Beyond a Doubt(19)

“Why, before her father’s passing, that girl stayed gone. Always travelled with her friends and did what she wanted. That happens when a father raises a girl alone.

“Winifred and I tried to help but he wouldn’t have it. The old man thought it his duty to take care of his child. And of course we moved aside and let him. Didn’t stop praying for the child, though. Her mother would have wanted that.

“Anyway, I’m getting away from the tale. Right after her father’s demise, the girl holed up in the house and refused to see the light of day. Then without warning, like I said, she stayed gone. But you know this is the first time in my remembrance that she’s brought someone home with her.”

At the end of her words, she graced him with a huge smile. “My sister and I aren’t nosey, just diligent. Got to keep the neighborhood safe. Hate to say this, but Winifred thought you were burying Lucille’s body in the backyard. That’s why she hit you. But I tried to tell her you weren’t in one place long enough for a deep hole. What person with sense buries someone on top of the ground? Why, one big rain and the dirt washes away and you have a body sticking up and that is a suspicious thing. Of course, you would be long gone by that point. Which is why Winifred couldn’t wait to come over and check.”

They reached the house next door and walked inside. The place was clutter-free, airy, dainty, and feminine, decorated in whites and yellows. Since Bryce was covered in dirt and horse droppings, he didn’t want to take the first step inside.

“Come on, laddy. I won’t let her bite you.”

“But I’m messy.”

“Oh, we won’t pay no mind. We like to clean. I’m afraid we are too old and decrepit to get the place dirty enough to satisfy our work ethic. So come on in, you’ll be doing us a favor.”

Bryce hesitated but followed the lady’s instructions. Winnie had opened a flood of questions in his mind, many of which couldn’t be reconciled until Lucy returned. If she returned.





Chapter Thirty-Four




Reginald’s voice captivated not only her but everyone else in the room. A woman from the crowd fanned herself as she wobbled on her feet in a fake swoon. Her hand waving back and forth reminded Lucy of her mission.

Since she was standing at the back of the group, Lucy could move away unnoticed.

It took only a few minutes to locate the place she needed. She slipped a hand into her bag and grabbed the fan with great care. She glanced around to ensure she was alone.

A sound like thunder echoed inside the stone building. She released the fan into her bag as the ground moved beneath her feet. Rows of soldiers entered the residence, sending people scattering. Some of the soldiers entered the room where Lucy stood, and her stomach clenched with fear. She touched the object inside her pouch and changed her expression into a look of shock.

The owner of the manse stepped forward, indignation stirring him to speech. “I demand to know the meaning of your intrusion.”

One soldier stepped forward. He unfurled a scroll and read aloud for all in attendance. Lucy ignored the words and batted her lashes at the ridiculously long title for the Queen and King, but when the soldier said, “We’ve been sent to escort Sir Reginald Spalding from your residence,” she lifted her chin and listened with rapt attention.

After the pronouncement the soldier stepped back in line and clamped his mouth shut. Several ladies in the crowd fell against their companions. Lucy mimicked them, fanning herself with her hand and using the wall for support.

Reginald walked forward, his arms stretched out in a non-threatening way. “I’m here. Please don’t bother my host. I’m sure this is all a misunderstanding.”

The stony-faced guards grabbed his upper arms. The lines of his mouth tensed. Reginald’s gaze shifted as if looking for assistance. As Reginald was dragged from the room, an object swayed from his neck, catching the light and creating shadows on the wall.

Sweat beaded her brow as she moved amongst the crowd to get a closer look and suddenly covered her mouth in shock. A compass! It lay against Reginald’s chest, the metal rim catching the candlelight. She clutched her hands to her sides, her stomach twisting in knots.

Sneaking around the room, through a set of open doors, Lucy left the gasping crowd and followed the guards. Not willing to risk exposure, she stayed far behind.

Her breath came in short rasping gasps as she struggled to keep up without getting too close. The group slid into a narrow alley. Warning bells went off in her head.

“I believe there has been a mistake,” said Reginald Spalding.

“No mistake,” said the guard.

“But there must be. I’ve done nothing wrong. Now, if you will politely release me, I’ll return to my friends. And I’ll be sure to explain it to them. There will be no hard feelings.”

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”

“And why not?” said Reginald, his spine erect.

Lucy was surprised by the man’s haughtiness. Backed into an alley with ten armed guards pushing against him, Reginald still managed to maintain his composure.

The soldier’s eyes darkened, his lips pulled downward into a sneer, as words of anger coursed from his thin lips. “It’s people like you who bring us to shame.”

Reginald didn’t interrupt. His frown was the only indication something was amiss.

“Because of you Protestants trying to change the way of things, I have to leave my warm bed and supple wife and hunt you down. Then once I find your yellow hide, I have to do something about it. I personally can’t stand the smell of rotten flesh, so I’ve taken to disposing of traitors in a different manner.”

“Sir, you must have me confused w—“

“You are French?”

“I hail from France, yes,” answered Reginald, his finger running under his collar.

“And do you or do you not belong to the Huguenots? Hmm? Just in case you haven’t noticed, England has a Catholic monarchy at the moment.”

No more words were spoken as a knife plunged into Reginald’s heart. The hilt stuck out and he grabbed it as he fell to the ground. Lucy stifled a gasp and ran away. The last words the guard spoke echoed behind her. “Guess that takes care of Joshua.”





Chapter Thirty-Five




The twins plied Bryce with tea and scones until he thought he would burst from fullness. He offered to help them with some outside work and they instantly became his best friends.

Their strange antics kept him distracted. They told stories, made jokes, and kept him talking. By the time they stopped, the sun was descending.

“What a day,” Winifred said. “I dare say we’ve never had such fun.”

“Ah, if we have, I don’t remember it,” replied Winnie, a smile covering her lean face.

“We will have to do this more often,” said Winifred.

“Indeed, we will.”

Back and forth the words volleyed. At the end of their conversation, Bryce’s neck ached.

“Would you enjoy that, lad?” asked Winifred with a shy wink.

“I believe I would,” he answered, having missed the initial question.

Their two sets of hands clapped. Winifred continued, “Delightful. Next time we must invite Lucille to join us. She will be upset about missing our visit. The child always did love a good tea party. She was so young when her mother passed, why, was it just minutes?”

“You are correct, dear Winifred. She passed only minutes after birthing the lass. Never seen a man so distraught as Louis. Refused to touch his own daughter for weeks, he did. Why, if it hadn’t been for the nurse I don’t know what would have happened to the poor child.”

“But do you remember how he doted on her as she aged? Guilt-ridden, he was. After he neglected her and came to his senses, he never went back.”

“You are right, dear sister. Lavished the child, he did, with every conceivable convenience. Imagine hiring an inventor to run a hose from the tub to an outside drain! The entire neighborhood thought him crazy or at least unstable, but it worked.”

“And her pony!”

“Oh, she had the finest pony. They say it was of a royal bloodline.”

“We must be making her sound terrible.” One sister slapped the other on the arm.

“You must understand she never asked for those things, oh no. In fact, she gave so much to the children's home, it was unbelievable. Her father Louis, God rest his soul, just bought it anyway. He was an odd bird.”

“Odd bird, indeed.”

Bryce had trouble keeping up with who said what. However, the words they spoke challenged his mind. He couldn’t visualize the person they spoke of. A woman with a silver spoon in her mouth. Albeit she’d avoided this lifestyle to some extent, she’d still been raised as a privileged person. Raised to live in high society, she held the ability to fit in with every person she came in contact with. The lass was an enigma.