A Wordless Death by Tam May

Author:Tam May [May, Tam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dreambook Press

Chapter 19

They reached Arrojo in the early evening. Adele swung her head back to look at the sky as they walked home. The violet and blue shadows behind the clouds always filled her with the peace she had sought after her father died three years ago.

“Hatfield wanted a report of our trip the moment we arrived,” Jackson said.

“Do you mind if I come along?” Adele asked.

Jackson shrugged. “I’m sure Lady Augusta will be happy to see you.”

Adele was happy to receive the warm smile from the woman, who sat with her son in the parlor. Rowena, Lady Augusta’s companion and housekeeper, was nowhere to be found.

“She’s gone to help Mrs. Taylor serve dinner to her guests,” said Lady Augusta. “It seems one of the servants there —”

“Lilly?” Adele asked.

“No, no, the other one, the one who looks like a mangy dog,” said the woman, waving her hand.

“Sally,” she said with a smile.

“She went in a swoon this afternoon,” the elderly woman continued. “She was washing dishes, or doing some such drudgery, when she saw Miss Gibb’s ghost floating out of the pantry. It looked straight at her, or so she says. And just to add color to the story, the ghost had the face of Miss Gibb in death, not in life.”

“Scullery maids have wild imaginations,” Jackson said.

“It’s not entirely imagination,” said Sheriff Hatfield. “It seems she caught a glimpse of Miss Gibb’s face when the men took the body to the morgue.”

“The poor girl,” Adele said.

“Horatio! You should never have allowed it. That was most careless.” Lady Augusta hit him in the leg with her cane.

“I’ve already reprimanded Edison about that, Ma,” Hatfield assured her. “I also had a chat with Dr. Rhodes.” The last he said with a grim smile.

“I hope you weren’t too hard on him,” said Adele. “Edison, I mean.”

“As hard as the law requires,” said Lady Augusta with her eye on her son. “I believe sometimes Horatio forgets he’s no longer the captain of his own ship.”

Hatfield looked away.

Adele rose. “If Rowena is out, you’ve no one to make tea. I’ll be glad to do it.”

“Nonsense. Horatio!” The blast came out in the scratchy command. “Make tea for our guests.”

“I’d be happy to, Ma.” He slid his chair back.

“I’ll go,” Adele insisted.

“I don’t mean to interfere,” said Jackson in a light voice, “but Del makes a fine cup of tea, sir.”

“Better than mine, I’m sure,” Hatfield said with a lopsided grin.

Adele made the tea as quickly as she could, as she knew her brother was already telling Hatfield of their trip in Sacramento, and she wanted to hear what he would say about Mr. Bain.

As she came in with the tea tray, she heard Hatfield ask, “So he struck you as the usual sort of businessman?”

“The usual sort of a certain type of businessman,” Jackson corrected.

“We didn’t see Mr. Burke.” Adele accepted Lady Augusta shooing her away so she could play hostess and pour the tea. “Mr. Bain told us he was away.”

“But he offered to send a wire to call him back and arrange a meeting so we can speak with him,” Jackson put in.

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