On this very sad anniversary of the tragedy, I feel overwhelmed with a need to tell you how I wish that I had the power to change your feelings for me. I have made a terrible mess of things, and I have only myself to blame.
I miss you terribly. I miss your laugh and the way you used to come to me with your little worries. How easy it was for us, so long ago, pet, when you reached your hand for mine and said you would always love me, no matter what.
I don’t know how it all went so wrong, and I am deeply sorry that it did. Know that I cherish you and that if you can find it in your heart to forgive my having pushed you away, as I truly have in these times of darkness, then it would forever be my salvation. I wish to try again.
Would you consider, my darling, the opportunity to travel with me? Might we again go to Europe? This time I would love to take you to Scotland, the birthplace of my dear long departed mother and I should like also to have us visit Ravenscraig Castle, for which our home is named.
Would you come with me, darling Beth? Will you give me one more chance to show you how much I love you?
With deepest affection,
Forever yours,
Rupert
How Beth wished that she had known he was planning to romance her again, to rebuild the life they had known as newlyweds. How was it possible she did not get to her sewing basket in all of those days! The poor darling man. It was all there in his letter and never apparent in his speech. She was bereft with grief.
That the tragedy of his murder should come at the moment when they might have come together was more than she could bear.
The Winnipeg Star published the following front page story on the tragic death of Rupert Willows, on Monday, April 20, 1914:
Former Alderman Rupert Willows Murdered Last Night
Gunned Down in Office
Body Burned Beyond Recognition
Building Explosion and
Fire cause $80,000 Damage
Police are investigating the murder on Sunday night of longstanding City Councilor Rupert Willows at his office building on Main Street. He is believed to have been shot to death, at close range, prior to an explosion and fire at the office premises.
Shortly before eleven o’clock last night, an explosion ripped through the Main street office of Willows and Sons, igniting a raging conflagration that would quickly overtake the building just north of Bannatyne. Three fire crews worked for more than two hours to bring the fire under control and succeeded in stopping the fire from spreading to the adjacent buildings.
At dawn, police investigators picked through the rubble of the destroyed Willows building and came upon the gruesome discovery of a badly burned body. The police report that the body has been identified as that of Mr. Willows. The medical examiner has declared that the cause of death appears to have resulted from gunshot wounds. Five bullets were found in the chest of the victim, with four having been fired at close range.
Gold Watch Helps Identify Victim
In order to spare the family further suffering, the body was identified with the help of lawyer, Mr. Grenville Doddsworth, KC, who for many years acted as legal counsel and was a close friend of the deceased. Although the body was terribly burned, Mr. Doddsworth was able to positively identify the victim as Mr. Willows by the measured height of the body and more importantly, by the presence of a gold watch that was found clutched in the right hand of the dead man. The watch was inscribed on the back with the words: “To my darling husband on our wedding day, forever in love, Beth.”
Robber Suspected to Have Murdered Mr. Willows
Mr. Doddsworth speculated to reporters that a robber may have startled Mr. Willows who was working late in his office on Sunday evening. Mr. Willows was a collector of art and fine goods. Police agree that there is much evidence to point to this being a case of a hold-up that turned deadly and are almost certain that is so.
The cause of the explosion is unknown at this time. Police have made no arrests in the case and appear to not have any leads at this time.
Insurance Will Cover Costs
of Damages and Provide for the Widow
Mr. Doddsworth confirmed that the insurance on the destroyed Willows Block is at a maximum level but that it is too early to know if the family will wish to rebuild the office building. Mr. Alfred Willows, the only son of the deceased who is active in the business, has disclosed to Mr. Doddsworth that he is considering relocating the company to Toronto.
There is also a very large insurance policy to see to the needs of the widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Biggleswade Willows. According to Mr. Doddsworth, she plans to stay in her home, Ravenscraig Hall, for the time being.
The late Mr. Rupert Willows survived the sinking of the Titanic along with his wife and daughter.
Chapter Sixty
Letter to Doddsworth
The Carlton Hotel
58 La Croisette
Cannes, France
May 20th, 1914
Mr. G. W. R. Doddsworth
Lindsay Building
228 Notre Dame Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba,
Canada
Dear Grenville,
We are enjoying the most delightful weather on the French Riviera and I must say that I am feeling fit and rested as I become accustomed to my new surroundings. I have decided that I will be stopping here at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes for several weeks.
Thank you, Doddsworth, for your discretion and your professionalism. I very much appreciate all of your help in having finessed my new arrangements and identification papers. Your work is, as always, first rate.
You will find an enclosure in this letter with all of the banking information you will require for the new account that has been established for you in Switzerland.
I did receive your letter, and I thank you so much for the news articles on my demise. I do feel somewhat badly that more people did not attend my funeral, but so be it. I’m dreadfully unhappy that Beth took it so hard, but it is rather for the best that things concluded as they did. She was so annoyed and displeased with me by the end of it. She has plenty of money to keep her comfortable and to fund her wretched causes. I know things will work out fine for her. I’m sure all of this dreary business concerning voting rights for women will fill her days. It’s so unattractive and unfeminine, wouldn’t you agree? Despite my disappointment in the matter, it does appear to be a most powerful movement, and I daresay that the Manitoba women will be the first suffragists on the continent to have their precious voting rights. So be it. I am bloody tired of hearing about it.
I am rather sorry, though, that I will never again see Ravenscraig Hall. We did have our good times there over all those years, I must say. However, I do intend to visit Ravenscraig Castle in Scotland next month. I have always been curious about the ancient place and I understand it is located in a charming little village on the coast.
I am also happy to report that despite all that is behind me, I do feel intensely alive and ready for adventure. I am considering two transatlantic cruises to test my card playing abilities but I expect to be back in France by late fall.
Grenville, we have had a great many positive dealings over the many years we have known each other, and I expect the future will be the same. I sincerely hope that you will want to accept my invitation to visit with me here. I do miss listening to you prattle on about Winnipeg politics.
Let’s have a bit of fun, shall we?
I will expect to be the owner of a stunning little villa called Palmerose in Les Issambres by late summer. It is up on the hillside and affords a spectacular view of the coastline villages wrapped around the sea. I will be able to sit in my front garden and watch the sailing vessels arriving at Saint-Tropez. It is also a short ride to Cannes and conveniently within reach of the gambling casinos of Monte Carlo. I’m certain you would find it amusing to visit.
The gambling is splendid, the dining exquisite and the women are ever so enchanting.
Very sincerely,
Reginald J. Wilkesbury
>
Grateful acknowledgement to:
The Manitoba Archives, the Manitoba Legislative Library, City of Winnipeg Archives, the Hudson Bay Archives, Heritage Winnipeg, the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada, the McCord Museum, Library and Archives Canada, and especially the Manitoba Historical Society and its many passionate volunteers who have painstakingly transcribed valuable documents and shared scholarly works through their fantastic website.
Thanks also to:
Louis Kessler, Manuel Gottlieb, Janet Harrison, Sandra Altner, Greg Klymkiw, Peggy MacKay, Karen Boxer, Donna Turner, Katiana Krawchenko, Bob Altner and Mary Krawchenko for their numerous readings of the developing manuscript and their helpful suggestions,
Donald Weidman, Sid Green, Murdoch MacKay, Laurie Mainster, Olga Fuga, Allan Levine, Russ Gourluck, and Stan Carbone who told me stories and pointed me to research,
Burton Lysecki and Karen Sigurdson at Burton Lysecki Books for being so helpful in the early stages of my research in suggesting books and tracking down my requests,
Rabbi Dan Levin, Rabbi Merle E. Singer and Rabbi Jessica Spitalnic Brockman who enrich my life with Jewish learning,
And finally with love and a full heart I thank my daughter, Katiana Krawchenko, who always encourages me, and Bob Altner, my husband and dearest friend, without whom this book would never have been written.
Sandi Krawchenko Altner enjoyed an award-winning career in television and radio news in Winnipeg, Calgary, and Montreal before she chose to follow her passion for writing fiction. A fifth generation descendent of some of the first Ukrainian immigrants who settled in Manitoba in 1896, she grew up with a keen interest in her roots and a deep love of history. A Jew by choice, Sandi celebrated conversion in 2005. She and her husband have two daughters and two happy dogs. Sandi lives, writes, and blogs in Florida. Ravenscraig is her first novel.
Ravenscraig is the winner of the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award for 2012.
http://altnersandi.com/
Table of Contents
PRAISE FOR RAVENSCRAIG
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty
Grateful Acknowledgement to
dedication
Ravenscraig Page 55