They renewed their efforts and eventually discovered the first of the buried workmen. Adam didn’t need to examine the man to know he was beyond human aid. The cadaver’s head was resting at an unnatural angle, his neck had been broken by the fall.
In silence they extracted him and he was passed back along the line and then placed reverently on the boards. Adam did not hold out much hope for the other two, but they must continue to search. Then he quite distinctly heard another groan. ‘Quickly, one of them is alive at least. Make sure we don’t send the whole lot crashing down the staircase as they are precariously balanced against the wall and banister.’
He and Jonathan took the lead and carefully removed each item and handed it back to those waiting behind them. It was dammed difficult trying to keep one’s balance and he feared if they did not reach these men soon it would be too late.
There was something going on above him but he did not turn to discover what the fuss was about. Then word came down from the gallery that the doctor had arrived. He had examined Georgiana and she was now wide awake and had suffered only superficial bruising in her fall.
Knowing the girl was unhurt gave him renewed vigour. His hands were cut and full of splinters; if he had known what he was going to be involved in, he would have put on his riding gloves. Too late to repine – he was in no worse a case than his friend and no doubt there were other gentlemen with similar injuries but they were all determined to complete the rescue.
‘We have them, there are two, and both appear badly hurt,’ he called back hoping the doctor could hear him.
To his surprise the older of the two opened his eyes and managed to smile. ‘I ain’t too good, not much you can do from me I reckon. Get Ned out first, he’s got more chance than me.’
Adam knelt beside him and could see at once the poor devil was crushed beneath two chests, it was a wonder he was still able to speak. He remained where he was whilst Jonathan and the others carefully removed the other injured man. As soon as the weight was lifted from the man he crouched beside, he would die.
‘I am the vicar, would you like me to pray with you? What is your name?’
‘Jed Bainbridge, and a few prayers wouldn’t do me no harm.’
Chapter Twenty-two
Kitty could not remain downstairs a moment longer. ‘Now Jane has joined you, Lizzy, I am going to my apartment. They will take Georgiana there and I wish to make sure everything is ready for her. I promise someone will come down to bring you news as soon as there is any.’
‘I should never have allowed Bainbridge to bring his work inside.’
‘None of this is your fault, dearest Lizzy,’ Jane said as she patted her sister’s hands. ‘Pemberley is cursed and the sooner we have all departed the safer I shall feel.’
‘It is I that has caused your world to be ripped apart so rudely. Until I arrived to be the conduit for these beings nothing untoward had taken place here. My name should be Cassandra as I am the harbinger of bad luck and disaster.’ Kitty knew she should have remained at Longbourn where she belonged then none of this would have happened.
‘That is fustian, my love, and well you know it. These apparitions have been haunting the place for generations and it is my pregnancy that stirred them into action. The fact that they can communicate through you is a good thing. Without your intervention we would not have thought to move away so soon and think what danger we would all have been in then?’
‘It doesn’t really matter anymore, Lizzy, what has caused this nightmare to erupt around us. I’m going now, but I shall be back directly to tell you when Georgiana is safe.’
The house was in chaos, footmen running back and forth without their livery on, no sign of breakfast being set out in the breakfast parlour, and there were several guests wandering around looking bewildered. She stopped to direct them to the small drawing room. ‘My sisters are in there, please go and wait with them until this matter has been rectified.’
As she emerged into the passageway in which her apartment was situated she could see at the far end there were a dozen or more gentlemen in shirtsleeves working feverishly to rescue Georgiana. She would only be in the way if she went up there, so she went into her sitting room and rang the bell for attention.
Ellie burst in wringing her hands, her face tear-streaked. ‘Lawks a mussy, miss, what a dreadful thing to happen. We thought as you wouldn’t wish to be sharing when Miss Darcy is unwell, so we have taken the liberty of moving you back to the suite you occupied the first night you were here.’
‘Thank you, I had come to suggest that very thing myself. Fortunately there won’t not be too much to transfer as the majority of my garments have already been packed away in trunks and are waiting for our removal in three days’ time.’
She wandered back and forth from her own rooms to those of Georgiana unsure what she could do to help. Doctor Bevan went past clutching his black bag and she was glad he had arrived so promptly. A further interminable time went past and then Darcy came down the passageway carrying her friend.
‘How is she? I have been beside myself with worry.’
He smiled warmly at her. ‘She is unscathed and will be wide awake and telling you her story very shortly. The doctor has already examined her so do not look so worried, little one.’
She followed him into the bedchamber and was about to offer her assistance to disrobe her friend when he took her arm and gently guided her away. ‘Let her maid take care of her. You must tell me how this accident occurred.’
When she had finished explaining he nodded. ‘I shall go and tell Lizzy and Jane that Georgiana is perfectly well, just a little shocked by her experience. Are you coming with me or remaining up here?’
‘I shall stay here so that I might talk to her when she is feeling more the thing.’ She pointed to his disarray with a smile. ‘There are guests with Lizzy and Jane, Fitzwilliam, I think it might be wise if you put on your jacket and neckcloth before you join them.’
He grinned and for a moment looked quite different. ‘Thank you for reminding me, sweetheart, I shall do exactly that. I shall also ask for breakfast to be served downstairs, for those working in the gallery will be hungry after their exertions.’
When she looked into the bedroom Georgiana was sleeping and she had no wish to disturb her. Perhaps it would not hurt to see what was happening on the gallery. As she stepped into the passageway the gentlemen who had been assisting with the rescue were approaching and she hastily stepped back out of sight.
Now it would be in order for her to go as only Adam and his friend remained. She remembered the cry of pain they had heard, the sound that had precipitated this disaster, and prayed that whoever it was had been found and was not too badly injured.
She was obliged to pick her way through the broken packing cases and freshly sawn timber until she reached a clearer space. There were two shrouded shapes laid out on the floor and she shuddered. Then she saw that the doctor, Adam and the major were halfway down the flight of stairs attending to a third injured man. Then all three stood up and bowed their heads. There was now another corpse to join the two already there. Her eyes filled and her throat thickened. She should not be here, this was not a suitable place for a young lady.
She was about to turn away when Adam looked over his shoulder. He said something quietly to his companions and then bounded up the stairs towards her. ‘This is an unimaginable tragedy, that three good men should have died in such circumstances is unbelievable.’ He gestured towards the wooden remains. ‘I don’t understand how Georgiana could have caused this disaster. The place where she fell is a considerable distance from here – how could these cases and planks of wood have moved so far and so fast?’
Kitty shivered as an icy draft enveloped her. ‘She might have started the wood moving, but I believe supernatural forces must have been involved.’ She looked nervously over her shoulder. ‘Something is happening, I can feel the ghosts are very close.’
He moved closer to her and put hi
s arm around her shoulders. ‘I feel it too, we must get away from here.’ He raised his voice and shouted at the doctor and the major. ‘Leave him, we are in dreadful danger. We must leave the gallery at once.’
Both gentlemen scrambled to their feet and shot up the stairs – they were a few yards away when the air was sucked from her lungs, but even with Adam’s support, her knees buckled and she sank to the floor. The air around them became thick and heavy, each breath she took was more difficult than the last.
Through the grey swirling mist she saw the curtain covering the fire-damaged panelling on the far side of the gallery tear from the wall. Then the communicating door flew from its hinges and she was surrounded by screaming ghosts. At first she could discern one from the other and then they merged into a single entity.
This hurtled down the marble staircase and towards the beautiful mullioned windows. Her world went black for a second as they blotted out the light. Then with a hideous crack the glass and frames exploded outwards in a shower of broken shards and the howling, swirling black shapes disappeared into the park.
From a distance she was aware that Adam was beside her. ‘Sweetheart, are you unhurt? Can you stand on your own or shall I carry you to your apartment?’
Slowly her head cleared and her lungs began to work normally again. She nodded and held out her hands. ‘Did you see that? They’ve gone. I don’t understand why this should be so after so long, but Pemberley is no longer haunted.’
He gently helped her to her feet. ‘The curse was lifted because poor Bainbridge died. When Georgiana fell into the timber she indirectly caused the accident that killed him – therefore a Bainbridge died violently at the hands of a Darcy and the ghosts were satisfied.’
‘Thank God we did not tell anyone how the curse could be lifted. Georgiana would be destroyed by such knowledge. Do you think we shall still have to vacate these premises?’
He gently turned her towards the ruined windows through which the howling gale was blowing. ‘The entire front of the house is damaged; it will take weeks to replace all the glass that has been destroyed. God knows what explanation Darcy will give for this. I have never heard of an infestation of any sort that was able to cause an explosion.’
As they reached the junction of the passageways, Darcy and Bingley arrived at a run. ‘What the hell was that? Was anybody hurt when the windows blew out?’ Darcy’s face was chalk-white and his usually immaculate hair was standing on end.
‘The windows went out, not in, so there was no danger to anyone inside the house. Your ghosts departed when Jed Bainbridge died. Pemberley is your own again.’ Adam patted Fitzwilliam on the shoulder.
‘At the risk of stating the obvious, my friend, it is damnably cold with the windows gone. Adam, is there any chance we can move in today?’ Bingley smiled hopefully.
‘I think that it is imperative to spend Christmas elsewhere, there have been three tragic deaths today, I have no wish to upset Lizzy in her delicate condition. What about it, King, will you take us today?’
‘As there is no need to put any furniture, paintings or other artefacts in store, I can see no problem with that,’ Adam said. ‘As your stay will only be for a few weeks I am sure my staff can look after you and your Christmas guests for so short a time.’
The door behind them opened and Georgiana rushed out, fortunately she had taken the time to dress. ‘I heard the most dreadful bang and could not stay in my bed a moment longer.’
Kitty rushed over and embraced her. ‘The ghosts have gone but unfortunately their departure took the windows out. We are going to move immediately to the Rectory. We had better make sure we have what we need for the night, because I do not suppose our trunks will arrive until tomorrow.’
Eventually the overnight guests departed and Kitty was certain that news of the extraordinary events that had taken place would be all over Derbyshire by night-time. Lizzy and Jane were horrified by the tragic events, but equally delighted to hear that there were no longer ghosts at Pemberley. Fortunately nobody questioned her explanation that it had just required the violent death of a Bainbridge to satisfy the ghosts.
Darcy had told the staff a Banbury tale that explosive vapours caused by the insect infestation had caused the damage and they appeared to accept this. After all, any other explanation would be too fantastical. They were to take only their personal servants and the remainder of the staff were to remain in situ and help with the redecoration and restoration.
Dusk was falling when Kitty climbed into Adam’s carriage with Georgiana and their abigails. The major rode beside the carriage whilst Adam took the reins. Her friend kept glancing surreptitiously through the window, presumably in the expectation of seeing Major Brownstone ride by.
They drew to a halt a short while later and the vehicle rocked violently as Adam jumped down. He opened the door and let down the steps. His smile made her toes curl in her boots.
‘Welcome to your future home, my love, I hope you will be happy here.’ He reached in and swung her to the ground, whispering in her ear as he set her down. ‘If I have my way, sweetheart, you will not return to Pemberley, but remain here with me as my wife.’
‘I cannot wait to marry you, but I shall not do so until my parents and other sisters are here to join in the celebration. So you will have to wait at least until the spring for our nuptials.’
His smile was wicked as he replied. ‘Shall I indeed? I think not, Miss Bennet. Would you care to place a wager on it?’
‘How shocking, Mr King, to suggest that I should do something so reprehensible as gamble with you.’ She could not resist the urge to rest her mittened hand on his cheek. ‘And to think that you were a man of the cloth until recently – I am shocked at your suggestion.’
Ignoring Georgiana, the two maidservants, plus a veritable forest of miscellaneous servants who had come to welcome them, he drew her closer and kissed her full on the lips.
THE END
Book 2 in this series – A Scandal at Pemberley is available on Amazon.
Book 3 – A Spy at Pemberley will be available on30th June 2016
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The Ghosts at Pemberley Page 21