Chapter Six

THE FIRST SECTION:

While Coleman was in the other room with Montgomery and the rest of the men, Emily sought comfort with her mother-in-law Isabelle. It is not like there is anyone else to talk to in this evil place, she thought to herself. At least Isabelle has her own mind.

“Madam Montague,” she said to her elder, “thanks so much for the invite.”

“Ha!” the woman retorted, “this was not my idea. Edward insisted on it. I think there is a little devious conversation going on somewhere my dear, don’t you?”

“It is not my place or business to think about such things,” Emily responded. “Besides, why would I want to get involved in all of that stuff? It is so uninteresting.”

“Only because the men are involved, my dear,” was Isabelle’s answer.

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The mood of the conversation quickly turned light as the two women chuckled at their husbands’ expense. There was never much that could keep these two quiet for long. Isabelle had longed joked about killing Edward and stealing his fortune, a tale Emily took properly more serious than it was spoken. She remembered the time Edward came home and barely missed having his head chopped off by an intruder’s axe. The police eventually caught the man and he turned around and blamed Isabelle. Of course, no one publicly bought that story. But most believed it to be true, at least the part about her hiring the man. From that moment on, Edward made sure that each room was guarded by a servant around the clock. No chance is too great to take with your life, he was recalled to have said when news first broke of his new security plan.
Then there was the time someone stuffed a poisonous snake in his desk. When Edward propped open drawer, the snake flew at him from its confinement. He was lucky to not have been bitten. Edward fired the entire staff and hired a new group soon after that. Finally, Edward ordered a new kitchen, dining room and cooking staff to cook and serve him alone. This came after an odd flavored chicken kept Edward vomiting violently for weeks. Emily distinctly remembered a disappointed Isabelle say after he recovered, “He is a durable man isn’t he?”

Emily never asked Isabelle why she wanted to kill Edward so much. He may have been a cold hearted businessman, but he was honest and charming when he wanted to be. There was never any doubt where he stood on issues. And he was never a rude man, at least not to Emily. Emily just assumed that Isabelle wanted to take his money and run. She was, after all, the wealthier of the two. Maybe she does not like him living off her, she thought.

After talking for about an hour, Emily moved on when she noticed a friend walk in. “Sarah,” Emily said with her arms open. The women embraced and exchanged excited hellos. “We should go off somewhere and talk.”

“Do you mind Jonathan?” Sarah asked her husband. He wished them well and the two hurried off to a rear porch that was well away from the party.

“So how are you today Emily,” Sarah asked with a smile.

“Much better than someone thinks I am,” Emily responded with a laugh. “He must think I am going to die soon.”

“Well good for him,” Sarah said, “It will do him good to think he’s in trouble from time to time.” She paused and thought for a moment before continuing, “Well, maybe permanently is more suitable.”

The women laughed and relaxed on the swinging seat. They loosened up from their formal lifestyles and chatted happily about the vulgarities of their friends. If anyone understood Emily at all it was Sarah, her childhood friend. The two went to school together and Sarah’s brother worked for a while in the Mayor’s office for Richard. The two always managed to find each other at a gathering, sometimes they planned to crash the party if only one was invited. The two had an incredible sway over their husbands.

“So how is Jonathan?” Emily asked.

“Life is good for me now,” Sarah suggested. “He is really a good man. I am happy to have him in my life. We work as partners you know.”

Emily nodded, “I know, but what about us? What is to become of us?”

“Oh,” calmed Sarah, “I would never leave you out. I know how much pain you are in.”

Emily screeched in delight and grabbed a hold of Sarah’s hand. The women laughed again. “I knew you would not let me down. Where shall we go this week? Do you we have a girl’s night anywhere?”

“Maybe,” Sarah let go of Emily’s hand. “It depends on whether or not Jonathan can get his ship into Jamestown. He’s been awaiting word on its travels for two weeks now.”

“Still no word?”

“None at all,” Sarah sighed. “I do not know how much longer we can last in this world.”

Emily grinned and took hold of Sarah’s hand again. She pulled it up to her chest and said, “Then you can come and live with us. It would be wonderful!”

Sarah smiled and said, “It would, would it not? Can you imagine the look on the men’s faces if we told them?”

“They’d have no choice. We would grill them into submission. And then we could isolate them into another part of the house.”

“The east side,” Sarah dreamed, “So we can have the afternoon sun.”

“It is settled then,” Emily exclaimed. “I will start moving the furniture tomorrow, and I won’t even tell Coleman until the day before you move!”

“If only that were possible Emily,” Sarah said rolling her eyes. “You really should not get so excited.”

“Oh you are a bore,” pouted Emily. “Such a great way to ruin a perfectly good dream.”

The women sat in silence for about five seconds and then burst into laughter; each falling off the swing to the porch floor. Can you imagine? They both shouted to each other over and over. But while Sarah only laughed with her friend, Emily secretly wished that they were not laughing and planning instead. I would be all over this plan if she would give me a chance to, Emily thought. But Emily also knew that Sarah and her husband were very happy, despite their struggles and apparent financial decline.

As the women remained on the floor, a servant came to the door and startled them. They quickly helped themselves up and asked the servant what is was he wanted. He replied that “Mister Montague was looking for his wife.” And then he asked what he should do.

Sarah frowned at Emily and then smiled and wished her luck. Emily followed the servant through the house to the life of the party, leaving Sarah alone on the porch. But as they neared the end of the hallway, the servant and Emily, and most of the party inside, heard Sarah scream. Emily led a group of curiosity seekers back down the hall where the met Sarah running toward them.

“What happened Sarah?” Emily asked as she threw her arms around her shocked friend.

“I saw a man,” she said, “on the other side of the bush from the porch.”

The servant led a few other servants and a couple of men down the hall to the room. They gathered on the porch to survey the scene. A few grounds crew raced across the lawn and responded to the pointing fingers from the men on the porch. But in their search they found no one.

“A man?” asked Isabelle, who had worked her way to the front of the crowd.

“Yes,” Sarah sputtered, “a young man. I think. Maybe he was older. I really could not tell!”

The crowd embraced Sarah and brought her to the main hall where her husband was just arriving after being told of the incident. He hugged her and asked her if she was all right. Emily did not want to let Sarah go, but she did when Sarah naturally moved into her husband’s arms. I have never felt that, she thought.

About that time the Constable of Charlton walked into the room and made an announcement, “Folks, I must say that I am somewhat happy this event has occurred.” The crowd gasped but he continued, “I have just learned where your stolen goods are. They were found this evening in Marnie by one of my detectives.”

“My jewels?” cried one woman.

“We believe it is everything madam,” the constable said. “But we cannot give it to you right away.” The crowd demanded a reason and he quickly gave one, “We need to find out who is behind it. If we do not, you will simply lose more than you have already lost. I know it is difficult, but we are working on a plan to do this.”

“I say hang them all,” a man cried to the cheers of the crowd. “Honestly, I think we should send in our men to beat them down, to teach them all a lesson. Staring down a club that is about to crush my skull would get me to talk. Why would they not do the same thing?”

Another man shouted from the back, “I agree. They are all scum. At least one of them is likely to talk. Then we could send a message and get the culprit.”

The crowd cheered at this suggestion and pounced on the constable to do something. They pleaded with him to take their suggestions and to do it that night. The constable looked confused and concerned. He searched the crowd for some leadership and then his eye caught Montgomery. He glanced at the old man, who was flanked by his supporters and saw him nod in approval. He then saw Jasper, one of the men at the earlier meeting, mouth the word “tomorrow” as though tonight would be a poor time to go in.

“OK,” the calmed the constable, “first thing tomorrow morning. I will send my men in.”

The crowd seemed to accept, if not expect, this decision. Jasper walked over to the constable and whispered in his ear before the letting the man get back to his work. Coleman, who was standing beside his father near Montgomery, sought out Emily.

“Dear girl,” he said, “are you alright? Were you out there with Sarah when this happened?”

Emily turned away. Now is not the time to become so compassionate, she thought of Coleman.
“I was not,” she said, “but I wish I would have been.”

“Thank goodness,” started Coleman, “What? You wish you were there? Why? You could have been hurt.”

“Well I for one would stand by her and gladly take my beating to help protect her,” Emily said. “And she would do the same I am sure.”

“Do not be foolish. It is never worth injuring yourself over such matters,” Coleman said.
Emily rolled her eyes and started walking toward the door, “I am sure that is how you feel.”