Enemy In The House by Eberhart Mignon G

Author:Eberhart, Mignon G. [Eberhart, Mignon G.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery
ISBN: 9780860250883
Amazon: B0018V9916
Goodreads: 1869806
Publisher: I. Henry
Published: 1973-06-14T23:00:00+00:00

11

“YOU CAN’T BE HERE—you can’t—”

“But I am. I was on the same ship with you. The captain took me on as a seaman.”

“No—I can’t believe it—”

“I saw you several times. Although I must say I spent most of the time at the pumps. You should see my hands.”

“Simon, they’ll find you!”

“We’ll not let anybody find me. You’re a good Loyalist but I don’t think you’ll turn me over to the British—”

“No, no. You’ve got to leave, hide, something—”

“Well, I can’t just yet. I’m on a—well, a military mission. There’s a hitch in arrangements. So I got a horse and followed you here the very first night you arrived. Slept two nights in a ramshackle hut I found. Amy—I heard about your father in! Kingston. I’m sorry. And I saw Mr. Grappit meet you at the ship, so I presume the whole family is here.”

She caught his arm. “You don’t know what’s happened!”

“The earthquake? I really thought it was the end of the world. I had to make sure you were safe, so I crawled along behind the shrubbery and got up a ledge outside your window—” His voice changed. “What has happened?”

“The girl—Hester—the nursemaid! Down in the garden. And Lawyer Benfit that very night and Parson Shincok! Her face—there was bougainvillaea over her and—”

“Amy! There, now.” He put his arms around her. “Quiet—now just tell me—”

She couldn’t select and order the telling; it poured out in jerky whispers.

Simon said, “Strangled—Shincok—that might have been accident, but Benfit—that was certainly murder.” He paused. At last he asked, “Is that all?”

“Dear God, isn’t it enough?”

“Faith, I hope so. Is that all you know of this girl?”

“Oh, yes. Except—oh, Simon, she said she’d stay here if she chose, as long as the house at Mallam Penn stands and now—now she will.”

He held her tighter. “You couldn’t have guessed that she’d be killed. You couldn’t have prevented it.”

“Parson Shincok and Mr. Benfit and now Hester!”

“Yes, I agree. Two outright murders and one possible murder, three violent deaths—no, that can’t be chance. Whatever is the reason for murder it arose in America, it still exists and is no less urgent here in Jamaica. Shincok and Benfit would certainly have authenticated our marriage if need be. But this girl. I can’t think of any possible link. You say Hester didn’t seem just like a nursemaid.”

“No. That is—oh, I can’t explain it. It was as if she was trying to be a fine lady but—”

“But really wasn’t? I remember her only vaguely, on the ship. Good-looking, a kind of come-hither something about her. If it hadn’t been for the storm she’d have had all the men seeking her favor. Well—poor girl—”

“She didn’t know the first thing about seeing to Jamey—Simon! There’s another thing. Uncle Grappit threatens to have himself appointed guardian to Jamey and take him to England unless—”

“Unless what?”

“Well—that is—unless I wed Neville.”

He was silent for a moment. Then he said, “I fancy he could find ways to dissolve our marriage. What did you say to that?”

“I said no!”

She thought his arms tightened a little.

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