An Isle of Man Ghostly Cozy Collection - DEF

by Diana Xarissa

  “Good night,” the woman replied. She turned and took a few steps toward the center of the room. One of the waiters stopped and spoke to her, eventually offering his arm and then leading her toward the door.

  “Let’s get out of here,” Donald whispered to Fenella. “I’m tired of all of these people.”

  Fenella didn’t speak until they were in the car, heading for Douglas. “I thought you enjoyed these sorts of evenings,” she said.

  “I usually do,” Donald replied. “But tonight wasn’t especially enjoyable.”

  “Why not?”

  “You were shouted at by one elderly woman and then told goodness knows what by another,” Donald replied. “I wasn’t expecting either of those things to happen, not at a charity auction.”

  “It was a rather strange evening,” Fenella admitted.

  “Phillipa and Anne Marie have both been friends with Patricia forever,” Donald told her. “Your Aunt Mona was part of their social circle, along with many of the other women who were married to the island’s wealthiest men. I think Patricia keeps inviting them out of a sense of obligation. It isn’t like any of them can afford to make the sort of large donation that Patricia expects from the rest of us.”

  “Phillipa seemed to be, well, mentally unstable.”

  “She may be. Her husband, Paul, passed away fairly recently. I don’t think she’s taken it well. I feel sorry for Paulette.”

  “I’m meeting her for tea tomorrow,” Fenella said. “She wants to apologize for her mother’s behavior.”

  “She would. She’s that sort of person. Her brother, Paul, Junior, ought to be doing more, really. I’ll tell him that the next time I see him.”

  “I’m not sure I want to know about Anne Marie Smathers,” Fenella said.

  Donald laughed. “She’s unconventional, but then so was Mona. The two were very close friends in their youth; at least, that’s what I’ve been told. At some point they stopped speaking to one another, although I’ve never heard the same story twice as to why.”

  “Anne Marie suggested that Mona slept with her husband,” Fenella said.

  “With Herbert? I would have credited Mona with better taste,” Donald replied. “But it’s possible, I suppose. I know for a fact that after Herbert’s death Anne Marie began chasing after every man that Mona looked at twice. Their rivalry was the talk of the island when I was a young man.”

  “Really? I can’t imagine.”

  “It was a different time. Women were meant to be wives and mothers, and both Anne Marie and Mona took a different path. Anne Marie was widowed very young, and of course Mona never married. I will say that Anne Marie’s reputation was far wilder than Mona’s. She had a number of affairs and never did anything to hide that fact. Mona was considerably more discreet, even mysterious, which only added to her appeal.”

  “I’m not sure I want to know, but did you get involved with either of them?” Fenella asked. As soon as the question was out of her mouth she regretted asking it.

  “I’m only fifty-seven,” the man replied with a chuckle. “Anne Marie has to be in her eighties and Mona was older than that. They were both friendly with my father, but I was too young to attract their notice when they were in their prime.”

  “Friendly with your father? Do I want to know?”

  “I’m sure he had an affair with Anne Marie. She said as much tonight, and I know my father wasn’t one to turn down a willing woman. I can’t comment on his relationship with Mona, though. I know they were friends, but how far that friendship went, I don’t know.”

  “The food was lovely,” Fenella decided she’d had enough of the uncomfortable subject. “And you bought some interesting art.”

  “I did, although I can’t imagine what I’m going to do with most of it. I keep buying more at every charity event I attend. I’m rapidly running out of wall space in my offices around the world.”

  “What about at home?”

  “You’ve never seen my home,” Donald replied thoughtfully. “I must have you around for dinner one night. You can see for yourself how little room I have left for more art.”

  “Maybe you should stop buying it,” Fenella suggested.

  “I should, but I’m lazy,” he told her. “It’s the easiest thing to buy at these auctions. Many of the pieces go for less than what I’d pay for something similar in a gallery, and I can buy four or five pieces and look extremely generous. If I had someone to give it to, I would have bought jewelry tonight,” he added.

  “It looks like rain,” Fenella remarked, changing the subject again.

  Donald laughed. “You’re avoiding the issue,” he chided her. “But yes, it does look like rain. I hope it’s fine on Tuesday.”

  “I do, too,” Fenella said. “It’s my first Tynwald Day and I can’t wait to see it.”

  “Are you sure you can’t attend with me?” Donald asked.

  “I’m quite sure,” Fenella replied. Shelly had invited Fenella to attend the island’s national day ceremony with her many weeks earlier. Peter Cannell, another neighbor, was also joining them, and they were planning to spend the day at St. John’s enjoying the spectacle.

  Donald would be sitting with various important people, watching the ceremony from the grandstand. Fenella was quite happy to sit on a blanket on the grass with her friends for the event.

  “It still amazes me that the island’s government meets outdoors once a year,” Fenella said. “And that anyone who wants to can petition the government about whatever concerns they have.”

  “I believe it is fairly unique,” Donald said. “But the island is a small country, so it can do things that larger countries couldn’t possibly manage.”

  “I’m fascinated by the whole event.”

  “It’s a fun day out. You’ll have a chance to try different Manx products, hear Manx music, and see Manx dancing. There will be Vikings, street theater, and bands, and at the end of the evening, fireworks.”

  “Shelly said it’s one of her favorite days of the year,” Fenella replied. “As long as it doesn’t rain.”

  Donald nodded. “That’s always a problem, of course, but there are marquees for some things.”

  “Marquees?”

  “I believe you’d call them tents,” Donald said with a grin.

  “Well, rain or shine, I’m going.”

  “I’d love to join you after the ceremony. If Shelly won’t mind.”

  “You’re more than welcome, of course. Shelly’s inviting everyone she knows to join us.”

  The limousine pulled up in front of Fenella’s apartment building and stopped.

  “You don’t have to come in,” Fenella said quickly.

  “But I will, anyway,” Donald countered. The driver opened Fenella’s door and helped her out of the car while Donald climbed out the other side. Before she’d taken more than a single step, he was offering her his arm. At her door, Fenella dug around for her keycard.

  “I can never find the stupid key,” she muttered, digging through her small handbag.

  “You could just come home with me,” Donald suggested.

  Fenella blushed and focused her efforts. “Got it,” she exclaimed, pulling the card from the bag. She unlocked her door and pushed it open.

  “Thank you for a lovely evening,” she said to Donald.

  “It wasn’t lovely, but it was better with you there,” Donald told her. “Thank you for giving up your evening to make mine better.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her very gently. Fenella returned the kiss, once again nearly overwhelmed by the physical chemistry between them.

  “I could stay,” he whispered as he lifted his head.

  “I’m not, that is, I can’t, I mean,” Fenella stuttered.

  Donald smiled. “I promised I won’t rush you, but I’m also not going to stop offering,” he said. “One of these days you’ll change your mind.”

  “Or you’ll give up,” Fenella suggested.

  “Maybe. But not any time soon,” Do
nald replied. He pulled her close and kissed her again, this time anything but gently. When he lifted his head, he grinned at her. “Would you like to change your answer?” he asked.

  Fenella reluctantly shook her head. She really wasn’t ready to take things to the next level with the man.

  “I’ll see you on Tuesday, then,” he told her. “Take good care of yourself until then.”

  Fenella nodded and then shut the door behind the man. Katie bounced into the room as the lock clicked.

  “Merrroowww,” she said.

  “You had your dinner,” Fenella told her. “All you get now is more water.”

  Katie stared at her for a minute and then padded off to the kitchen. Fenella followed and refilled the animal’s water bowl. After a moment’s hesitation, she took a treat out of the box in the cupboard and gave it to the animal. Katie gobbled it up and gave Fenella a satisfied smile.

  As she washed her face and combed out her hair, Fenella tried to decide how she was going to ask Mona about the things she’d heard. There didn’t seem to be any easy way to bring up the subject, but she didn’t feel as if she could simply ignore the stories. Feeling fortunate that Mona wasn’t around at the moment, Fenella got ready for bed and climbed in. Katie was already curled up in her usual spot in the exact center of the bed.

  Tomorrow she would have to talk to Mona before she headed back to Ramsey for tea with Paulette, she decided. Too bad she wasn’t looking forward to doing either of those things.

  3

  Katie woke Fenella at seven the next morning. “I gave you a treat before bed,” Fenella complained as the kitten jumped up and down on her chest. “You could have let me sleep for an extra hour.”

  The animal just looked at her and then jumped off the bed and ran out the door. A moment later Fenella could hear her complaining loudly in the kitchen.

  “I’m coming,” she said, sighing deeply as she pulled her bathrobe on over her pajamas. She filled up Katie’s food and water bowls and then started a pot of coffee. There was too much on her mind for her go back to sleep. While the coffee was brewing, she showered and pulled on jeans and a T-shirt.

  “How was the party?” Mona asked when Fenella walked back into the kitchen a short while later.

  Fenella turned and looked at Mona. The woman didn’t look a day over thirty, and Fenella had to admit that she was beautiful. This morning her hair was pulled up in an elaborate chignon and she was wearing a pretty summery dress. Mona was tall and slender and she looked far more well-rested than Fenella felt.

  “It was interesting,” Fenella replied. “I got shouted at by Phillipa Clucas, which wasn’t very pleasant.”

  “Phillipa Clucas shouted at you? That doesn’t even make sense. I don’t think Phillipa has ever shouted at anyone in her life.”

  “Well, she shouted at me, although it was really you that she was angry with.”

  “Me?” Mona shook her head. “What could I have possibly done to upset Phillipa? We always got along well when I was alive.”

  “She wasn’t very happy that you’d slept with her husband,” Fenella said dryly.

  Mona looked at her for a moment and then began to laugh.

  “I’m not sure I think it’s funny,” Fenella said eventually.

  “I’m sorry, but the very idea that I would sleep with Paul Clucas is quite hilarious,” Mona told her. “Did you meet the man?”

  “He’s dead.”

  Mona stopped laughing. “Oh, I am sorry to hear that,” she said. “I didn’t realize. Poor Phillipa, she relied on Paul for so much. I imagine she’s quite lost without him.”

  “She was with her daughter last night.”

  “Oh, yes, Paulette. Such a dreary and dull woman, but devoted to her mother, of course.”

  “I’m having tea with her this afternoon at the Seaview,” Fenella said.

  “Yes, well, do see if you can find out why Phillipa thinks I slept with Paul. I’d love to know, even if it is a rather horrible idea.”

  “Why?”

  “He was ghastly,” Mona replied. After a moment, while Fenella sipped her coffee, she shook her head. “I’m not being fair,” she admitted. “I might have been tempted by him when we were young if he hadn’t been married to Phillipa. But Phillipa was so madly in love with the man that I knew she would be hurt if he cheated. I did try to avoid married men who had wives who loved them, you know.”

  “Did you?”

  “I did,” Mona said firmly. “Anyway, Paul was a terrible flirt, but I don’t think very many women in our social circle succumbed to his rather dubious charms. I’m sure he probably found one or two that were willing.”

  “Phillipa must have known,” Fenella suggested.

  “I always thought she chose not to know. She was busy with the children. Paul was out nearly every night, enjoying the social scene. I assumed at the time that Phillipa was simply turning a blind eye to whatever he was getting up to.”

  “Maybe I’ll find out more at tea,” Fenella said.

  “You’ll struggle to stay awake once Paulette starts talking,” Mona replied. “She’s never done a single interesting thing in her life, that woman.”

  “She seemed very nice.”

  “Yes, well, you have fun. Sometimes I’m glad I’m dead and I don’t have to observe social niceties anymore.”

  “No social niceties in the spirit world?” Fenella asked.

  “None at all,” Mona said happily.

  “Anyway, after that awkward encounter, I had another uncomfortable chat with Anne Marie Smathers,” Fenella said.

  “No doubt she told you I slept with her husband,” Mona said. “I was being unfair to Paul, really. Herbert was a dreadful man. Paul wasn’t nearly as bad by comparison.”

  “So you didn’t sleep with Herbert Smathers?”

  Mona sighed. “I wish I’d had as exciting a life as everyone seems to think I had,” she said. “But really, my reputation was built almost entirely on gossip and innuendo. I didn’t have anywhere near the number of lovers people thought I’d had. As we’re making comparisons, I was an angel compared to Anne Marie.”

  “She did tell me that she’d had several lovers after her husband died.”

  “After and before,” Mona corrected her. “Those two were ill-suited from the start, but Anne Marie wouldn’t listen to anyone in those days. She probably still won’t.”

  “She said he married her for her money,” Fenella recalled.

  “Perhaps. Although he wasn’t exactly poor himself. And my goodness, but he was gorgeous,” Mona said with a sigh.

  “But not nice.”

  “Oh, no, not nice at all,” Mona agreed. “Although he could be overwhelmingly wonderful when he wanted something from you. And once he’d latched on to Anne Marie, well, she didn’t have a chance. He flattered her and spoiled her and convinced her to marry him in less than a month.”

  “Wow, that’s fast.”

  “Anne Marie always said that was the happiest month of her life. Once they were married, the real Herbert came out, though.”

  “I’m not sure I want to know more.”

  “He simply lost interest in Anne Marie,” Mona said. “He made no effort to hide the fact that he was chasing other women. Anne Marie was meant to be grateful that he’d married her and simply look the other way.”

  “How dreadful.”

  “It was terribly unpleasant. I refused to get mixed up in it. In fact, I even went to the US to visit your mother for a few months to get away from the man. He could be incredibly persistent and I didn’t want to be persuaded.”

  “Anne Marie said he died in a car accident.”

  “I was still in the US when he died, so I can only tell you what I heard,” Mona replied. “He definitely died in a car crash, but I’ve always wondered whether it was an accident or not.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Mona shrugged. “As I understand it, the car blew up and was completely destroyed. If anyone had tampered with anything, the
evidence was gone.”

  “You think Anne Marie killed her husband?”

  “Anne Marie or maybe someone else’s jealous husband,” Mona suggested. “The police investigated and the whole thing was officially ruled an accident. I’m just telling you how I felt at the time.”

  “Why does Anne Marie think you slept with Herbert?”

  “I’m sure he told her that I had,” Mona replied. “That was one of his arguments when he was trying to get you into bed. He was going to tell everyone he’d taken you to bed, so why not go ahead and do it?”

  “What a horrible man,” Fenella exclaimed.

  “Yes, I can’t say I was sorry to hear about his death.”

  “Didn’t you ever talk to Anne Marie about it?”

  “Never. In our social circle there were a handful of affairs over the years. No one ever talked about them directly with the people involved, although we all talked about everyone behind their backs. Mostly, the people involved preferred to pretend it wasn’t happening. That way families could stay together.”

  “Well, Anne Marie is talking now,” Fenella said.

  “Now that I’m dead, no doubt she’ll be happy to throw around all sorts of accusations. I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried rewriting history. In time, I’ll come to be the woman that drove her and Herbert apart. That is, unless someone else dies as well. There are so many women that she could attach blame to, really.”

  “What about Phillipa Clucas?”

  “What about her?”

  “Did she have an affair with Herbert?

  “Oh, goodness, no,” Mona chuckled. “Phillipa was faithful, the poor dear. She was mostly oblivious to what was going on around her. I can’t imagine that Herbert even noticed her, really. Anyway, as I said, she was busy with her children for many years.”

  “You said Paulette has a brother?”

  “Yes, Paul, Junior,” Mona replied. “Both children were named after their father, which tells you something about how devoted Phillipa was, doesn’t it?”

  “I suppose so.”

  “But there was a third child,” Mona said. “I nearly forgot about Paula.”

  “Another one named after her father.”

  “Yes, she was, but she wasn’t well,” Mona told her. “I never knew exactly what was wrong with the child, but she needed care around the clock, which was one of the reasons why Phillipa was so busy all the time. She didn’t like having anyone else look after Paula.”