“No he’s not. Bennett is a sorry man and he’s drunk and I hope he has the most horrid headache imaginable when he wakes up. Lord knows his ribs will hurt like the very devil. Now, don’t worry anymore about this.” But Caroline was worrying. If Bennett was here, then there was always the chance he’d try this again.
She shook her head. “I’m just relieved I heard you scream, Alice. It was a big one, thank God.”
“But I didn’t scream, not really, Miss Caroline, just cried out before he slapped his hand over my mouth.”
Caroline stared at her. “But I heard you, clear as if you were in my bedchamber. I heard you, Alice. It was loud.”
“No, miss, truly. I’m glad you did hear me, but I only sounded like a squeaky little mouse.”
It was Bess Treath who told her how this was possible while Dr. Treath was stitching Bennett’s head. “Eleanor told me about it,” she said comfortably, daubing at the flow of blood while Dr. Treath drew his needle in and out of Bennett’s scalp. Caroline didn’t look.
“You see, there are several connecting passages behind the bedchambers. The major one connects Alice’s bedchamber to yours. The chimney acts like a tunnel that exaggerates any and all sounds. It’s not completely solid, you see, and gives onto the passageway.”
“So I heard this god-awful scream but it was only Alice crying out.”
“Exactly. I think the reason the two of those bedchambers connect up is because the grandfather of the former Squire Penrose had both a wife and a ladylove. He sent the wife off to London for a new wardrobe, so it’s recounted, and while she was gone, he had the passageway built and his mistress installed as the governess. When the wife returned, she was none the wiser, and she was the proud possessor of some very nice clothes. At that time, it’s said, her bedchamber was the one farthest down the east hall.”
“Goodness, that’s amazing.”
Bess Treath laughed, even as she continued to clean up the blood from Bennett’s head and face. “My own opinion is the wife found out exactly what her dear husband had done because every year after that, she went off to London and spent ever so much money on new clothes. Her husband said not a word.”
Caroline joined in her
laughter.
“Now, Bess, you have no idea if that’s really true.” Dr. Treath knotted off his stitches, patted Bennett’s head, then began to bandage it. “It’s one of those tales that’s talked about on and off over the years, during cold winter evenings. Ah, he’s waking up. Too bad he waited so long. I should have liked to have him suffer the needle just a bit, mind you.”
“Benjie, what a thing for a physician to say.”
“Well, the little drunkard deserves something for what he tried to do.”
Bennett groaned and tried to pull away. Dr. Treath said, “Hold still, I’m nearly done. That’s right, moan if you must, but don’t move.”
When it was over, Bennett looked up to see Caroline standing there close to his bed. “You,” he said, even as he lightly touched his fingertips to his aching head, “you hit me with that footstool.”
“If I’d had a gun I would have shot you, you miserable excuse for a man.”
“Listen to me, Caroline, the little slut wanted it, she wanted me, she—”
Caroline picked up a footstool that sat in front of the wing chair in front of the fireplace and turned with it over her hand. “Yes, Bennett?”
He eyed the footstool, then shrugged. “Believe what you will. Leave me alone. God, my ribs hurt like fire.”
Dr. Treath didn’t offer any laudanum. He merely told Bennett to remain in bed for several days. “No drinking and no wenching,” he said. “If you do either, you’ll be in danger of causing an infection, and an infection in the brain most often leads to death.”
“That was well done,” Caroline said to Dr. Treath when they were out in the corridor.
“Yes, it was,” he said, and chuckled. “Now, Caroline, I want to examine you to see that you’re all right.”
“Me? I’m dandy, Dr. Treath. It’s Alice you need to see to.”
“I will after I’ve checked you over. Bess will go to Alice now and begin.”
Bess merely smiled, nodded, and took herself off down the corridor to Alice’s bedchamber.
“Now, my dear, come along.”
When they reached her bedchamber, Dr. Treath told her to sit on the bed. He listened to her heart, but nothing more. Actually, he didn’t really examine her at all. He straightened beside the bed and said without preamble, “This bothers me immensely, Caroline, as I’m sure it does you. Now, you and North are going to be married tomorrow. I don’t think—”