I had a cup of strong sweet tea and then got into my bath. The water was hot and deep and I soaked myself for a good half hour, topping up the water and keeping it as hot as I could bear it. Eventually, I got out of the bath, dried myself, slipped once again into my dressing gown, and went back to the sitting room. Uncle Joshua was standing there waiting for me.
I could scarcely believe my eyes. I realized that what I was witnessing was an unprecedented event. Uncle Joshua never left his rooms in the west wing, and yet here he was in my sitting room. For the second time within a week, and on both occasions on my account, he had left his quarters. He had not even gone out to watch Kittiwake or to see his guests of the last two days.
‘Thank God you are all right, Emma,’ he said, holding his hand out to me.
‘Uncle Josh,’ I cried, taking his outstretched hand and kissing him on the cheek. ‘How kind of you to come and see me.’
‘Dear little Emma,’ he said. ‘I heard about Honey coming back alone, and then Henry told me about your fall. I simply had to find out for myself that all was well. And I must apologise for just walking in here, but I did knock and there was no answer.’
‘I was taking a bath,’ I explained. ‘And you’re not to worry about me. It’s nothing more than a couple of bruises.’
‘May I sit with you for a little while?’ he asked.
‘Of course,’ I replied. ‘There is nothing that I should like better.’
He sat in the armchair by the fire. During the next half an hour or so, he poured his heart out to me. Since the death of my aunt he had been a lonely man, but how lonely I found it hard to imagine. Not that he was alone in the physical sense, there were plenty of people at Goathlands, but he lacked love and affection. What a great pity that he and Henry had never had any warmth in their relationship. I knew, of course, that he had always been fond of me, but until then I had never realized just how deep his feelings toward me were. Uncle Joshua loved me as if I were the daughter that he had always wanted but had never had. He admitted to me that when Henry had suggested to him that I might do the typewriting, he had leapt at the idea, though in truth it was really a ruse to persuade me to come back here.
Gradually our conversation became less intense, and we started talking about the old days when grandpapa was alive. Every other sentence began with, ‘Do you remember?’ When finally he took his leave, I sat there for a long time, gazing at the pictures made by the hot coals in the fire. I realized how important my being here was to him, and more, I realized that if I was the daughter he had never had, then he was equally the father I had lost.
My muscles were beginning to stiffen and the bruises were beginning to hurt, so I left my fire and climbed painfully into bed. As I lay there letting drowsiness creep over me, I thought how nice it was to be back. I thought about Uncle Josh and how nice it was to feel loved and needed. Most certainly, now that I knew how much he wanted me to stay, I should never dream of leaving him now. Then I let my mind wander to Henry. I remembered how it was he who had rushed out to search for me as soon as he suspected that there had been an accident. A strange man, my cousin, and yet there was something very nice about him, I wondered if perhaps he was in some financial difficulty. If this was to prove the case, I might be able to help there. Possibly a word from me to Uncle Josh might unloose the purse strings; I would have to think about that. Even Dr. Harrison had shown concern today; at least I thought she had, albeit hidden under her coldly professional exterior. I wondered whether she ever showed her emotions to anyone, though I didn’t doubt that she was devoted to Uncle Joshua. That left Roger. Why, I asked myself, were my feelings always so vulnerable in his presence? I had never ever met a man who could irritate me so easily. A remark which I would have ignored if made by anyone else would raise my hackles and put me on the defensive right away if it came from Roger. Oh, bother Roger, I thought. I put him out of my mind.
I decided that I really could not complain about my fall. It had been a pure accident, and it had certainly shown me the nicer side of Henry and the love of Uncle Joshua. No, I said to myself, I could not complain. In some strange way, I was glad that I had had my accident.
I was soon asleep. The whole day had been quite exhausting, and it seemed no time at all before I heard the swish of the curtains as Letty opened them the following morning.
‘Please, miss, Mr. Ormerod says could you go over to the stables after breakfast,’ she said, putting the tea tray onto my bed.
‘Did he say what it was about?’ I was a little surprised; it was an unusual request.
‘No, miss, but it seemed to be important. I thought he seemed a bit excited, which is not like Mr. Ormerod.’
It was certainly not at all like Ormerod to be excited; he was always so cool and calm whatever happened.
‘Tell him I shall see him as soon as I can get away,’ I said. ‘And Letty, will you take my riding habit and see what you can do about it? It’s rather a mess, I’m afraid.’
‘I washed it last night when you was asleep, miss,’ she replied. ‘It’s all right, it isn’t torn. I’ll iron it today and bring it up.’
‘Thank you, Letty, you are most thoughtful,’ I said as she left me.
I wondered what it was that Ormerod wanted to see me about. I did hope that there was nothing wrong with Honey; anyhow, whatever it was, it would have to keep until I saw him.
I got out of bed rather gingerly. I felt very stiff and I had a nasty bruise on my hip, but all in all it was not too bad. It was certainly not as bad as I had expected. Dressing proved a little painful, but I managed. I went down to breakfast at about a quarter to nine. I was quite surprised to find that Roger was still there.
‘Hello there,’ he said. ‘Come and sit down while I get you some breakfast. We must look after the wounded, or what would Miss Nightingale say? What would you like?’
‘Are there any kidneys?’ I asked.
‘Sorry ma’am, I just ate the last of them.’ When I pouted he said, ‘Of course it was done deliberately and because I knew that you would want them.’
I had to laugh. ‘Kippers?’ I asked hesitantly.
‘Kippers do not seem too popular today, madam, there are three left. Will you eat them all?’
‘Good Heavens, no,’ I said. ‘One will be plenty.’ Roger’s cheerful banter was just the thing to chase away the remaining aches and pains.
‘One kipper.’ He placed it before me. ‘Tea or coffee?’
‘Coffee, please.’
We chatted away while I ate my breakfast, and again I found myself warming to this man. I found that I was enjoying his company more than I cared to admit.
Breakfast over, it was time to go and see Ormerod.
Roger accompanied me as far as the big barn. I left him there with Kittiwake and carried on to the stables.
When I arrived there, I found Ormerod waiting for me. He was standing, grim faced, talking to one of the grooms. As soon as he saw me, he left his companion and came toward me.
‘You wanted to see me, I believe?’ I said.
‘That’s right, Miss Emma,’ he replied. ‘I think thou’d better come into the tack room with me.’
He strode purposefully toward the tack room, and I followed. I wondered what on earth could be the matter. Ormerod was abrupt, almost brusque in his manner. It was not like him; I don’t think that I had ever seen him in this sort of mood. We went into the tack room with its lovely smell of polished leather and its shining brasses. All the harnesses were neatly arranged and hanging from hooks bearing the names of the horses. The other groom was there when we arrived; he was sitting on a stool saddle soaping some harness.
‘Out,’ Ormerod said to him. ‘You can finish that when Miss Emma leaves.’
‘Now then,’ I said. ‘You had better tell me what all of this is about.’ I was beginning to feel somewhat uneasy about the whole business.
‘Miss Emma, when I found out, I wasn’t sure that I should tell thee.’ His tone was serious. ‘I wo
uld not want to be the one to worry thee, of all people. It is for thy own safety that I must tell thee what I found.’
‘Then tell me what this thing is that you found.’ I was becoming quite alarmed. ‘There’s something wrong with Honey, I’m not going to be able to ride him again?’
‘Nay, lass, there’s nothing wrong with the horse. I only wish that that was what it is. Here, you’d better take a look at this.’
He went over to a corner and pulled away a blanket revealing my saddle. I noticed, to my surprise, that it had not been cleaned and that the girth was still attached. I went over to examine it.
‘Well?’ I asked.
‘Look at the straps on the girth, Miss Emma.’
I looked. The straps were still attached to the buckles of the girth, but the stitching which had attached them to the saddle had torn away.
‘I see,’ I said, for it was indeed what I had expected to see, either that or torn leather. ‘The stitching ripped and that is why the girth broke.’
‘Nay, Miss Emma,’ replied Ormerod. ‘That stitching never ripped, it were cut.’
Chapter Ten
For a moment I stood speechless. The beautiful world which I had created in my imagination had, in one shattering moment, crashed around me. I thought of all those lovely people who had been so kind to me. One of them must have done this terrible thing. Dearly though I would have loved to have found some other possible explanation, there could be none. It had to be one of them. I knew now that someone here hated me, hated me enough to want to harm me physically or even kill me. I looked down at the broken girth and then at Ormerod’s grim face. I clutched at one last straw of hope; could Ormerod possibly be mistaken?
‘Ormerod,’ I said in a quiet voice. ‘Are you quite certain that this was deliberate?’
‘It couldn’t be no other way, Miss Emma. Do thou think I should have worried thee if there could have been another possibility?’ His voice was grave. ‘Look thee here.’ He held up the end of the girth, showing me the straps. ‘See how the stitching is all torn and ragged for the top half inch? That were where it ripped when thou took the jump. Now look at the rest of the straps, clean cut through for more than five inches. When stitching goes, it don’t break at each hole, it snaps here and there and the thread pulls through, leaving it all ragged. Look at these straps, the thread is still in all of the holes. It was deliberate all right, somebody slid a knife between the strap and the saddle and just left that top half-inch attached. What we’ve got to do now is to find out who.’
What he said was true; I knew it as soon as I asked him the question. Ormerod would never have alarmed me if he had not been certain.
It all came flooding back to me; the missing teddy bear, the burnt papers. Nana was no accident, and the burning of the papers had nothing to do with Kittiwake, but with me. And now this. What would happen next? I asked myself. I only knew that the answer would not be pleasant. ‘But who would want to do such a thing?’ I cried.
‘And to thee of all people, Miss Emma.’ Ormerod was very cool and very angry. I had never seen him like this before. ‘Whoever he is, when I lay my hands on him, I’ll kill him.’ He held his hands up and looked at them. ‘I’ll kill him with these two hands.’
It was quite terrifying to watch him. ‘Ormerod, I want you to promise me something,’ I said. ‘I want you to promise me that you will not do anything foolish.’
‘’Twould be naught but justice, Miss Emma. How I would like to get my hands around his throat.’
I shuddered. ‘Promise me,’ I insisted. My concern was not only for the possible victim but also for Ormerod. I would have loathed to see Ormerod get into trouble on my account.
‘All right, Miss Emma, it shall be as you say. I promise,’ he said grudgingly.
‘Ormerod,’ I continued, ‘who knows about this?’
‘Just thee and me and the one as did it.’
‘Then I need another promise from you. I want you to promise me that you will not breathe a word about this to anyone.’
The thought had entered my mind that, should this news get to Uncle Joshua’s ears, he might take it very badly. Above all, I did not want to have him worried.
‘But why, Miss Emma? We ought to tell the police at least.’
‘Ormerod, you must trust me. I have my reasons,’ I said. ‘They are very good reasons.’
‘Just as thou wish, miss, I can’t say as how I approve,’ he replied.
I realized that I either had to change the subject or tell him everything, and I was not ready to tell him yet.
‘What are you going to do about the saddle?’ I asked.
‘I’ll repair it myself, Miss Emma. I’ll take it down to my cottage tonight, that way no one will know. Miss Emma, if thou want to go riding again, tell me, I’ll see to thy tack personal.’ He paused. ‘Hardly seems credible that anyone could have done such a thing, do it?’
‘I don’t understand either, Ormerod,’ I said. ‘I did not believe that I had an enemy in the world.’
I finally left Ormerod and made my way slowly back to the house. The sky was beginning to cloud over. As I looked up at the walls of the house, I thought how warm and secure they had appeared yesterday and how grim and full of menace they seemed now. I did not go through the big barn, because Roger would be in there, and I had no desire to talk to anyone at all. I felt so desperately alone and uncertain of everything that I wanted to scream. Who could I approach for comfort and counsel? There was only Uncle Joshua, and it would be out of the question to speak to him about my worries.
My slow reluctant steps finally brought me to the front door, and I went in. Barton was standing in the hall.
‘Miss Emma, I have been looking for you. Cook would like to have a word with you when you have a moment to spare,’ he said.
‘Not today, Barton,’ I replied. ‘Tell her that I will see her tomorrow, and that if it is something which can’t wait, I am sure that her judgement will be every bit as good as mine.’
I could not bear the thought of dealing with everyday household matters. I felt I simply had to be alone. I escaped from Barton and went up to my room, flopped down in the armchair by the fire, and wept.
Lunch time came and went and I did not go down. Though I knew that I would have to face them soon enough, I could not bear the thought of sitting down at table with them just then. I think that that was the most frightening thing about all of this; it had become ‘them’ and me. Any one of them could be my tormentor, and until I found out who, there was no one whom I dared trust.
Promptly at four o’clock, Letty brought in my afternoon tea. I noticed, to my dismay, that there were two cups on the tray.
‘Why two cups?’ I asked her.
‘For Mr. Henry, miss. He said that he was going to join you for tea.’
‘Oh, no,’ I said. ‘Letty, please tell him that I can’t see him.’ I was being cowardly I knew, for I would have to face them all soon, and putting it off was not going to make it any easier.
‘Oh, miss.’ Letty was dismayed. ‘I couldn’t say a thing like that to Mr. Henry.’
It seemed that I was not the only coward present. The problem was solved, however, by Henry, who appeared in the open door at that moment.
‘What is it you couldn’t say to Mr. Henry?’ he asked.
‘Henry, I do hope you will understand, but I told Letty that I did not feel like entertaining anyone,’ I answered him.
‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ he replied. ‘Are you still feeling a bit under the weather, coz?’
Was it my imagination, or was Henry avoiding looking me in the eye as he spoke?
‘Well, I think it’s a shame.’ He had taken my silence as an affirmation. ‘Don’t worry, if you would rather I didn’t stay, I’ll go, and I promise not to be offended.’ He spoke kindly enough. ‘Shall we see you at dinner?’
‘Yes, I’ll be down to dinner,’ I replied. ‘I’ll be all right by then.’
There, I had committed myself
. It was better that I had, for I could not continue putting off and putting off.
‘Come now, Letty, out we go, let’s leave Miss Emma alone,’ said Henry.
With a nod, he left me, and Letty scuttled out. Once again I was alone with my thoughts.
All too soon it was half past six, and the sound of the dressing gong reverberated through the house. Letty appeared and asked me what I intended wearing for dinner. At first I was inclined to wear anything which came to hand, but I decided against this. I was sure that if I dressed well I should feel better and perhaps manage to get rid of some of the depression which was overshadowing me. I possessed a beautiful ball gown of pale green silk chiffon, and that was what I chose to wear. Letty was most surprised; she assured me that it was just an ordinary dinner. Little did she know how extraordinary it in fact was.
At seven-thirty the gong sounded for dinner. I looked at myself in the mirror. Under almost any other circumstances I should have found the result most pleasing. As it was, I tried to smile at my reflection but found it very difficult. I waited three or four minutes before going down to the dining room. I did not want to find myself alone with any single person, so I waited to give them time to assemble. It was about five and twenty minutes to eight when I made my move and went down.
Henry, Roger, and Dr. Harrison were already seated at the table when I entered. Henry and Roger rose to greet me.
‘Good evening,’ I said, taking my place at the head of the table. ‘Please sit down.’
‘May I be permitted to say how lovely you look?’ said Roger.
‘Hear, hear,’ said Henry.
Dr. Harrison concurred with a slight raising of her eyebrows and a little nod.
I looked at each of them in turn. How strange fate had been to thrust the four of us together. If you had searched the length and breadth of the land, I doubt if you could have found a quartet who had so little in common. Roger and Dr. Harrison were both dedicated people, but dedicated to ideas so far apart; there could be no common ground between engineering and medicine. Then there was Henry, likeable, irresponsible, and thoroughly spoilt, not really caring about anything. And me? What was I? A victim to one of them or just a fool who ought to get out of this place?
Mistress of the Moor: A gripping gothic romance mystery Page 10