by Cari Hislop
“Oh Bucky, that would be so romantic and I wouldn’t have to wait endless weeks to be alone with you…I like being alone with you! May I have a kiss?”
Lord Buckingham smiled as Emily tilted back her head with exaggerated pursed lips. “You may have a thousand kisses. We’ll start with one and see how far we get today. With any luck we’ll get to…” Buckingham found his head being forcibly lowered as his wife to be used her parasol to bring his lips closer. He’d counted up to twenty-seven when the sound of approaching hysterical sobbing disturbed his state of bliss. The red parasol was reluctantly tipped behind Emily’s head, but his arm refused to be removed from around the most perfect waist. Turning his head towards the sobbing he found his housekeeper and three maids huddled together.
The housekeeper gasped for breath, “My Lord…something terrible has happened.”
Buckingham’s arm protectively tightened around Emily’s waist. “John footman and Molly the kitchen maid…we found them in the Chinese folly…”
“Well it’s good thing we didn’t bother to go see the view. If you need to sack them for misbehaviour…”
“I don’t need to sack them my Lord, they’re dead!” The three maids huddled closer together as they sobbed with renewed vigour.
Buckingham looked at his beloved to make sure he wasn’t hearing things, but the look on her face reassured him that he wasn’t. “Dead? Together? We’re they in love?”
“My Lord, they were found…entwined…next to an empty bottle from your cellars. They must have been resting after their…exertions…they look like they’re sleeping, but they’re dead. They’ve been murdered!”
“Who’d want to murder Molly and John?”
“Forgive me for telling tales my Lord, but I’ve heard Lord Morley tried to seduce Molly the other night without success. We think John must have intervened…”
“Are you sure they’re not sleeping?”
“They’re quite dead my Lord!” The housekeeper sobbed in terror of losing her job. “I told them regularly that they weren’t to drink your wine or be tempted by other sins! It was a sacking offence…”
“You’re not to blame Mrs Cooper. Who gave them the wine?”
“We think its one of the four bottles Morley ordered last night. There are two empty bottles in his room. That leaves one bottle unaccounted for.”
Buckingham’s stomach churned with righteous anger at the thought of Morley murdering his household. “Where is that snake Morley?”
“That’s the problem my Lord; I’ve been unable to locate him. Last night Lord Morley ordered a tray, but he wasn’t in his room when it was delivered. He drank two bottles, but didn’t sleep in his bed. Perhaps he went in search of…company. He could be anywhere.”
“Where is his manservant?”
“He packed his bags and left last night. He was heard threatening to kill his master. What are we to do? Everyone is afraid they’re about to be murdered!”
“Bucky!” Buckingham turned his attention back to Emily to find her eyes wide with fear. “He may be with Alyce. She told me he was going to deny the marriage. He was threatening to write to London and tell the gossips of her folly if she didn’t share his bed. The evil cad doesn’t even care if she gets with child. Alyce said he’s in love with Mary…what if he’s killed Alyce? Oh Bucky…”
Buckingham clasped his arms around her and encouraged her to cry on his chest.
“We could stand here all day and play the ‘what if’ game. We’ll go find your brother and then we’ll all look for Alyce and Morley. It’ll be safer as a group. If Morley has a pistol he can’t kill all of us…” Buckingham’s face clouded over. “Forget I said that!
Whatever happens…remember I love you.”
“Oh Bucky, I love you too, even more than Alyce!”
Buckingham flushed with pleasure and pinched her chin. “We’re going to find your silly sister and tell her the good news, but first your brother…and then Morley! Mrs Cooper, if you’ll all be so good as to turn and face the other direction I need to reassure my fiancé with a kiss before we head back to the house.”
“Oh Bucky…” The four servants momentarily paused in their mourning as they eyed each other in horrified silence as they listened to their employer reassure his eager companion with a noisy kiss.
Chapter 23
The floor strewn with his wet clothes; Marshall’s eyes were fixated on the open door into Mary’s room as he finished towelling his hair. What would she think if she stepped into the door way? Would she be disgusted to find him naked? The possibility made him turn away and head towards the chest of drawers. Dropping his towel, he took out a pair of knee length smalls, pulled them on and cursed his cold fumbling fingers as he buttoned them at the waist. Opening a deeper drawer he took out a shirt. Pulling it over his head, he emerged a few seconds later enveloped in white linen.
He had to look his best. The Smirkes might have discovered that Mary was still deciding whether she wanted to be his wife. They might try to woo her away to marry their father. Muttering loud curses on all Smirkes, he rifled through his top drawer until he found the small shagreen box. He was unaware of it creaking open as light glinted off a pair of sapphire studded sleeve buttons and matching shirt pin. They wouldn’t make him any more handsome, but they might remind Mary that she thought he had beautiful eyes. It was better than nothing.
He was still fiddling with the second sleeve as he unconsciously turned back towards the door. Completing his cuff he looked up and he froze. Mary was peering around the door with a strange look on her face. How long had she been standing there? Was she disgusted at seeing his hairy bare legs? He scowled in anxiety as she darted into his room wearing only a dry chemise and stays, her wet hair hanging limp and dull down her back. His unshakable resolve not to kiss her again until she told him she loved him dissolved like sugar in hot cup of tea. His wilful arms captured her waist as she stood on pink toes and said something into his ear. The words were pleasant noise as his eyes trailed over her face and down her neck to her shoulder. She smelled like the lake; she really was a mermaid. The thought made him smile as he bent to kiss tempting magic flesh. “Marshall!” He scowled as his name finally registered in his brain.
“What?” The terse word covered his disappointment as his attention was jerked away from her bare shoulder to the laborious activity of deciphering sounds into words.
“Lord Buckingham, Lady Emily and the housekeeper are at my door…something awful has happened! Two servants have died. They think Morley…” Marshall’s arms tightened as the image of Morley on a murderous rampage filled his mind. Was Mary in danger?
“Where is the lying snake?”
“They don’t know…Buckingham wants us to dress and join them in the search. He says it’ll be safer if we all go together. Morley’s man has fled and…” Mary’s eyes filled with worried tears.
“Well?”
“No one has seen Alyce since this morning when she asked for a picnic basket…for two!” Marshall felt his stomach drop as he impulsively roared out his anger and fear. He clutched his wife as he forced himself to be calm. Alyce was probably on the hill with…who would she picnic with? She hated Morley…unless the aging rakehell had forced her to accompany him to some out of the way spot so he could murder her.
“I’m going to kill him!” Marshall looked into frightened wet eyes and forced himself to relax. “Go finish dressing Sweetheart…” She started pulling out of his arms. “No wait…Merry…I…” He opened his mouth to tell her that he loved her, but looking into anxious eyes he couldn’t bring himself to say it. “You smell like the lake! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat trout again. I’ll think I’m eating a mermaid…”
“Mary…” Mary’s head jerked in shock towards the open door to see Emily hopping up and down with impatience. “…tell Marshall to make love to you later! We need to find Alyce!”
Glancing from Mary’s red face Marshall glared at his impudent sister and shouted. “
I’ve told you a thousand times to stay out of my room! Go away hussy!”
“Tell him I’m engaged; Bucky’s going to buy me one hundred red dresses!” The pretty young woman stuck out her tongue at her brother and disappeared back into Mary’s room.
Marshall’s fear was momentarily deadened by the good news. If Buckingham took Emily off his hands, that only left Alyce…unless she was dead. He pressed a gentle kiss to Mary’s forehead and forcibly pushed her towards her room. “Put some clothes on or you’ll come as you are!” That sent his wife running for her dress.
Chapter 24
Mary had just slipped into her shoes when her husband in his shirtsleeves charged into the room looking like a madman, his wet hair was standing on end. His loud curses on all tailors followed by the sound of ripping fabric explained the absence of a coat. The black and white striped waist coat was only nominally buttoned; his voluminous shirt gaped free like a badly furled sail. Her eyes were automatically drawn to the front flap of his black trousers in horror. “Marshall…your trousers…you’ve lost an important button…”
“Never mind my stupid trousers!” Mary was pulled out the door, her wet hair flapping against her back into the hall where a large group of frightened servants were hiding behind Lord Buckingham.
Buckingham waved his loaded pistol in the air and shouted, “Follow me!” The whole group set off down the hall at a canter leaving Mary and Marshall bringing up the rear.
“Where are we going?” Mary winced as Marshall’s deafening roar stabbed through her head.
“I don’t know!” She might as well have saved her breath. He couldn’t hear her. The fear in his sapphire eyes testified to awful thoughts clogging up his brain. Mary’s cold tired legs and empty stomach were rebelling against forced exertion. The group of sobbing servants were quickly disappearing down the hall.
“Can’t you run any faster? We’re going to lose the lunatics!” Marshall abruptly stopped. “We need to travel faster than a Mermaid.” She opened her mouth to protest at being left behind. “Forgive me Merry…” One minute she was looking up into frightened sapphires, the next she was abruptly lifted off the ground and draped over his shoulder and staring at the gathered seat of her husband’s trousers.
It was Mary’s turn to wish Morley ill as blood rushed to her dangling head and her stomach was painfully pummelled against Marshall’s shoulder as he ran holding her legs tightly to his chest. She was feeling seasick when he stopped and pressed through a crowd of servants into a room where he gently set her on her feet.
“Merry? What are they saying?”
She rubbed her sore stomach and pressed herself into his arms. “We’re in Morley’s room…”
“Obviously! What did Buckingham just say?”
“He wants to know if you see anything suspicious. Morley ordered four bottles of wine. He appears to have drunk two. Buckingham believes one of the other two poisoned the servants. Does Morley keep a diary?”
“Yes I’m sure he’s left us a note explaining his intentions to murder Alyce on the back of a carefully drawn map!” Marshall’s sarcasm softened, “Come over here Sweetheart.” Mary’s legs were forced to work as he dragged her across the room to the bed. “Sit down!” She winced in horror at the evil man’s bed, but her legs gave way. “Look, there’s dried blood on his dressing table…and the floor…he was standing here. Did he throw the glass at the window before dropping the second glass?” Marshall picked up the remains of the dropped glass and sniffed the dregs in the bowl. “It smells odd, like mice. I thought you kept a decent cellar!” Horrified, Buckingham rushed across the room with his pistol. “Do you mind not waving that thing at my wife? I wish to die in her arms as an old man.”
Buckingham sniffed the glass, “I don’t smell anything. Mrs Cooper…” All the servants crammed into the room taking turns sniffing the remaining drops of wine. “If he used poison, where would he keep it?”
“My Lord!” A servant crammed up against the commode was holding up a wooden box.
Marshall saw the servant waving the box at Buckingham and held out his hand. “His apothecary’s box…give it to me!” Mary cringed away from the box as Marshall sat it beside her. It wasn’t locked. Picking up the blue vial he sniffed it. “Laudanum!” He threw it aside. All the other vials appeared full except for the empty green vial. Marshall held it to his nose and made a face. “Here’s the culprit. It smells like mouse…does anyone want to taste it?” The servants ogled each other in silent horror. “Is there a poison that smells like mouse urine? What did the old woman say? Why did she just cross herself?”
He bent his ear to Mary’s lips, “Hemlock!”
“Henry wouldn’t drink hemlock…not unless… What if the servant accidentally put it in all four bottles? Henry must have meant to poison someone else. The bastard meant to kill one of us.”
Lady Emily burst into tears, “So Alyce is alive?”
Not having heard his sister Marshall continued, “If he’d forced Alyce to come to his room that would explain the two glasses…”
Emily rushed over to her brother and grabbed his waist coat. “Alyce came to my room after speaking with Morley in the Conservatory. She said she was going to marry someone else.”
“Who the blazes would want her?”
“She wouldn’t say…I think she meant Robert Smirke.”
“A Smirke?” Marshall stared at his sister in horror. “Which one is he?”
“The tall beautiful one with black hair.”
“Two of them fit that description!”
“He’s the youngest; the one who’s seventeen. She must be with him.”
“Seventeen? That hussy! What’s she going to do? Seduce the boy and then find herself in an interesting condition so he has to marry her? His father will be furious! Does she want me to die in a duel before I can even beget an heir?”
“Don’t be silly! What does it matter if she marries a Smirke? She has a large dowry. He’s a little young, but if he loves her…”
“I don’t care what the wretched boy feels. His father hates me. He won’t want a hussy Godfrey entrapping one his precious sons. We’ve got to find the Smirkes before they accidentally find the fourth bottle…unless it was delivered to Alyce. Merry heard a woman scream near the lake…”
Buckingham took Emily’ hand and pulled her towards the door, “We’ll search the lake.”
Marshall’s eyes were filled with worry as he turned to Mary. “I’m sorry Merry mine, but I’m going to put you over my shoulder…” She shook her head as she rubbed her sore stomach and pelvis. “I have to find my sister and we don’t have time to argue! If she’s dead I won’t be able to kill her for ruining the best day of my life…” Mary reluctantly stood up and allowed herself to be slung over his shoulder. She clung to the bottom of his waistcoat as her tears left a shimmering trail from Morley’s room to the entrance hall and out the door to the front steps.
Chapter 25
Marshall was out of breath as he followed Buckingham and Emily out the front door. His eyes were on the ground to ensure he didn’t trip over anything and fall with his precious burden. With screaming servants flowing out the house behind him, Marshall was brought to an abrupt halt behind Buckingham and Emily. “Move out of the way! My wife is going to be crushed by your blasted servants.” Buckingham dragged Emily out of the way allowing Marshall to step forward. Sighing with relief, he removed Mary from his aching shoulder and set her on her own feet. Stretching his sore back, he looked up to find a very tall beautiful man in dusty black holding the reins of a giant sweating horse. The man was looking down at him with polite blank expression. Next to their father Cosmo and Charles Smirke, who were average height, looked short. “I’ve c-come for my sons.”
Marshall flushed with shame as memories of his youthful blind trust in Morley made him cringe. “What did he say Merry?”