Death Comes to Kurland Hall by Catherine Lloyd Read Free Book Online Page B

staircase.”
    â€œAnd I saw someone disappearing into the servants’ hallways and came to direct them back to the wedding party.”
    â€œWas it a man or a woman?”
    Robert frowned. “I believe it was a woman, but it might have been a man wearing a cloak.” He studied the still figure. In repose, Mrs. Chingford looked remarkably like her daughter Penelope. “Are you quite sure she is dead?”
    â€œAs certain as I can be. Is our new doctor attending the wedding?”
    â€œYes, he is, and as he’s an old army colleague of mine, I can count on his discretion. Shall I go and find him?” Robert tried to stand and had to use the stairs for support. “Will you stay with her?”
    â€œOf course I will. There is one thing. . . .”
    â€œWhat?”
    She indicated the position of the body. “If she did trip and fall, she managed to crawl a few feet away from the stairs before she actually died.”
    Robert grabbed his cane. “It’s not unusual for a body to keep moving after death. It seems to take a moment for the conscious self to realize it is no more. I’ve seen soldiers continue a charge with half their heads blown off and . . .” He recollected himself and bowed. “I’ll go and fetch Dr. Fletcher.”
    While the major went to find the doctor, Lucy sat on the dusty wooden floorboards beside Mrs. Chingford. It was strange to see her so still and silent. She had always been in motion, like a rather annoying wasp. Lucy glanced up the steep stairwell, but all was quiet. Beams of light from the diamond-paned windows above sent bars of brightness down the wooden stairs. It would be all too easy to catch one’s foot in the hem of one’s gown and fall. Perhaps it had truly been an accident and Mrs. Chingford had turned to speak to her younger daughter and had missed her footing.
    The sound of approaching male voices had Lucy looking back toward the main hall. Major Kurland was talking quietly to the man behind him, who nodded as he walked. He’d also brought more light.
    â€œAh, Miss Harrington. Not the most pleasant of places to find you, but be that as it may.”
    â€œDr. Fletcher.” Lucy waited until he set the lantern on the stairs and crouched beside the body. “I think Mrs. Chingford fell down the stairs.”
    â€œI should imagine she did.” His gentle fingers moved over Mrs. Chingford’s still form, then lingered at her throat.
    â€œDid she break her neck?” Major Kurland asked.
    Dr. Fletcher frowned and leaned closer. “Her neck is definitely broken.”
    Lucy peered through the uncertain light. “It also seems to be bruised.”
    â€œYes. That could happen because of the way she fell. I won’t be able to tell exactly what is broken until I get a closer look at her.” The doctor gazed up at Major Kurland. “Do you think the family would object if we had her transported to my house? There isn’t a morgue nearby, and my practice is the quietest place in the village, seeing as no one trusts me to administer to their ills yet.”
    Major Kurland nodded. “That’s an excellent idea. Could you organize the removal of the body without the rest of my guests knowing what is going on?”
    â€œCertainly, if you get Foley to help me.”
    Lucy closed the dead woman’s eyes. “I’ll find Miss Chingford and Dorothea and tell them what has happened.”
    Dr. Fletcher stood and brushed down his buckskin breeches. He had a lilting Irish accent that was very soothing. Lucy imagined that unlike the brusque Dr. Baker, he would be comforting to have at one’s bedside. “That would be most kind of you, Miss Harrington. I can lay out the body properly and arrange for them to see their mother whenever they are ready.”
    As Lucy attempted to make the body look decent before it stiffened, she noticed something caught between Mrs. Chingford’s