Death in the Beginning

by Beth Byers

  Janey crept slowly down the stairs and sidled into the kitchen, which Georgette had left dark, other than the light in the hallway. Janey stepped into the kitchen and rustled through the cupboards, taking a piece of bread, some cheese, and an apple. She only noticed Georgette after turning.

  Janey gasped and Georgette’s head tilted. “Where are you going?”

  “For a walk,” Janey lied. She was wearing her sturdiest shoes, a comfortable outfit, and she had a messenger bag over the side of her body.

  “A walk without telling anyone?”

  “I couldn’t sleep,” Janey said carefully, avoiding Georgette’s gaze. “I thought I’d get some air.”

  Georgette smiled, given it was a phrase that she’d used many a time when she couldn’t sleep. She reached out, taking the girl by her wrist and tugging her close. Georgette leaned back and said, “You know we love you, don’t you?”

  Janey nodded, a slow blush creeping up her neck and across her cheeks.

  “You know that we do want you to stay. I’m sure that the new Mrs. West will offer you a place to live with her, but we’d be very happy for you to be here. It does, after all, feel as though we’re family, doesn’t it?”

  Janey nodded, her chin trembling as Georgette smoothed back the loose hair around Janey’s face.

  “It doesn’t matter that we’re not blood,” Georgette told Janey. “I couldn’t love another little girl more than I love you. But it is all right if you feel differently about me than you do about your mother. She was a good woman, and we are not in competition.”

  Janey threw herself into Georgette’s arms. Georgette had a flash of guilt for coming at Janey sideways, but Georgette wasn’t sure what else to do. They needed Janey to work with them. She was too clever to try to entrap.

  “I love you both,” Janey said into Georgette’s shoulder. “I feel guilty sometimes for loving you too, but I think—”

  Georgette pulled back and said firmly, “Your mother would want you safe, happy, and loved. I’m sure she’s looking over you now, and Janey—she doesn’t want you to feel guilty for finding other people to love. No mother would want her child to suffer alone and focus on grief.”

  Janey nodded quickly and then Georgette swooped in. “Janey love, for us, for family, we need to be able to trust each other.” Janey paled a little as Georgette added, “Trust is so easily lost, isn’t it?”

  Janey’s eyes widened as Georgette said, “This isn’t a threat, Janey. I can’t imagine you not being with us or you doing anything that would make Charles and I ask you to leave.”

  Janey slowly confessed, “I wasn’t going for a walk.”

  “Yes darling, I know.” Georgette waited and then Janey sighed. “Wherever it is that you plan to go, it’s too soon for visiting.”

  Janey blushed brilliantly.

  “So,” Georgette added, “I can only assume that you intend to kill some time before going off on your next adventure. Once it reached a more reasonable hour, where did you intend to go?”

  Janey hesitated, “It isn’t dangerous. I just thought she’d talk to me easier than you or anyone else. Especially Constable Rogers or whoever Scotland Yard sends.”

  Georgette nodded without pumping her fist in the air in triumph. She remained calm and gentle as she asked, “Why don’t you tell me about it?”

  Before Janey started speaking, Georgette rose and made the girl a cup of tea and then took down the early delivery of breakfast buns. Georgette placed a plate between each of them and waited.

  Janey slumped down, took in a deep breath, and said, “It’s not dangerous.”

  “All right,” Georgette said easily, ignoring the fact that Janey had clearly lied before. “Tell me about it all the same.”

  Janey sniffed and said, “I watched the housemaid quit yesterday. She’s found a factory position, and she said something about how the Bayles paid her too little and they were too often late in their pay.”

  “I wasn’t aware they were having financial trouble before you said that Mrs. Bayles’s only future was with her son.”

  Janey winced for the woman and then said, “I wouldn’t want that future. I didn’t think either of them were very nice, but I don’t think they’d be happier together than apart. She should just take care of herself.”

  Out of the mouths of babes, Georgette thought. She had a little more sympathy for other women who were struggling to look after themselves given that Georgette knew how hard it seemed to find a way to do that in a world that didn’t provide women many opportunities.

  “So the housemaid quit her job?” Georgette prompted.

  Janey sipped her tea and added, “I thought she might be willing to gossip. I…was going to use some of my birthday money and a bottle of your blackberry cordial to bribe her to talk to me. It was clear she hated Mrs. Bayles, so I thought she wouldn’t hold back.”

  Georgette considered. Janey was probably right. If Georgette asked questions, this Molly girl may well not be open. But with a clever little girl? Very possibly. “Was that the only place you’d be going?”

  Janey’s gaze widened in shock. No, Georgette wasn’t going to stop the girl. Janey nodded in reply slowly.

  “May I have your word of honor on that?”

  Janey slowly nodded again. She very solemnly said, “I promise.”

  “It’s important, Janey,” Georgette told her, “that we can trust you. Your word of honor is an important matter.”

  Janey started to ask a question and Georgette held up a hand.

  “You’re right. There are times when it’s better to lie and do what is necessary. Perhaps for a soldier or someone like Joseph in his line of work. Not for you. Not for me. Not for our family when speaking to each other.”

  Janey nodded and swallowed thickly. “You can trust me, Georgette.”

  There was enough weight to Janey’s statement that Georgette thought she could trust her. “Take the wine, only visit Molly, come straight back here. Do you promise?”

  Janey nodded quickly, her eyes bright. Janey spun and left before Georgette could stop her. Georgette shook her head and looked up to find Charles watching her from just beyond the doorway. He’d been far enough back that Janey hadn’t seen him and Georgette met his gaze in the darkness. Like always, his gaze was kind and loving. She winced, hoping she’d made the right choice in his opinion as well.

  “Do you think I was wrong?”

  Charles crossed to Georgette, taking the seat next to her as she pushed another teacup towards him and filled his cup. She refilled her own, adding an excess of milk and sugar.

  Charles took a long sip, savoring it almost as much as Georgette. He considered Georgette’s question and after a few moments, finally replied. “I think that Janey is too clever for us to handle if we can’t trust her. Perhaps, the trust you just showed in her was enough for us to be able to persuade her to be honest with us. Lucy was easy until she slipped out of the house.”

  “I agree, we aren’t going to be able to stifle Janey,” Georgette added, and he nodded. Georgette expanded her thoughts. “I was up late thinking about her.”

  “As was I,” Charles said with a yawn. “I thought I could handle the children because of Joseph and Robert, but girls are harder, I think.”

  “They’re not harder,” Georgette told him, entirely disagreeing. She had no idea what Eddy wanted or what he was thinking. Georgette could guess with the girls, and even Lucy’s actions didn’t surprise Georgette all that much. At least looking back. It was romantic to run away to be married. Lucy knew that Georgette and Charles liked Dr. West. In Lucy’s mind, she was getting the chance to meet and comfort the doctor’s mother, and she was saving Charles and Georgette money.

  Eddy, on the other hand, might as well be a blank slate. Georgette hadn’t a clue.

  “Oh they’re harder,” Charles countered. “Eddy is a piece of cake. He wants to go to school. He works hard. He’s focused and driven.”

  “He goes off on his own. I have n
o idea if he’s happy or miserable.”

  Charles laughed. “You’re giving young men too much credit. He’s worried about school. But he’s not having great thoughts or deep feelings, Georgette. He’s just carrying on.”

  Georgette didn’t agree at all. She thought Eddy was going off fishing on his own—to a place that reminded him of his father—because he was thinking deeply of his parents. Something had brought them up in his mind, and Eddy wanted to feel close to them. Perhaps, however, that wasn’t something that Eddy or Charles would say aloud.

  Georgette let it go and brought Janey back up. They spent the quiet of the morning discussing how they might keep her safe and busy until her judgement matured. The ideas were wild, and when they finally petered out, the discussion moved on to protecting Eddy.

  Charles suggested, “What if we visit the Bayles house and offer our condolences?”

  Georgette nodded and then said, “I’ll have to feed Wentworth before we go. It’ll be a reasonable time to visit then. I’m sure Eunice can make us something to bring along. Maybe we can meet those boys.”

  Eunice had been in and out of the kitchen and she nodded. Eddy had also appeared and left with a loaded plate as he had been asked to help Mr. Mustly next door.

  “You know,” Charles said, “I’m not sure we need to meet the boys. We just need to prove that they’re of more interest than Eddy to the detective. The doctor is going to judge that it was murder today, I think. Once he does, Rogers will need to ask for help. This little police station is going to need the Yard, but whoever comes will look at what Rogers has found so far.”

  “So we aim Janey, we aim the detective, we aim Rogers?” Georgette mimed shooting an arrow and Charles shrugged. Georgette guessed that Charles felt for the young man’s family and their loss, but he didn’t intend to borrow their trouble. Given they’d spent the morning discussing their own worries, she thought he was right. Attempt to aim the real detective, protect their boy, and bow out.

  Her sense of justice objected though, because she wasn’t sure she’d be able to stay out of it. She tried to think of Wentworth and protecting him. But a part of her imagined what it would be like if she raised her precious boy until he was ready to go to university and someone stole him away. There wasn’t anything Georgette wouldn’t do to find the person who killed her son. Surely, Justin Alanson deserved the same?

  13

  janey Thorpe

  Janey had recognized Molly, and knew where she lived. Janey had, in fact, explored the village time and again, so she might well be the only person who recognized every other resident. Harper’s Hollow wasn’t a tiny little place, but neither was it a city. Janey had visited every street and lane since she’d received her own bicycle and she’d even made a map of the village to practice her skills.

  When Janey reached the little set of rooms where Molly lived with her mother, her father, and three more sisters, Janey wasn’t surprised to learn Molly wasn’t there. Janey would bet, in fact, that Molly hadn’t told her family she’d quit her position. No parent would think that was a good plan when it was so difficult to find work at the moment.

  Janey blushed and shuffled away from the rooms when Molly’s mother rolled her eyes and said the girl was at her position at the Bayles household. It was said with pride, so Janey cataloged she had one more way to get Molly to speak to her. Janey left the set of rooms, mounted her bicycle and glanced around. Molly must have left at the same time she normally did. Perhaps, she’d gone the same way she usually did for work. Just in case her family was watching.

  Janey glanced around and then followed the most likely path, riding along slowly. Her gaze scanned both sides of the route. It was quite a nice day. Janey wouldn’t want to go anywhere that she’d be seen by one of her family’s friends. So, Janey thought about it until the path faded to the wood near Georgette and Charles’s house. It led all the way up to the Bayles’s house as well as over to Joseph and Marian’s home.

  If Janey were going to avoid being seen not working, she’d have gone into the wood. Janey knew all the paths, but she doubted Molly did. Which meant, Janey thought, she’d take that path right there. It had a clear entrance to the wood. Janey knew it wound around the wood and missed all the good places worth visiting, but Janey had the time to explore it. Janey considered and then left her bicycle near the entrance and moved down the path. If she was wrong, she could try somewhere else. After only a few minutes of walking, however, Janey found Molly sitting near a tree with a book.

  “Hullo,” Janey said, meeting the girl’s gaze.

  Molly was pretty, prettier than Janey by a long ways. Even prettier than Lucy, but Lucy was solemn and serious and Molly was vibrant. She was like a colorized poster with dark hair and a curvy body. Janey felt a flash of wanting to be as pretty as Molly, but guessed she never would be.

  “Hello,” Molly said. “Adventuring?”

  “Looking for you,” Janey replied, lifting her basket.

  Molly’s gaze widened. “How did you know I would be here?”

  “Guessed,” Janey replied. She crossed to the girl and set down next to her.

  “How did you know I wouldn’t be at work?”

  “I was eavesdropping on Mrs. Bayles when you quit.”

  “Where?” Molly demanded.

  “I was in that octopus cabinet.”

  Molly stared in shock and then surprised Janey with a laugh. “It was a fine performance, if I do say so, myself.”

  “It was of epic quality,” Janey agreed. “I thought Mrs. Bayles was going to swallow her tongue.”

  Molly grinned evilly and her laugh was as dark. “She’s a ripe old thing. Mean as a snake and always late with her pay. I’ve gotten cuffed at work more than once and then come home to be cuffed my Da as well for not having my wages.”

  Janey gasped dramatically to Molly’s delight.

  “Why were you eavesdropping?”

  “I knew about that boy dying. I was curious about what happened.”

  The shock on Molly’s face told Janey the rumor hadn’t reached Molly’s house yet.

  “Justin Alanson,” Janey added. “One of the boys staying with Guy Bayles.”

  Molly gasped and her gaze narrowed. “Is he the skinny little one? That fellow was jumpy.”

  “I don’t think so,” Janey said. She’d asked her brother about the dead boy, and Eddy had said that Justin Alanson had been a tall, strongish boy with dark hair.

  “Dark hair? Handsome?”

  Molly nodded. “I wouldn’t have thought he’d die. Those boys don’t like the skinny one. And I can’t see why any of them like Prince Guy, the snake. He’s a fellow who will make a mess just to watch you clean it.”

  Janey gasped like Molly wanted and asked, “Were they fighting? The boys?”

  “Now that you say it, yes. Not like fists. How girls fight. With mean little comments meant to make the others upset. Guy did that a lot to his mother, but he was doing it a lot. They came the last summer holidays and it was all fun and games. This time, it was like they were pretending to be friends and no one felt it anymore.”

  Janey frowned and then guessed, “But there was one less this year?”

  “Oh yeah,” Molly nodded. “The really handsome one drowned this last year.”

  “What if he didn’t?” Janey asked. “What if he was murdered just like Justin Alanson was?”

  Molly screamed a little and then narrowed her gaze. “He was murdered?”

  Janey nodded firmly.

  “How?”

  “Someone hanged him and tried to make it look like a suicide.”

  Molly shook her head. “No way would that boy kill himself.”

  “Really?” Janey demanded.

  “He really was a prince,” Molly said. “Even after everything, his family was still rich. He was well connected and handsome. All of those boys seemed upset, but boys who have futures like him don’t kill themselves. Not unless something else was happening, and you'd have been able to t
ell. They were all mad at each other, but only that skinny little one seemed sad.”

  Janey hadn’t thought Justin Alanson killed himself, but what Molly said only confirmed Janey’s guess.

  “Which one do you think killed him?” Janey said, in a low and sensational voice, her gaze fixed on Molly so the girl felt like the keeper of some great secret.

  To Janey’s surprise, Molly laughed meanly. “Oh, my guess would always be Guy.”

  “You don’t like him?” Janey said. “That’s why right?”

  Molly nodded firmly. “Hated him. He’s worse than Mrs. Bayles and I would have thought possible. She’s a mean old thing, and he’s like her but more intense.”

  “What about the rest of them? If you had to rule out Guy?”

  Molly scrunched her nose and then frowned. “I don’t know. Maybe the little squeaky one since he was so off. The other boys were calling him Livy, and he hated that. Guy kept telling him that he was a girl every time he squeaked or seemed upset about anything.”

  Janey didn’t hesitate. “That Guy fellow needs to be taken down a few pegs. What a jerk.”

  Molly nodded. “I don’t know if the little one could hang the dead one. He seems like a weakling.”

  “But they were all fighting,” Janey said, opening her basket and pulling out a sandwich. Once she wasn’t hiding where she was going, Georgette had insisted that Janey bring along an actual lunch and enough for Molly as well. “Maybe it wasn’t planned between them. Maybe those boys just started fighting and didn’t mean to kill the one who died.”

  Molly was entranced by the idea and the sleuthing. “What if we went and searched their rooms? There was a lot of hissing and asides. Maybe they had a big secret and there’s a clue!”

  Janey didn’t confess she’d already searched the dead boy’s room. Instead, Janey said, “The constables are there today.”