Distilled Spirits by Kate Danley

Author:Kate Danley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: penny dreadful, ghosts, gothic, romance, seance, mystery, murder, drawing room murder, Victorian, manor, medium, spirit world
Publisher: Katherine Danley
Published: 2014-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

The next morning Clara opened her eyes just moments before Mrs. Nan came bustling into the room.

"Oh! You're awake, dear! Let me get the windows open for you. Mr. Willard has the table set and is positively beside himself in excitement to have something to do."

Though events of the day before had exhausted her, her sleep had been restless and unsettled. The cloud of worry hung over her thoughts, the sense that time was running out. Clara sat up in bed, untying the braids in her hair. "I shall be down shortly."

Soon dressed and washed, she made her way to the dining room where a lovely assortment of breads and jams awaited her. Though the gloom followed her, she managed to exclaim, "What a spread!" to Mr. Willard. His chest puffed with pride.

Just then, there was a ring at the door. Clara looked over at Mr. Willard.

"Were you expecting anyone today, ma'am?" he asked.

"No, indeed, I was not," she replied.

She sipped her tea slowly as he left the room. She heard the low murmur of his voice and then the higher ring of feminine tones.

Mr. Willard came in with a calling card upon a silver tray. "There is a Lady Rhoda Beltza waiting to see you in the parlor," he replied.

But, alas, Lady Beltza had not gone into the parlor at all. She stormed into the dining room angrily and planted herself with an air of expectancy across the table from Clara.

Clara dabbed her lips with her napkin and rose. "Lady Beltza! I am honored to have you in my home—"

"I won't trouble you, Mrs. O'Hare," she said, waving Clara's niceties away. "I am in great need of locating Mr. Lowenherz. If you could just direct me how to find him, I assure you I shall be gone."

Clara could not help but wonder the scandal which would be caused if Lady Beltza was seen on the doorstep of a bachelor this early in the morning. She looked at Mr. Willard. "Mr. Willard? Would you please ask Red to fetch Mr. Lowenherz? Lady Beltza and I shall wait for him in the parlor. And if Mrs. Nan would bring in the tea? I would hate for it to go cold."

Mr. Willard bowed and left the room. Clara knew that Red's carriage was not yet fixed, but hoped that he, being a resourceful lad, would figure out some way to bring Wesley back.

"May I ask what has caused this urgency?" Clara asked, motioning politely to Rhoda the way to the other room.

"That lock box," Rhoda huffed. "I came all the way in yesterday, opened it up, and there was nothing inside. Nothing! I let them have an earful, let me tell you. Giving my husband the key to an empty box. I could not believe the audacity. So, I went home yesterday and Trevor thought that since Mr. Lowenherz led us thus far, perhaps he can explain himself why there was nothing in the box when I opened it with the key.

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.