Visibly trembling, Charles answered, “Some things are best left alone, mistress.” He hastily exited the room.
“Well, that was creepy,” May-Jewel stated. “What do you think made him say that?”
“He obviously knows more than he’s willing to admit about the woman. We can press him later. Right now let’s deal with Alex. It looks as if there weren’t any limits to his taking over after Robert died.”
May-Jewel placed her hands on her hips as if scolding a child and said irately, “Just what did he think he was doing moving into Robbie’s quarters? And those papers weren’t his to deal with! Does he think we’re doltish females? That if we didn’t see a journal or an office that we wouldn’t think about the business or the estate?” Her voice rose as did her anger. “Did he think by spiriting everything out of the manor that we’d leave things in his eager hands?” Her eyes flashed as a mass of raven curls bobbed free of their restraining pins and formed a dark frame about her livid face. “To think I actually considered the idea that he… that we…” She stopped, aware that Katherine was staring at her. “That he was a gentleman, and we could be friends,” she finished feebly.
Katherine was keenly aware of the flush that covered May-Jewel’s face. Had she been too quick to trust her? With all that had happened, Katherine hadn’t had time to explore any possibilities that might exist. If May-Jewel fancied herself in love with him, then Alex could get control of the manor and the business through her. A coldness settled in the pit of her stomach and spread like icy fingers up the back of her neck. She stared at May-Jewel and was tempted to pursue the conversation but decided to push it aside… for the moment. There was something else weighing heavily on her mind. Charles had given his side of the story. But, as she had learned from children previously placed in her charge, there was always another side.
“We have to find someone else who was here when Lady Edythe died,” she finally said.
Happy that the subject had been changed, May-Jewel quickly agreed, “Yes, Molly seemed willing to talk before, and she looks old enough to have been living around here then. Of course, we could confront the one claiming to be Garth.”
Katherine, unsure whether she was teasing or not and feeling the blood rise to her cheeks at the mention of his name, snapped, “Never mind him. We’ll talk to the cook. It’s unreliable at best, but gossip will have to serve for the moment.”
Molly was sitting at the table peeling potatoes when the women approached. Before they could question her, however, she quickly told them about the provisions that were missing. “ ‘Taint much, mum, ye understand, but I dinna want ye ta think I was the thief.”
“It’s all right, Molly,” Katherine assured her, sitting at the table across from her. “You need not worry about the missing food. We’ll look into it later.”
Once the cook was reassured the women weren’t going to accuse her of stealing, it didn’t take much prodding for her to tell what she knew about Lady Edythe and the past. “Thomly, Brice’s Da was alive then,” she started, “but he were sent ta gaol on account o’ tearin’ up the grounds lookin’ ta find the Mistress’ emeralds. The story be told that the jewels still be missin’.”
May-Jewel’s eyes widened. “Jewels? Emeralds? Are they in the house? What are they worth? And they haven’t been found yet?”
“Nay, legend has it that each is as big as your eye. An’ so green that the whole o’ the Green Isle pales in their glow.”
Before May-Jewel could question the cook further about the emeralds, Katherine interrupted, “Molly please continue about Lady Edythe.”
“Yes, mum. Me kin, Bridget and Auntie Clara, were the upstairs maids then, an’ I heard aplenty. Cousin Brigide died the same year as the boy went away, an’ Clara be old now, but livin’ in London proper. They said ‘twas murder.” She leaned closer to them. “But which one done the deed… the master, the son or old Charles?”
Katherine and May-Jewel both cried, “Charles?”
“Aye,” Molly whispered as she looked around. Once she was sure that no one else was there to listen, she continued, “It be said there be more ta that old man than what can be seen. An’ there be the wee still one, her buried proper. They say the bairn were born dead ta this world, but clings ta that old man’s soul. But mind you it be only talk. So dunna go aboot sayin’ anythin’ ta him.” She touched her temple. “He’d be goin’ o’er the edge if it be spoken aloud.” Her eyes scanned the door nervously. “They say he wanted the mistress ta go with him ta a safe place. An’ when she scolded him for his thoughts, he put the evil-eye o’ Black Donald on her. An’ that be who did the pushin’ if ye ask me. Me Da says he saw a blackbird atappin’ at the upper window, the very window of her room, the day she died. ‘Tis the sign o’ death, ye know. An’ they all stood aboot her as she lay on the floor, none willin’ ta touch her, not the master, nor the boy, nor even Charles. They say them that has nothin’ ta do with a corpse canna be innocent.”
Katherine was shocked at the gossip and stood as if to leave. But Molly kept talking, determined to finish what she started.
“ ‘Twere Charles himself what placed the salt an’ earth on her, so the Earl o’ Hell couldna meddle with her journey ta the beyond. She be buried ‘neath the cairn oot by the gate o’ the kirk o’ Mac na Creige. She werena worthy o’ bein’ buried with the rest o’ them.”
