by Abby Ayles
Mr. Beauregard was by his side in an instant, following him out.
Judith watched him leave, her face drained of color, her heart thumping in her chest.
She could not push away the sad regret that filled her. He seemed to have been enjoying his meal—and she had ruined it for him.
When would she learn to behave better? How long would people continue to suffer the consequences for her thoughtless deeds?
Just as the duke reached the doors, her eyes narrowed. She had glimpsed something she hadn’t before noticed.
A limp.
She frowned, thinking it impossible. Lord Dunham had walked in with the might of a man who had never suffered any injury.
Why had he hidden his now obvious limp?
She tried to look again, but he took the last step out of her line of sight before disappearing completely.
Her frown deepened. Perhaps she had been mistaken. But surely, unless her sight was failing her, that was impossible.
A sigh broke free from her lips. It came from the deepest part of her. Strange. It is all so strange.
She tried to return to her food but found that she, too, had lost her appetite.
“Looks like you have done it this time, my lady. It appears the duke’s family is a sore matter for him.”
Judith turned to Amy, smiling sweetly. “Are there other obvious things you would like to point out? Say … like how this goblet is filled with wine?”
Amy tried to hide a chuckle but failed. As soon as she recovered, she muttered,
“Forgive me, my lady.”
Judith looked away, aware that she wasn’t angry with Amy. She was angry with herself.
“You did nothing, Amy. You are right. I should have known better.” There was a pause as she looked around the room.
Then she leaned in towards Amy in another whisper. “If anything, I am more certain than ever that something terrible happened here. I need only to find out what it was.”
“My lady, I do not think you should disturb yourself with this matter,” Amy whispered in return. “We are only here a short while, and we would do well to respect our host’s wishes, and his right to keeping his secrets to himself.”
Judith would have responded, but Mr. Beauregard returned in that moment.
She pulled away and held her tongue, remaining quiet until Amy had finished her meal.
When she was done, they both rose to their feet. It was Judith who spoke.
“That is the best dinner I have had in some days, Mr. Beauregard. Absolutely delicious; please thank Cook for us. Thank you.”
Mr. Beauregard gave a curt nod.
“If you would like to return to your chambers now, my lady, I shall be happy to escort you.”
It was not a request nor a suggestion.
It was a clear instruction given in a way that told Judith it would be unwise to refuse.
Forcing a sweet smile onto her face, she nodded.
“That would be most kind of you. Amy?”
Amy nodded, answering swiftly. “Yes, Mr. Beauregard, most kind.”
“Shall we then?” he asked, gesturing towards the door.
Again, they bobbed their heads and took the lead.
Mr. Beauregard followed closely behind. The walk seemed interminable but at last they reached the familiar doors of their chambers.
As they came to a stop, Mr. Beauregard broke his silence.
“The moon is out tonight, and the view from the windows can be quite enthralling, especially at sunset. Do put off the lights when you are ready to sleep.”
Again, Judith heard the words unsaid. They were to remain in their chambers for the rest of the evening.
She had to commend Mr. Beauregard. Not many men could so politely give clear warnings.
Feigning naiveté, she responded smiling, “Truly? I should very much like to behold the sight, then. Thank you, Mr. Beauregard. We shall do as you advise.”
He seemed pleased. “Very well, then, ladies. I shall see you on the morrow. Breakfast is at eight sharp.”
The butler turned to walk away, and, against her better judgement, Judith called out to him.
“Mr. Beauregard?”
He stopped, turning ever so slightly to face her.
“Do you suppose His Grace will be joining us?”
“No, I do not think so, my lady. Not for some time.”
“It seems I have truly offended your master. Is His Grace angry with me? I do hope he doesn’t change his mind about letting us stay.”
“Do not concern yourself with such things, my lady. His Grace would never do so. He has given his word and he would never renege on it. Sleep well, ladies.”
The finality in his voice told her the matter would not be discussed further.
She stood in the hallway, watching and listening as he walked away, the sound of his cane in rhythm with his footsteps.
When he turned the corner, departing from her line of sight, she turned around.
“Let’s go inside, Amy.”
Nodding, Amy opened the door, then stepped aside, so that Judith would enter first.
However, something curious happened as she was about to enter the room: The feeling of being watched she had felt earlier suddenly returned, and she quickly looked over her shoulder.
As before, she saw nothing.
“What is it, my lady?” Amy asked.
She shook her head, turning to go into her chamber. Amy was close behind her.
When the door shut, she asked,
“Amy, do you think this house could be haunted?”
Amy’s eyes widened. “What? By ghosts? My lady, since when did you begin to believe ghost stories? They are nothing but made-up tales, told to frighten children and make them behave at nights.”
“Yes, you are right, Amy,” Judith answered softly.
Certainly, ghosts weren’t real. They simply did not exist.
“Why do you ask?”
“It is just a feeling I have. You said it yourself, there is something not quite right about this place.”
“Oh, something is amiss, alright. I simply do not think it has anything to do with ghosts and whatnot. Although, I sense great loss. Perhaps the master lost his family?” Amy said, shrugging.
Judith pondered for a moment. That would certainly explain many things.
“Do you know, Amy? I am inclined to think so myself. The question is, what exactly happened to them?”
She heaved a sigh as she took a seat beside the window.
The stars were shining brightly and the moon was in all its glory. The clear skies were a welcome change from the dark clouds and downpours over the last few of days.
“Mr. Beauregard has an eye for beauty. He was right; the sky is lovely tonight.”
Amy sighed too, looking up to behold it.
“That it is, my lady, that it is.”
As the night grew darker, making the moon and stars shine brighter, Judith couldn’t help but wonder if there was any way for her to return light and warmth to this household.
It seemed only right to do so, as a token of her gratitude. Still, warning bells chimed in her head.
She was only there for a short while. It would be foolish to take upon herself a duty she could not very well hope to accomplish.
Or would it?
Chapter 10
When dawn arrived the next morning, Judith woke feeling both a sense of relief and apprehension.
Relief because Mr. Beauregard had assured them they would not have to forgo the kindness His Grace had extended towards them thus far.
Apprehension because she did not know what to expect after she had been so inconsiderate of her host’s feelings at dinner.
Amy was already in the room and, as Judith rose to a sitting position, she was greeted by her maid’s smile and cheery voice.
“Good morning, my lady! Such a fine day it is, do you not think? The skies are clear, and there is not a single rain cloud in sight! I think it might finally be a go
od time for us to take a walk around this castle, to take some fresh air. What do you say?”
Judith shook her head, smiling at Amy’s obvious excitement.
“You have hated staying indoors these past days, haven’t you?”
Amy didn’t even think to deny it. “You know how much I love the outdoors, my lady. It calls to my heart so. Oh, dearest … do you think it would be a good day for Mr. Beauregard to send those letters? And we haven’t yet heard what the duke has decided concerning Mr. Giraud’s body…”
Judith watched the light immediately vanish from Amy’s eyes as she said those last words. She, too, felt her spirits dampen.
How could they have hoped to move ahead so easily, with such little care, when he still lay out there in the cold?
Forgetting her apprehension, she threw aside her covers and rose to her feet. “I shall speak with Mr. Beauregard. Bit, I wonder if His Grace will be inclined to extend us such kindness after last night. I hope he will remain gracious concerning this matter, too.”
She walked to the vanity and looked into the mirror. Pleased when she saw her hair was not in too much disarray, she turned to Amy.
“You must help me get ready. I would like to speak to Mr. Beauregard as soon as possible. The skies are clear, and the sun shines bright, but if there is anything I have learned in the past days, Amy, is that one should not so easily trust the weather.”
“Ah, my lady, I cannot say I disagree with you there. I shall have your bath water brought up right away.”
“Thank you, Amy.”
Amy nodded and, in another moment, left the chamber, leaving Judith alone.
She returned after a short while and helped Judith prepare for the day. Once they were done, they descended the stairs together in search of Mr. Beauregard.
They found him in the hallway, coming in from the giant doors that guarded the entrance to the manor.
When he saw them, he immediately halted.
“My lady, Miss Mitchell, a pleasant morning to both of you.”
It was Judith who responded, “And a pleasant one to you too, Mr. Beauregard.”
He nodded. “Have you breakfasted yet?”
“No, we have only just come from our chambers.”
“Then we must change that at once. Please, allow me to lead you to the dining hall. Cook has been preparing delicious dishes for you to try since before dawn.”
Judith exchanged a meaningful glance with Amy. They were both hungry for some breakfast. However, she first needed to discuss Mr. Giraud’s body and the letters home with the butler.
She held her peace though and followed his lead. Finally, they reached the dining table and selected their breakfasts from the many delicious foodstuffs set beneath silver dishes on the buffet, before seating themselves.
It was quite an array that Cook had been busy preparing.
“We are definitely going to have our cheeks fattened before we leave. Thank you, Mr. Beauregard.,” Amy chimed.
His response was a curt nod. “Very well, then, I shall see you after breakfast. The master believes I should give you another tour. I think it would be best to do so after having a hearty meal.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Until then, thank you.”
He gave another nod, turned swiftly on his heels, and left.
Judith shared another look with Amy, who simply shrugged in return. They began to eat in silence, and the spell ended when they had both had their fill.
Thanking the servants, they rose to leave the dining room.
Mr. Beauregard was waiting right outside. Not expecting to see him, he startled them as they stepped out of the room and came face to face with his imposing frame.
He didn’t appear to be perturbed in the slightest by their reaction. His face expressionless, he simply said,
“I do hope everything was to your satisfaction.”
Amy nodded, and both ladies chorused, “Yes. It was lovely.”
Mr. Beauregard’s lips curved in what might have been a hint of a smile but it was gone as quickly as Judith noticed it, leaving her to wonder if her eyes had simply been playing tricks on her.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Well, come along now. I have many things to do today. Best get this done with as soon as we can.”
Again, he led the way and Amy and Judith followed behind, paying attention to all the turns they took.
The first place he took them was to the atrium.
Judith and Amy gasped as they saw it.
It was such a beautiful sight: It held a garden filled with such greenery, a fountain, and stone benches to sit upon. It was a large room, more than three times the size of her chamber.
It held such serenity and peace; she knew this would be a good place to come every now and then. The roof was made of glass, affording light to pour in.
She thought of how the room would shine when the sun finally returned.
“It keeps out the rain,” Mr. Beauregard explained when he caught her looking at it.
Judith nodded, understanding. They didn’t have an atrium in Charleveaux, so it was nice to finally see one.
She tore her eyes away from the roof to look around the room once more. It was neatly kept, and the gardens were tended to perfection.
She wondered if it had always been this way, or if the lady of the house had made it so to suit her fancies.
“It is beautiful, indeed,” she said finally, thinking aloud.
Mr. Beauregard nodded. “That it is.” There was a sadness to his words, even in the way he stood, staring into nothingness, that caused her to wonder if he was recalling a memory.
It seemed her curiosity could not be assuaged, but, this time, she managed to prevent herself from asking any questions.
“You may come here to sit and have tea, to do needlework, or simply have some peace, whatever suits your fancy. It is a pleasant place to while away a little time.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Once again, thank you.” Judith replied.
Mr. Beauregard said nothing. He simply began to walk away, and they followed him, leaving the atrium behind.
As they followed, Amy leaned into Judith and whispered.
“I thought you were going to speak with him concerning some matters?”
Judith avoided her gaze. “Well, I have not exactly had the chance to speak now, have I? I am simply waiting for the perfect moment.”
Amy heaved a sigh, rolling her eyes. “My lady, sometimes the perfect moments never come. We must simply seize them.”
Judith held her gaze then. “Do you know, Amy, I do not know where you get such wisdom from, but I am certainly glad you are my friend.”
She paused then continued. “I suppose I could do as you suggest … seize the moment and make the best of it.”
Amy’s lips curved into a smile. “I have every faith in you, my lady.”
Judith smiled back at her and said nothing more. In truth, her apprehension had returned. However, she now realized it was quite useless if she wished to achieve her aims.
She must speak with Mr. Beauregard.
She waited a moment longer, then, as they turned another corner, she spoke.
“Mr. Beauregard?”
He stopped immediately and turned, brows raised in enquiry. “Yes, my lady?”
“I was wondering, if it’s not too much to ask, have you spoken with the duke concerning my requests?”
She watched the confusion in his eyes before it cleared in a heartbeat.
“Ah … yes. His Grace was most happy to help. In fact, I have just returned from making the appropriate arrangements. Some men have been hired to retrieve Mr. Giraud’s body. If the weather allows, they will bear him home to his family. As for the letters you wish to send to your parents and Aunt, you only have to write them and hand them to me, and I will see they are delivered.”
Judith’s heart swelled with warmth. This was such good news.
“Oh, thank you, Mr. Beauregard! I had thought I would have to come with yo
u to find Mr. Giraud. Not that I would mind, it would be the least I could do to honor his memory.”
“There is no need, my lady. The men whose services I have secured are exceptionally skilled at tracking. I have pointe them in the right direction. Rest assured he will be found. The master does not wish for you to leave Dunham until we are certain the worst of the weather is gone for good. We both know the storms could linger for days yet.”