A Simple Shaker Murder by Deborah Woodworth Read Free Book Online

shoulders and looked Rose in the eyes. “Celia Griffiths told those poor sisters they were being duped by their leaders—that religion was being used to control them, not to help them become more like the angels. She said they’d become better people through education, not by being told what to think and believe. That much alone clear broke my heart, but then . . .” Isabel glanced back at her cauldron as if she’d like to jump in it herself, but with a deep breath, she continued. “Then she said that celibacy is the biggest trick of all. She said that . . . that you and Elder Wilhelm live together in the same house, with no one watching over you, and did the sisters really think you lived chastely?”
    Rose felt her mouth open and heard nothing come out. Her feelings were a jumble of protests and disbelief and even some amusement. Surely no sisters would believe that she and Wilhelm . . . surely not. She became aware of Isabel watching her anxiously.
    â€œIsabel, I assure you, these suggestions are false, completely false. I don’t yet know Celia Griffiths very well, but it seems she has something in mind that she hopes to accomplish with such vile rumors. I intend to find out what it is.”
    Relief flooded Isabel’s face. “I was sure she couldn’t be right, of course, but I’ll admit I’ve been worried. It did seem as though some of the others were listening altogether too carefully. That’s why I’d determined to speak to you privately, even if you hadn’t come to me first. Sarah and I talked afterward and felt you should know. It wasn’t just tale-telling on our part.”
    Rose forced herself to smile with confident reassurance. “Ofcourse not. You did the right thing. I’ll take care of this, don’t worry.”
    The wood bars had been removed from the door of the long-unused Carpenters’ Shop, and once again the sounds of sawing wood and brethren’s voices drifted from the windows. Rose approached the shop with some misgiving, since it held unpleasant memories for her. She almost turned back to follow her strong urge to have a little talk with Celia Griffiths; she looked forward to the chat with something close to pleasure. But instinct told her to find Gilbert Griffiths first. She suspected he would be easier to talk to, and she wanted to find out if the New-Owenites were hiding their true mission from North Homage.
    Rose slowly pulled open the door, aware that she was entering a male domain. A brother might often be seen repairing equipment in the kitchen or the Sisters’ Shop, but it was unusual for a sister, even an eldress, to visit the shops where the brethren worked.
    Conversation stopped and three men turned their heads as Rose entered. Two were young brethren, Matthew and Archibald, and the third man was Gilbert Griffiths. The brothers quickly lowered their eyes to their work. Gilbert smiled broadly. His few remaining hairs were slicked back on his bony scalp, and he reminded Rose of a hawker of patent medicines.
    â€œI’m sorry to interrupt,” Rose said, “but I was hoping to have a word with you, Mr. Griffiths. Could we walk a spell?”
    â€œGil, call me Gil.” He hopped off his perch on top of a maple workbench, scattering sawdust as his feet hit the floor. “At your service.” He followed her to the front door.
    Matthew and Archibald paid no heed as they repaired an old apple peeler that hadn’t been used in the kitchen for decades. Another of Wilhelm’s brainstorms , Rose thought. He was forever ordering ancient equipment pulled out of storage, repaired, and put back to use. Archibald was stirring a pail of fight orange liquid; Wilhelm must have demanded the applepeeler be stripped and returned to its original color. As if they didn’t all have enough work to do already.
    â€œWhat was that?” Gilbert asked, as they walked around to the backyard