The sound of footsteps on the stone floor made the manservant turn to the dining hall entrance. “Ah, here is dinner now.”
A pair of servants entered the dining hall and began to lay out food under the manservant’s direction. They set out a feast including sauerkraut, beef stew, roasted potatoes, and pork ribs.
“Before you dine allow me to introduce some of our staff to you, Fraulein Westen,” the manservant said, gesturing to the other servants. “This is Agnes our housekeeper, and Heidi our maid.”
“It’s great to meet you.” Jane started to spoon some of the beef stew into a bowl.
“Fraulein Westen, that is for Agnes and Heidi to do,” the manservant said, suddenly looking alarmed.
“It’s no problem. I’ve got it. They’ve already done a great job laying the food out.” Jane lifted a spoon from the bowl in front of her to taste the stew. “This is amazing. Thanks so much for making all this for us.”
Both ladies smiled politely and then headed out of the dining hall.
The manservant gave an uneasy cough. “Eh…Fraulein Westen, remember that it is our cook who prepares the meals. Shall I give her your compliments on the dinner she prepared?”
“Yes, please. This is amazing,” Jane said again before taking another bite of her stew.
The manservant swallowed hard, gave her a final pointed look, and then left the dining hall.
Gabriel watched as Jane’s cheeks turned pink.
“Did I do something wrong?” she asked.
He couldn’t help but laugh, utterly charmed by how unpretentious she was. “No. They’re just not used to people gushing and thanking them.”
“Oh.” She chewed her lower lip. “I guess I’m not used to being waited on.”
“Really? Not even on vacations?”
“I don’t know what kind of vacations you take, Gabriel, but I’m more of a staycation kind of girl,” she murmured. “Bet you’ve been to, like, Bali or something.”
“Several times,” he confirmed without hesitating.
“Wow. You’re not even going to pretend to live like the rest of us?”
“Why should I?” he asked as he started to serve himself. “I make money. I spend it. Though, most of the times I travel it’s for work. I haven’t had an actual vacation in years.”
“I’m not the least bit surprised that you’re a workaholic,” she said.
He didn’t respond right away and started eating his food. “Hard work isn’t a crime,” he said finally.
“It should be if you hate your job,” she grumbled. There was also a weariness in her tone that made him sympathize with her, although he was well aware that he really shouldn’t.
“Hospitality business getting you down?”
She rolled her eyes. “I work in a seedy motel. Our guests are mostly drug addicts, drifters, and prostitutes. We’re providing mattresses to crash on more than hospitality.”
No wonder she could hold her own against a lawyer like him. Jane probably dealt with clients who were just as tough and scary as his were.
“Is that why you want to turn the castle into a hotel?” he asked. “To finally get to work somewhere a little more…respectable?”
“I guess that’s part of it. But really, I want to be my own boss,” she explained. “No more taking orders from jerks who underpay me.”
“Well, I can toast to that,” he said, lifting his mug. “Cheers.”
Her eyes widened in surprise, but she lifted her mug and clinked it against his.
He decided to steer the conversation to a more pleasant topic and started talking to her about his trip to the nearby village before he had arrived at the castle. She eagerly asked him questions about the surrounding area, and he was happy to oblige.
Though Gabriel knew it was a bad idea to let his guard down, he was desperate to talk to her. For whatever reason, he’d actually settle for an argument with Jane over not getting the chance to speak with her again.
Suddenly, when dinner was winding down, a loud, blood-curdling scream pierced the air. The sound was so inhuman that Gabriel knew something unspeakable had happened.
3
“What was that?” She got to her feet so fast she nearly knocked over her chair.
“Whatever it is, it’s nothing good.” Gabriel had survived some dangerous situations in his life, but had never heard anyone scream like that. He got up and quickly strode out of the dining hall, with Jane rushing after him.
The scream had turned to anguished wails, more chilling than the sound of the howling wind from earlier. Shouts came next. Followed by voices raised in alarm.
His heart hammered with each step he took as they followed the noise across the great hall to a side corridor.
The sight before him was like a scene from a horror movie. He stopped in his tracks, unable to fully process the carnage in front of him. There, at the bottom of the long, winding stone staircase was the broken body of Heidi, the maid. The maid’s head was turned at a strange angle, her eyes dull and lifeless. A spot of blood ran out of her mouth, the red staining her pale skin.
Several feet away from the maid was an overturned bowl of beef stew.
Gabriel’s stomach tightened, his lungs constricting painfully.
A crowd had gathered around the body. The castle’s cook was wailing, tears rolling down her cheeks. Agnes, the housekeeper, wrapped an arm around her, desperately trying to comfort the weeping woman.
Standing over the body was the manservant, who prodded at the maid with his foot.
Anger flared, indignation at the manservant’s behavior burning through him. Gabriel had to force himself to breathe. If he didn’t get a hold of his anger, he’d snap and go after the manservant instead of doing what needed to be done. Someone had to take charge of the situation and do something.
Gabriel knelt beside Heidi, taking her hand gently in his. It was still warm. “Has anybody checked for a pulse?” he demanded as he pressed his fingers against her wrist.
“You’re too late.” The manservant shook his head grimly. “Can you not see she is dead?”
Gabriel didn’t say anything.
