Dead With The Wind

CHAPTER 19

When An’gel awoke that morning, she was disoriented for a moment by the unfamiliar surroundings. Then her brain cleared, and she remembered where she was. A glance at her watch on the bedside table informed her that it was a few minutes before seven. She got out of bed and padded over to the window to pull back the curtains from the French doors. The sun was up, and it promised to be a fair day. Not a cloud in the sky from what she could see.

An’gel checked the floor of the gallery and noted that it looked dry enough. She opened the doors and stepped outside. The cool, clear air woke her further, and she moved to the waist-high railing.

She glanced down at the front lawn at the spot where Sondra’s body had lain, and she sighed. The events of the previous day flooded her memory, and all at once she felt the full weight of her eighty-four years. With a heavy heart she closed her eyes and said another prayer for Mireille.

She left the French doors open while she went to shower in the bathroom next door. The hot water eased the ache in her shoulders, and she felt more ready to face the day by the time she finished dressing and putting on her makeup. The cool air coming in off the gallery refreshed her as well. She was ready by seven thirty. As she walked down the stairs, she wondered what news she would hear.

The dining room was empty, and there were no dishes on the sideboard. An’gel wasn’t all that surprised, given the chaos of the day before. She would be perfectly happy to fix her own breakfast if Estelle wasn’t up to it.

In the kitchen she found the housekeeper busy at the stove. The aroma of frying bacon tantalized An’gel’s taste buds, and she smelled biscuits baking in the oven.

“Good morning, Estelle,” An’gel said. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Not a blessed thing,” Estelle said. “I’m perfectly capable of doing my job, thank you. Got off to a late start this morning, but food’ll be ready in about ten minutes.” She scowled at the frying pan.

An’gel decided to let the rudeness pass, at least for now. “Are Jacqueline and Horace back from the hospital, do you know?”

“They’re back.” Estelle flipped several strips of bacon with a spatula. She continued in a tone devoid of emotion. “Got in around two. I expect they won’t be down to breakfast, although Jacqueline has to start making the arrangements for Mireille and Sondra.”

An’gel felt the last words as if Estelle had struck her in the face. She had hoped the housekeeper was completely wrong about Mireille’s death. Now the reality began to set in, and her eyes began to well.

“Excuse me,” she muttered as she turned away and fumbled for the tissue she had tucked in her sleeve.

“Told you last night,” Estelle said. “I could tell you didn’t believe me. Makes no difference, though. I know a lot of things, but nobody ever pays any attention to me.” She chuckled, and then the chuckle turned into a deep-throated laugh.

An’gel turned to look at the housekeeper. She was taken aback by the woman’s evident mirth. What could possibly be so funny? She hoped Estelle wasn’t about to get hysterical, although if she did, An’gel would take pleasure in throwing a glass of water in her face to calm her down.

“What kind of things are you talking about?” An’gel asked in a neutral tone.

Estelle shot her a sly glance. “Just things. Things people don’t think I know. Now that Mireille’s gone, I have to look after myself, because there sure isn’t anybody else going to.”

An’gel wanted to press Estelle further, because the housekeeper’s boastful tone made her uneasy. An’gel thought Estelle’s words sounded like a veiled blackmail threat.

“I’d be careful if I were you.” The words came out more sharply than An’gel intended. “All this talk about ‘knowing things’ could get you into a difficult situation.”

Estelle turned to face her. “I don’t need any advice from you. Why don’t you mind your own business and go to the dining room? Breakfast will be ready soon.”

An’gel decided she’d had enough. If the woman wouldn’t listen to good advice, there was nothing more she could do. She turned and walked out of the kitchen without bothering to reply. At any other time she would discuss the housekeeper’s rudeness with Jacqueline, but An’gel didn’t want to add to her goddaughter’s burdens. She was mighty curious about the things Estelle claimed to know and wondered how the housekeeper planned to make use of her so-called knowledge.

Perhaps she ought to discuss the matter with Horace. An’gel considered that option as she made her way to the dining room. But what if Horace was the object of Estelle’s plans? For once she was unsure what to do, an unusual state for her. She finally decided she would discuss the matter with Dickce before she took any action.

She met Benjy and Peanut at the foot of the stairs.

“Morning, Miss An’gel.” Benjy smiled. “I hope you had a good night. Peanut and I sure did. I guess Endora spent the night with Miss Dickce.”

“I slept well once I finally got to bed.” An’gel patted the dog’s head, and Peanut’s tail thumped against the floor. “Breakfast will be ready before long.”

“Good,” Benjy said, “because I’m starving. I’m going to take Peanut out for a few minutes, though, and then give him his breakfast. We won’t be long.”

An’gel nodded and watched as young man and dog opened the front door and stepped out onto the verandah. She sighed. What it would be like to be that age again. Then she shook her head. No use pining after long-spent youth.

“Good morning, Sister.”

An’gel glanced up the stairs to see Dickce and Endora coming down toward her. The cat moved as sedately as Dickce, as if she were escorting the woman. An’gel smiled briefly and returned the greeting.

“Any news?” Dickce asked when she and Endora reached the bottom.

“Afraid so,” An’gel said. “Mireille did pass away last night.”

Dickce closed her eyes for a moment. An’gel squeezed her sister’s arm, and Dickce opened her eyes, blinking back tears. An’gel felt the cat rub against her legs. She looked down, and she would have sworn Endora was looking at her with sympathy.

“Breakfast should be ready in a few minutes,” An’gel said. “Let’s go into the dining room. I have a few things to tell you.”

“I have a few things to tell you, too,” Dickce said.

“What about Tippy?” An’gel asked. She had almost forgotten the child.

“Jacqueline is with her,” Dickce said. “Sound asleep on the bed with her when I looked in earlier.”

An’gel could only hope that Jacqueline found some solace in the company of her grandchild. Jacqueline faced bitter days ahead as she grieved for her mother and her daughter.

The sisters met Jackson coming out of the dining room. He looked at them with sorrow-filled eyes. He tried to speak, but couldn’t. An’gel and Dickce each took a hand and held it tightly.

“I just can’t believe Miss Mireille’s gone.” Jackson’s voice was rough with grief. “Known her since she was a little bitty girl.”

“I know,” An’gel said softly. She had to keep it together, or all three of them would be crying any minute now. “She thought the world of you. Be strong now, for her sake. That’s all any of us can do.”

Jackson attempted a smile. “Thank you, Miss An’gel.” He sighed deeply. “There’s coffee ready in the dining room now. I’ll go see if Miss Estelle’s ready to bring out the food.”

The sisters gave his hands one last squeeze and released him. An’gel watched him as he walked, shoulders slumped and head down, toward the kitchen.

“I hope Jacqueline and Horace will take good care of him,” Dickce said.

“I’m sure they will,” An’gel said. “I imagine Mireille provided for him.” Her tone turned brisk. “I don’t know about you, but I could certainly use some coffee right about now.” She headed into the dining room.

Dickce and Endora trailed behind her. The cat began to meow when An’gel poured coffee for herself and her sister.

“She’s hungry,” Dickce said. “I’d better find Benjy and get her food; otherwise, she’ll keep talking and complaining.” She glanced fondly at the cat.

“Benjy took Peanut out just before you came down,” An’gel said as she took a seat at the table. “They should be back any minute now.”

“Did you hear that, Endora?” Dickce looked down at the cat. “Benjy will be here soon, and he’ll find your food, okay?”

Endora looked up at Dickce and meowed again, with what An’gel thought sounded like an interrogative tone.

Dickce nodded and said, “Yes, really.”

Endora settled down by Dickce’s chair.

“I swear she understands what you told her,” An’gel said.

“Of course she does,” Dickce said. “Endora is very smart.”

Benjy’s entrance with Peanut diverted An’gel from the tart reply she intended to make. Instead she said to Benjy, “We have a hungry cat on our hands.”

Benjy grinned. “I’ll take care of that. Come on, Endora, let’s go upstairs and get you some breakfast.” The cat ran over to him and jumped into his arms. “I fed Peanut already,” Benjy said. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Boy and animals disappeared from the dining room, and the sisters enjoyed their coffee. An’gel wondered how much longer breakfast would be. While they waited, she quickly told Dickce about her conversation with Estelle.

“Strange,” Dickce said. She was about to comment further when the object of the conversation wheeled a serving trolley into the room and began to put large covered dishes on the sideboard, along with a stack of plates and silverware.

“Help yourselves,” Estelle said. “Napkins are in the drawer.” She wheeled the trolley out again.

“She is one of the most graceless persons I have ever known,” An’gel said when she thought the housekeeper was out of earshot.

“I don’t know how Mireille put up with her for so long,” Dickce said as she got up from the table and moved to the sideboard.

An’gel joined her, and they began to help themselves to scrambled eggs, biscuits, and bacon. “So what do you think? Should I talk to Horace about what she said to me?”

“Talk to Horace about what?”

An’gel turned to see Jacqueline, with Tippy in her arms, in the doorway of the dining room.

An’gel thought furiously. She didn’t want to tell Jacqueline about Estelle’s ominous words. What could she tell her instead?