Finished Off (A Bellehaven House Mystery Book 2)
Read Finished Off (A Bellehaven House Mystery Book 2) Online
Authors: Kate Kingsbury
Finished Off
A Bellehaven House
Mystery
By Kate Kingsbury
Copyright 2009 by Doreen Roberts Hight
Cover by Rachel High
To Bill,
for making my life beautiful
.
Acknowledgments
As always, I could not have written this book without the generous help and contribution of others.
First and foremost, my editor, Sandra Harding, who came up with the knockout title. I value your expertise, your great sense of story, your encouragement and enthusiasm, and most of all, your friendship. Thank you for making me look good.
My agent, Paige Wheeler. I truly appreciate your loyalty and respect for my work. It means a lot to me. Thank you.
My lifetime friend, Ann Wraight. Thanks for all the great research material. You inspire me.
Berkley's amazing art department. Every time I think they can't possibly come up with a better cover than the last, they prove me wrong. This is one standout cover and I thank you.
My mother, for instilling in me the importance of discipline, the value of hard work, and the wisdom to know when to quit.
My incredible fans. Thank you for taking the time to write and tell me that you enjoy my books. There can be no greater reward for a writer than that.
My husband, who puts up with me every day and still keeps his sense of humor.
Chapter 1
"You look pensive, Meredith. Is something troubling
you?" Felicity Cross pulled a hairpin from her auburn hair and stuck it back into the tight coil at the nape of her neck. "You haven't said a word about rehearsals, and the choral recital is only a week away."
Meredith Llewellyn finished her row of purl stitches and laid the knitting needles on her lap. She had been debating whether or not to confide in her friend. Now that the opportunity had arisen, she was still uneasy about revealing her secret. "I have a lot on my mind," she said at last.
Felicity sniffed, and swiped a hand at her prominent nose. "Don't we all. We have barely begun the twentieth century and already rumors of another war are floating around. Compared to that, worrying about our petty little problems is somewhat self-indulgent in my opinion."
Meredith held her tongue with difficulty. Considering Felicity's vocation was instructing privileged young ladies in Romance languages and literature, the woman had an unfortunate way with words.
The other woman seated in the teacher's lounge, however, showed far more sympathy. Esmeralda Pickard leaned
forward on her chair, her blue eyes filled with concern. "What is it, Meredith? It is not like you to be so reticent. I do hope your duties are not becoming too much for you. I cannot begin to imagine what Bellehaven House would be without its eminent head mistress."
Felicity snorted in a most unbecoming way. "The day Meredith steps down from her post will be the day the earth stands still."
Essie, as she was affectionately known, sat up straight. "Not everyone has your infinite energy, Felicity. Taking charge of a finishing school for young ladies must be an exhausting and arduous task. I know I should not do well at it at all. I find it tiring enough to teach the social graces. Sometimes it seems an impossible feat to accomplish. Especially when a good number of my pupils would prefer to be in London, smashing the windows of government buildings in protest for women's rights."
"Yet you always do well with your students." Meredith smiled at the young teacher. With her blond curls and baby face, Essie looked far too young to control a classroom of spirited young women, yet somehow she managed it with grace and efficiency. "They all adore you, Essie, and in spite of their idealism, I'm sure they secretly aspire to attain your elegance and poise."
Felicity snorted again. "Most of them don't even know the meaning of the words. As for breaking windows, I can think of far less beneficial ways to spend their time. Such as learning how to greet a member of royalty, for instance. How many of them will have that honor?"
Instead of taking offense, Essie let out a peal of laughter. "I think King Edward would enjoy meeting some of our spirited young women. They could certainly teach him a thing or two."
"Hmmph." Felicity lifted the cup from the saucer she was holding and took a sip of tea. "I think it more likely to be the other way around. He isn't known as the playboy prince without good reason."
"Felicity!" Meredith pretended to be shocked. She was
well used to her colleague's blunt tongue, and had long ago given up any thoughts of preventing the feisty woman from saying exactly what she thought. Even if it did offend whoever happened to be within earshot.
"You still haven't said what's bothering you." Felicity gave her a sharp glance. "Not under the weather, I trust?"
"I'm perfectly well, thank you." Meredith hesitated, glancing around the spacious room, even though she knew quite well she was alone with her two best friends. Sylvia Montrose, the fourth instructress at the renowned finishing school for young ladies, was at present on duty at the tennis courts overseeing the final tournament of the season.
"Then what is it?" Felicity leaned forward, a look of grim determination on her face. "Something has you in a snit. I can tell."
Meredith sighed. "I might have known I couldn't keep anything from you. The truth is . . . " She paused, even now reluctant to divulge what she knew was bound to cause a sensation. "I've seen another one," she finished in a rush.
Both women gaped at her—one with her teacup frozen in midair, the other with confusion written all over her flawless face.
Felicity was the first to speak. "I hope you don't mean what I think you mean."
Essie, who had not been blessed with Felicity's sharp mind, blinked. "What do you think she means?"
"A ghost," Meredith clarified. "I've seen another ghost."
"Heaven save us," Felicity muttered.
Essie merely gasped, apparently bereft of words. Not that Meredith could blame her. When Kathleen Duncan, her fellow tutor and friend, had first appeared as a ghost, even Meredith had trouble believing her own eyes. It had taken some time for her to realize that Kathleen wanted her to solve her recent murder.
She and Kathleen had shared many an adventure in their years at Bellehaven, but this was one escapade for which Meredith was ill-prepared, and it had been more by
luck than judgment that she had discovered the culprit. Now it seemed, there was another ghost needing her help, and she wasn't at all certain she was up to the task.
"I didn't want to say anything at first." Needing to put her hands to use, Meredith picked up her knitting again. "I thought it might be my imagination. After all, one ghost in somebody's lifetime is quite enough."
"Apparently not for the ghosts." None too gently, Felicity replaced her cup in its saucer. "Word must have got around in the netherworld, or wherever it is ghosts congregate, that you are the great benefactor, the ghost savior, the sleuth who solves their murders. They're probably lining up right now, waiting for their turn to be avenged so they can float off in peace."
"I don't find that amusing, Felicity." Meredith raised her chin. Although Felicity had grudgingly accepted that she, Meredith, had on previous occasions encountered the ghost of her dear departed friend, the pragmatic teacher still viewed the entire episode with a certain lack of conviction.
"I'm not trying to be amusing." Felicity shook her head. "I'm being realistic. If you really did see another ghost, then obviously you have stirred up a nest of hornets in the ghost world. So what are you going to do about it?"
"I don't know." Meredith dropped her knitting again. "I would infinitely prefer to ignore her and hope she goes away, but she seems so helpless and pitiful. I feel obligated to help."
"Same old Meredith." Felicity shrugged. "No wonder people take advantage of you. Even dead people."
Essie found her voice, albeit a shade higher in octave. "You said 'she.' This ghost is a woman? Someone you know?" She coughed. "I mean knew."
Meredith shook her head. "This time it's a child. A little girl. I've never seen her before."
Even Felicity seemed startled by this revelation. "A
child
? Are you telling me a child was murdered?"
"Well, I don't know for certain, of course. The truth is,
Kathleen's ghost brought her to me, and since Kathleen had been murdered, I assume the child had been also."
"But you knew Kathleen before she was killed. We all did. After all, we worked with her for years. I can understand why her ghost would come to you for help." Felicity shook her head. "Listen to me. I can't believe I actually said that."
"Because you know it's true," Meredith said with a catch in her voice. Even now, she found it hard to speak of the beloved teacher and friend who had died so recently.
"But why would Kathleen bring you an unknown child?"
"I imagine Kathleen thought that since I helped find her murderer, I could do the same for the child."
"When was this?"
"A week ago. The last time I saw Kathleen's ghost. The child has returned twice since then."
"And just like Kathleen, she doesn't speak to you, I suppose."
"She keeps pointing at my chest." Meredith looked down at the knitting on her lap. "I'm afraid I'm not very good at this ghost business. Whatever powers I seem to have are unpredictable at best. I can't communicate with them, and they are barely in my vision long enough to understand what it is they are trying to tell me."
"Well, at least you can see them." Felicity slumped back on her chair. "It would help if you weren't the only one who can."
Essie shuddered. "Goodness, I'm thankful I can't see them. I should faint dead away, I'm sure."
Felicity rolled her eyes. "Well, be that as it may, if this is like the last time Meredith went hunting for a killer, it would seem we are in for yet another interesting adventure."
Meredith briefly closed her eyes. Much as she sympathized with the dead child, she wasn't at all sure she wanted to be involved with another murder. Especially of someone she had never been acquainted with and had no idea what
had happened to her. "If only I knew what she was pointing at," she murmured.
She wasn't aware she had spoken aloud until Felicity spoke again. "I thought you said she was pointing at your chest." She stared at Meredith's bosom. "Perhaps it was something you were wearing. A brooch, or a pendant?"
Meredith sighed. "Not my chest, Felicity. I meant my chest of drawers. The one in my bedroom."
Essie giggled, while Felicity frowned. "Oh, well, that's different."
"Is it?" Meredith shook her head. "I still have no idea what she wanted."
"Maybe she wasn't pointing at the chest, but at something on it."
Meredith stared at her. "Now why didn't I think of that?"
Felicity leaned forward, apparently caught up in the puzzle. "Always assuming this ghost is real, and that you're convinced she is asking you to solve her murder, it might help to consider the possibility. What do you have on your chest that might be of interest to a child?"
Meredith thought for a moment, then her shoulders sagged. "I can't think of anything. I have a photograph taken with my late husband, rest his soul, and a little statuette standing next to it. Then I have an oil lamp and an alarm clock." She thought some more. "I think that's all . . . no, wait. My jewelry box."
Felicity's frown deepened. "You leave your jewelry out where everyone can see it? What if one of the maids decided to help themselves?"
Meredith puffed out her breath. "Really, Felicity, you must have more faith in our servants. Olivia and Grace have been with us for more than two years and have never once touched something that didn't belong to them."
"There's always a first time." Felicity held up her hands at Meredith's scowl. "All right. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt."
"What does the statuette look like?" Essie asked, surprising them both.
"It depicts a mother with her baby in her arms." Meredith caught her breath as the pain that never really left her sharpened. "My beloved Daniel presented it to me when we learned we were to have a child." She swallowed. "Shortly before he died fighting the Boers."
Essie uttered a cry of distress. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Meredith. I didn't mean . . ."
Meredith reached out to lay a hand on her arm. "It's quite all right, Essie. I have come to terms with his death and that of our unborn child."
"I don't know how anyone can accept the death of a child," Felicity said, her voice softening for once. "Unborn or not."