High Marks for Murder (A Bellehaven House Mystery Book 1) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Kate Kingsbury
there."
She turned toward the men, aggravated by their blank expressions as they peered at the spot.
Unable to believe they couldn't see what she saw, sheswitched her gaze back to the trees. The apparition had vanished.
"It was there," she said, her voice trembling. "I saw it. First it looked like a cloud, but then I saw it was a woman." Aware of how utterly ridiculous that sounded, she added weakly, "At least, it appeared to be a woman. She seemed to be looking right at me."
Dr. Mitchell dropped the towel in his bag without comment, though Reggie gave her a sympathetic look. "Probably one of the girls having a game with you," he said.
"If that is so, it's in remarkably bad taste." The doctor reached into his bag. "More likely it's a result of the shock." He handed another small packet to Meredith. "Take this and lie down for an hour or so. You'll feel much better after a rest."
Meredith took the packet and slipped it into her pocket. Somehow she doubted a rest would banish the strange things happening to her mind.
"Now let me take a look at that branch." Dr. Mitchell moved over to where the branch lay. "Is this the one?"
"Yeah," Reggie answered. "I noticed there was blood all over it."
The doctor picked up the bulky limb. After a moment or two he lowered it back to the ground. "There's no question that's blood on there. I'm afraid I shall have to call in the constable."
Meredith uttered a cry of dismay. "Is that really necessary? It would be so upsetting for the girls: Couldn't you possibly report it as an unfortunate accident and leave it at that?"
"I'm afraid not." The doctor's expression worried her. "It appears that the blow from the branch was responsiblefor Miss Duncan's demise. I'm afraid, however, that it was hardly an accident."
"But . . . " Meredith glanced up at the tree. "Perhaps Miss Duncan happened to be passing under the tree when Tom sawed it off. In the twilight he might not have seen her. I think we should talk to him before taking up the constable's valuable time."
"By all means question your gardener." The doctor closed the clasp of his bag and stood. "But Miss Duncan did not die from a falling branch. She was struck with it."
Meredith stared at him, while Reggie gasped. "How'd you know that?" he demanded.
"Because," Dr. Mitchell said quietly, "the blow came from behind and low on the head. A falling branch would not have struck in that area with that much force. The blow was quite deliberate. In fact, I'm reasonably certain we are dealing with a murder."
Chapter 3
Mrs. Wilkins wiped her hands on her apron, leaving a smear of powdery flour. A bowl of shelled eggs stood in front of her on the kitchen table, waiting to be beaten. She picked up the whisk, reluctant to start whipping the mixture for fear she'd miss the whispered conversation between the two maids.
Olivia and Grace stood at the sink, supposedly peeling potatoes, though judging from the slow motion of their hands a large proportion of the vegetables still wore their skins.
Olivia's dark head leaned close to Grace's fair one, and the cook could tell the two of them were up to no good. Picking up the bowl of eggs, she edged around the table until she could hear Olivia's muttered words.
"I'm going to Witcheston, no matter what."
Grace gave her a fierce shake of her head. "It's not your day off. You'll get into trouble. You know what Mona's like. She could give you the sack."
"She won't know. Not unless you tell her." Olivia started peeling again. "You're not going to tell her, are you."
Again Grace shook her head. "You don't have to worry about me. But what if she asks?"
"Say you don't know."
"What if you get into trouble while you're there? You know them suffragettes are always getting arrested. What if you get caught and thrown in the clink?"
"Then you'll be serving dinner without me, won't you." Olivia paused, her dark eyes on her friend's face. "Unless you come with me."
Grace uttered a soft squeak, and Mrs. Wilkins
She turned toward the men, aggravated by their blank expressions as they peered at the spot.
Unable to believe they couldn't see what she saw, sheswitched her gaze back to the trees. The apparition had vanished.
"It was there," she said, her voice trembling. "I saw it. First it looked like a cloud, but then I saw it was a woman." Aware of how utterly ridiculous that sounded, she added weakly, "At least, it appeared to be a woman. She seemed to be looking right at me."
Dr. Mitchell dropped the towel in his bag without comment, though Reggie gave her a sympathetic look. "Probably one of the girls having a game with you," he said.
"If that is so, it's in remarkably bad taste." The doctor reached into his bag. "More likely it's a result of the shock." He handed another small packet to Meredith. "Take this and lie down for an hour or so. You'll feel much better after a rest."
Meredith took the packet and slipped it into her pocket. Somehow she doubted a rest would banish the strange things happening to her mind.
"Now let me take a look at that branch." Dr. Mitchell moved over to where the branch lay. "Is this the one?"
"Yeah," Reggie answered. "I noticed there was blood all over it."
The doctor picked up the bulky limb. After a moment or two he lowered it back to the ground. "There's no question that's blood on there. I'm afraid I shall have to call in the constable."
Meredith uttered a cry of dismay. "Is that really necessary? It would be so upsetting for the girls: Couldn't you possibly report it as an unfortunate accident and leave it at that?"
"I'm afraid not." The doctor's expression worried her. "It appears that the blow from the branch was responsiblefor Miss Duncan's demise. I'm afraid, however, that it was hardly an accident."
"But . . . " Meredith glanced up at the tree. "Perhaps Miss Duncan happened to be passing under the tree when Tom sawed it off. In the twilight he might not have seen her. I think we should talk to him before taking up the constable's valuable time."
"By all means question your gardener." The doctor closed the clasp of his bag and stood. "But Miss Duncan did not die from a falling branch. She was struck with it."
Meredith stared at him, while Reggie gasped. "How'd you know that?" he demanded.
"Because," Dr. Mitchell said quietly, "the blow came from behind and low on the head. A falling branch would not have struck in that area with that much force. The blow was quite deliberate. In fact, I'm reasonably certain we are dealing with a murder."
Chapter 3
Mrs. Wilkins wiped her hands on her apron, leaving a smear of powdery flour. A bowl of shelled eggs stood in front of her on the kitchen table, waiting to be beaten. She picked up the whisk, reluctant to start whipping the mixture for fear she'd miss the whispered conversation between the two maids.
Olivia and Grace stood at the sink, supposedly peeling potatoes, though judging from the slow motion of their hands a large proportion of the vegetables still wore their skins.
Olivia's dark head leaned close to Grace's fair one, and the cook could tell the two of them were up to no good. Picking up the bowl of eggs, she edged around the table until she could hear Olivia's muttered words.
"I'm going to Witcheston, no matter what."
Grace gave her a fierce shake of her head. "It's not your day off. You'll get into trouble. You know what Mona's like. She could give you the sack."
"She won't know. Not unless you tell her." Olivia started peeling again. "You're not going to tell her, are you."
Again Grace shook her head. "You don't have to worry about me. But what if she asks?"
"Say you don't know."
"What if you get into trouble while you're there? You know them suffragettes are always getting arrested. What if you get caught and thrown in the clink?"
"Then you'll be serving dinner without me, won't you." Olivia paused, her dark eyes on her friend's face. "Unless you come with me."
Grace uttered a soft squeak, and Mrs. Wilkins
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