Folly by M.C. Beaton

Author:M.C. Beaton
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781472112910
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

FIVE

I seem to move among a world of ghosts,

And feel myself the shadow of a dream.

ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON

Minerva went out of the front door of Mannerling, her eyes narrowing as she saw Rachel, Charles, and the children approaching her across the lawns, looking like a family party.

She pinned a smile on her face. She would need to appear all that was amiable, she would need to pretend to like Rachel, and then she would try to pour some poison into Charles’s ears about the plots of the Beverleys. Minerva was wearing a white lace morning gown and another wide-brimmed bonnet. Her white kid gloves were wrinkled in the current fashion and elbow-length. Her white kid shoes peeped out from under her gown. Her hat was of white straw and embellished with white silk flowers. Minerva considered that she now looked the very picture of a virgin.

She floated towards Charles, her hands outstretched in welcome.

And then Charles shouted, ‘Look out!’ He ran towards her and pulled her roughly to one side as a long scream descended from the heavens towards her.

There was a sickening thump behind her. Rachel shouted to the children, ‘Don’t look,’ and pressed their faces against her skirts.

Over their heads, she saw Charles stoop over the crumpled body which had fallen from the roof.

‘Get the children inside,’ shouted Charles. ‘Now!’

Rachel hurried off with Mark and Beth.

‘Who is it?’ asked Minerva. ‘And how did he come to fall?’

In all his fright and distress, part of his mind still registered how calmly Minerva appeared to be reacting to the whole thing.

‘It is one of my footmen, John.’

‘Oh, a footman!’ said Minerva, and turned away as Miss Trumble came out of the house.

‘It is only a footman,’ said Minerva, ‘fallen from the roof.’

Servants came running out of the house and over from the stables.

‘Take the body inside,’ ordered Charles. ‘Miss Trumble, see to Rachel and the children.’

‘I came to tell you Mrs Kennedy called, but I cannot find her.’

He gave an exclamation and strode ahead of the governess into the house.

A weak voice from the landing sounded down to them, Mrs Kennedy’s voice.

‘I killed him,’ she said. ‘I couldn’t help it.’

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