Death of a Duchess

by Nellie H. Steele

  “Of course.” I held the child out in my arms for Edwin to view. “Uncle Edwin, meet Samuel, your nephew.”

  Edwin smiled at Samuel. “Rather a handsome chap,” he said. “I did not realize you planned to adopt a child. It all came as a shock to me, which is part of the reason for my poor reaction. I am not excusing it, though, I would prefer to explain. In the interest of establishing a better relationship between us.”

  “You are not required to explain to me, though I appreciate it. However, the child came as quite a surprise to us as well. We were not planning to adopt. An acquaintance of mine passed away, giving birth to Samuel. Robert suggested we adopt the child.”

  Edwin frowned. “His father did not protest?”

  “No,” I explained. “She was unwed, and the father not identified.”

  “Oh,” Edwin exclaimed, surprise in his voice. “You are full of surprises, Lenora. An unwed and pregnant acquaintance? Wherever did you meet?”

  I ignored the comment about my surprising nature. “His mother was a student at St. Mary’s Orphanage when I was. So, you see, the addition of the child to our home was not intended to defraud you of anything. In fact, the decision had nothing to do with you. Only with our desire to help the orphan child.”

  “St. Mary’s Orphanage? You were an orphan?” His face screwed up with confusion as he inquired after my humble beginnings.

  “Yes,” I confirmed. Edwin’s eyebrows raised, and I added, “There is nothing salacious about the tale, I assure you.”

  “I did not mean to suggest there was. However, of late, my brother has been quite a recluse. I cannot understand how you could have met to begin with, but with the knowledge of your time at St. Mary’s, I confess to be even further baffled!”

  “Robert heard tale of my unique ability from a friend. One of my former classmates was in the man’s employ and knew me well. After he discovered my talent, he had Mr. Langford collect me from the orphanage and …”

  Edwin held up a hand. “Unique talent?” he questioned.

  “Yes,” I stated. “I can communicate with the dead. I assumed you may possess this information already.”

  Edwin’s eyes went wide and his jaw slack. “Communicate with the dead?”

  “Yes. I can see and communicate with those who have passed from this life.” I weighed in my mind the benefits and disadvantages of revealing more. It could not hurt, I reflected and continued. “Upon learning of this, Robert collected me from the orphanage and offered me marriage in exchange for helping discover the reason the first Mrs. Fletcher flung herself to her death.”

  Edwin’s demeanor changed as I explained. His posture stiffened and his face hardened. Perhaps he did not believe me. Perhaps he judged me a charlatan, seeking an easy life. I added, “So, again, as you can see, our marriage was not an attempt to defraud you of anything. Only to set Robert’s mind at ease regarding his former spouse.”

  Edwin continued to ponder the information in silence. “And have you discovered anything?” he inquired after several moments.

  “Nothing as yet,” I informed him.

  “Have you… seen Annie?” he questioned.

  “Yes,” I admitted. “She is extremely disturbed, and our communications have been limited because of it.”

  “Doubtless! The woman was quite mad. That is what drove her to suicide. There is no mystery to solve, no reason to be discovered.”

  “That remains to be uncovered,” I responded.

  He raised his eyebrows at me. “Not in my opinion,” he argued. “I am sorry to say, my brother has been quite foolish in his pursuit of this. The woman was mad, and that is the end of the matter. It is a waste of your and his time to delve any deeper.”

  “You were there that day,” I said. “And I am sure in the months preceding it. Was there anything odd about the situation?”

  Edwin shrugged. “No. It was all very tragic. I found her, you know? Happened upon her while walking. I attempted to save her, but she was gone. Horrible, horrible mess, that.”

  “And before that day? Was she at all despondent or erratic in her behavior?”

  Edwin considered my question. “Perhaps,” he responded. “Annie was… well, she was a daydreamer. A romantic. You know the sort. I believe those types are often prone to this form of behavior. They do not view the world clearly and, henceforth, are often disappointed by it. Really, there is nothing more to tell. I would abandon the pursuit if I were in your position. There is nothing to be learned.”

  I shrugged. “If I can help bring closure to the situation, I am pleased to do so.”

  “I must be on my way,” Edwin said, backing away a few steps. “Though I think you shall find my assessment correct. If I were you, Lenora, I would not pursue this further. Leave the dead rest.” With that, he spun on his heel and disappeared around the corner.

  I stared after him for several moments before shaking my head in disbelief at the conversation. His reversal in attitude befuddled me. Though his response to the revelation of my ability did not surprise me. I was accustomed to being shunned by people after revealing my nature.

  I spun to continue on to my tower room. As I turned, I caught sight of Annie hovering at the end of the hall. Her presence surprised me, and I wondered how long she had been there. I had not noticed her when speaking with Edwin, though my mind was preoccupied with the conversation.

  Our eyes locked for a moment before she disappeared up the tower stairs. I approached the stairway and ascended the steps. As I reached the top, my mouth dropped open. I gaped around the room. The chaise lay toppled on its side. The tables strewn around the room haphazardly. My books had been pulled from the shelves and scattered about. The draperies on the windows lay in a heap on the floor.

  “Annie!” I exclaimed. I descended the stairs in search of help to restore the room. I fumed along the way. Her destructive behavior was becoming a nuisance. I had hoped we were past this, given the great strides we had made in communicating. Perhaps the trip to Glasgow induced another setback. Perhaps Samuel’s presence disturbed her. I did not understand the reason, but I was determined to seek answers.

  I found Buchanan below stairs and explained to him the situation. Ella relieved me of Samuel, promising to lay him for a nap in his bassinet and tend to him as I assisted with the restoration of my tower room.

  While the staff and I cleaned, Robert entered. “What is all this? Buchanan informed me of some sort of commotion.”

  “Let us speak in private,” I suggested. I preferred most of the staff members to remain unaware of the incident’s true nature.

  “What happened, Lenora?” Robert queried when we reached the bottom of the stairwell.

  “I am not certain,” I answered. I stared at the floor, remaining lost in my thoughts, and fell quiet after making my statement.

  Robert raised my chin to face him. “Lenora, what is it? What are you keeping to yourself?”

  “Nothing,” I said. “But I can offer no explanation. After my conversation with Edwin concluded, I spotted Annie at the end of the hall. She flitted up the stairs and when I arrived at the room, I discovered it in disarray.”

  “Conversation with Edwin?” Robert repeated with a frown. “How dare he seek you out to harass you further?! I shall bar him from this house, so help me!”

  I shook my head. “You misunderstand. He did not harass me. He apologized and sought to better our relationship.”

  Robert’s frown remained, and he crossed his arms. “Hmm,” he murmured. “I do not trust him. Do you believe him earnest?”

  I considered the question. “I am uncertain of his intentions,” I admitted. “Though his demeanor suggested his earnestness in the matter. He suggested we move forward with our plans to seek godparents, saying he was pleased to remain only an uncle to the child.” Robert’s eyes narrowed as he pondered the information. I continued, “I explained to him the nature by which we adopted Samuel so he could understand that we made no attempt to defraud him. And by extensi
on, the origins of our marriage became a topic.”

  “And what did you tell him?” Robert inquired.

  “The truth,” I replied. “Though after learning of my ability, he made a fast exit. I am not surprised, most who learn of it prefer to flee from me as quickly as possible.”

  “So, you told him of your inquiry into Annie’s death?”

  “Yes, we discussed the matter some. I had not yet spoken with him about it and wished to do so.”

  “And did you inform him those original circumstances of our marriage no longer applied?”

  “I did not.”

  Robert waved his hand at me. “No matter. I shall inform him, lest he attempt to use it against us in the future. To challenge the marriage.”

  “I understand and hope I have not caused any trouble by speaking with him. I determined telling the truth to be the best course of action.”

  “Quite right, Lenora,” Robert assured me. “As always, your impulses prove correct.”

  “I hope it may lead to a reconciliation between you. I realize the situation between you is tense, but I do abhor a feud within a family.”

  “You are too admirable, Lenora. I am unworthy of your virtues.”

  I shook my head at him. “I suppose I am sensitive to it, having lost my family and spent most of my life without it.”

  Robert nodded, then moved on to the other subject at hand. “On to the other matter,” Robert said. “You said Annie awaited you at the end of the hallway and proceeded up the stairs before you?”

  “Yes,” I said with a nod. “After my conversation with Edwin, I spotted her at the end of the hallway. She raced up the stairs ahead of me. When I reached the top of the stairs, I found the room in disarray.”

  Robert shook his head. “Why?”

  “I haven’t the slightest clue,” I admitted. “Perhaps our trip. Something similar happened following our last trip to Glasgow. Our absence may perturb her.”

  Robert sighed. “I hope she has released whatever negative energy our absence caused from her system. I do not wish you to be troubled by it further.”

  “As do I, though at least her anger seems restricted to creating minimal damage.” I glanced up the stairs. “I should finish cleaning the room before checking on Samuel. Ella is tending to him, but I do not wish to leave him too long.”

  Robert grasped my hand, looping my arm through his. “The staff is more than capable of completing the task. Come, let us check on Samuel together. What did you tell the staff regarding the incident?”

  “That a window blew open and a strong wind gust created the damage. Not a clever subterfuge, but it should do.”

  We traversed the halls discussing arrangements for Samuel’s christening. I preceded Robert into my room through the open door. I halted one step into the room, causing Robert to bump into me. I swallowed hard, my eyes wide.

  “What is it, Lenora?”

  Ella read in a chair near Samuel’s bassinet. Hovering over him stood Annie. She stared into the crib, her hands white-knuckled and clutching the crib’s side. Samuel slept, oblivious to her presence.

  “Annie,” I whispered, my focus never leaving her.

  “What?!” Robert exclaimed. “Where?” Robert’s eyes shot around the room.

  “At Samuel’s bassinet.”

  The commotion drew Annie’s attention. Her head whipped toward us, her eyes glowing red. Robert shoved me behind him. “Annie!” he shouted. “Do not touch that child!”

  Ella leapt from her seat, her book clattering to the floor. Her eyes were wide, and her hands shook as she stared at me. “What shall I do, Your Grace?” she questioned, her voice high in pitch, her fear obvious.

  I stepped around Robert. “Do not agitate her,” I whispered. I raised my voice to a normal level, trying to steady it though it shook as I spoke. “Annie…” I took a step toward her.

  “Lenora,” Robert whispered, grasping my arms. I shook him off gently, keeping my focus on Annie.

  “Annie,” I repeated. “Something has disturbed you; I realize that. But it is not the child’s doing.”

  Annie’s red eyes faded, returning to brown. She glanced down at Samuel again, then back to me. A tear rolled down her cheek.

  I stopped walking. “What is it, Lenora? What is happening?” Robert whispered.

  I continued speaking to Annie. “You do not wish to harm him, do you?”

  Annie returned her gaze to Samuel. She released one of her white-knuckled hands from the bassinet. Her gray-blue hand, its nails blackened and curling, reached toward Samuel. I shot forward with my arm extended, ready to slap her hand away if she harmed the child.

  “Annie!” Robert roared behind me. Annie disappeared, fading into thin air.

  “Oh!” I exclaimed, scooping the child into my arms and squeezing him close to my chest. I shut my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. “She is gone,” I reported.

  Robert heaved a sigh of relief. “Was she here to harm the child?” Ella screeched, her voice still shrill with alarm.

  “No, I do not believe so,” I answered.

  “You give her too much credit, Lenora,” Robert chided. “She destroyed your tower room and then we find her here looming over our child.” Robert sighed again. “Oh, Annie.” He lowered his head, shaking it. “I loved you in life but what you have become in death I cannot understand.”

  Ella still shook from the experience. “It is all right, Sinclair,” I offered, grasping her hand in mine. “Calm yourself.”

  “I apologize, Your Grace. I remain unaccustomed to these situations.”

  “I understand. Sit down while you recover.” Ella collapsed into the chair, keeping hold of my hand.

  “I do not like this, Lenora. I am not comfortable with the latest developments.”

  “I shall remain guarded in my pursuit of any information. And I shall keep a close eye on Samuel, though I remain convinced she did not mean him any harm.”

  Robert shook his head. “Perhaps you should take Samuel and stay elsewhere for a time.”

  “That will only exacerbate the situation,” I argued.

  “I do not wish to see any harm come to either of you. That is my only concern,” Robert countered.

  “Perhaps His Grace is correct, Your Grace,” Ella offered, holding tight to my hand.

  “No,” I retorted. “No, she does not strike me as dangerous.”

  “Lenora!” Robert shouted. “She has destroyed your tower room on multiple occasions and she nearly killed you! I shall not take a chance with your life or Samuel’s!”

  Ella gasped at the admission. I released her hand, wrapping my arm around her shoulder for comfort. “Robert,” I responded. “It matters not if I leave. That will not solve the situation. Annie will continue to lurk in these halls, suffering as she does now. The only resolution for both her and the rest of us is for me to stay and continue my inquiries with her.”

  Robert paced the floor in front of me. He held his jaw taut. After a time, he shook his head but acquiesced. “I detest this, Lenora, but I shall accept it. Though perhaps it is prudent to remove Samuel from the castle until you have solved this.”

  “No!” I cried. “I shall not be separated from Samuel!” Robert raised his eyebrows at me, prepared to retort. Before he could, I continued. “You do not trust Annie, I realize that. But I hold firm to my conviction that she meant Samuel no harm!”

  “Are you willing to bet the child’s life on it?”

  I sighed, abhorring the way the statement sounded. “I do not believe I am risking his life.”

  “What if you are incorrect?” Robert posed.

  “If his life is under even the slightest threat, I shall remove him myself.”

  “You cannot guard him all day and night, Lenora. You must sleep.”

  “No, I cannot. However, we shall monitor him at all times. While I sleep, someone else may oversee him.”

  “None of us can perceive Anne’s presence,” Robert argued.

  “No,
but you are capable of perceiving harm to the child or the threat of harm, even if from an unseen force.” Robert considered the statement. “Robert, we must end this. We must continue on the path for all our sakes.”

  “All right,” Robert agreed. “All right. I despise the entire situation, but we shall keep on.”

  I nodded and glanced to Ella. “Sinclair? Have you the spirit to remain in this house as we work toward solving this?”

  She sucked in a deep breath. After a moment, she nodded slowly. “Yes,” she whispered, clutching my hand again. She nodded, sitting straighter. “Yes, Your Grace. I possess the fortitude to help you see this through. I will guard the child when you sleep.”

  “We shall take shifts,” Robert suggested. “If you will take the first part of the night, I shall take the second.”

  We agreed upon a schedule and with that, disbanded. I remained in my room to nurse Samuel. His blue eyes flitted about his surroundings before settling on me as I fed him. I stared down at him, worry filling me for a moment. “Darling boy,” I whispered to him, kissing his forehead. “I do hope I have not chosen poorly. If anything should happen to you… never mind.” I could not finish the original statement. I convinced myself Annie’s intentions toward Samuel were innocuous.

  Chapter 19

  As I cuddled Samuel in my arms, my mind turned to thoughts of my own mother. I tried to push them aside and focus my energy on Samuel but, like floodwaters, they rushed through my brain, overflowing any barriers I placed before them.

  I stared at the now-sleeping baby. Already he had carved out his own space in my heart. In addition to the sentiments of responsibility and obligation, I felt a tenderness toward him. The simple word ‘love’ did not cover the enormity of what I experienced. I felt a strong attachment and the urge to protect and care for him. The concept of being separated from Samuel dismayed me. I could not imagine anything that would make me feel otherwise toward him.

  I pondered over my emotions, wondering if they, perhaps, were intensified because of my grief over losing Tilly. Perhaps this would explain how a mother could leave her child. Had my mother not experienced these emotions? What did she experience, I wondered, when she held me in her arms as a newborn babe? Were her feelings different from mine? Or did they change as I aged? Would mine evolve in a similar manner?