Part 29 (1/2)
Miss Jones regarded her as if she were daft. ”There was no second solution.”
”Indeed, there was.”
”If you found one, your own imagination created it, for I did not.”
”But I-” Mrs. Knightley stared at her unbelievingly. ” 'Clever lying girl-Deal had hidden motives-Not what he seems'-You did not hide that second message in the puzzle?”
Now Miss Jones's expression was scornful. ”Why on earth would I?”
”Perhaps,” Mr. Deal said quietly, ”the powers you mocked by engaging in false prophecy caused you to reveal more than you intended.”
Loretta looked as if she were about to mock that suggestion as well, but then appeared to think better of it.
”Did you author the previous puzzle, too?” Elizabeth asked.
”The one Mrs. Elton spoke of? No. But hearing her talk about it at the Crown gave me the idea of writing my own message as a puzzle, and I sent it to the post office with Alice when she took Mrs. Todd's letters so that no one would know it came from me. I hoped you would a.s.sume the two puzzles were written by the same person-and I see that I was successful.” She turned back to Mr. Deal. ”Hiram, do you understand now how I planned for us? When the caravan moved on and you stayed behind, I remained as well-to help you avenge yourself on your father, and clear the way for you to claim your rightful inheritance.”
Mr. Deal turned away, unable to look at her any longer. He crossed to the window and stared through the rain-spattered gla.s.s into the night. Darcy could only imagine his thoughts.
”When did you poison Frank Churchill?” Mr. Knightley asked Miss Jones.
”At the Crown. I had been lingering round the village since leaving the caravan, eavesdropping for news that Edgar Churchill had in fact died, and watching for an opportunity to punish Frank. I followed him to the inn. It was very busy-a stagecoach had just arrived, and the kitchen was in disorder trying to serve all the pa.s.sengers quickly to get them back on the coach. When the serving girl left his tea unattended before bringing it to him, I added my own ingredient.”
”n.o.body noticed you?”
”I learned a few things from the gypsies.” She took obvious pride in her acts.
”I suppose that is how you poisoned Nellie, too-tainting her tea when she had her fortune read at the Crown,” Elizabeth said.
”That was a bit more difficult, but I managed. Edgar Churchill was the easiest of all, as I made his tea and served it myself.”
Mr. Deal cast her a look of utter revulsion. ”I am going to check on Miss Bates.”
”Hiram-”
He did not look at her as he pa.s.sed, but went straight to the bedroom and shut the door.
”Did not Thomas Dixon become suspicious, once Edgar Churchill had died?” Darcy asked.
”Thomas Dixon knows enough to leave other people's secrets alone, if he wants to keep his own.”
”What secrets would those be?”
”Nothing that pertains to the Churchills or anybody else in Highbury. But my gypsy friend told me his palm was rather revealing, to one who knows how to read them. If you want to learn more, you shall have to ask him.”
Footsteps on the staircase announced the arrival of another visitor. As n.o.body was expected, they all waited in some suspense as Mr. Knightley answered the knock.
Thomas Dixon appeared, his arms laden with parcels. ”Where is Miss Bates? I come bearing new draperies! And her carpet will be delivered tomorrow.”
He paused, taking in the scene around him-most particularly the great brown stain on the rug. He stepped aside to avoid soiling his shoes. ”Well! It seems I am just in time!”
Thirty-seven.
”Oh! If you knew how much I love every thing that is decided and open!”
-Emma Woodhouse, Emma.
Miss Jones took Hiram Deal's place in the Guildford gaol pending trial. Had she read her own tea leaves before embarking on her murderous plan, she might have foreseen where it would end. Then again, given her competence as a fortune-teller, perhaps not. As it was, she managed to attain at least tolerable conditions for herself by plying her dubious soothsaying talents (supplemented by considerable theatrics) among her fellow prisoners, earning enough coppers to secure small comforts while she awaited the spring a.s.sizes.