Finished Off (A Bellehaven House Mystery Book 2) Read Online Free
Author: Kate Kingsbury
things."
"How are you coming along with the recital?"
Meredith welcomed Felicity's attempt to change the subject. "I shall know better at rehearsal tomorrow." She turned away from the window and smiled at her friend. "In the meantime, I feel quite hungry. It must be time for supper."
Following Felicity out of the door, she made an effort to dismiss the problems of the day. She had more than the management duties of Bellehaven to worry about. Foremost in her mind was the coming night, and the possibility of a visit with the ghost of a small child seeking justice.
"Absolutely not!" Mrs. Wilkins took a firm grasp of her rolling pin as if threatening to use it as a weapon. "No maids of mine are going to damage government buildings. I absolutely forbid it."
Olivia glared at Grace. "Can't keep your bloody mouth shut, can you."
"Sorry. It just sort of slipped out."
Olivia scowled at the cook. "Well, you can't stop us, anyway. What we do in our free time is our business."
"Not if it reflects on the school it's not." Mrs. Wilkins shuddered at the consequences of such a crime. "Imagine what would happen if some of them government officials found out two of our servants were breaking their windows. They'd shut down the school, that's what. Then we'd all be out of a home and a job. Is that what you want?"
Grace sent a nervous glance at Olivia. "Of course we don't, but—"
"No buts, my girl." Mrs. Wilkins brandished her rolling pin. "I'll box both your ears if I get so much as a hint that you're planning to do anything like that. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Mrs. Wilkins." Grace dropped her chin and stared at the floor.
The cook nodded. "Good." She looked at Olivia, and braced herself for another bout of arguments. "Olivia? Do I make myself clear?"
To her surprise, Olivia merely shrugged. "I s'pose."
"Then you promise me you won't go breaking no windows?"
"All right."
Mrs. Wilkins stared at the girl, wanting to believe her. "Good," she said at last. "I hope I can trust you both to keep that promise. Now, let's get this food into the dining hall before everybody starves in there."
Watching the two girls carefully as they loaded up the trays, she couldn't tell if they were really complying with her demands and forgetting any idea of sabotage, or if they were simply pretending to go along with her wishes.
She hoped and prayed it was the former. Whether the maids realized it or not, what she had told them was true. If they were caught doing damage to government buildings, there'd be hell to pay. For all of them. It could even mean the end for Bellehaven.
Even if the constabulary didn't shut the place down, who would want to send their daughters to a finishing school where the servants broke the law and quite possibly ended up in prison? It just didn't bear thinking about.
That night, Meredith had almost fallen asleep when the familiar chill crept across her bed—a breath of cold air that had nothing to do with the bite of the autumn wind outside. She knew immediately what it meant. A ghostly presence had invaded the room and needed her attention.
Heart thumping, she reached out until her fingers touched the oil lamp on her bedside table. Drawing it closer, she turned up the wick, then felt for the box of matches. Her fingers shook as she touched flame to wick, and soft light bathed the room.
Although she had tried to prepare herself, it was still a shock to see the misty outline of the child floating just afew feet away. Carefully, Meredith raised herself up until her back rested against the iron bars of the bedstead. "Hello," she said softly.
The child hovered a few inches above the floor. Slowly she raised one arm and pointed across the room.
Meredith frowned. Perhaps Felicity was right, and it was something on the chest of drawers that interested the ghost. "I don't understand what you mean. Are you pointing at the photograph?"
The child continued to point.
"The jewelry box?"
Still the child pointed.
Meredith let out a
"How are you coming along with the recital?"
Meredith welcomed Felicity's attempt to change the subject. "I shall know better at rehearsal tomorrow." She turned away from the window and smiled at her friend. "In the meantime, I feel quite hungry. It must be time for supper."
Following Felicity out of the door, she made an effort to dismiss the problems of the day. She had more than the management duties of Bellehaven to worry about. Foremost in her mind was the coming night, and the possibility of a visit with the ghost of a small child seeking justice.
"Absolutely not!" Mrs. Wilkins took a firm grasp of her rolling pin as if threatening to use it as a weapon. "No maids of mine are going to damage government buildings. I absolutely forbid it."
Olivia glared at Grace. "Can't keep your bloody mouth shut, can you."
"Sorry. It just sort of slipped out."
Olivia scowled at the cook. "Well, you can't stop us, anyway. What we do in our free time is our business."
"Not if it reflects on the school it's not." Mrs. Wilkins shuddered at the consequences of such a crime. "Imagine what would happen if some of them government officials found out two of our servants were breaking their windows. They'd shut down the school, that's what. Then we'd all be out of a home and a job. Is that what you want?"
Grace sent a nervous glance at Olivia. "Of course we don't, but—"
"No buts, my girl." Mrs. Wilkins brandished her rolling pin. "I'll box both your ears if I get so much as a hint that you're planning to do anything like that. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Mrs. Wilkins." Grace dropped her chin and stared at the floor.
The cook nodded. "Good." She looked at Olivia, and braced herself for another bout of arguments. "Olivia? Do I make myself clear?"
To her surprise, Olivia merely shrugged. "I s'pose."
"Then you promise me you won't go breaking no windows?"
"All right."
Mrs. Wilkins stared at the girl, wanting to believe her. "Good," she said at last. "I hope I can trust you both to keep that promise. Now, let's get this food into the dining hall before everybody starves in there."
Watching the two girls carefully as they loaded up the trays, she couldn't tell if they were really complying with her demands and forgetting any idea of sabotage, or if they were simply pretending to go along with her wishes.
She hoped and prayed it was the former. Whether the maids realized it or not, what she had told them was true. If they were caught doing damage to government buildings, there'd be hell to pay. For all of them. It could even mean the end for Bellehaven.
Even if the constabulary didn't shut the place down, who would want to send their daughters to a finishing school where the servants broke the law and quite possibly ended up in prison? It just didn't bear thinking about.
That night, Meredith had almost fallen asleep when the familiar chill crept across her bed—a breath of cold air that had nothing to do with the bite of the autumn wind outside. She knew immediately what it meant. A ghostly presence had invaded the room and needed her attention.
Heart thumping, she reached out until her fingers touched the oil lamp on her bedside table. Drawing it closer, she turned up the wick, then felt for the box of matches. Her fingers shook as she touched flame to wick, and soft light bathed the room.
Although she had tried to prepare herself, it was still a shock to see the misty outline of the child floating just afew feet away. Carefully, Meredith raised herself up until her back rested against the iron bars of the bedstead. "Hello," she said softly.
The child hovered a few inches above the floor. Slowly she raised one arm and pointed across the room.
Meredith frowned. Perhaps Felicity was right, and it was something on the chest of drawers that interested the ghost. "I don't understand what you mean. Are you pointing at the photograph?"
The child continued to point.
"The jewelry box?"
Still the child pointed.
Meredith let out a
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