Moorcroft - the Possession: Book One of the Moorcroft Trilogy (28 page)

As much as we love Moorcroft we will not be coming back, it would stir up too many sad memories and I think that you still blame me for Victoria’s death and I couldn’t live under that cloud. Charles and I are happy and we are making a new life for ourselves and we want nothing more to do with Moorcroft. Stay there alone, living in the past or sell it and start a new life as we have done, the choice is yours. As long as you believe I am responsible for Victoria’s death we have nothing more to say to each other. Take care of yourself Richard

Your Sister Sarah

Richard read the letter over and over again trying to understand its meaning. They would not be coming back to Moorcroft, that was for sure but this drivel about another person living here, was she still unstable? His anger returned as he relived that fateful morning and he remembered the look of love that was in Victoria’s eyes as she slipped away in his arms. Tears ran down his face and he brushed them away. He screwed up the letter and threw it in the bin and reached for the whisky bottle. An hour later Mary entered the study with a tray containing Richard’s lunch and found him slumped in his chair.

“Is everything okay Master Richard?”

He waved his hand in the air. “I’m fine Mary just fine; now leave me alone, please.”

Mary shook her head from side to side, closed the door quietly and made her way back to the kitchen.

Charlotte had watched the different emotions cross Richard’s face, hope, anger and despair and now the drinking, what was she to do? She came from out of the shadows and knelt at his feet and reached for his hand. He looked down into her smiling face. “Are you alright Richard?”

At first he didn’t recognise her through his blurred vision and then he realised it was the woman from the rose garden. “Charlotte, I didn’t hear you come in.” He wiped the tears from his face and straightened in the chair. “I’m sorry, I’ve just had some bad news, my sister refuses to come back home.”

Charlotte repressed a smile. “I am sorry; you were both very close at one time I believe.”

He nodded and looked at the tray on his desk. “Look Mary has just brought me my lunch, I’ll ask her to bring another plate and we can both eat in the dining room.”

Charlotte panicked. “Oh no really, I’ve just eaten, you just sit there and enjoy your meal.”

He looked at the empty glass and the empty bottle. “I’m not really hungry; perhaps we could have coffee or tea.”

Outside the door Mary could hear him talking to some one, she gently knocked and walked in. She looked around the room, Richard was alone.

“I’ll be going home in a few minutes would you like me to get you anything more?”

Richard smiled, “Just a coffee for me and tea for Charlotte.”

He looked at Mary’s face. “Have I said something wrong?”

Mary looked around the room once more. “Are you expecting visitors Master Richard?”

He looked at the chair Charlotte had occupied, it was empty. He looked around the room, where had she gone. “No I’m sorry Mary, just a coffee for me please.”

Richard ran his hand through his hair, what had just happened here?

####

Richard settled into a routine, he would rise early and have a light breakfast then take Dancing Lady out for some exercise. When he got back he would see to the horses and muck out the stables and put down clean straw, let the horses out into the paddock and then he would have a coffee. Most mornings he would drive into the village to collect his mail and his paper and pick up anything Mary might need, then he would come back to Moorcroft and read his newspapers in the drawing room until Mary told him lunch was ready. Each day he hoped to find a letter from Sarah saying she had changed her mind and was coming home but each morning he was disappointed.

After lunch he would sometimes try to do some gardening but green fingers he did not have. Riding around on the lawn mower was fun but the grass often looked flattened and scraggy but what did it matter there was only him to see it. He would look at the rose garden and wonder if Charlotte would be back to tend to it, once more the weeds had collected and the roses needed dead heading. He would often see her walking across the lawns but she seldom stayed long, he wondered if he had upset her in some way. The only real pleasure in life was Dancing Lady but horse feed and bedding were rocketing in price, how long could he keep her and her colt. Boredom and depression soon took him over and the drinking started again. It began with just a couple at night before he went to bed, then he needed another to warm him up after his run out with the horses, soon another followed his lunch. Mary watched and felt sorry for him but there was nothing she could do.

Charlotte also watched over him but her visits to Richard were short and sweet with the woman Mary always hovering about. The only time she could spend time with him was at night as he slept, how she longed to be a part of his life, but his drinking and his obsession with his sister and her dead friend kept them apart. Richard sent Sarah several letters asking how she was and would she re-think about coming back to Moorcroft, but he waited in vain for her replies. The months came and went without a word. He got back in touch with the detective agency and asked them to seek Sarah and Charles out and report back with any developments. When the brown envelope arrived he was too excited to wait until he got home and opened it in his car outside the post office. The detective had explained that his sister still lived in the same house but now there was an addition to the family. Richard shook the envelope and several photographs fell out onto his knee. There looking up at him was the most beautiful child he had ever seen, with his blonde curly hair and the bluest of eyes he had to be Sarah’s son, his nephew. Several emotions went through him, happiness and joy looking down at the boy, anger that no one had told him about the child and sadness that unless Sarah came back, he would never see him. Tears ran from his eyes and clouded his vision as he made his way back to Moorcroft.

Mary heard the car screech to a stop in the yard and went to put the kettle on, the back door banged, it sounded like he was in a bad mood and a few minutes later she heard the study door bang too. Oh dear, what’s happened now? She made a pot of tea and put it and a cup and saucer on the tray along with a piece of Madeira cake baked fresh that morning.

She tapped on the study door and walked in. “I thought you might like a cuppa while you read your paper.”

Richard was slumped in his chair, already holding a glass of whisky in his hand. He didn’t look up but Mary could see he had been crying.

“Is everything okay, Master Richard?”

She put the tray down on the side table as he handed her a photograph, it was of a small child sitting on a tricycle, with legs spread wide, laughter creasing his little face as he raced towards the open arms of his father. She didn’t have her glasses but she could see that the man was unmistakably Charles Wesley.

“This is never Sarah’s child?”

Richard laughed. “Of course it is, surely you can see the resemblance.”

Looking down on the picture a smile crossed her face. “It’s like looking back in time he’s the image of you when you were a little boy. You must be so happy knowing you have a nephew.”

His head bowed low. “Yes, I’m happy but Mary when will I ever see him?”

Mary frowned and shook her head. “Miss Sarah has started a new life and you must do the same, we know that Miss Victoria was the love of your life but you can’t mourn forever, you have to pull yourself together and just get on with it.”

That said she left the room. Richard emptied his glass and pondered over her words. She was right, he had to stop wallowing in self pity but no one would ever take the place of his Victoria.

Richard put his heart and soul into taking care of the horses and it was on a bright sunny morning as he raked the foul smelling straw from the stables that Charlotte appeared. She stood by the door and watched his rippling muscles as he heaved the fork back and forth, how she longed to hold him. He sensed that someone was behind him and looked over his shoulder. A smile crossed his face as he stood and leant on the fork and looked at her, he realised he was pleased to see her.

She put her head on one side. “I was just on one of my walks when I thought I would pop in to see you, how are you?”

“Look I’m ready for a break why don’t you come into the house and I’ll get Mary to bring us some tea.”

She shook her head. “No thanks I can’t stay long, perhaps another time.”

He stood and looked at her, she was quite attractive with her long black hair and blue eyes and she had a good figure, something he hadn’t noticed before. Charlotte sensed his approval and moved closer and rested her hand on his arm.

“I have to get back to the village but perhaps I could call back later for a chat. It’s been a while since we talked.”

He nodded. “That would be nice I don’t get many visitors, would you like me to collect you from the village?”

“Oh no, I’ll get my friend to drop me off at the gate and walk up.”

Richard laughed. “You had better be careful you’ll have the village talking.”

She laughed back. “Let them talk, I don’t care.” She squeezed his arm. “I’ll see you later then.”

She waved as she left the stables and he waved back. He walked to the door to watch her walk away but she had already disappeared.

Richard shaved and showered and waited all afternoon for Charlotte to arrive but dinner came and went and she had not appeared. He sat and watched the flames flicker in the grate and his thoughts wandered back to Sarah and her son. How his life would have been so different had Victoria lived, perhaps he would have had children of his own by now, a son to carry on the Gardener name. There was a tap at the door and Richard turned just as Charlotte entered the room. He smiled, pleased to see her.

“I did knock at the back door, but you must not have heard me, I hope you don’t mind me coming in?”

He stood and crossed the room to her and took her hands in his.

“I didn’t hear, I’m sorry, please come and sit by the fire, you’re frozen.”

She loved the feel of his arm as he guided her towards the settee.

“Really I’m fine I don’t seem to feel the cold.”

He sat down beside her and held her hand. “Perhaps I could get you a drink, I’m about to have one myself.” He walked over to the drinks table and poured himself a large whisky and drank it down in one then poured himself another. He turned and looked at her and saw the smile on her face. He smiled back. “What would you like to drink?”

“I’ll have whatever you’re having.” He poured another whisky and carried the glasses over to her. They sat side by side in front of the fire; an awkward silence filled the room. Sensing his discomfort she leant forward and placed her hand on his knee.

“Thank you for inviting me back here I’ve always loved this house.”

“Really, have you always lived in this neighbourhood?

“I’ve lived here all my life I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

“I know how you feel, I’m the same about Moorcroft, people tell me to move on, find something smaller, but I can’t leave this house, something holds me here, a presence, I don’t know what it is.” He laughed. “Does that sound crazy?”

Charlotte smiled and looked at him lovingly, wanting to take him in her arms. “It sounds like you love this house as much as I do.”

“Listen, now that you’re here would you like a tour?”

She smiled. “Not just yet, perhaps later.” He wasn’t ready just yet for what she had in mind.

They sat by the fire enjoying each others company talking. Richard talked about growing up at Moorcroft and the pranks he got up to while at college, how Charles became his best friend and how he fell in love with his sister and moved away. Charlotte talked about the changes she had seen happen at Moorcroft, how the outbuildings had been utilised and how the gardens had been landscaped. While Charlotte still held her original drink, Richard had refilled his glass several times and he was beginning to slur his words. He looked about the room. “It was here, in this house, where I found love, she had been under my nose for years and I had never noticed her. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. I thought I would die when she was killed.” It was only when he mentioned Victoria that he noticed a change in Charlotte, the smile had gone from her face and she remained silent.

“I’m sorry have I said something to offend you?”

She rested her hand on his knee, she could feel the heat radiate to her fingers. “It just makes me feel sad talking about Victoria.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t thinking. Would you like the tour of the house now?”

“I would love that, but isn’t it getting late?”

“Oh, do you have to go I hadn’t really been watching the time?”

She smiled. “I suppose a few more minutes wouldn’t matter, but are you sure you can manage, you have had a lot to drink?”

He stood up and reached for her hand. “Nonsense, I’m as sober as a judge, walk this way.”

They entered the great hall and faced the stairs. He looked down at her.

“You don’t really want to look at my study again and I’m sure the kitchen isn’t so appealing to you.” He gripped her hand and they walked over to the right of the stairs and opened a door. He stood to one side and she walked into the room. “This is our dining room; it hasn’t been used for years. Notice the marble fireplace and the ornate coving.” He waved his arms in the air and almost fell over. Charlotte laughed and took his arm and he looked down into her eyes, she was quite lovely he thought. Back in the hall, still holding her hand, they slowly climbed the stairs. Charlotte had to steady him as he wavered from side to side. He pointed out the mahogany hand rail and the chandelier. Walking down the corridors he opened doors one after the other and waved his arms about pointing out cornicing and light fittings and four poster beds.

Charlotte stopped outside one door they had not looked in. “What’s in here?”