HEAVENLY VICES an utterly gripping cozy crime mystery (Theodora Braithwaite Murder Mysteries Book 7) by GREENWOOD D.M

Author:GREENWOOD, D.M.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Ostara Classics Cozy Crime and Mysteries
Published: 2023-03-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven: Victorian Life

‘You’ve got an hour, Ma says.’

‘Thank you.’ Theodora eyed Crispin. The wind had changed to the north-west, there was rain in the air. It had turned colder. Crispin wore a whitish running singlet and a pair of black practice tights. It struck Theodora that Crispin had been underdressed on all the occasions she had met him.

‘I’ll collect you.’ Crispin showed signs of lingering. Theodora had no time to spare for Crispin. As the college chapel struck ten, she had presented herself at the Warden’s apartment, notebook in hand. She had to wait before she got a response. Now all she wanted was to get to Newcome’s papers.

‘Thank you,’ she repeated firmly to Crispin and instantly felt remorse. He was surely the sort of youth people were always shutting out, shaking off, evading. No wonder he took to acting in public. Perhaps when, if, he ever had a legitimate audience all his own, his histrionic urge would be satisfied.

Crispin did a slow dissolve from the door and Theodora surveyed the room. It was a hexagonal turret room with two windows, one looking west, the other north. Consequently at this time of day and season it was sunless. One shutter on the north window had been thrown back, otherwise the room was in Victorian gloom. There was a central gas mantle which lacked shades. She must remember to bring a torch. The floor was bare of carpet but the boards at some time had been stained and waxed as though this should suffice. Against the wall next to the door was the only piece of furniture, a desk over which, just at eye level, hung an Italianate crucifix in brass and marble. At the desk stood a single, upright chair inviting, waiting. Round every other wall were bookshelves tightly packed with books. The room had the air, common to many rooms inhabited by strong personalities, of waiting for his or her return, of accepting nothing less than the owner. Turret rooms in fairy stories are centres of magic and revelation but Theodora felt she intruded.

She also saw, looking at the book stock, that it would need days, months of work to go through the shelves. How much of the stuff was Newcome’s, how much subsequent wardens? Well, there had been only four since Newcome died. But still, she would need to sort out his library from the others and from his personal papers. Then she would need to decide how much of his personal library she would have to read in addition to his own papers. She knew the period. She’d read the relevant theology. But there was always the danger that she might have missed just that author who meant most to Thomas Henry himself. She knew from experience that it is not always the person we quote from most who is our greatest influence. It is as though we do not wish to share but to keep private, secret even, whoever is most precious to us. To admit we have learned our wisdom from another source is to admit our vulnerability.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.