Authors: Suzette Stone
A Fateful Wind (20 page)
Lady Emmeline peered out from behind the curtain of her bedroom and watched as the doctor mounted his horse and rode down the long driveway leading out of Penrose House. Opening her shawl, she reached inside her blouse, retrieving the locket and blood stained penknife. She wrapped them in a handkerchief and placed them inside the drawer of her bedside table. Walking over to her dressing table, she splashed cold water on her face, the reality of the morning’s events setting in. Quickly, she changed her dress, putting on her riding attire and made her way down to the stables.
“I need my horse saddled up,” she directed one of the stable hands. “I need to think, clear my mind, mourn. A ride always helps,” she added sadly after witnessing the brief flicker of surprise that crossed his face.
As she mounted her horse, she steered it up toward the moors, this time in a different direction from the tin mine and the place of murder. She needed to find Jenna, needed to safeguard her. She only knew of one place to look, the sight where Isabel died.
She cantered across the overgrown pathway leading to Bleacher’s Pond. People barely went there anymore. The villagers succumbed to the superstitious talk regarding the well hidden mysterious lake and the pathway lay barely visible in parts. She steered her horse over the ferns and broken branches strewn across the way. Her heart raced, beating against time, hoping Jenna had not harmed herself as a consequence of whatever interlude occurred with Lord Edwin.
At the thought of her husband’s name, Emmeline urged on her horse. She could only imagine the events that led up to Jenna’s retaliation. She cursed herself for not being more forceful with him the first time she happened upon his lecherous perversions of her niece. Instead, she conjured up the tale of her personal servant being off limits. He seemed to have believed her eccentric whims although, as she now knew, held little thought of enforcing them.
As she came closer to Bleacher’s Pond, the undergrowth became more knotted. Tree branches entwined with each other, leaving her to dismount her horse and walk the rest of the way toward the small lake. As she approached, she heard muffled cries. Fearfully, she hastened her step, the voice sounding familiar to her. Jenna, perhaps? As she got closer, the tearful voice got louder.
“I can’t do it. I can’t do it. I thought I could, but I can’t.”
“You have to,” a male voice replied with a sense of urgency. “It is the only way to protect her.”
“But father,” the female voice cried. “It will devastate him to think Jenna succumbed the same way mother did.”
“Karenza, listen to yourself! It will devastate him more to find out his daughter has committed murder and to see her hung like a common criminal.”
The sobs began again as Emmeline pushed back the branches to see Karenza bent down next to the lake, a garment in her hand.
“Father will die. He will die because of this. The shock of it all! And what is to become of her after we do this, Billy? She can never return here, never see her family again. She will be dead to us all, only we will know she is still alive. She will be alive and alone with no family to protect her.”
“Surely that is better than being charged with murder, Karenza. If we make out she has drowned herself due to her broken heart over Trystan, she will not be linked to Lord Edwin’s death and your family will at least be spared that.”
Emmeline cleared her throat to catch their attention, emerging from the thick branches. Karenza and Billy stood up horrified, their faces alive with the fear of being overheard by the widow of the murdered man.
“Oh, God,” Karenza cried, covering her bulging belly with a shaky hand.
Emmeline held her palm up, trying to calm the sobbing, pregnant woman. “You are so brave,” she said softly, moving slowly toward them. “Your sister is as well.”
Karenza frowned. “I…I don’t understand.”
“I think you do. I know Jenna killed my husband and I can only surmise why she did it.”
Karenza turned to her husband, a resolute sadness on her face. “It’s over, Billy. We can’t protect her anymore.”
“Yes, you can,” Emmeline interrupted. “You can and you will. To say my husband was not a nice man is putting it mildly. He did not deserve to die, but your sister, I imagine, needed to protect herself. I am sure she did not mean the harm that ensued. She’d been in danger from him for some time. Danger I thought I, as her mistress, could protect her from. But I was wrong and this is the repercussions. I know your sister killed my husband. I do not hate her for it. In fact, strangely enough, I feel a relief he is gone. But that does not alter the fact they will try and find out who killed my husband.” She looked down to where Karenza held the garment in her hands. “Is that the dress Jenna wore when she killed him?”
Karenza nodded.
“You need to burn it and any other items with blood on them. Fortunately, I saw the body of my husband before the constable arrived. There were indications of your sister’s presence at the site of the murder, namely a locket and a knife with Trystan Trezies’s initials on it. I took them before the constable arrived and left in their place a letter I found in Edwin’s desk, a letter which talked of and laid the blame of the mining disaster firmly in his hands. It may help in blowing the scent off your sister and placing it on one, or a few disgruntled workers, which I will see never comes to fruition.”
“Why are you helping Jenna?” Billy asked suspiciously, taking the garment from Karenza’s hand before she handed it to Emmeline.
“I have my reasons,” Emmeline replied, very matter-of-factly. “And I have a plan to absolve your sister of this.”
Billy scoffed. “A plan? There is no plan now that you know. You’re just trying to lead us into a false sense of security to find out where Jenna is so you can have her arrested.”
“Do you want to hear it or not?” Lady Emmeline directed her attention to Karenza, who nodded slowly. “I will create a false alibi for Jenna. I will tell the constable, should they ask of her whereabouts, that I planned a few days in London and sent Jenna ahead to get the house ready for my arrival. Given the state of depression she fell into after her husband’s death, I thought the change of scenery might lighten her from her dismal mood. She stayed the night at Penrose House, so I could see her off safely in the coach with my belongings the next morning. That is to say
if
they question Jenna in relation to my husband’s death, which I doubt very much they will. My husband was despised by many. There were many a man who would have wished to have seen him dead rather than alive and the constable is well aware of that, especially considering the recent disaster and loss of lives at Penrose Mines.”
“But Jenna….I doubt she will be able to return here and act as though nothing happened,” Karenza said hesitantly.
“I will keep her at Penrose House until everything has calmed. Pretend I am unable to manage things by myself due to my depressive state of mourning my husband’s death.” Emmeline smiled, rather pleased at the intelligence of her plan.
Karenza looked over to where Billy stood. “What do you think?”
“How can we trust you?” Billy asked.
“You can only take my word for it” Lady Emmeline replied. “I have known Jenna since she was a little girl. As you know, Karenza, your mother would bring Jenna with her when she came to work at Penrose House. I'm the one who arranged for Jenna to have lessons in reading and writing. I have watched her grow into a beautiful and intelligent young woman, a woman too special to have her life cut short by the downward turn of fate and my husband’s lecherous hands. She has already lost a husband. Don’t let her lose her life.”
“She’s right, Billy," Karenza said, walking over to Emmeline.
“Where is she now?” Emmeline asked.
“The convent of St. Agnes,” Billy replied. “My Aunt is a nun there and she is hiding there until the boat leaves for Australia.”
A lump formed in Emmeline’s throat at the sound of it. Australia? So far from home and all alone? And Jack? If only he knew of the plans? “Who else knows of this?”
“You, Billy, his aunt and myself,” Karenza replied.
“Is your aunt to be trusted?” Emmeline asked Billy.
“She has been a virtuous and holy nun since the time she was fifteen. She understands Karenza acted in self defense.”
Lady Emmeline nodded. “No one else must know of this, not even your father or your other sister, Karenza. This must stay with us until the grave if we are to do it.”
Karenza looked anxiously at Billy. “It seems the only thing to do, to save Jenna.”
“Good,” Emmeline smiled, taking Karenza’s hand in hers. “You must trust me. I implore you both. I would never let anything happen to your dear sister. All these years, in my time of barren loneliness she has been like a daughter to me." Her voice broke as she brushed a tear from her eye, marveling at the other secrets she harbored about Jenna, secrets they would be amazed to hear, secrets they must never know.
“So what are we to do?” Billy asked.
“Lay low over the next couple of days. In three days time, Billy, you will meet me at the Convent of St. Agnes and we will speak with Jenna then, let her know of our plan. Then she can return here with me as though she came back suddenly from London. Karenza, you will need to tell your father and Tamzin the following story. Jenna walked up to Penrose House the night before I found out Lord Edwin died, asking me to send her anywhere to take her mind off Trystan and take her away from all the memories this place held. Tell your father I planned to come down this morning to tell him I sent Jenna up to London ahead of myself to give her some much needed breathing space and rest, but of course my plans were interrupted by the news of my husband’s murder. You were concerned about your sister, having not seen her, and came up to Penrose House to enquire after her. Please tell your father I have sent a carriage up to London to bring Jenna home since I will not be visiting there as planned.” Emmeline sighed tiredly. “Have I left anything out?”
“The knife and the locket,” Karenza asked as if suddenly remembering them. “Are they safe?”
“Quite safe,” Lady Emmeline assured. “They will not leave my personage until everything has been settled. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some mourning to do.”
* * * *
“London! Well, isn’t she lucky?” Tamzin exclaimed, pouring the steaming kettle into the pot. “And here father and I have sat worrying ourselves sick. I should have known she was up to something last night, scurrying out of here pretending to go on a walk.”
“Well, it’s the best thing for her,” Mr. Penworthy noted. “How sensible of her to want a change of scenery, get away from all the heartbreak and sorrow this village is under.”
“Yes,” Karenza added, surprised at how easily they believed the story. “It’s a shame her visit will be cut short now. The time away would have done her good.” She lowered herself into the fireplace chair, resting her feet on the stool, a wave of tiredness and relief washing over her.
“You look exhausted,” her father noted.
“Just, well, who wouldn’t be after everything that has happened? First the mine and now Lord Edwin. I just want some peace and quiet before we return to Bodmin! However I am meant to deliver a healthy baby with all this going on is beyond me.” Karenza sighed, winking tenderly at her husband and smiling with comfort as she felt the strong little kicks of the unborn in her stomach.
Jenna didn't know how much time passed since she sat, lost in her thoughts and sadness, in the small convent church. There were not enough minutes in the day for her to repent for what she did. The overwhelming feeling of doom, which now embraced her whole body, only grew worse with each day spent in hiding at the convent. Each passing moment of the day she spent reliving the moment that led up to her stabbing the knife into Lord Edwin’s heart. Could she have out run him? Should she have just laid there and let him have his way with her? Why did she stab him in the heart of all places? At night, when she lay back in the small bed and closed her eyes, she immediately saw Lord Edwin’s face leering down at her, his tightening hands around her throat.
The anxiety and worry spread to her family, her father in particular. Surely, by now, the constable would have linked Jenna to the crime, her locket and Trystan’s initialed knife being the only ammunition they would need. And without doubt, her disappearance on top of everything would assure everyone she was the culprit. Her father would be distressed, his illness returning with the shock of her criminal act. At the thought of her family, a lump formed in her throat, but the only tears left in her poor ravished body were silent ones over her acts on that fateful night.
She felt a soft hand on her shoulder and, turning, looked into the kind face of Billy’s Aunt.
“You have a visitor,” the small nun whispered.
Jenna made her way slowly to her bedroom. Nervousness filled her body with the thought of the terrible news her visitor would likely impart. However, she felt resigned to her fate now. Resigned to the course of destiny she would take. It would be an easier course than the one she originally planned when she first came into hiding. She walked into the small room and saw Billy seated in the corner chair. Smiling, he rose to embrace her, but Jenna took a step backward as he approached, lifting her hand in the air to silence him.
“Billy, before you say anything, I have changed my mind about everything. I know what I have to do and I don’t want you or Karenza to try and stop me. This act of fate has distressed me more than anyone can know. I have replayed the incident over and over in my mind, seeking to understand why or how I could have killed a man? But kill a man I did. It is a mortal sin, one that will never be forgiven no matter how far I travel to the ends of the earth in my efforts to escape. There is to be no escaping what I have done. My evidence will be everywhere.”
She bit her lip, feeling tired and lightheaded from her lack of appetite. “I plan to return to the village and turn myself over to the law. I will take whatever consequence they decide, even death.”
Jenna seated herself on the edge of the bed and looked up at Billy. His face turned ashen and his hands shook as he seated himself next to her.
“Jenna,” he spoke, his eyes glistening with tears. “You mustn’t confess. You mustn’t.”
“Billy, I killed a man in cold blood. There is no escape from that fact. My evidence is everywhere, the knife and my locket. I am sure it fell off in the struggle for I have not been able to find it anywhere.”
“Lady Emmeline has them.”
“What?” Jenna covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening in horror. “She knows?”
Billy nodded “That’s the reason I came here earlier than planned. Circumstances have changed. Since Lady Emmeline removed any indication you were present on the moors that night, no one suspects your involvement. Lady Emmeline has concocted an alibi should anyone ask of your whereabouts on that evening.”
Jenna knitted her eyebrows together in puzzlement at her mistress’s involvement, a sudden thought occurring to her. “Have you not asked yourself why she wishes to get involved to protect me? Are you and Karenza really that terribly gullible?”
“I admit I was as dubious as you at first, but for some reason she looks fondly upon you. She alluded to the fact she knew you were not safe in the presence of Lord Edwin and chastised herself for not protecting you from him.”
“I don’t believe it!” Jenna shook her head and gave off a chuckle of amazement. “But I killed her husband. I know she is fond of me, and I of her, but why would she want to help the person who killed her husband?”
“I don’t know why, but she does.” Billy took her hand once more. “She is here, waiting in her carriage to bring you back to Penrose House as though you were coming back from London. Father and Tamzin already believe Lady Emmeline sent you to London to get the house ready up there as she intended to spend some time in the city before everything happened with Lord Edwin.”
“Here?” Jenna shouted hotly. “Here? What if this is a trap, Billy? What if she plans to turn me over to the constabulary?”
“I trust that she won’t, Jenna. I believe her when she says she wants to protect you and keep you at Penrose House until everything has calmed down.”
Jenna shook her head. “She may take me back to Penrose House today, but I doubt very much it will be to protect me, which is fine by me. I don’t wish to hide or lie any longer or cause any further distress to my family than is necessary.”
She watched as Billy slowly stood, shaking his head unhappily. “Is there nothing I can say or do to make you believe she wishes to protect you?”
“Nothing,” Jenna said coldly.
Silently, Billy left as Jenna sat and thought about their conversation. Lady Emmeline covering up for her? How could Billy and Karenza have been so naïve as to think she would conceal the true killer of her husband? It seemed to her as though her plan of returning to the village to suffer for her crime had already been thought out on her behalf.
She bowed her head as, after an hour passed, Lady Emmeline entered the room. She bristled with shock as she noted the tear stained face of her mistress. Minutes passed in silence as the two women observed each other.
“I do not need your help.” Jenna finally broke the silence. “And I do not understand why you would want to help the woman who murdered your husband.”
“I know. I do not understand it myself.”
“Then why do you, or is this a trick? If it is, you are wasting your time. There is nothing for me to do but confess. My life is over as it is anyway.”
“This is no trick, Jenna. When I saw my husband lying there on that damp earth, the blood dried around his wound, I felt little sadness. In fact, I felt immense relief. I cannot explain it, just that my life has been spent being married to a man I cared little for and did not really like. It has been a terrible waste. I am sure you understand.”
Jenna shook her head. “I have little idea of what you are implying, my lady.”
“I think you do. I think you understand much of falling in love with someone whom you are unable to spend your days with and instead marrying a man duty tells you to.”
Jenna felt a hot blaze on her cheeks.
Does she know of Jack
? she wondered. Did Jack confide in her?
“That doesn’t excuse the fact that I murdered your husband, Lady Emmeline.” Jenna didn’t wish to bring up Jack’s name. She tried to banish the sudden anxiousness that tugged at her heart at the thought of him.
“No, it doesn’t. But I can imagine what led up to the disastrous scenario.”
Jenna looked up, remembering how her mistress found her and Lord Edwin that day. “Can you?” she asked softly.
Lady Emmeline nodded, tears beginning to flow down her cheeks again. “I knew of his disposition. I chose to ignore it or make allowances for his many philandering ways. I knew, a lot of the time, the other party did not reciprocate his lust. I tried to make sure he was never alone with my servants, especially you. I failed. I saw his particular desire for you, a desire that could not be quenched, and I could not stop it. I am sorry, Jenna. You must forgive me.”
“He tried to rape me.” Jenna trailed off as the memory of his hands around her throat willed her into silence.
“Did he?” Lady Emmeline asked “Are you intact?”
She nodded. “I fought and I fought and then I stabbed him. I didn’t mean to. I was so frightened, so very, very, frightened.”
“Then let me help you, Jenna. Let me protect you as I should have done. No one suspects your involvement with this. I removed your locket and the knife from the scene. I have created an alibi of your whereabouts. You can return to your home as though I have called you back from London. You can do this.
We
can do this. This talk of taking the ship to Australia or, worse, returning and confessing, makes little sense. You acted in self defense. If I do not blame you as his wife, then why are you so intent on destroying your own life and that of your family?”
Jenna bent her head, placing it in her hands and began to sob. “Don’t you understand? It is not as easy as coming home and pretending nothing happened. I cannot lie like that. I killed a man! The fact that it was self defense matters little. I killed him. I cannot live with myself knowing that I have committed murder.”
“You are distraught, Jenna.” Lady Emmeline smoothed back the locks that escaped from beneath the habit Jenna wore. “I won’t insist you return with me today, but promise me you will stay here and not do anything hasty. Stay here and think through everything calmly and sensibly before you make a decision one way or the other. Promise me you will stay here for another week before doing anything. Give yourself time to decide. After all, it is your life hanging in the balance, a life my wretched beast of a husband may have taken from you against your will if you continued to fight him. Just remember, you are a victim in this as well.” She stood up and hovered in the doorway. “Do you promise?”
Jenna looked at her, nodding tiredly. “I will promise you a week, but I can assure you, my feelings will not have changed.