“Could this be your friend?” he asked smoothly.
Marvella’s stomach twisted into a tight knot. In that instant she knew Rankin was behind, at least, the disappearance of Edward Elkins, who had been found underneath what was the old Kushner Building. Something in his tone, his feigned innocence, told her. She pulled herself together, leaned forward.
“It’s difficult to make out features but it could be. Then again, how many women could fit this image?” She prayed that was enough to allay his fears.
“Yes.” He folded his hands together. “I’m still waiting on Dad for the exhibit confirmation. I have been working on him and I’ll get back to you.”
As she left his sumptuous office she knew what he really said was “Help me out and I’ll help you out. Discreetly.”
Sweat rolled down Marvella’s back like an old hot flash.
The minute she reached home she picked up her landline. Much harder to trace the call.
“Harry.” Her voice’s urgency alerted Harry.
“Marvella, what’s wrong?”
“Were you at Cloudcroft last night with your corgi?”
A long pause followed, then “Yes.”
“They know. Cameras. Protect yourself, Harry. I don’t know what is going on but I feel strongly that you are in danger.”
“I could be.” Harry told the truth. “Marvella, thank you and watch out for yourself.”
“I didn’t identify you. I did say it might be you but so many women could fit the description of that shadowy woman in the dark.”
“You risked your exhibit.”
“That’s irrelevant,” Marvella immediately replied. “Promise you will protect yourself and not do anything so foolish.”
“I will. I found old bones, Marvella. Not human. Older. Much older.”
“No good can come from old bones, no matter to whom they belonged,” Marvella said with feeling, for after all, one does not disturb the dead.
43
May 16, 1787
Wednesday
Catherine, watching Ralston ride, stood next to Jeddie.
“He’s stiff. His elbows are locked. Tell him to get off,” Jeddie criticized.
“He’s not the rider you are but the horses need a bit of work. I’ve seen a lot worse.”
“Just let me ride. I can do it with a sling. I only need one arm and I’ve walked them with this sling. I can trot and gallop.”
“No,” she sharply replied. “That’s final. Walking, yes. The rest, no.”
Grimacing, he stared at Ralston, his eyes narrowing. “All he thinks about is girls.”
“Well.” She decided not to pursue that.
“I can’t stand this.”
“A few more weeks. They’ll fly by. Now stop complaining. Have you any ideas how we can help Yancy?”
“Do what?”
“Well, he’s paid off Maureen for William’s labor. Actually, he paid double. She was insisting that Yancy pay William’s value, which of course she trebled. She did not offer to pay for the loss of Black Knight. Yancy quite rightly said this was a matter for the authorities.”
“William can’t keep Black Knight, although he could get a high price for the horse. If he’s smart and I think he is, he left the horse, started walking by foot.”
“Jeddie, there’s been so much to do you and I haven’t been able to study this. Did William say anything to you when you worked horses together?”
Jeddie shook his head “no,” which was the truth. “He bragged on himself. He kept telling me how he would outride me but I paid no attention.”
“He’s left you a scar on your cheek.”
“If I ever find him I’ll break his arms,” Jeddie hissed. “If he’d hurt Reynaldo, I would kill him.”
“I’d help you.” She touched his shoulder. “Be careful.” As he looked at her, puzzled, she quietly said, “I don’t want Maureen’s anger to travel to you.”
He looked at her. He knew what Maureen was capable of doing to her slaves.
Ralston trotted back, stopped at Catherine and Jeddie, who gave him a withering look.
“He’s such a lovely mover. Ralston, when you and Tulli wipe him down, turn him out, go to the carriage house and see if Barker O. needs a hand.”
“Yes, Miss Catherine.” He smiled, ignored Jeddie, rode toward the stable while Jeddie watched.
“I can go to Barker O.”
“Let him do it. We need to sit down and figure out if we’re going to breed Queen Esther. Have you studied your bloodlines?”
“Yes.”
Before she could answer, the rhythmic clip-clop of two horses working in tandem drew their attention as DoRe drove to the stable. Jeddie stepped forward to hold the matched pair with his good hand.
DoRe easily swung down, winced a bit as his one leg touched the ground. “Miss Catherine.”
“DoRe. How good to see you and on such a beautiful day. How did you manage to slip away from Big Rawly?”
He sighed. “She wants to know if anyone believes Sheba is behind William’s escape.”
Sheba had been missing since October 1786. As Maureen’s lady-in-waiting she exercised her power with deviousness, greed, and endless lies. DoRe knew she was dead, but no one else did.
“Sheba wouldn’t help anyone,” Catherine swiftly replied.
“True.”
“Go on to the house. Bettina will have something special. Perhaps we can all come up with something that will satisfy Maureen’s curiosity. She has lost five people in the last few years.”
“She believes it’s a conspiracy,” DoRe solemnly reported. “She’s offered me money to spy. For now. Who knows what she’ll do next?”
“Indeed.” Catherine nodded in agreement.
DoRe looked at Jeddie. “Hurt?”
“Not much. I want to ride but Miss Catherine won’t let me.”
“She’s right.”