The vegan food was catching on slowly. Their most popular plate was called “The Cheater” which was their largest sampler plate. Carrie said lots of people made faces when they tried the vegan food but she had gotten some good feedback, too. Dilly told her how delighted she was for her and Roy.
Carrie and Dilly prayed together before they parted; something they always did. They were still praying for the safe return of the three girls missing now for months. Dilly told Carrie that she had been snooping around a little up on the Hill among the mansions but hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary. Neither of them was feeling hopeful any longer; too much time had passed and they thought Sheriff Gibbs had stopped looking. Carrie told Dilly that she had noticed that Gus had put a For Sale sign on his pub; neither of them was surprised. Maybe he’s going back home wherever that is; neither of them knew him very well. He had kept to himself.
Maize and Nonie
Maize waits anxiously for Nonie sitting in a booth at The Blue Spot Cafe. Nonie had called her last night and asked if she could talk something over with her. They both had Sunday’s off so here she was wondering what she wanted.
Nonie walks in and slides into the booth across from Maize. “Hi Maize, thank you for meeting me on such short notice.” said Nonie.
“Oh, I don’t mind Miss Nonie. How is Miss Elise? Is she alright?” said Maize.
“She’s fine; nothing has changed in her condition. I’m here to talk to you about something personal.” said Nonie. Maize fiddles with her tea bag nervously, Nonie notices.
“Maize you have worked at Blacknest Manor a very long time.” says Nonie.
“Yes I have.” said Maize.
“I was wondering if I told you some very sensitive personal information about me, if you would keep it confidential?” said Nonie.
“Yes, I can keep secrets; I promise it will go no further.” said Maize.
“Maize, my sister Mimi disappeared ten months ago and at the time she was dating Xander.” said Nonie.
“Oh, my I’m so sorry.” said Maize.
“Thank you, but have you ever heard the name Mimi around the house or perhaps seen her. She is very petite and always wears her hair in a French twist and of course, she is also Filipino.” said Nonie.
“Well, there have always been people coming and going from the house at all hours but I don’t recall someone with that name or fitting your description. I’m so sorry. Does Xander know your Mimi’s sister?” said Maize.
“No, he thinks I have no family in this country and I want it to stay that way. OK, Maize. “Maize one more question. Have you heard of a place at Blacknest manor called the second basement?” asked Nonie
“Yes, I have and the door is always locked. I think only Xander has the key." says Maize "OK, lets have some more coffee and some pie and talk about something happier."
Lily in Ireland
Lily McNeil now back in Ireland on their estate is happily redecorating the first floor. Angus, their longtime grounds keeper and his wife, Martha are helping her hang new drapes. She has had the interior completely repainted. It is now very bright, with a few flowery murals in the morning room and also, in the master bedroom. This morning the house is bustling with workmen putting in all new carpet on the second floor. She doesn't have a budget, so Lily is having a great time changing things around. Her parents and brothers have been over a lot. They often speak of the wee people and the fairy people as family members or at least benevolent guardians of their family when they gather together. They eat most suppers together because Lily’s parents live in the estate directly behind hers and Colin’s. There is an ancient stone wall with a path from their front door to Lily’s back door. Her dad and mom ride their bicycles down the path like they were young to Lily’s delight. She loved her family so much. They were such a merry bunch. Sure, they drank a little too much but she could find no other faults in them.
Her brothers, Kevin and Kelly were co-owners of a vineyard in Spain so; they spent a lot of time down there. Lily ordered a couple cases of their finest to be delivered to Colin as an early birthday present. Life was so pleasant here. She was planning on persuading Colin into a permanent move. He was saying it was impossible. He said he had too many business obligations in the states, but she was going to find a way. She walked in her garden humming to herself and dreaming about their future. Her mother had little statues of fairies scattered throughout the garden. The flowers were lovely and the hedges between the two estates had recently been trimmed. The air smelled sweet better than in America and the colors seemed to be more vibrant. She always felt the Wee People did a bit of gardening and that was why it all looked so good. She thought they were probably fantastic gardeners. She often wondered where they lived perhaps underground or deep in the forest. And why they only showed themselves to certain people. She had seen them many times and so had her other family members. Poor Colin had never seen even one. She knew he didn't believe her and that he thought she just had a wild imagination. If he would permanently move back to Ireland she thought surely they would show themselves to him.
Belinda
Belinda was really enjoying the women folk of Solly Holler. She heard very little complaining among them; most were thankful for the little they had. She understood because this holler was her home till she was eighteen years old. She loved these people. In her quilting bee weekly at least four women would show, sometimes as many as eight. The room addition to the cabin was a God send because the weather was now chilly. They had set up two large quilt frames with chairs around each. They were working on a crazy quilt and for the more advanced quilters a beautiful maple leaf patterned quilt. The crazy quilt was coming together fast because the pieces were of no particular shape. You just fit all sizes and shapes of fabric together. There was no wrong way. The women were having a wonderful time getting to know each other better.
Peggy and Polly were sisters and they both went to the snake handler church Faith Holiness Church- of Signs and Wonders. Their daddy was Pastor Amos; the senior pastor of that congregation. Their granddaddy had been the pastor before their daddy but he had died of a snake bite. Belinda thought they were awfully sweet women. She knew they had deep faith in the Lord Jesus but she was afraid for them. She had grown up down here and had known people that had died of snake bites in that congregation. But she knew that tradition was everything to these people. She didn't want to scare the women away by getting too critical or preachy with them so, she decided to just be their friend. She was sure the subject would come up one of these days and she could voice her concerns. She did feel they were true believers but she didn't agree with their snake handling because she thought that it was putting God to the test which she understood to be discouraged in the Bible. She knew old grandpa Ned one of their church elders was missing a couple fingers because of a snake bite. So, she would just wait for her opportunity to speak up but with as much tact as she could muster because it was such an important part of their faith.
The weekly quilting bee had become very popular. They were meeting twice a week on Monday and Thursdays. Several of the women had small toddlers or babies so; they would take turns watching the little ones. Linda Lee had brought ginger spice cookies and a pot of bean soup for them to eat for lunch. Today they had six women; Peggy, Polly, Dora, Deana, Alice and Linda Lee. They were all shocked when they walked through the door and saw Belinda with her leg up on a chair obviously swollen. She had taken a tumble early this morning as she walked down to the creek for water.
“Oh Belinda, we are so sorry about your ankle. It looks like the swelling may be going down.” said Alice.
“Yes, I think so, I’m such a klutz.” Said Belinda
“I think I brought enough soup for your supper tonight, too. Do you have the makings for cornbread; I’ll mix some up for you to bake.” said Linda Lee.
“Thank you, so much. Yes, I have the makings; I’d sure appreciate the help.” said Belinda.
They spent the rest of the afternoon
quilting. Dora and Deana were advanced quilters so, they worked on the maple leaf quilt. Alice and Linda Lee could barely thread a needle so; they went through the rag sacks and picked out garments to be cut up for the quilting. The women worked on the quilts for about three hours; drank a lot of coffee and laughed till their sides hurt. The quilting bee had become a get together they all looked forward to twice a week. Most of their husbands worked in the local coal mine. The women were all strong believers in the good book and at the end of each quilting session they would spend some time in prayer. Alice’s husband Tommy was a violent man who had recently been hitting her. She had a black eye today. She had tried to cover the purple skin with makeup but we could see it. She said he didn't drink alcohol at all. He was just angry all the time lately. She said he hadn't always been that way but when disappointments came instead of turning to God, he just got angrier and bitterer. They had no children. She had miscarried three times and he blamed her. The women prayed for her and promised to keep praying for them. The poverty and the isolation in the holler did bad things to some people. It took its toll.
Dilly spinning
Dilly is spinning wool today. She has bought a whole wool fleece from a local farmer. It is a beautiful medium brown with reddish highlights. It had been filthy and the washing process was difficult. She had hand washed it four times using an old wash tub in her backyard. It had been way too dirty to bring into the house. She could still feel the lanolin in the wool but it felt clean, finally. To dry it she had made a large net sack and filled it with wet wool and laid it out on a picnic table with rocks anchoring it down. She thought it was primitive but it worked. Now, she finally has a clean fleece to card and spin. She is planning on making a cardigan and socks for herself. Now that fall is here it is time to start knitting because it was too hot to have a large wool project in your lap in the summer. Dilly is full of ideas and her closet is full of yarn she has spun over the summer. She thinks what a wonderful problem. Dilly has spent a week spinning up this fleece. She plans on starting the cardigan next week. She is a slow knitter and a daydreamer so, she can’t pick too complicated of a pattern or she loses her place. It will take her maybe five months to complete the sweater. The socks will be a cinch. She can almost knit them blindfolded because she has used that particular pattern so many times. Most of her friends have at least one pair of Dilly’s hand knitted socks.
The leaves are falling and the air no longer smells like summer but now damp fall leaves. As she sits spinning she has been watching the activity across the street at Blacknest Academy. Quite a few students clad in their black and white uniforms have been walking past her house. Many are speaking languages she doesn't recognize. She wonders why people sent their kids to this academy. What is the attraction? As usual, she has a lot more questions than answers. Dilly hums and prays while she happily spins. Today she is thinking she’ll leave all the mystery up to God because she is plum tired of trying to figure it all out. She whispers, God you take care of it all, OK. I trust you.
Nonie gives notice
Nonie gives her notice to Xander. She tells him that she has a sick aunt in the Philippines who needs her. He says he is very sorry she is leaving. The truth is she is getting nowhere finding her sister, Mimi. It is time to admit she will probably never find her. Her heart is broken. She had such hopes she’d find out what had happened to her. Her superiors in Navy Intelligence want her to report back to duty. It will be a good change going back to her real life. Elise has been driving her nuts. Lately, all she talks about is that she thinks Xander wants to send her back to Treadmore. She says she can see it in his eyes. Nonie told her that was not true and that Xander loves her. Elise would just snicker and tell Nonie she really didn't know anything about the Blacknest family. But that’s all she would say. So, Nonie knows more investigating is pointless. She hasn't found any damning evidence on Xander and she has searched and searched. So, she has failed. It is now the end of October. She had told Xander she would stay for another month so, he could get another nurse. But if possible she would like to leave sooner. He said he would try to get a replacement for her quickly.
Old Moses
Old Moses kneels at his wife, Lenadeans' bedside and prays. She has finally gone to sleep. The poor woman had been up all night in such pain; her old joints were swollen and inflamed. He was crying out to God to send her some relief. Earlier today, their youngest son, Danny had come over carrying a large box. He opened it in the kitchen; it was a juicer, of all things. Danny told Moses that he had been using one for the past couple of months and he felt great. Danny suffered from arthritis, like his mother so, Moses was listening with interest. He said he drank glasses of green vegetable juice throughout the day and he thought it might help mom with her pain. He assembled it and showed Moses exactly how simple it was to use. Moses marveled at how easy it was to use and clean up. He thanked Danny and told him he would start using it.
Now, on his knees he vowed to God that he would give juicing a try and thanked God for his love and provision for his family. Juicing was something Moses had never heard of. He thought if you were in pain or sick you went to the doctor and took the medication he prescribed and prayed a lot. He had never thought of such a novel therapy. He would have never tried juicing. He had never heard of it before this morning. He thanked the Lord and laid down for a nap. He had been up all night with his dear wife and he was exhausted.
The next morning Moses went to the store and stocked up on raw vegetables. He made himself and Lenadean some green juice when he got home and it was drinkable he thought. She said she did not love the taste but, she could drink it especially knowing that Danny thought it was so good for them. They both agreed to drink a couple glasses a day and see if they both started feeling better.
Elise has a plan
Elise has a nice pile of little white pills hidden in her jar of bath talcum powder. The white powder hides the them and she feels so smart thinking of such a good hiding place. She giggles knowing that no one would ever guess to look in there. She wished Nonie wasn't hovering constantly. She rarely got a moment to herself. She had been pretending to swallow her medication but secretly spitting it out and saving it. She could tell that Xander had plans for her. He had been whispering a lot lately. She knew he was making plans to send her back to Treadmore Mental Institute. What she remembered about that place was just awful. People always forcing pills down her throat and giving her shots. She also remembered being restrained often. Her plan was to never give them the chance, to torment her ever again. She was the rightful head of this family and she didn't need Xander; just like she didn't need his father. They both wanted to control her. She knew what was best. At her earliest opportunity, she would crush the pills and put them in Xanders' favorite brandy decanter. Yes, then she would have freedom. She could come and go whenever she desired. Of course, she would fire Nonie. She didn't need a nurse maid. Elise had not taken medication now for four weeks. She was clear headed and was making plans. Sure, she acted a little woozy, so they wouldn't suspect. She smiled to herself knowing that she was much cleverer than any of them.
Hid under the sink Elise has a mortar and pestle; that she planned on using to powder the pills. She had brought it upstairs from the kitchen pantry late one night. She remembered when she poisoned Kendrick she had hid the poison powder in a small bag tucked in the inner waist band of her bodice and then she wore a loose sweater to cover the edge of the bag. It worked once so she will probably do the same this time.
During the day she spent a lot of time plotting because she did not want to get caught. No not this time because she had so much she needed to do. Maybe she could frame, Nonie? Hmm, how could she do that? With her head clear now, she spent a lot of time scheming.
Mimi
Mimi doesn't know how long she has been in the Lab. She doesn't remember the last time she’d been outside. The one lab technician Raymond had befriended her. He promised to help her escape. He said the night of the Halloween Masqu
erade party, no one would be around and he would slip her out to safety that night.
Had that much time passed? It was already near Halloween? Her last memory of freedom was Christmas Eve with Xander. He invited her down to his wine cellar. She remembers admiring his rows and rows of wine. He then led her to a very sturdy and ornately carved door. He opened it with an old fashioned skeleton key. She remembers walking through it and then everything went black. She woke up in the lab and there she’d been ever since. That was the last she saw of Xander, too. She had endured torture and very strange doctors; most didn't speak English very well. They kept her in a cell at night and she knew she had been medicated heavily because there were large blocks of time she couldn't remember. She spent most of her time in a fuzzy state and had trouble staying awake. Her hair had been cut extremely short and she had a two inch incision on the inside of her right forearm. She didn't remember either of those things happening. She was beyond scared. Mimi hoped Raymond kept his promise.
She prayed often. She had always trusted God. She knew He was the only one who could help her now. She knew she had lost a lot of weight because her skin on her legs seemed to just cover her bones. Lately, she had been by herself but there had been some other girls in the room with her a while back. She didn't know where they had gone. She wondered if Raymond was messing with her or if he was really going to help her escape. She also, wondered if Noni had been looking for her.
Angel Watch at Blacknest: A Supernatural Mystery Page 13