner, good to see you awake. You had quite a gash back there.”
“The doctor said you found me and called him. Thanks.”
“Abner, I hate to bother you, but can you remember anything that happened? Did you see anybody?”
He shook his head slowly. “I’ve been racking my brain to remember, but so far, nothing. Guess whoever hit me was behind me, and I couldn’t see them.”
Russell touched the man’s arm. “Don’t worry about it, Abner. You just rest up and get better.”
“Thank you for coming to see me. Think I’ll take a nap now.” He closed his eyes, and Russell took Lexie’s arm and led her from the room.
“Not much more we can do here. He needs to rest. Are you ready for lunch?”
“I guess so. I still hate leaving him alone though.” Lexie twisted her lips.
“He’ll be fine. Let’s go.”
On the way to the clubhouse, Lexie turned to Russell. “Russell, why didn’t you tell the Maurice sisters what really happened to Abner? Why did you say he fell?”
“Well, first of all, we don’t know what really happened. I had to tell them something though, to explain why I wanted you to stay with them.”
“Russell Thompson, you told a lie.”
Russell winced. “You’re right. But Bernon knows what happened, and he asked me to keep it quiet. He doesn’t want the other members to get upset. The truth will come out—it always does.” He ran his finger around the inside of his collar.
“Just like the Germans, right? Just pretend everything is all right, keep up appearances.”
Russell’s face glowed crimson, and he shifted his shoulders. His customary smile disappeared. Instead, deep lines furrowed his brows and drew his eyebrows together.
“It’s a vacation spot, so it’s our duty to keep the worries of the world away.”
“Except that some of them are right here.”
He nodded slowly. “You’re right, Lexie. But I must do what my boss tells me. Do you understand?” He faced her and stared into her eyes, as if trying to instill comprehension.
“Yes, Russell. I guess I do understand.” And in a way, she did. But she didn’t like it. She didn’t like any dishonesty, especially from Russell, the one person she thought she could trust. But something in his eyes bothered her. He was used to keeping secrets, but was he keeping a secret from her? A chill shook her body, but she didn’t think it had anything to do with the weather.
Chapter 37
“You know our nephew Albert Jr. and his family are coming to visit next week.” Marian lifted her glance over her cards. They were playing bridge again, which Lexie and the sisters had done every day she’d been there, vastly improving her game. “I know you’ll enjoy them.”
“I really should go back to the clubhouse. I’ve taken advantage of your generosity too long already.” Lexie made the opening lead to start the hand.
“Nonsense!” Peg turned to Lexie. “We love having you here, don’t we, sister? And we certainly have plenty of room for all of you here, with nine bedrooms.”
“We always have room for company,” Marian added. “Mother and Father enjoyed opening their home to guests, and we take pleasure in continuing the tradition.”
“Well, I thank you. You’ve been wonderful hostesses.”
Lexie did enjoy being with the sociable sisters, but she was getting restless. The island had been inundated with a week of chilly rain. The clouds hovered over the treetops, refusing to let the sun penetrate. Russell came by daily to take her to visit Abner Jones, who had yet to remember anything else about his attack. But the doctor said his wound was healing and his memory might return as well, respecting his patient’s desire to stay on the island instead of being sent to the Brunswick hospital.
“If this rain doesn’t let up by tomorrow, the tennis tournament might have to be cancelled. The indoor courts at the Morgan Center don’t offer any room for spectators.”
Peg’s remark startled Lexie. She’d completely forgotten about the tournament. Thankfully, she hadn’t seen Spencer again but heard through the sisters that his attention had shifted to the daughter of another member. She hoped somebody would warn the girl and her family about the cad. Somebody, but not Lexie. She wanted to sever all ties to the man.
When Russell picked her up later, he told her the tournament had indeed been cancelled.
“Just as well,” he said. “I don’t think it would have been well-attended. With the war going on, people aren’t traveling as much.”
So Spencer would be gone. Lexie breathed a sigh of relief that he wouldn’t be around to run into, and his next “victim” would be spared. Good riddance.
A few minutes passed in silence as Lexie stared out the side of the car watching raindrops hit the window and form rivulets that ran down the door.
“Russell, I think I should move back to the clubhouse.”
“Why? Do you think the sisters want you to?” He looked her direction while he gripped the steering wheel.
“They haven’t said so, but they’re going to have more relatives at the house next week.”
“Yes, I believe Al and his family are coming. But that shouldn’t be a problem. The Maurice family has always had guests at Hollybourne.”
Lexie didn’t answer and continued staring out the window, her mood reflecting the gray weather. Truth was, she was bored. She wanted to be productive, not just sit around all day and play bridge. Maybe she should go back to the hospital where she was needed. Here, she was no use to anyone, not even Abner Jones.
When they arrived at the man’s
room, his color looked better, not gray like it had been.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Jones,” Lexie said, as she and Russell approached the bed and stood on either side.
“How’re you feeling today?” Russell offered a smile at the old man.
“Almost normal. Maybe I can go back to work next week.”
Lexie and Russell exchanged surprised glances.
“I don’t think you better rush things, Abner.” Russell patted the man on the hand. “We need you to get well. Besides, you can’t do any gardening in this weather.”
“No, sir. But I could stand guard. Anybody seen anything out there lately?”
“No, nothing.”
“You know, I think I remember something from that night I got hit over the head.” Abner jabbed his finger at the air.
Lexie sucked in a breath waiting for his next words.
“What, Abner? What did you see?” Russell asked.
“I seen somebody go in the house, so I followed them.”
“Did you get a good look at them?”
“Not too good, but one of them was a man—wearing a hat and coat. He went up the back stairs, and I was gonna go up after him, but somebody hit me from behind.”
“One of them? So, did you see two people, Abner?” Russell leaned toward the man.
“Yep, the other’n was smaller. He must’ve been the one what hit me. Guess he saw me coming and hid till I got in there.”
So at least two men were in the house. If only Abner could describe them.
As they left the infirmary, the sun squeezed through gaps between the clouds, trying to brighten the dreary day.
Russell peered up at the sunlight peeking in the windshield. “Looks like the rain might be over with, finally. And just in time too.”
“What do you mean, just in time?” Lexie cocked her head at him.