Page 32 of One Last Whisper

“He has a house in London?”

“Aye. Most of the lords do. There are times when their work requires extended stays in our nation’s capital. Staying in a hotel room is not something men of that stature do for any length of time, so they purchase homes to use when in London.”

“I see.”

I wonder if his house in London could have any bearing on this mystery, but if it could, how doesn’t come to mind right away. The point is that it’s not out of the ordinary for him to be gone for short periods of time.

I change the subject. “Did you hear the storm last night?”

Theresa frowns. “Storm? What storm?”

My brow furrows. “The storm. Did you not hear it?”

She shakes her head slowly. “Mary, there was no storm last night.”

“There was,” I insist. I had to close Lord Edmund’s library window again and clean up the water the storm blew inside.”

Mary walks to the kitchen window and opens it. I follow her, and my stomach flips when I see the garden outside. It’s lushand vibrant. It’s also dry. There’s not a drop of water anywhere to be seen besides the fountains. Even more telling, the sky is a uniform clear blue without a single cloud.

My knees begin to tremble. I couldn’t have imagined that storm. If it were only the cries I heard, I would say I had mistaken them, but I saw the rain. I felt it. Hell, I spent twenty minutes cleaning it.

Had I imagined all of that? But… the conversation with Lord Edmund… surelythatwas real. “His Lordship is here, yes?” I ask Theresa.

“He’s here. He’s in the dining room eating breakfast with Lady Cordelia and Master Oliver. Are you all right, Mary?”

I am far from all right. Last night was far too vivid to have been a dream, yet I am staring at evidence that what I experienced wasn’t real. Is this castle affecting me the way it’s affecting Lady Cordelia?

I don’t say that, of course. I just shake my head and say, “I’m fine. I… suppose something else must have made that mess.”

Theresa nods warily. “Perhaps.”

A cry comes to our ears from the dining room. Theresa and I both rush to see what’s wrong and find Lady Cordelia standing with her hand to her mouth. Lord Edmund is also on his feet, frowning darkly at the figure of Inspector Hargreaves. He is the first person I hear speak. “Would you bloody mind not speaking of this in front of my nephew?”

“I don’t need to speak to him,” Hargreaves agrees, “but Idoneed to speak to you and Lady Cordelia.”

Theresa interjects. “If you please, sir. Lady Cordelia’s not well. She—”

“Who in hell gave you permission to speak about my wife?” Lord Edmund thunders. “Damn it all, has everyone gone mad? First the governess snoops around my library without permission, now everyone’s trying to claim my wife is insane—”

“Edmund, enough!” Cordelia cries.

We are all shocked to hear her take control. She looks at me and says firmly, "Mary, take Oliver to the school room to begin his studies. Theresa, please bring Inspector Hargreaves some refreshments. Inspector, Lord Edmund, and I will be happy to speak with you, but you must allow us a moment to compose ourselves. This is unwelcome and tragic news."

“What news?” I ask before I can stop myself.

Inspector Hargreaves looks at Oliver and clears his throat. My face flames, and I rush forward and usher him out of the room.

When we reach the school room, I heave a sigh and turn to Oliver. “I’m so sorry you had your breakfast interrupted.”

Oliver is pale and shaking. I can’t tell if it’s his condition or if it’s simple fright.

I learn the answer an instant later. It appears that Lord Edmund had good reason to scold Hargreaves for speaking in front of Oliver. He’s already revealed too much to the boy.

“They found Sarah,” Oliver tells me. “Her body washed up on shore near the cliffs this morning.” He shivers. “Inspector Hargreaves says she looked like she fell.”

My blood freezes. It can’t be a coincidence that she was found in the same place as Lady Evelyn.

There can be no doubt now. A murderer is hunting women in this house.

---