Madeline leaned back in her chair, her lovely features looking pensive. “In some ways it seems an eternity. It has been a difficult year at times.”
Cecily nodded in sympathy. “The first year of marriage can be hard for most people, I suspect. I know mine wasn’t all laughter and sunshine.” She smiled. “But it’s infinitely worth it for the later years.”
“I certainly hope so.” Madeline passed a hand across her forehead. “We are still at odds over my potions. Kevin refuses to believe in their power, even though he has acknowledged that modern medicine was originally derived from herbs and flowers. He is uncomfortable with what he calls witchcraft. Ridiculous man.”
“Oh, I think he knows the worth of your potions. The problem is, as a doctor and scientist, he is unable to admit as much. He-” Cecily broke off as a sharp rap on the door announced the presence of yet another visitor.
Baxter entered the room first, followed by a handsome man in a light gray suit and blue cravat. Cecily rose to greet him, her hands extended in welcome.
“Kevin! How good to see you again. It has been much too long.”
The doctor seized her hands and brought them, one at a time, to his lips. “Considering my profession, dear Cecily, I would say that is a blessing.”
Baxter grunted his displeasure. He had never forgotten that Kevin Prestwick was at one time an avid admirer of Cecily, and might well have stolen her away had she been so inclined. “We’ve put the body into Prestwick’s carriage,” he said gruffly. “He’s taking it to the morgue.”
Cecily glanced at Madeline. “You must stay here with me, Madeline, until your husband has disposed of the body. I can’t have you traveling with such grisly cargo.”
Madeline’s tinkling laugh rang out. “I assure you, dear Cecily, I have ridden with many a strange companion in my past, and compared to them, a dead body would be a decided improvement.”
Cecily glanced at the doctor, who eyed his wife with faint disapproval. In all the years she had known Madeline, her friend had rarely spoken of her past and Cecily was under the impression she was the only one who knew the extent of it. She wondered if Madeline had shared all her secrets with her husband. Knowing Kevin as well as she did, she could imagine he would not have enjoyed learning the truth about his wife’s early years.
“Cecily is right,” Kevin said sharply. “I would rather take care of this matter without your company.”
Madeline bowed her head, though a flash of defiance lit up her face. “As you wish. I shall enjoy visiting with Cecily. As she says, it has been much too long.”
“Then it’s settled.” Kevin pulled a pocket watch from his vest pocket and peered at it. “I shall return for my wife as soon as possible.”
“Wait, Kevin.” Cecily raised a hand. “You haven’t yet told us your conclusions concerning Ian’s death.”
“Ah… well, it seems quite obvious the man had consumed a vast amount of spirits. He reeked of it. I suspect his lungs are filled with water, but I’ll know more after my examination at the morgue. It appears, however, that he lost his way and stumbled into the pond, hitting his head in the fall. Unfortunately for him, he fell in head first, otherwise he would probably have survived.”
“So it was an accidental drowning, then?”
Kevin nodded. “That’s what I’m expecting to put in my report.”
Cecily let out her breath. She hadn’t realized how worried she’d been until the doctor had settled her mind. It was a vast relief to know that for once she didn’t have to worry about a fiendish murderer lurking in the halls of the Pennyfoot at Christmastime.
Kevin had barely reached the door when Madeline spoke, her voice strangely soft and low. “You might do well to examine more carefully the wound on the dead man’s head, my love.”
Kevin paused, and without turning his head asked, “You know something, perhaps, that has escaped me?”
Madeline smiled. “Perhaps.”
Kevin appeared to think about it, then gave a brief shake of his head, and left the room.
Madeline was silent until the door had closed behind both her husband and Baxter, then murmured, “For a doctor and a man of science, my husband can be remarkably obtuse.”
Unsettled by the odd exchange between man and wife, Cecily felt concern once more niggling at her. “Why should he examine the wound? What exactly do you mean by that?”
“I mean that all is not as it seems.”
Alarmed now, Cecily watched as her friend’s face took on a look she knew well. Madeline’s eyes seemed to glaze over, and her features grew slack and void of expression. In a voice low and husky, she muttered, “Dark nights invite dark deeds. I see danger lurking above a house of carcasses. You must beware the hand you cannot see.”
Cecily had seen many of Madeline’s trances, but rarely had she seen such apprehension in her friend’s face as she regained her senses.
“Madeline! What is it that concerns you so?” Cecily rose and hurried over to her. “Tell me, what did you see?”
Madeline blinked up at her. “I don’t know.” Her voice shook and her cheeks seemed to pale. “Blood. Everywhere. Dead bodies. Many of them.”
Cecily put an arm about her friend’s shoulders. “It was just a vision, Madeline. You have had such visions before and nothing has come of them.”
“They are a warning, Cecily. We should always heed the warning.”
“Warning of what?”
Madeline sighed, and shook her head so that her hair swung about her shoulders. “That is the problem. I rarely know until I’m faced with the reality.”
Cecily returned to her desk, her brow creased in worry. “You said many dead bodies. Are you predicting some kind of disaster?”
Madeline gave her an unhappy look. “I wish I knew, Cecily. I’m sorry. I just couldn’t see.”
“No matter.” With a wave of her hand, Cecily did her best to dismiss the incident. “I imagine we shall find out soon enough if your warning proves to be accurate. In the meantime, let us wait for your husband’s return in my suite, where we shall be a little more comfortable.”
Madeline rose without a word and drifted over to the door. Following her, Cecily tried to forget the cryptic words her friend had uttered. Right now she had enough to worry about with Ian’s death on the premises. All she could hope was that word of it had not reached her guests.
That hope was dashed a few minutes later when they encountered Archie Parker in the foyer. His sharp gaze took in Madeline’s somewhat provincial appearance with one disparaging head-to-foot glance, then he ignored her, turning his attention to Cecily.
“I’ve been hearing rumors, Mrs. B. Nasty rumors at that. Something about a man drowning in one of your ponds?”
Cecily sent Madeline a swift warning glance, then said pleasantly, “I’m quite sure you are far too discriminating to take any notice of rumors, Mr. Parker.”
Archie preened and smoothed the end of his mustache with thick fingers. “How astute of you, Mrs. B. Normally I would ignore them, but someone mentioned he saw two men carrying a third across the lawns a short while ago. I was wondering if the poor blighter was one of your guests?”
Inwardly cringing, Cecily managed a bright smile. “I’m sure whoever told you that was mistaken. A case of too much brandy, perhaps?”
Archie looked confused. “Well, it’s a little early in the day for brandy, wouldn’t you say?”
“Ah, but it is the Christmas season. Our guests are inclined to forgo the usual proprieties during the holidays.” She waved a hand at Madeline, who had been standing silently, surveying the salesman with an odd expression.
“Mr. Parker. May I introduce my good friend, Mrs. Prestwick?”
Archie’s brows raised in surprise, and he gave Madeline a closer look, as if doubting that Cecily would befriend such an unrefined creature. “Pleasure,” he murmured.
“Madeline, this is Mr. Archibald Parker,” Cecily said. “You two have something in common. Mr. Parker is a salesman of medical remedies.”
“Really.” Madeline’s tone was decidedly cool as she surveyed the red-faced man.
“If you remember,” Cecily said with relish, “I mentioned that Mrs. Prestwick is an accomplished herbalist. She is also the wife of our local physician.”
