Page 50

Athena shot her sister a glance and Selena nodded silently. So Ackroyd lied, after all, about being at that party.

“Did Mr. Ackroyd approach Harold Sinclair or do anything suspicious? Did he put something into Harold Sinclair’s drink?”

“I don’t know. I was so upset, I had to walk away.”

Athena frowned. They had dismissed Edward Ackroyd as a suspect, due to their belief that even if he had killed Harold Sinclair, he wouldn’t have blackmailed Ethel Leighton into framing Miss Vernon, the woman he adored. But he had been at that party. If he was innocent, why had he lied about it?

She decided to move on. “Mrs. Lloyd, as I understand it, George Osborn couldn’t attend that party because he was bedridden after his accident. But do you remember if Mr. Carson was there?”

“He was. And in a foul mood too, as I recall, for he despised Harold Sinclair after what had happened to his friend.”

She’d been right. Mr. Carson had also had the opportunity to poison Sinclair. “But back to what you were saying. Did Miss Vernon ever go to Scotland?”

“No. Her pregnancy made her so ill, she couldn’t travel.

She had no choice but to stay here, but it all had to be done with the utmost secrecy.

You see, Mr. Arthur Vernon, the father, had disowned his daughter, believing her guilty of murder.

If he’d found out Miss Vernon was being sheltered in his own attic, he would have cast her to the wolves. ”

Athena winced in sympathy.

“Who took care of Miss Vernon?” Selena asked in a quiet, sad voice.

“I did. Brought up all her meals, did anything that needed doing, all the years that she lived in our attic. It was my honor to do so. I have loved that girl since the day she was born.”

Athena dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief. “What happened to the baby?”

“The baby.” Mrs. Lloyd began weeping again and it was a moment before she could continue.

“Mr. Vernon has a doctor friend in York, who delivered the infant and vowed to keep silent. Miss Vernon gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. But it was impossible to keep a newborn baby a secret. Mr. Vernon planned to smuggle them out of the house to another county, where she could pretend to be a sailor’s widow.

But the birth nearly killed Miss Vernon.

She lost so much blood and got a fever. The doctor feared she was going to die.

The infant needed nourishment at once, and a home.

Mr. Vernon told me to pretend I’d discovered the abandoned baby in a basket on the riverbank—like Moses on the Nile.

I found her a home with a good family. Thanks be to God, Miss Vernon recovered.

When she learned that her daughter had been given away, she was absolutely heartbroken.

But she remained weak for months and would have been unable to go anywhere else, much less care for that baby on her own.

In time, Miss Vernon said she preferred to remain here at home, in the same county as her daughter, where her brother could visit her regularly. ”

Athena shook her head, still stunned. “Did Mr. Vernon ever plan to tell Edward Ackroyd that Miss Vernon was alive, and about the baby?”

“He considered it but decided against it. It was too risky. A sailor’s mail, he had learned, could be opened before delivery.

If anyone else learned about Miss Vernon, it would spell her death.

And Mr. Vernon worried, too, that if the young man—who is a rather rash and impulsive individual—discovered the truth, he would rush home and not be discreet about it, which would prove just as dangerous for Miss Vernon.

It was safer to just keep quiet about the whole thing.

” Mrs. Lloyd blew her nose on her handkerchief.

“Mr. Vernon hoped—and Miss Vernon did as well—that Edward Ackroyd would move on and marry someone else, for his own sake. But he never did.”

Selena let go a long, unhappy sigh. “She was truly shut up in that attic for nine years ?”

“Yes. Sometimes, though, she so longed to breathe fresh air, she disregarded Mr. Vernon’s orders, disguised herself, and slipped out late at night.”

“Ah. That would account for the rumors about a ‘ghost’ at Thorndale Manor and in the village,” Athena remarked.

“They weren’t just figments of people’s imaginations,” Selena put in.

“All went well for years. Until Arthur Vernon started drinking and running up bills. After he died, it broke my heart that young Mr. Vernon had to sell Thorndale Manor. His biggest worry was, where to move his sister? He finally told Mrs. Hillman the truth. He said she was so shocked and happy, she didn’t stop crying for days.

She was only too glad to take in Miss Vernon and continue the deception.

But how I miss my girl! I miss her every single day.

I hear she was content and well-cared for at Darkmoor Park until this horrible turn of events.

But oh! This will be the end of her!” Mrs. Lloyd’s voice broke as she turned to Athena.

“Miss Taylor! How did Miss Vernon come to be discovered? I heard you were there at Darkmoor Park when it happened, but that can’t be right, can it? ”

Athena couldn’t bring herself to admit to her real reason for being at Darkmoor Park that night—not yet. She repeated the same story she had told Neville Sinclair about going to the house to fetch a book, hearing a sound in the attic, and being attacked by an unknown assailant.

Mrs. Lloyd’s eyes widened. “Dear Lord! How frightening. But why should someone have attacked you, Miss Taylor?”

“I have no idea,” Athena lied. “Miss Vernon risked her life to save mine. I can never repay her. Oh! If only I hadn’t gone there.”

“How could you have known?” Mrs. Lloyd replied with a tearful sniff. “It wasn’t your fault.”

But Athena knew differently. Her foolish errand had put Caroline Vernon in mortal danger, and Athena could never forgive herself.

*

Athena and Selena didn’t sleep a wink that night.

They spent every moment going over what had occurred and trembling at the thought that Athena had, once again, nearly lost her life.

This terrifying reality, however, paled in Athena’s mind in comparison to the dilemma in which she had placed Miss Vernon.

Selena kept insisting that Athena must stop her investigation, but Athena rejected the notion.

A killer was still out there. She couldn’t stop now, no matter what the risk.

And somehow, she had to help Miss Vernon.

Selena reluctantly acceded and they struggled to think of a solution.

They’d heard that Miss Vernon was being held in the lock-up in the village square but would soon be transported to York Prison.

Their only recourse, they decided, was for Athena to speak to Neville Sinclair without delay—to do everything within her power to convince him that Miss Vernon was innocent.

Selena took over the day’s classes. Athena hastened to the village, wrapping her cloak around her against the chill, grateful that the paths and roads were dry and that a bleak sun peeked between the clouds.

As she passed the apothecary shop, she saw Miss Quince outside, engrossed in conversation with George Osborn and Mr. Carson.

Had one of them been responsible for Harold Sinclair’s death?

If only she could prove it. Athena heard one of them say Caroline Vernon .

The group gave Athena a look that seemed to be half-confusion and half-censure.

Athena’s stomach clenched. So, they had heard. Of course they had. Everyone had heard by now. If they were to learn of Athena’s true purpose for being in that attic, would she become the village pariah? If so, she wouldn’t blame them.

Upon reaching the village square, Athena paused outside the lock-up, a small, round building of grey stone that featured a domed roof, a heavy, arched and studded wooden door, and one tiny, barred window too high up to see in or out of.

It horrified her to think that Caroline Vernon was incarcerated in that place.

Tears hovered at the back of Athena’s eyes. If only there were a way to speak to Miss Vernon. To let her know how mortified and deeply regretful Athena was, that she blamed herself for everything and was going to try her best to help.

A young man appeared from around the building. Athena stifled a gasp. It was Edward Ackroyd. He seemed to be perambulating the circumference of the structure, his arms crossed over his chest and his features tense as if with anxiety. He saw Athena and stopped in his tracks.

“You!” he thundered. “How dare you show your face here?”

Athena froze with guilt and shame. “I’m sorry. So sorry.”

“What good does it do to be sorry?” Mr. Ackroyd came straight for her and stopped a yard away, his eyes flashing with pain and fury.

“To learn that Caroline is still alive after all this time. Alive! I had no idea until a couple of hours ago, when her brother told me. But how long does she have? What were you doing in that attic last night?”

“I … I …” Athena faltered.

“Did you lead Sinclair to her on purpose?”

“Of course not! I knew nothing about this, either.”

“Vernon hoped I’d move on and marry someone else, but I couldn’t imagine being with any woman other than Caroline.

I would have rather died alone.” He ran agitated fingers through his blond hair.

“If only Vernon had trusted me enough to tell me. Caroline and I might have been able to steal away someplace and be together. But any hope of that is gone now.” He gestured to the impenetrable stone jail behind him.

“She is locked up in that infernal cell. They won’t even let me see or speak to her.

In a week, she’ll be dead. Thanks to you !

If I could, I would kill you now with my own bare hands,” Ackroyd hurled at her before stalking away.