Page 71 of Murder at Madame Chambon's
And certainly not expecting to see the dark blue carriage he’d seen earlier on Lord Ravenswood’s driveway.
A screening of trees obscured much of the large open grave from view and the pathway was rutted.Despite his mount’s reluctance, William did not hurry it.He needed the element of surprise on his side.
“Mr.Grimshaw!”He greeted the man as if he had happened upon a vague acquaintance.It would not do to alarm the man who was now stepping back into his carriage.To William’s great disappointment, Mr.Grimshaw was alone.
The lawyer raised his head and stared at William enquiringly.
“Mr.Grimshaw, we met a little earlier at Lord Ravenswood.Have you forgotten me already?Might I ask why you are here?And if you are alone?”
The smile he received was genial.“As a member of the board of Highgate Cemetery, my responsibility involves supervising the upkeep and preservation of various areas within the cemetery grounds, including paupers’ graves.”He tipped his hat.“Good day to you.”
The gaping open grave separated them.William sent a desperate glance into the pit and then at Grimshaw.He didn’t want to let him go.He couldn’t.
Desperate to detain him, he tried again.“Sir, I am interested in perusing the Ravenswood Family crypt.I believe you are in a position to help?Lord Ravenswood indicated you had the key.”
Was he imagining it, or did Mr.Grimshaw blanch?Nevertheless, his tone was calm as he inclined his head.“By all means, follow me.Take care, for the path is uneven.I see we are being observed by three ravens.”He chuckled as he pointed overhead at the three glossy birds who perched on an overhanging branch.
He was being manipulated, surely, yet William couldn’t help himself.
But as his gaze swept upwards, a movement in his peripheral vision alerted him to something abnormal far down in the depths of the mud-filled grave where the unidentified dead covered in their coarse burlap shrouds lay shoulder to shoulder.
He jerked his head back downwards, squinting to see if the movement had been merely a figment of his imagination.The open grave was filled with several feet of mud, bodies piled on top of one another on one side, while on the other side the muddy water would be the welcome for the next tranche of bodies tossed in.
William’s stomach churned with disgust.Despite the chill in the air, the smell was nearly overpowering.
“This way, sir!”Mr.Grimshaw hailed him.He’d opened his carriage door and was about to step inside.
And William was about to go after him.
But a faint splash of movement caused him to glance up to see if one of the ravens had dislodged something or dropped a morsel into the waters below.The birds, however, remained still, watching him.
And watching the ripple of movement far below in the muddy grave water.
A movement that filled William with revolted horror when he thought he saw one of the bodies move; though when he opened his eyes wider and saw a pale hand twitch, he thought he was losing his mind.
Before realizing that if he didn’t act swiftly, he would soon lose the woman he loved.
Evelina!”he bellowed, leaping off his horse, then sliding down the side of the pit with no thought for how deep it might be or what he would confront.
He could distinguish one body from another.There were sacks of them: bodies piled upon other bodies.But, sliding off the last one, half in the water, he could just make out a splash of white lace: an expensive trimming of a lady’s petticoat peeking from beneath her black skirts, the rest of her covered in mud.
“Evelina!”he shouted again, wading through thick muck past his knees, gripping whatever was in front of him to gain traction to reach that painfully vulnerable sliver of lace, the only sign that this was not a pauper like the rest; praying Evelina was still alive.
He reached her in a few seconds, sliding his arms beneath her armpits and heaving her upwards so that her head lolled backwards.
“Wake up, Evelina, wake up!”he cried, shaking her gently at first; then more vigorously.
But she was heavy and unresponsive, her lush mulberry lips slightly parted, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders.
With a wail, he held her close, stinking water up to his knees, and the dearest thing in his life, limp across his chest.
“Please don’t leave me, Evelina!I love you!”
And at that her eyelashes swept upwards, and she gazed at him, her look vacant for a split second before her eyes filled with disbelief.
And then joy before her arms tightened about him, her breath rasping as she managed, “I thought you were going to be too late.”
“Thank god I wasn’t.Oh Evelina, I can’t believe I found you.”He glanced about them, stumbling as he floundered through the dead bodies, looking desperately at the top of the grave, its sides too high for her to manage in her weakened state and with her cumbersome skirts.
