Opening the trapdoor took the effort of nearly six men because it was obvious that it hadn’t been disturbed for years. But finally there was a creaking sound and the six men jumped back as it fell, exposing some stairs.
“I’ll go down first,” Barrows said. “These stairs are solid. Hand me a lamp, will you?”
Old Granger insisted on going down also, and one by one all the men followed suit. Elias felt a little frightened but he also followed, careful to stay behind everyone else in case of any trouble. There was a second room and when Barrows entered it, he stopped short.
“What in heaven’s name,” he muttered. Everyone gasped when they saw what had taken his attention.
The trapdoor had finally revealed its gruesome contents. Being cold enough, the contents were well preserved and it was obvious that the woman who sat bound in a chair had been murdered, as had the small child who lay at her feet. From the way her skeleton was positioned it was obvious that her neck had been broken.
“Miss Henrietta,” Old Granger said. “This is where she was hidden all these years.”
10
Together At Last
Mary flew into Elias’s arms the moment he stepped out of the carriage that had brought him from Wiltshire. “My love, you’re alright,” she wept in his arms.
“Darling, calm down,” he was tired but happy that his journey was over. “You’ll make yourself ill if you weep so much.”
“Son,” Lord Victor came down the steps, both hands outstretched. He held Elias by the shoulders and nodded. “You’ve done us proud.”
“Thank you, your grace.”
“Father, let the poor man through. He’s been travelling for a long time and needs to rest,” Hannah called from the doorway. “Please do come in.”
Elias was received with honour and he smiled inwardly. Who would have thought that he would one day be welcomed with wide open arms into this household?
“Tell us everything that happened,” George sat next to his wife. Everyone was eager to hear what Elias had to say because he was now a household name. He wanted to see his mother and find out how she was faring but he knew that he had to tell the story.
“Right after we discovered Henrietta’s body and that of her child, Old Granger the constable sent for Bow Street Runners. In just a matter of days, Howard was arrested and he finally confessed to murdering his wife so she wouldn’t stand in his way. Because he didn’t want anyone to ever discover the secret, he brought his parents to the land. As long as it was occupied, no one else could claim it and his secret would remain hidden forever.”
“Poor woman, loving such a scoundrel,” Amanda said. “Now that wicked man can never harm anyone else.”
“He used to send people out to the farm out of a strange twisted sense of responsibility to his parents. But no one stayed because of the conditions. Otherwise someone would have discovered the secret a long time ago.”
“How did his parents take it?”
“His father was devastated that not only was his son a greedy man, for he could have pardoned that, but he was also a murderer. His mother, Annie, didn’t seem surprised at all. But at least the poor woman and her child got a decent burial after all these years.”
“We weep for her,” Hannah wiped a tear and her husband drew her closer. “What a terrible thing, to love a man and marry him, and then end up murdered and hidden for twenty years.”
“There’s nothing that can remain hidden forever,” Lord Murray said. “Thank goodness all this is over and Walter’s sister and niece are now free of that man.”
“I’m just happy to be home once again,” Elias said. “I’d like to go and see my mother, for I’ve been away for two months and have no idea how she’s fared.”
George chuckled. “Have no fear, dear brother,” he nodded at the surprise on Elias’s face. “Mary here has been spending all her days out at your house with your mother. She said she needed to be there to take care of Mrs. Cartwright just in case something happened and you didn’t return. Nobody could stop her.”
“Thank you so much, my love.”
“Put the girl out of her misery, Elias,” Mark teased. “Go ahead and ask for her hand in marriage.”
Elias looked at the duke who was beaming at him. “Go on now.”
* * *
“You’re the light of my life,” Elias said two days later when they returned home from church after their wedding. “Mary, I’m humbled that you chose to love me.”
“Love doesn’t ask where to grow, it just comes,” she snuggled into his arms. “I’m so happy that I feel as though I’m dreaming.”
“I still can’t believe that the duke gave his permission and even asked us to go and live at the manor with the rest of the family.”
“Papa finally saw you for who you were, a good man. Even before you told him that you had been paid a substantial amount from Henrietta’s estate for being one of those who found her body and solved the mystery of her disappearance, he accepted you. When you brought up the matter and didn’t keep silent, he started respecting you. Then you went out of your way to do something for the family. You’re now one of us.”
Elias kissed her gently on the lips. “Please forgive me but I didn’t accept your father’s offer. My own estate needs me and this is our home. This is where our children should be born, even though they will also have a second home at the duke’s manor.”
“And I’m glad you refused. I want you all to myself at least for now, and I know papa wants to put you to work to expand his own estate. You’re his third son now.”
“And all because I fell in love with his beautiful daughter.”
“Who loves you so much.”
“As I love her too.”
* * *
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