by Claudy Conn
“Stop! I am a male in a man’s world. I may be forgiven in the end for such antics, but you do see, you, as a female, would not?”
“I do see, and it is a deplorable state of affairs. I shall work to change such idiotic notions about what a woman may or may not do!”
“Dash it, Ness. Until society…and I agree with you that women should be allowed more license, but until society agrees, you could hurt yourself with this sort of behavior.”
“Never mind, I don’t think I shall scamper about the countryside at this objectionable hour anymore, so you needn’t concern yourself with me.”
“Won’t you? Why?” This worried him. Ness was not the kind of person to give up without a battle.
She gave him an arched brow. “Now, look at you, brother. You don’t want me riding out in the wee hours and now you want to know why I have agreed not to? Absurd.”
“I’ll have none of your games, Ness. Remember, I am your brother. I do understand and know you and I am very fond of you as well. I can’t believe you are giving up because of our little talk, or even my threat, as you know in your heart, I would never write to Father about your waywardness. I knew you saw right through that as soon as I uttered the words.”
“You are correct, paltry threats never sway me. Threaten me, indeed. You may have a year on me, but I am not the sort to waver when I have a purpose, but if you stop being disagreeable, I shall tell you something.”
“Tell me then,” he urged. “I don’t want to be disagreeable.”
“It is a confidence. Rick…I must have your word as a gentleman. Word of honor.”
“You have it,” he said, for he could see she was serious. “You have my word.”
On the ride home, Ness had quite made up her mind that matters had to be altered at once. She had planned on taking her brother aside and enlisting his help with her plan.
She eyed him now. He would not betray this confidence. She was sure of it. She took a long breath of air and said, “As it happens, I have been visiting with Mary’s brother, the Viscount of Montlaine. I had to tell him all that I discovered and that is why the cloak of secrecy and the hour.”
“My sister has gone mad?” He touched her forehead and she slapped his hand.
He shook his head. “What in thunder have you done with my sister,” he said, taking her shoulders. “Ness…did you hit your head? Did you take a fall off Shadow and hit your head?”
“Don’t be a noddy. The Viscount of Montlaine is alive and quite uncomfortable, but alive. The fall into the ocean did not kill him. He planned that fall—chose his spot, for it was that or the mob. He is alive and innocent and in need of our help.”
“Mary has been suffering thinking her brother is dead. How could he do that to her?”
Clearly Rick was sidetracked. “Rick. He had to stay dead so he could investigate in secret. Mary couldn’t be told so that her grieving would be real, so that no one would guess.”
“Still, Ness…my word, she has been in mourning…”
“What do you think she would do if she knew he was alive?” Ness said, giving him one of her looks.
“Go to him. I see, of course, she wouldn’t rest until she could see him for herself.”
“Exactly.”
“So now, Ness, what is to be done? How can I help?”
“I believe that Bess Widdons is the answer to everything we need to know. It is also my belief that I could flush Bess out…make her tell me what she knows if Mary were there to help.”
“No. Mary stays here. If you must, bring the girl here.” Rick was adamant. “I can’t protect Mary if she is running about the moors with you.”
“I did ask Bess to join me here and she did sound pleased about it, but just before dinner yesterday, she sent a note around saying she could not visit.” Ness grimaced. “I shall send her around another note insisting that she visit.”
“I won’t have Mary put in any danger.”
“At Penrod? Mary would be safe and, Rick, you could stay close…”
“No, I don’t like this.”
“Rick, we can’t wait for them to choose their time to hurt our Mary. We must find out what Bess knows, for I believe she knows who killed her friend. She is so very frightened. She has to know.”
He inclined his head. “Mind now, Mary stays within our grounds here and you don’t go riding Shadow at wild hours of the night to meet a man you say is not a murderer, but don’t have the proof that it is so.”
He waited for her to respond and when she didn’t, he insisted, “Agreed?”
“You haven’t given me a choice, have you?” she answered.
“Well then, it is settled. Goodnight, Ness. Don’t take my lecture earlier too hard. One day, you might even agree with me about it all.”
She watched him leave and whispered, “Now, Rick, my dearest brother, you know me better than that.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Spears of sunlight shot through the overhanging branches onto the main pike. A sweet smelling breeze shifted the green leaves, bent their stalks, and brought the strong aroma of wildflowers to all who would enjoy.
Bess Widdons left the dales and took the road, but she was insensible to the loveliness of the summer’s day. She guided her old and gentle roan gelding over the badly rutted shale and dirt road toward Penrod Tower. She had changed her mind and decided to visit the Lady Vanessa.
It had been Ness’s note, which she received that very morning, that had convinced her she should do this. She felt the sun on her face and pulled her straw bonnet lower over her forehead. She felt compelled to attend Ness, who had been so kind to her.
At first, Bess suffered great misgivings when she read Ness’s note. She was sure that trouble, only trouble would come from such a meeting, and yet she just could not refuse because Ness had said if Bess could not attend her, she then would visit with her at her home.
Bess did not want that—no, she did not want her parents involved in any manner. Better to go to Ness and pacify her as best she could.
She saw the Tower with its mellowed grey battlement reposing as it had for centuries against the sky. A barrage of evergreen and rhododendrons no longer in bloom sat in harmony with the large black iron gate displaying the Penrod coat of arms, which was wide open.
On the other side, she saw Ness, and her heart skipped nervously within her breast.
The Lady Vanessa was clothed in a simple day gown of pale green muslin. It fit her figure and Bess wistfully thought her perfection. Lady Vanessa’s golden hair was tied with a matching ribbon at the nape of her neck, where its long lengths blew in the gentle summer breeze.
How was she ever going to prevaricate to this young woman? She was sure Ness would see right through her lies. But lie she must.
“Hallo!” Ness called as she waved her hand.
Bess lifted her hand in response, but the smile died on her face when she saw, tripping lightly behind the lady, another female, and that other was a petite girl in a white dress with red dots. That girl was Mary of Montlaine and oh, but Bess felt ashamed.
“Bess? What is it? You look distressed. No one here means you any harm. Come, do dismount.” Ness took up the reins as Bess acquiesced and jumped lightly to the earth.
“Look,” Ness said, holding up a leather piece. “We bought a halter so we can tether your horse to the post here near the gate and then take a bit of a walk together. Won’t that be lovely?”
“Thank you, my lady,” Bess said.
“My lady? I am Ness and you are Bess, and Mary tells me you two are mildly acquainted?”
“Indeed,” Mary said with a warm smile. “Bess and I used to meet in town quite often at the bake shop. We both have a sweet tooth.”
Bess took Mary’s hands. “Indeed…I am so, so very sorry for your loss.”
* * *
Ness finished with Bess’s roan and turned to link arms with her as Mary walked just a bit ahead on the wide path away from the house.
“What
is it that you think I can help you with?” Bess asked nervously.
“We both know what it is, Bess, don’t we?”
Bess stopped. Mary turned and reached out her hand and Bess took it as Mary said, “Please help me.”
“I…I can only say how sorry I am about your brother…about the lies told…about…”
“Bess, being sorry is not enough when you know something that could help undo a lie,” Mary interrupted.
Bess hung her head.
“What you need to know, Bess, is that you are in danger whether you tell us what you know or not. You see, Duncan is home,” Ness said softly.
“And why should that put me in danger?” Bess asked cautiously.
“We all know that it does,” Ness said.
“Oh, this is awful…I…you don’t understand….” Bess cried and put a fist to her lips. “He doesn’t know I…”
“We think that he will soon guess,” Ness said softly. “Don’t you think so?”
“Duncan is my cousin,” Mary added. “Sooner or later I shall have to visit Montlaine, if only to retrieve some of my things. You see, the Dower House, which stands empty, is now mine and at some point in the future I shall go there to live.”
“No, no, Mary…you must not. Stay with Lady Penrod where you will be safe,” Bess wailed on the edge of hysteria.
“What do you know, Bess? Please tell us,” Ness asked gently.
“No, no, I don’t know anything. It was a mistake to come…” Bess began to whimper.
Mary took Bess’s shoulders and shook her. “Stop it. My brother was falsely accused and his life was forfeit. I can see—feel that you know something that can help clear his name and put the real murderer in prison. Help us, Bess. You know you should.”
“Indeed, Bess…you owe it to yourself because if we think you know something, you can be certain that by now, the real murderer thinks so as well,” Ness said, and saw that Bess immediately understood her meaning.
Bess sniffled and said, “You are most insensitive to frighten me like this.”
“Insensitive?” Ness was incredulous. “Your friend is dead. Mary’s brother…accused of murder, and you are definitely in danger while this murderer is free. No matter how insignificant you think your information is, you must tell us what you know. It is the only way, Bess, and what is more, you know it in your heart, don’t you?”
Bess put a hand to her cheek and took a long breath. “What I know isn’t enough, and I can’t let him know about Melony’s letter, so in the end, he will go free.”
“Melony’s letter?” Ness returned incredulously. “Does she name her lover in the letter?”
“Yes, but she also makes reference to me and the other girls in the coven. It would ruin us all if I gave anyone that letter,” Bess wailed.
“Bess, your fear puts you right in his path. He will use that to keep you quiet until he can silence you permanently. Don’t you realize that? If you have a letter, we can trap him without anyone knowing about Melony’s letter,” Ness argued.
Bess chewed her lip, but said nothing as she paced and went to lean against a big oak.
Mary followed her and said, “Well?” She received no answer and threw up her hands.
Ness said, “Bess…you said you loved Melony. This evil man seduced her, got her with child, and killed her. Should he walk this earth unpunished for his crime?”
“Please, Bess,” Mary implored. “If you think you know who it is…tell us. There is safety in numbers.”
A rustle of bush and a nearly imperceptible movement in the brush some distance at Ness’s flank caught her attention and sent a chill up her spine. She looked in the direction of the sound. Nothing. And then her eyes were drawn with fascination to the multi-beamed illumination the sun will produce when one of its rays meets and bounces off a sleek metal object.
Ness’s thoughts clicked into a fine running machine, taking each piece of information, sorting, and putting it together, all within the fraction of a second, giving her the answer she sought.
A cry of fear accompanied her action as she dove and pushed Mary to the ground, even as she yanked on Bess’s sleeve so hard that it tore away. Bess went tumbling to the ground and landed hard beside them in the dirt.
Bess let out a cry and cupped her knee with her one hand as the blade of a sharp dagger whizzed by. It landed in the tree—the very tree both Mary and Bess had been standing in front of.
Ness stared at the blade now lodged in the oak. Her heart was pumping wildly and for a moment she was too stunned to move. They were on Penrod grounds. Someone had dared to lay in wait for them right on Penrod grounds!
Breathe, she told herself, for her breath was caught in her throat.
She found her voice and whispered harshly, “Stay here…stay low. Don’t move.” With that, without further contemplation of the situation, Ness took off into the direction from where the dagger had come.
Some distance ahead of her, she heard twigs cracking and the snort of a horse as its master must have mounted quickly and heavily. She felt the earth vibrate as hooves pounded out a path.
She rounded the bend through the thicket, pushed away vines, and was greeted by a cloud of dust as horse and rider made good their escape.
She stood for a moment and then turned to rush back to find Mary with her fist clenched and telling Bess to stop her wailing.
Ness stood between them, and as she helped Mary brush the dirt off her white gown, she tried to calm Bess, who had sustained an injury to her knee.
“Ness, do please tell this ninny-hammer to keep her mummer shut, for if she doesn’t stop crying at me, I shall have to box her ears!”
“Yes, yes, we have all sustained a shock and our nerves are on edge, but crying, as Mary says, will do none of us any good,” Ness offered calmly. “You know, Bess, you are now quite safe, so there is naught to cry about.”
“But that…that is a knife, and someone threw it at me!” Bess whimpered, and wrung her hands. “And I fell on my knee.”
“Yes, but look, your knee is not bleeding…not even scraped. You shall do,” Ness said, putting Bess’s skirt back down.
“There, you see, so stop your blubbering. Besides, that knife was, I have no doubt, meant for me.” Mary was still in a temper and folded her arms across her middle as though to contain herself.
Ness might have found the entire scene amusing had she not already been sobered by staring at the knife so neatly lodged in the oak tree. “Actually, Mary, I think you are out on that. You were not standing in line with this tree. Bess was.” She walked over to the knife and with her arm outstretched said, “You see…Bess was the one standing in its direct line of fire. It would have caught her in the chest had I not pulled her to the ground.”
Bess gasped, let go a moan, and fainted right away in a crumpled heap at their feet!
“Oh dear.” Ness clucked her tongue before bending to give the girl a gentle shake. “Bess, Bess, do wake up. I think we should get out of this open area…”
“What the devil is going on here?” demanded a familiar male voice at their backs. “I was worried about you and came to check…”
“Richard!” Mary cried out, and ran to hug him around his middle. “You have come. You are here. Oh, Richard, such an awful thing has happened. Someone tried to kill me, well, no, Ness thinks they tried to kill Bess here, who is useless. She won’t tell us what she knows and wails on and on and…”
“What? Someone tried to kill Bess? And I am supposing this poor woman lying on the ground unconscious is Bess?” He undid Mary’s hold and stepped towards his sister. “Ness? What has happened?”
Ness was on her knees beside Bess and was bringing her around, so she did not immediately answer him. Finally, Bess moaned and opened her eyes.
“Ah, there you are, dear. Do you think you can sit up?” Ness asked.
In response, Bess sat straight up and clutched Ness’s hand. “You won’t let him hurt me, will you?”
“Of cours
e not,” Ness answered. She turned to her brother. “Take the ladies up to the house, Rick. Bess shall stay here with us, for I don’t want her to make the journey home yet. No one leaves the house.”
Ness was on her feet and starting off, but her brother stayed her. “Ness…where are you going? This is serious. We must call for the magistrate.”
“Indeed, I agree, but I am taking a drive to Montlaine. Don’t worry, I am in no danger, Rick, but both your charges are. See to their safety.”
At his back, Mary was once again scolding Bess, and insisting that she tell her everything she knew.
“So she shall, Mary, once we have her safely inside. Come along,” he said, taking charge and each of the ladies’ arms as he steered them for the house.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Edward Parks gave hi horse over to Epps, and though there was a smile on his lips, his eyes were hard and stern. “Lord, but Duncan came dashing in. I tried to catch up to him and never saw ought but the trail of dust he left behind. What’s to do, Epps?”
“I be stalled right well, Mr. Parks. He came in like the divil himself was a–thumping at his tail. He gave m’lad some whisker about his horse getting away with him.”
“He never did? Why, that old gelding could no more get away…well, well. I just think I’ll go up to the house and see what tale he has to tell me. Where are the Echworth women?”
“With Mr. Orson, shopping,” Epps answered. “Be careful, Mr. Parks, that Duncan is a bad fellow.”
“So he is,” Edward said as he started off.
“I’ll wager a monkey he’s been up to prime bobbery this morning,” Epps answered.
Ness had a unicorn curricle hitched for her drive to Montlaine. The horse she drove was prime and attentive to her signals, and she was well pleased with his pace. She grimaced to think how she looked with her day gown a proper mess, no gloves, no hat, and she was driving unattended and at an indecorous speed. The notion of it all made her laugh in the wind.