Murder at Morland Manor by Marilyn Clay

Author:Marilyn Clay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency murder mystery series, Female sleuth mysteries, Historical mysteries, Historical mystery thriller suspense, Clean wholesome historical mysteries for teens, British Cozy Mysteries, Traditional British detective series, Regency mysteries, Clean historical mysteries, Sheri Cobb South - Victoria Thompson - T K Kinsey - Tasha Alexander - Stephanie Barron - Carola Dunn, Eleanor Meyers - Joan Smith - Sarah Ladd - Candice Hern - Heidi Ashworth
Publisher: The Regency Plume Press
Published: 2016-07-08T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

Bowling on the Lawn

Monday, 23 October 1820

I was told that early this morning the heir was laid to rest in the small cemetery next to the little stone church in Thornbury with only his father, his brother Edward, Mr. Talbot, Constable Wainwright and Doctor Morgan in attendance. Immediately afterward Edward and Mr. Talbot returned home and Sir Morland set out for London to attend to the distressing business of altering his will and then, securing the services of Bow Street to look into the matter of his eldest son’s gruesome murder.

An hour or so after the sun popped out this afternoon, an impromptu game of bowling on the lawn was got up and all the young people gaily trouped outdoors to play. To adhere to propriety in regard to the young ladies, we lady’s maids were also included in the game, which did skew the numbers a bit, there now being ten females pitted against the four gentlemen.

During yesterday afternoon’s mass exodus from Morland Manor, Lady Sophia and her mother had once again not taken themselves off (as many of us thought they might). However, the pair did elect to merely sit and watch this afternoon’s activities from the terrace rather than participate in the game, a decision to which no one objected. Several others of the older chaperones, Mrs. Throckmorton and Lady Wentworth also chose to sit outdoors and occupy themselves with their needlework, leaving the other women to keep Lady Morland company in the drawing room.

Of late, even before the heir was killed, Lady Morland had begun to complain of a mysterious stomach ailment, which seemed to have worsened since the heir died, rendering her virtually unable now to eat or do much of anything. Although the regal woman professed to wish above all things to have the house party proceed as planned, a veil of pain, as well as grief, seemed now to dull her countenance. When a small smile did lift the corners of her lips, it was not of sufficient strength to remove the sorrow that rendered her eyes all but lifeless. Not a one of us could help feeling sorry for her, for her physical pain and the immense loss she had suffered.

Still, today I was delighted to be asked to join the ladies and gentlemen who were assembling to compete against one another in a gay diversion on the lawn, a couple of footmen having joined in to round out the gentleman’s team. I threw myself wholeheartedly into the game. The sun felt glorious on my back and with no constable lurking about to prod for answers to incriminating questions and then twist my answers around to suit himself, it felt good to finally be free to laugh aloud and exchange teasing remarks with others of the players.

In the end Edward’s team won two games in a row after which everyone declared themselves in dire want of refreshment, so we all adjourned to the terrace where several tables had been set up

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