“Everything can be worked around. We’re turning to a new chapter in Crowthorne House,” I said, sighing deeply as I packed the items away in their various homes.
“Imagine what Alexander would think if he could see you now. Imagine what your parents would think!”
“Alexander was a foul, abusive, disturbed soul and I was glad to be rid of him,” I said coldly, watching Margaret’s face turn ashen, her expression aghast.
“Nick! Youmustn’tsay that!”
“And my adoptive parents are not here to pass comment. They’re dead and gone.”
“Take it back, this instant,” she said fervently. “I won’t hear you speak of Alexander that way.”
“Over my dead body, Margaret.”
“Nicholas!”
“You’ve never believed me about Alexander, and that is your choice,” I said. “But if my real mother were here to speak for herself, she would tell you how despicable you were not to believe me, I’m sure of that. She was disregarded as a whore when she fell pregnant with me, just as I was disregarded as a bastard to that whore.”
“I was more of a mother to you than she would have ever been,” said Margaret, her expression bitter. “But I was also a mother to dear Alexander, whoadoredyou, Nick, regardless of these claims you make about him now.”
There was no use in arguing with her the way I had years ago, trying to convince her of the torment, the pain, my brother put me through when we were teenagers. I’d accepted it long ago. She was in denial, and she wanted to stay there – but she knew. Deep down, she knew.
“A mother? You were no such figure of importance to me.”
Margaret’s face turned like thunder.
“She’snot normal. You do realise that, don’t you? The girl isn’t right. I’ve seen her going into the mortuary, looking at the deceased – justlookingat them, like she’s fascinated and can’t tear herself away,” said Margaret, shaking her head incredulously as ifIwas the one in denial.
I flinched as if her words stung. It drove me wild tohear criticisms of dear Grace, but I let none of that be apparent to Margaret in my expression. I would prevent her from gaining any satisfaction in that regard.
“You seem to suffer from the same affliction, to be following Grace around like that,” I began, chewing over her words. “It’s really not uncommon in this industry. There’s nothing wrong with having an interest in death. How do you think funeral directors come about? You think they’re summoned from the underworld, suited and booted with a licence folded in their breast pocket?”
Maggie closed her eyes for a long time and then slowly opened them, as if I’d said something unbelievably stupid.
“She kills things, Nicholas.”
I paused, almost wanting to laugh, it was such a ridiculous thing to say. I found that the air had disappeared from my lungs. I coughed, clearing my throat.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
Margaret had gone mad. Truly, mad.
“I’ve seen her. First it was the odd insect, then it was birds, then a rabbit. Out in the garden, when it’s getting close to dark. She sits and watches the light fade from their eyes along with the dusk,” said Margaret. “You seem to have athingfor young blonde girls with peculiar fascinations.”
I groaned and waved her away, unable to tolerate any more of it. Still she stepped closer, telling me more and more about the animals. The ones she’d seen Grace smother, or strangle, and only god knew what else.
“And I’d pay very close attention to the horses, because I have a feeling one of them is going to die unexpectedly, too, at this rate,” she said.
“I’m disappointed in you, Margaret. These are dreadful accusations. I’ve seen it for myself – Louisa couldn’t hurt a fly. Yesterday I helped her kill a wasp that was trying to sting her, for heaven’s sake.”
Margaret smiled wryly. “You do realise you saidhername instead of Grace’s, don’t you?”
“A slip of the tongue,” I snapped, wishing I could wipe that smirk off her face. A lesser man would do it, but that wasn’t me.
“She followed you, you know. Her and that girl, Eugenie. It won’t be long now. That friend of hers is another one to watch, although I suppose stupid and spoiled is better thandownright evil.”
I gave pause, watching Margaret’s eyes as she challenged me, with my hands behind my back.
“I think it’s time you and I parted ways,” I said, finally. “I couldn’t care less what was written for you in the trust. You’ve broken the terms as far as I’m concerned.”
