9. The Maid Speaks

Cordelia followed Marfleet out the door and onto the front stoop, but the door didn’t shut behind them. Turning, Cordelia saw that the Adah, the maid, was still in the doorway. Her wide eyes latched onto Cordelia’s.

“There’s—there’s something you should know,” she said in a low voice. She shifted nervously in the doorway.

This caught Marfleet’s attention. “Yes?” he prompted.

Adah seemed to shrink under his gaze, but took a tiny step towards them. She pulled the door almost completely shut behind her. “Well, I—your question, Madam,” she said, addressing Cordelia, “Master Bellingham did go to Dulwich woods.”

“And how do you know this?” Marfleet asked.

The young maid looked back at the mostly shut door and dropped her voice to a whisper. “Mistress Bellingham never saw any fortune tellers. She told Master Bellingham that story because she doesn’t desire any children.”

Cordelia exchanged a surprised look with Marfleet.

“Adah?” called Mrs. Bellingham distantly.

The maid nearly jumped from her skin. Her face reddening, she pushed the door back open, about to slip inside.

But Cordelia wasn’t going to walk away without more information. Quickly, she stepped into the doorway, using her body to prevent Adah from shutting the front door. Adah looked at Cordelia, her mouth slightly agape.

“Is someone here?” Mrs. Bellingham said shrilly. Within moments she appeared in the doorway to the drawing room. She looked beyond disappointed to see Cordelia standing in the front hall.

“Mrs. Bell—” Cordelia began before being interrupted by Marfleet.

“Our sincerest apologies, Mrs. Bellingham,” he said smoothly, stepping to Cordelia’s side and putting a light hand on her shoulder. Surely Cordelia’s face portrayed her dislike of this action, but Mrs. Bellingham didn’t seem to notice. “but Miss Green is feeling too ill to ride in a carriage at the moment. In fact, she’s been feeling rather off all day. Isn’t that right, Miss Green?”

Marfleet’s fingers dug into her shoulder. “Unfortunately, yes,” Cordelia said with a weak cough.

For a silent moment, Mrs. Bellingham just stood and blinked at them, as if pondering the validity of their story.

Cordelia decided then to raise her veil, pretending it was only to better fan her face with her hand. In reality, she was letting Mrs. Bellingham notice the sheet-white color of her face.

It didn’t take long.

“Oh, why, you do look sickly, Miss Green. Perhaps you should have a seat?”

Marfleet let go of Cordelia’s shoulder and gave her a smile, then stepped past her, towards Mrs. Bellingham. “Why don’t we let your maid take care of her? I would like to speak with you for a moment more,” Marfleet said, guiding Mrs. Bellingham back into the drawing room.

“You can have a seat here, in the morning room,” Adah said, showing Cordelia to another room. Cordelia was about to decline when she realized it was the room she had seen into when they’d first arrived at the house, with the table and candles that she’d felt like she’d recognized.

“You can sit anywhere, Madam,” Adah said, noting how Cordelia had stopped in the middle of the room to look around.

“I’m not really sick,” Cordelia reminded her, pulling her veil back over her face.

The room was decorated with royal reds and elegant creams, and the furniture looked to have the reddish sheen of mahogany. So why, then, was the table a dark oak, set with a pale white table runner? Not to mention the strangeness of the five candles, lit despite the sunlight and set out in equal distances from each other.

“What is this for, Adah?” Cordelia asked, running a finger along the edge of the table.

“Oh, Madam, I wouldn’t touch that,” the maid said, taking a step toward Cordelia. “That’s Master Bellingham’s table. The Mistress moved it here when she found he was missing.”

A memory came to Cordelia: A darkened hallway, doorways, her silent footsteps. Stop: light. A room, a man, a table.

“Where did he get this?” Cordelia demanded suddenly.

Five candles. Illuminated face. Rolled back eyes.

The girl flinched at Cordelia’s tone. “I don’t know, Madam. He’s had it since before I was employed.”

Cordelia nodded, forcing her suddenly tense body to relax. “Sorry. What were you saying about Mrs. Bellingham at the door?”

Adah frowned slightly, but replied, “Mistress Bellingham thought Master Bellingham would believe her if she said she had seen fortune tellers. The master had some… unconventional beliefs.”

“But he went to Dulwich, so he didn’t believe her?” Cordelia asked.

“No, he went to Dulwich because he believed her. He wanted to speak to the fortune tellers.”

“Is that why you said you knew he went to the woods?”

Adah nodded. “I was there when he left, and he had told me not to tell the Mistress, not to worry her.”

Cordelia nodded thoughtfully. “And was Mrs. Bellingham upset about him going? Did she seem angry?”

“She was a little upset.” Adah straightened. “But she wouldn’t hurt him; she wasn’t upset like that. She’s lost without him,” the maid stated sadly.

Cordelia looked at the dark wood table once more, then said, “Thank you, Adah. I think Mr. Marfleet and I should be on our way now.” Adah bowed slightly, and led Cordelia to the drawing room.

Once there, Marfleet made quick work of their goodbyes. He apologized again to Mrs. Bellingham, thanked her for her hospitality, and ushered Cordelia out the door.

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