She stared despairingly down into the murky depths. She was on the very edge of the quay, just one more step and she could disappear beneath the dark water and be with her precious girl forever, but did she have the courage to take that step? she asked herself. And then suddenly Louisa’s beautiful face appeared floating beneath the turquoise depths. She looked like a mermaid with her lovely hair floating about her and she was smiling as she held her arms up towards her.
‘I’m coming, my love,’ Maude Ruffin murmured, her heart soaring and, just for a moment before she plummeted into the cold water, she had the sensation of flying. Louisa seemed to be waiting for her and after wrapping her arms about her beloved Ruffy she drew her down and down and as she sank there was a gentle smile on Ruffy’s face.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Early the next morning Margaret Hamilton-Tate entered her daughter’s room to find her cold and dead, and her screams echoed along the landing. Even Becky and Amber heard her up in the nursery and Becky stared at Amber. ‘What do you think’s ’appened?’
Amber shook her head sadly. ‘I can only think it’s the mistress passed away. But we’ll know soon enough.’
Nancy arrived shortly after with their breakfasts on a tray and confirmed what Amber had feared. ‘Apparently the poor bugger were stiff as a board when ’er mother went into her room this mornin’, but the strangest thing is, Mrs Ruffin never fetched anyone an’ they can’t find ’er!’
Amber frowned. They all knew how devoted Mrs Ruffin was to her young mistress and she couldn’t imagine her leaving her. ‘What do you mean, they can’t find her?’
‘Just what I say. She’s gone an’ the master’s got the grooms an’ the gardeners out lookin’ for ’er now!’
‘Poor thing, she’ll be heartbroken,’ Amber said compassionately. ‘Perhaps she just needed to get out for some fresh air? It’s funny that she didn’t tell anyone that the mistress had passed though, ain’t it?’
Shortly after, Barnaby appeared to visit Charlotte, his face pale and strained. ‘I suppose you’ve heard by now that my wife has passed away?’ he said quietly as Becky discreetly slipped out of the room with her arms full of dirty laundry.
Amber nodded solemnly. ‘Er, yes?.?.?. I’m sorry for your loss,’ she said stiffly, for despite her more charitable thoughts towards him the day before, she still couldn’t forgive him for what he had done to her and she doubted she would ever feel completely at ease in his presence.
With his arms clasped behind his back he crossed to the window and stared sightlessly out across the lawns. ‘Her parents have informed me that they wish to take her body home to be buried in their family plot in Pickering.’
‘Oh?.?.?. I see. And have you agreed to that?’ Amber didn’t quite know what to say.
‘Yes. I think it’s what Louisa would have wanted. She was never really happy here,’ he said regretfully.
‘Then I can only repeat, I’m sorry for your loss.’
He shrugged. ‘If truth be told I lost Louisa years ago – that’s if I ever really had her. I couldn’t make her happy, you see? Immediately after the funeral I shall return and Louisa’s solicitor will meet me here the following day to read her will, although I envisage everything being fairly straightforward. But anyway, that’s quite enough of my troubles, how is Charlotte this morning?’ He crossed to the crib where the baby was just stirring and gently ran his finger down her cheek. ‘She gets to look more and more like you,’ he remarked softly and Amber felt herself flush.
They heard the sound of a carriage pulling down the drive then and crossing to the window Barnaby saw it was the undertaker who had come to measure Louisa for her coffin. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I have business to attend to,’ he told her with a nod. At the door, he suddenly paused. ‘I shall be attending the funeral so I shall be away for a few days. You will?.?.?. you will still be here when I get back, won’t you?’
Hearing the fear in his voice she drew herself up to her full height and clasping her hands tightly into her waist she assured him. ‘Yes, I’ll still be here. I won’t try to take Charlotte away from you again, if that’s what you’re worried about, on that you have my word.’
‘Thank you.’ Their eyes met just for the briefest of moments then he was gone, closing the door gently behind him.
Amber let out a deep sigh of relief. She was sorry his wife had died, it was such a shame for one so young to be afflicted with such a terrible illness, and yet selfishly she was glad that she wouldn’t have to see him for a while.
Nancy informed her later that day that Louisa’s body was to be taken to her parents’ home in two days’ time. Meantime she would lie in her coffin in the drawing room at Greenacres where friends who couldn’t travel to Pickering would be able to call and pay their respects.
‘And is there any news of Mrs Ruffin yet?’ Amber enquired anxiously. She had grown fond of the woman.
Nancy shook her head. ‘Not a peep so far but they’re still out lookin’ for ’er and she can’t have gone far.’
As was the custom following a bereavement, every curtain in the house was tightly drawn and would not be opened again until Louisa had been laid to rest. It made the nursery gloomy and so as soon as it was warm enough Amber got Charlotte ready to go outside and get some fresh air. She lay a blanket on the grass and sat her down in the middle of it and Charlotte suddenly surprised her when she rolled on to all fours and crawled off in the direction of the copse nearby.
‘Eeh, Mr Greenwood will be tickled pink when he sees her do that,’ Becky commented as she chased after her. When she was tired of that they took her into the copse and Charlotte oohed and ahed at the beautiful sight of the carpet of bluebells spreading as far as the eye could see.
They didn’t return to the house until it was time for lunch and Amber was delighted when Charlotte ate everything that was offered to her. It was very clear that she, at least, was happy to be home again and the fresh air had clearly done her good. Or was it because she was with her father again? Amber wondered.
It was mid-afternoon by the time Barnaby made another appearance but Charlotte was having an afternoon nap so he didn’t wish to disturb her.
‘I’ll call back after dinner,’ he told Amber. Then taking a deep breath he said, ‘I’m afraid the constable from the village has just called to say that they have recovered a woman’s body from the harbour. The description he gave sounds suspiciously like Mrs Ruffin and I have to go and identify it.’
‘Oh no!’ Becky started to cry softly.
‘How awful,’ Amber said sadly and then she shocked herself when she volunteered, ‘Would you rather I did it?’
