Jillian Dare: A Modern Retelling of Jane Eyre by Melanie Jeschke

Author:Melanie Jeschke [Jeschke, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Classic
Publisher: Freiling Publishing
Published: 2021-10-04T20:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

It was good to be home. For I now considered Carter Plantation as my home. As thrilling as it had been to travel abroad and to stay in an ancient English castle, I was happy to be back in Virginia among familiar surroundings and in the comfort and security of my own little suite of rooms. Mrs. Carter, Jack, and Marta greeted us with such warmth that I genuinely felt a part of the family. Even Corinne Cooke condescended to grant me a smile as she eagerly took Cadence from my arms.

Yes, it was good to be home. Good, and safe as well. I hadn’t realized how much stress I had been under during my brief stay at Keswick Hall until I was far away from it. In Virginia, I did not worry about harassing phone calls, spooky appearances by a woman in white, life-threatening fires, or intentionally punctured tires. The eerie email messages had ceased weeks before when Mr. Remington had switched my account address. My only concern now was to have him safely back in Virginia with us. Whoever meant him harm was still on the loose in England and capable of inflicting more damage.

After Marta’s delicious welcome-home dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and biscuits, followed by coffee and pecan pie, I retired—full and contented—to my rooms. I pulled out my journal, climbed into my four-poster bed, and settled against a pile of pillows.

Opening the journal to one of the back pages, I found the heading “Who Is CC?” Below that inscription, I crossed out the names of people I had previously suspected: Corinne Cooke and Calvin Cole. I then wrote the words, “Possible but not likely,” and beneath that, the names Mr. Crooke and Mrs. Poole. In parentheses I put “Constance” next to Mrs. Poole for I had learned that to be her first name. After that, I drew a big question mark. Neither the security guard nor the nurse had acted at all guilty, but both had “C” names, both were tall and slender, and both had been on the premises during the time of the fire. I did not add Karla’s name. Other than the fact that she had altered the spelling of her name, I had no reason to distrust her.

I was not any closer to discovering the identity of CC, although it had become evident that Mr. Remington and Mr. Cole both strongly suspected someone whom they referred to with a feminine pronoun. Why wouldn’t they have shared their suspicion with the police? The mystery had only deepened. Yet, Mr. Remington had said he was doing all he could. I certainly hoped so. Concern for his safety and for Mr. Cole’s recovery dominated my prayers that evening, and in truth, over the next few days, until they both returned safely home to Virginia.

Besides his absence, one other thing marred my homecoming: the gossip surrounding the alleged romance and anticipated marriage between Mr. Remington and Brittany Graham.

Corinne, especially, had

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