Page 66 of Because I Could Not Stop for Death

There was a chest of drawers in the room, a writing desk, and a wardrobe just like the one in the parlor.

When we arrived several days ago, I had helped the hotel maid unpack the girls’ belongings. I knew where everything should be.

I started with the chest of drawers. I went through it quickly. In it, I found underclothes, stockings, and petticoats. There was also a small metal box. I opened it and found medicine. The brown glass bottles and jars were labeled with a piece of paper that said things like “headache,” “stomach,” and “sleep.”

I closed the box with a frown and put it back where I found it.

After the chest of drawers, I moved on to the wardrobe. Inside were the sisters’ dresses. I carefully removed each dress and looked for a pocket or hem where the diary could be placed. Again, I didn’t find it. I was beginning to believe that I wasn’t going to find my brother’s diary. The pain that I felt in my chest the moment I realized that it was gone came back worse this time.

I moved on to the writing desk. It was a small desk just large enough for one person to write letters. It reminded me of the desk Emily had back in her bedroom in Amherst. The top of the desk was clear except for a small oil lamp, matches, a stack of fresh paper, and a writing set. The set was perfectly in line with the paper. I smiled at this. I guessed that Miss Lavinia had lined up the paper and pen set just so. It would not have been Emily; I knew that.

There was a single slim drawer in the desk. I opened it. Inside there were scraps of paper with scribbles on them. I recognized Emily’s handwriting. Her penmanship was difficult to read. There were lines drawn through words where I could guess what might have been written there, but other words were scratched out so completely that it was impossible to know what they might have been.

I picked up one piece of paper.

Because I could not stop for Death—

He kindly stopped for me—

The Carriage held but just Ourselves—

And Immortality.

There was a knock on the parlor door, and I jumped. Quickly, I tucked the papers back into the desk drawer, left the bedroom and closed the door behind me, and went to the parlor door.

I opened the door, and a young girl no more than fifteen stood on the other side. She wore a maid’s uniform. “I brought fresh towels for the ladies, miss.”

I stared at her. My mind was still preoccupied with the missing diary and the bit of poetry that I found. Had she been inspired to write that poem over Henry, who died at the stables?

“Miss?” the young girl asked nervously.

I took the towels from her hands. “I’m so sorry. Yes, these are wonderful. Thank you for bringing the towels.”

“You’re welcome, miss,” the girl said as she backed away. By the look in her eye, I guessed that she worried that something was wrong with me.

I thanked her again and shut the door. Holding the towels to my chest, I leaned against the closed door. My chest heaved up and down. I glanced back at the sisters’ bedroom. There was one more place to search.

I opened the bedroom door a second time and went to the bed. I stuck my hand under the mattress. I felt nothing. I tried the other two sides away from the wall. Nothing still. Finally, I peeked behind the headboard and found a small leather book, my brother’s diary.

Chapter Twenty-Six

I tucked the diary into my satchel and left the room. I had to get out of there. My heart was pounding. I thought that I could trust Emily, but she stole my brother’s diary. My thoughts raced. It might not have been Emily at all. It could have just as easily been Miss Lavinia. In any case, one of the sisters—or both of the sisters—had taken the diary. They had stolen something precious from me. I wasn’t sure how I could go on with them.

Did I leave my employment? How would I afford a train ticket to return home? Where would I work when I got there? My thoughts were so jumbled together. I couldn’t make any sense of them.

I had to get out of the hotel. A walk would clear my mind. That’s what I needed. I hurried down the stairs to the main floor of the hotel.

Just as I reached the door, Matthew came inside. He looked distressed. If he was just arriving now, when the dinner party began almost an hour ago, something must be amiss.

We saw each other at the same time, and we both froze. All I could think about was the tear on his sleeve that I had mended. I hadn’t thought to bring the coat with me. It was still in the room.

“Willa,” Matthew said.

His voice broke me out of my trance. “Officer Thomas,” I said as formally as I could when I felt every vibration in my chest.

“Willa, I—”

“You must be looking for your coat. I did mend it, but I left it upstairs. Let me go grab it for you. Are you headed to the dinner party? I can give it to the coat check man under your name, and you will be able to take it when you leave. I think that is the best plan.”

---