A Hiss Before Dying

Afterword

Once back at Big Rawly, Maureen did not mourn Sheba. No one seemed to mind that the lady’s maid vanished.

Over at Cloverfields, the news of yet another missing slave from Big Rawly was met with resignation. Big Rawly leaked people like an old bucket.

The missing jewelry, though, caused talk. Did Mignon really take them or did Sheba? Did Sheba buy her way to freedom? Did she bury the treasure? Would she return for it?

As time went by, many folks believed Sheba was dead.

As for DoRe, neither he nor Henry ever spoke of things. DoRe had avenged a wicked abuser of a beautiful girl and his son ran for his life as she lied about Moses killing Francisco Selisse. Moses was making a good life in York, Pennsylvania, but his father missed him.

Bettina’s response to all this was, “I didn’t wish her dead, but I rejoice that she’s gone.”

About ninety miles east in Richmond, Binky, throat slit, was found propped up against a tobacco warehouse door. As no one claimed to know him, he was thrown in a pauper’s grave.

Catherine, Rachel, John, Charles, and Ewing paid some attention to all this but fell into the routine of hard work.

The big news was that France was having difficulty paying its bills. That and the wonderful news that Catherine would have another child, due in June.

In the twenty-first century, things also died down. Harry felt sure that whoever had been troubling the Taylors’ grave would eventually be found. She was right, but it would take time and cleverness. That would come next spring. The chits, too, would be found in good time.

Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker lived in harmony with nature, although not always with one another. They evidenced no interest in divining the future. The day they were in proved sufficient for happiness. They had long ago given up teaching their humans this lesson.