Captive mistress, p.40
Captive Mistress, page 40
“She hardly took nothing with her, sir. And her so close with the baby and all. I been near crazy with worry, ever since, it being well over a week and all. I tried to find you, but had no way of getting a message to you,” Bertha stuttered, tears threatening to spill down her shiny cheeks. She twisted her apron around and around in her hands.
Michael let her words sink in. “Did she take the carriage?” he asked, trying to fit the pieces together.
“Well, sir, that’s the strange part of it all. Morgan said all the horses and carriages are here. She must have gone on foot, or else had someone meet her.”
“Oh my God!” exclaimed Michael, beginning to pace again. “Have you questioned the other servants? Did no one see her go? How far could she go in her condition, and in this wretched weather?”
“No one saw nothin’, sir. Milly said she found her sitting alone in the study late the evenin’ before, without so much as a light or fire. Milly put her to bed, as she wanted nothing to eat for supper. But she insisted on going to her own room. Milly said she’d look in on her comfort later, but the young mistress protested harshly. No sooner had she scolded Milly than she thanked her for all her help. The girl was right confused, but just put it to her condition,” commented Bertha. “Later that night, one of the maids was carrying linen to the spare room and ran right into Mistress Christy coming from your room, lookin’ all tearful and upset. That was the last anyone saw her,” finished Bertha, a little breathless and tearyeyed herself.
Again Michael tried to make sense from her story, and again he came up blank. “I just don’t understand. My God, why would she go? And who came for her? She knows no on here,” he asked, becoming more agitated by the minute.
Suddenly a new thought struck him and sweat broke out on his forehead. “My God, do you think someone may have kidnapped her? But who? Why?” He paused and then rushed on. “Did anyone come to call during the day? Did she receive any messages?” he demanded urgently. “Did you receive a ransom note?”
“No, sir. We heard nothin’ like that,” said Bertha, also alarmed by this new prospect.
“Of course you’ve not heard anything about a ransom, Michael,” interrupted Matilda. “There was no kid napper involved.”
Michael spun to face her. “What makes you so sure?”
“It’s all quite clear, really. If you’d only have let me explain, I could have spared you the embarrassment in front of this servant,” she sniffed.
“Matilda, get to the point. What makes you so sure she was not abducted?” interjected Sir Phillip.
“Well, if you check your safe you will find all your jewels missing. The theft was discovered shortly after your wife’s disappearance. Ask the servants if you don’t believe me, or check for yourself,” she suggested.
Michael could not believe what he had heard. He raced to the safe behind the desk. It was empty, except for a few odd papers. “I just can’t believe she would take the jewels. If she really wanted to leave, if she was not happy here, all she had to do was ask me for money. I would have given her all she wanted. But why would she go? I thought she was happy here. I thought she loved me,” he muttered half to himself. “I just can’t believe she would steal them and run off.”
“Well, it seems far too great a coincidence to be brushed aside lightly, if you ask meeverything disappearing at once,” sneered Matilda.
“Bertha, when were the jewels discovered missing?” asked Sir Phillip, still unconvinced of Christy’s guilt.
“Let me think, sir. Oh yes. You see, I didn’t get back ‘til late Monday mornin’. When I found the young mistress gone, I set the servants to searching the house. It was them found the safe open and papers lyin’ all about. I just can’t believe she would do such a thing, Master,” cried Bertha, speaking her piece.
“I can’t believe it either. But, I intend to get to the bottom of this.” He paced nervously, his mind a whirl of unanswered questions. “Did anyone hear any noises or ‘ disturbances during that night? like someone breaking . in?”
“No, sir. Everyone said the place was quiet, like always, ‘cept for the howling o’ the wind.”
Again Matilda interrupted. “Oh come now, Michael. Everyone can see the truth but you. Quit making excuses for her. As you can see, the safe was hot broken into, but neatly opened. You filed your bookkeeping accounts there, didn’t you? Your wife worked on your books and knew the jewels were there, right? Who else would have the combination of the safe except you and Sir Phillip, and Christina? Since both of you were gone, that only leaves your little wifecaught redhanded. Face it, the little thief robbed you blind and got out while she still could.”
“Though the facts point to her guilt, I am still unwilling to believe she did such a thing without some provocation. Did no one notice a stranger about, or see her speaking to anyone in secret?” Michael directed his questions to Bertha.
“Morgan said he saw Miss Matilda’s carriage early the morning before she disappeared. Said it was parked away from the house,” informed Bertha, giving Matilda a wary glance. “He said it was gone in a very short time.”
“Thank you, Bertha. That will be all for now. Please keep what you have heard in strictest confidence until we discover the truth. If we need you again we will call,” said Michael in forced control. Bertha’s statement had put a new light on things.
When the servant had gone, Michael spun to regard his sisterinlaw. “Were you here the morning before Christina disappeared? What do you know about this that you have not said?”
Matilda’s regal, secure look suddenly changed to that of one on guard. She had not counted on any of the servants spotting her carriage. She had deliberately parked it out of sight of the house and walked to the entrance. “I don’t know what you mean, Michael dear. You needn’t be so upset with me. I just dropped by to pay a friendly visit. When I found you gone, I stopped for a time to chat with your wife. It would have been rude not to say hello,” she said, again playing the misunderstood victim.
“Your story does not sit well with me, Matilda. Why would you go out of your way to visit Christina? It’s clear you’ve disliked her from the start. I’m sure your visit was not out of friendliness or courtesy. Did you say something to upset her?” snapped Michael.
“Yes, and why did you park your carriage down the lane, away from the house? The weather was certainly not conducive to walking,” questioned Sir Phillip, picking up something different in her exchange than Michael had.
Matilda was quickly becoming upset at the turn of events. Instead of setting them against Christy, she found herself on the defensive. She ignored Sir Phillip’s questions, for which she could , give no plausible explanation, and turned to Michael, her temper flaring. “Michael Lancer, don’t talk to me about belittling people, after you have the nerve to bring that slut to this house and then pass her off as your cousin. Do you really think I fell for such a story? I would have thought you’d have better taste in a mistress, my dear.”
“The girl was never my mistress, Matilda. I admit we are no kin, but I also admit that she is with child because of my doing alone. She is a respectable woman and she is my wife. Nothing will convince me otherwise except solid, conclusive proof to the contrary,” Michael spat at , her.
Matilda had certainly not counted on him taking Christy’s defense. She had assumed that once he found she’d fled with his jewels, he would be filled with anger. Things were beginning to get out of hand, and drastic measures were in order. It was time to play her trump card.
“I am well aware of the fact that she is no relation to you. You must take me for a fool to think I’d believe such a story. But the undeniable fact is that she is a liar and a thief,” she seethed back at him.
“What the hell gives you the right to call my wife a thief? Though the evidence points strongly to her guilt, nothing has been proven yet,” flared Michael. His eyes narrowed to tiny slits as they pierced into hers. “Perhaps some accomplice forced her to behave this way,” he allowed.
“I have every right to call her a thief and a liar, Michael,” she snarled back at him. His glib tone infuriated her, and without thinking, she went on. “Stop defending her and open your eyes. You will discover, no doubt, that this whole thing, from the very start, was nothing but a plot to get your name and your money. As far as trying to figure out who her accomplice is, I can save you the trouble. I already know she is in cahoots with her uncle, Henry Slate. Does it all fit in now, Michael?” she questioned acidly.
“Henry Slate? You must be crazy, Matilda. He is in London,” Michael said with irritation. “How could he have anything to do with this?”
“London? Don’t be so sure, my dear. I myself saw him get off a ship right here in Charleston not five days ago! He sailed on Greg Piper’s ship. That’s how I know. Again, my dear Michael, can you pin that on coincidence? It’s too much of a coincidence to believe that it was not all planned from the very start, right after she left London.”
Part of what she said struck a nerve in Michael’s mind. For a moment he remained silent. “It is rather peculiar that her uncle should suddenly show up at the same time as her disappearance, it’s true,” he admitted. “But I still cannot believe she planned this whole thing and has run off with him. She feared and despised him for the way he mistreated her. I myself saw the scars on her back where he had whipped her,” he said, recalling the pain she had suffered at his hands.
Matilda sensed his weakening and seized upon the opportunity. “Are you certain it was Slate who beat her? Can you be certain that wasn’t just another lie she told?
Perhaps it was some other unfortunate soul they had tricked and robbed who took his vengeance out on her,” argued Matilda strongly.
“Forget that slut, Michael,” she breathed earnestly, looking deeply into his eyes with the most provocative of expressions. “She’s nothing to you, and she has used you sorely. It is I who loves you. She never has. Take me. Let me make you a happy man,” she cooed and ran her fingers lightly through his hair, ignoring the fact that Sir Phillip was present and watching the whole display with open disgust. o Michael’s skin crawled at her touch. He quickly disengaged himself from her and walked away. “Do you forget so quickly that despite her actions, we are still married? I cannot so easily abandon my vows.”
“Oh, Michael. Nothing would stand in your way from divorcing her, not after what she has done. It would be a simple thing for you to divorce her and marry me,” she pleaded.
Michael stared at her with a mixture of hatred, pity and resignation. “Don’t hold your breath waiting for me to crawl to you. That will never happen, even if what you say about Christy is true. I fully intend to get to the bottom of this. I will go after her and Slate and I will find them if it takes the rest of my life. But I will know the truth, and she will be punished for her deeds if she is found guilty.”
“No! You mustn’t try to find her. She will only fill your head with more lies,” cautioned Matilda. She knew only too well that once he made up his mind to find her, find her he would. Then the whole scheme would be lost and she would be implicated. “You will be sorry if you go after her. I swear you will live to regret it,” cried Matilda in unmasked panic.
“I already regret this whole sordid mess,” Michael replied and strode quickly from the room. He sought the solitude of his bedchamber to mull over all that he had learned.
Thirty
Once in his room, Michael shrugged off his heavy boots and slumped on the chair beside his bed. He toyed with a cigar, forgetting to light it. He could not believe that Christy had truly stolen the jewelry out of maliciousness and then fled in fearyet the safe was indeed empty of its contents, and she was gone without so much as one word of explanation. All the facts seemed to fall so neatly into place, completely indicting her. It was almost too neat.
He pulled off his heavy shirt and threw it irritably on the bed. Something slipped to the floor. He stooped to ‘ pick up the note. A familiar velvetlined box lay on his pillow. He opened it up and stared at the dainty necklace he had given to Christy the night of the ball. His pulse racing, he held the note close to the candle and read his wife’s words.
According to the missive, and by her own admission, she had fled, refusing to give him a reason. Yet as he read, he realized it was not the note of a spiteful woman running, off with her husband’s possessions. It seemed more of an apology, and as if she had truly been frightened away against her will Did the truth of the matter lie in the fact that she had found out about Slate’s arrival, and fled to avoid his finding her? But no, that seemed unlikely. And she had left behind the pricelessemerald emerald necklace!
The more he mulled over these new developments, the more his mind fostered the notion that Christy’s sudden disappearance warranted investigation. He could not rest until he knew the truth, one way or another. He would begin his search immediately, for anything was better than the torture of sitting and debating over the endless possibilities.
With renewed determination, he rose and again pulled on his heavy boots and warmest shirt. Throwing a few necessary articles in a small sack, he strode from the room and down the stairs to the study.
Sir Phillip, sitting alone and staring dejectedly into the , fire, looked up as his son entered.
“Where is Matilda?” asked Michael in a gruff voice.
“She has gone to her room to pack, Michael. I believe you hurt her pride immeasurably by defending Christina and putting her in her place. She said she will not spend another night under this roof if she is not welcome.” He paused and chuckled without humor. “I did nothing to discourage her departure.”
Michael ignored his father’s humorless joke, and . poured himself a hefty drink to prepare himself for the cold journey.
His father eyed him in concern. “Do you believe Matilda’s theories about Christina? I just can’t comprehend the girl running off like this. We’ve been so good to her, and she seemed very happy here. I can’t understand it. It makes no sense at all.”
“I don’t understand it either, Father. But all the evidence points to the truth in what Matilda said. Her disappearance in the night without a clue, her uncle’s sudden arrival in Charleston, the missing contents from the safe,. Everything points to her guilt” he said and then reached into his pocket. “That is, everything but this letter.” He handed his father the nowcrumpled missive.
As his father read, he paced the floor nervously.
“Hmmm,” said Sir Phillip as he removed his spectacles. “This note does seem to cast an even more mysterious light on the situation. She professes her deep love for you, but gives no reason for fleeing other than her desire to spare us shame. It must have something to do with her past, Michael.”
“Yes, I am sure it has everything to do with what happened in London,” agreed Michael.
“This bit about the jewels has me baffled, though,” continued Sir Phillip as he rose and joined Michael in pacing the floor. “It seems peculiar she would have left the most precious of jewels behind and confiscate the other less costly ones. It strikes me odd she would mention the jewels at all if she decided to steal them. I find it very unlike her to steal anything at all. I would have trusted her with my very life.”
“God help me, I just don’t know what to think,” Michael sighed and ran his fingers through his tousled hair. Pain and exhaustion dulled the usual brightness of his brown eyes.
He took a final swallow of the strong brew and set the glass on the table. “I’m going to look for her,” he said. “I must know the truth. Even if Matilda was right, and this whole thing was a plot against us from the start, even if , she did run off with the jewels to meet Slate, I still must find her and hear it from her own lips. I am still not convinced of Matilda’s conjecture that she joined up with Slate in this plot against me. She hated and despised him. I intend to go to Piper and find out for myself if this Slate arrived on his ship.”
Suddenly he struck his fist against his palm in anger. “If only she’d told me about her past, none of this would have happened. It could all have been avoided,” he said heatedly.
“Yes, all this secrecy has led only to hardship and pain. But take heart, Michael. She will be found and the truth uncovered,” comforted Sir Phillip, placing a hand upon his son’s sagging shoulder.
“I must know why she left, and I must know it now,” said Michael with determination.
“But, Michael, ‘tis folly for you to set off now to find her. The night is cold and dark and you are tired from our journey. Besides, she has been gone five days now. There will be no clue, and anyone who may have seen her will surely be abed. Wait until morning, at least, when it is light and we will organize a search party,” he pleaded, fearful of his son’s hasty decision.
“I cannot wait, Father. I must find her. I’ll not rest until I know the truth.”
His eyes traveled up .the stairway as he heard Matilda bellowing orders to the servants to speed up her departure. “Though I hesitate in asking this even of you, Father, please see if you can get more explicit details from Matilda. I have a hunch, from all her subtle revelations, that she knows far more about this whole thing than she is admitting. She greatly disliked Christina, and would, I am sure, feel no remorse at her disappearance. See what you can do,” he concluded.
“Well, Michael, I see I cannot stop you. You have made up your mind. But please, be careful,” cautioned Sir Phillip in an anxious voice. “You are upset and I would hate to see you remorseful at some irrational, hasty action.”
“I will stay calm, Father, and levelheaded. No matter what the truth,” he promised as he walked down the hall and donned his heavy coat and gloves.
“I will find out what I can here. If anything turns up, I will send someone to our lawyer in Charleston. Keep him apprised of your whereabouts,” said Sir Phillip.
Michael nodded his appreciation, clapped his father on the shoulder for reassurance, and disappeared into the darkness of the night.
