The Burying Ground by Janet Kellough

Author:Janet Kellough
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dundurn
Published: 2015-06-01T16:00:00+00:00

Luke waylaid his father just as he was leaving to collect Morgan. Dr. Christie had once again disappeared into the back rooms of the house. Even so, Luke spoke in a low voice.

“Christie thinks it’s a wonderful thing that I’ve been taken up by the Van Hansels,” he said. “And he’s quite over the moon that I’ve met a Biddulph. I was quite prepared to ignore them all, but Mrs. Van Hansel sent an invitation for us both. I couldn’t get out of it gracefully. Fortunately, Hands wasn’t present.”

“If you keep going there you’ll run into him sooner or later,” Thaddeus said. “You’re going to have to think of some way to disentangle yourself. Would it help if I put my foot down about you going to fancy parties or something of that nature? Claim our Methodist scruples? I have half a mind to do so anyway, truth be told.”

“Maybe. If I can’t think of any other way. Thanks.”

“Let me know.”

Thaddeus walked the short distance to the Burying Ground. He and Morgan could take an omnibus into the city, he decided. The horse and cart he used to cover his circuit was for church-related business, and he intended to be scrupulous about not using them for anything else.

Sally opened the door at his knock.

“Mr. Lewis. How nice to see you again. Are you looking for Morgan?”

Thaddeus explained his plan for the day.

“Oh dear, Morgan’s still abed. He had a late night.”

And before he could offer to come back later, she sent the children clattering up the stairs to wake him.

When Morgan appeared a few moments later, Thaddeus was shocked at his appearance. He had never been a prepossessing figure, but now there were black circles under his eyes and he seemed to have lost weight.

“I thought we’d go into the city to ask some questions, but we can do it another day if that would be more convenient,” Thaddeus said.

“No,” Morgan said. “The sooner we go the better.”

He bade Sally and the row of look-alike children goodbye and followed Thaddeus to the road.

“They tried again last night,” Morgan said as soon as they boarded the bus and found their seats. “There was someone by the back fence, but I had a lantern ready. That was enough to chase them away.”

“Have you been staying up every night to watch?” Thaddeus asked.

“Yes.”

“Then the sooner we sort this out, the better. Do you have any idea which grave they were trying to get to?”

“No,” Morgan said. “They didn’t get that far.”

“Well at least it’s certain that the first two incidents weren’t isolated,” Thaddeus said. “I suppose that’s something.”

“I suppose,” Morgan replied, but he looked gloomy for the rest of their journey.

They disembarked in front of Osgoode Hall at the corner of College Avenue. The city had grown enormously in the four years since Thaddeus had last been there. Back then, Queen Street was the northern limit of the city and Osgoode Hall was situated on six acres of country parkland. Now it was

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