Emily Cheshire, Chapter Two

Emily looked down at her gloved hands and willed them to stop twisting in her lap. The train was almost to Detroit now. After her husband’s funeral, she had made arrangements to visit her husband’s only living relative�"a rich aunt who lived in Detroit. Maybe she would throw some light on her husband’s life before their marriage. Emily did not where else to start. There was nothing in their five years of marriage that would indicate anything about the murder/suicide, to her mind at least. She had made up her mind to find out the truth for herself….since no one else apparently had any question in their mind as to the circumstances surrounding Robert’s untimely death.

She alighted from the train and quickly found a taxi who would take her to Aunt Josephine’s. The well-to-do old woman had never married and still lived in the family mansion in one of Detroit’s most affluent neighborhoods. Her brother and his wife had died when Robert was a child, and she had taken him and raised him. Emily had never met the woman, and Robert was very quiet about his past. It had often bothered her, but she had never thought Robert had any sinister motives for his secrecy.

She reminisced about the time she had met her husband. She was introduced to Robert at a charity ball six-and-a-half years earlier. He was a prestigious lawyer and she a rich heiress who spent her days volunteering to raise funds for Chicago’s less fortunate. They had had a happy marriage, although as Emily reflected honestly on their years together, she discovered a cold truth that she had become accustomed to suppressing almost subconsciously. Robert was very private…about his past, about his work, and about his innermost feelings. They had an outwardly perfect life, but Emily had often felt lonely. She could never be as close to Robert as she would have liked.

Now, all that secrecy had a sinister tone to it. What was he so private about? Was there some awful secret she was about to discover? Emily felt a cold chill run up her spine at that thought. Silly me. Well, whatever was in store for her at Aunt Josephine’s, she would face it head on. She squared her shoulders and took a peak at the elegant mansion as the taxi pulled up the long driveway.

 

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“Miss Josephine has taken ill, I’m afraid.” The butler informed her at the door. He was very young for a butler, she noted. “Come on in, Miss, and make yourself comfortable. We were so sorry to hear about Mr. Cheshire’s death. You must have had quite a shock, Please, wait here while I fetch your things. Alice will be down shortly.” He indicated a mahogany settee in the parlor and disappeared out the front door.

Emily sighed and sat down on the settee. She felt an odd nervousness, but also a strange excitement. She might soon know what this was all about. She would finally know her husband’s history. It somehow made her feel close to him, being here in his childhood home. A tear slipped down her cheek.

She quickly wiped it away and forced herself to look around the room. It was beautiful. Elegant tapestries and what she assumed were portraits of deceased family members decorated the walls. There were several ornate side tables, and silk curtains adorned the floor-to-ceiling windows which lined one end of the room. The doors to the entry and the rest of the house were closed, but she could hear footsteps coming down stairs evidently just outside one door. Then it swung open and a rather portly, middle-aged woman came bustling in. Her bonnet and apron were slightly askew and she tugged them into place as she turned to face Emily.

“Emily, dear. I’m Alice. It is such a pleasure to meet you, dear. You poor thing. Did you have a good journey? You must be famished. Let me go fetch you something. Tea? Coffee? We have a lovely spread of gingerbread and lemon bars fresh out of the oven. Maryann is a fabulous cook. Here, let me just take your things.” She chattered on as she removed Emily’s coat and took her scarf, gloves, and hat. “Well, now, I will be right back, dearie, with some nourishment. You just sit there and relax a spell.” And she was gone back the way she came.

Emily got up and paced the floor. She could not relax, tired though she was. She wandered over to look at one of the family portraits. There was a gentleman who probably came over on the Mayflower in one. Very strict looking, she mused. A sweet-looking young girl wearing a white lace overlay over her pink frock gazed out a window in one. In another picture, a pair of twin boys stood rigidly outside the front of the house. Must have been two generations back, she thought. She saw a picture of her husband and caught her breath. Regardless of the mystery shrouding his recent death, she was still in love with him and felt his loss acutely. She backed up and turned around. Another portrait caught her eye on the opposite wall. A beautiful woman with bright red hair piled on top of her head descended a royal staircase dressed in an ornate pink tapestry gown. She had a faraway look in her eyes. Emily really would have to have Aunt Josephine give her the family history. All these interesting people. She wondered what their stories were.

Suddenly, she heard a commotion outside the closed door leading to the staircase. Excited voices and hurried footsteps sounded, then Alice burst through the door and, without even acknowledging Emily, ran out the other door towards the front of the house, calling the butler’s name, “Aaron! Aaron! Come quick! Fetch the Doctor! Josephine’s taken a turn for the worse!”
Emily jumped up at once and ran through the door leading up the stairs. No, she would not miss what might be her last opportunity to speak with Robert’s only living relative about his past! Aunt Josephine simply couldn't die without talking to Emily. She assumed the old woman was upstairs, as Alice kept going up and down, and darted up the staircase. She glanced up and down the long hallway extending in both directions. All the doors were closed, but she thought she heard a moan from the farthest door on the left. She slowed her pace and smoothed her hair and skirt before hesitantly knocking on the heavy wooden door. When there was no response, she slowly pushed open the door and entered the room.

 

Reviews

[RAOrourke]

Very well done again! I was happy to see this chapter out there! You write with an ease that helps the reader grasp your story and want to continue without stopping. I am looking forward to reading the next chapter!