Carrie Bebris - Pride and Prescience

“He does not respect me. A petition from me will not move him.”

“Then you must wait until he is ready to surrender it.” She tried to walk past him, but he stayed her with a hand on her arm. His touch sent a chill racing up to her shoulder.

“There isn’t time to wait!” His eyes burned with intensity. “If you will not give the watch to me, can you get it to Mrs. Parrish? Urge her to carry it on her person. For her own protection.”

“Protection from what?”

“From the forces at work upon her.”

Another chill passed through Elizabeth. She had thought Professor Randolph deceitful and calculating. But now she wondered if he was actually mad. The fervor of his gaze frightened her. “What forces?”

“The forces that prey upon her mind. The watch — it’s an amulet — it can help her. You are her friend, yes? You do want to help her?”

Elizabeth wanted nothing more than to escape Randolph’s presence. “I’ll see what I can do.” Again she tried to move past him, and again he restrained her.

“You must! You must make sure Mrs. Parrish receives it. But without her husband’s knowledge. He cannot know! He won’t allow her to keep it. He no longer trusts me.”

Neither did she.

“Mr. Parrish, how well did you know Mr. Kendall?” the constable asked as Parrish took a seat. Darcy relaxed in his own chair, expecting this interview to proceed uneventfully.

“I met him in London last season, when I became acquainted with his daughter, Miss Juliet Kendall.”

“Were you and he on good terms?”

“I bore him no ill will.” Parrish spoke slowly, appearing to choose his words deliberately. “London society being what it is, assumptions were made about my intentions toward Miss Kendall — assumptions that were unfounded. When I offered my hand to the woman who is now my wife, the misunderstanding may have led to some injured feelings on the part of the Kendalls.”

“And how did you get along here at Netherfield?”

“Except for encountering him at meals, I left him to himself.” He shrugged. “I am a newly married man, sir. My attention has been elsewhere.”

The constable nodded knowingly. “When did you last see Mr. Kendall alive?”

“At breakfast yesterday. He was just finishing up when I came downstairs.”

Darcy frowned. That wasn’t correct. “What about later? In the billiards room?”

“Oh, yes! The billiards room. Thank you, Darcy — I was there so briefly, I’d forgotten about that.” He leaned back and crossed his legs. “I last saw Mr. Kendall yesterday afternoon, playing billiards. When Darcy and I left the room, he was alone.”

Kendall had been so full of spite, Darcy didn’t know how Parrish could have forgotten his rudeness so quickly. Perhaps the power of Kendall’s verbal assaults diminished with repetition.

“How did you spend the rest of the day?”

“Mostly with Caroline. I spent part of the afternoon writing a letter.”

“Do you have any idea who might have killed Mr. Kendall, or why?”

Parrish shook his head. “Mr. Kendall was not a likable man. He was rude and insulting. I don’t think anyone here harbored the slightest fondness for him. But you don’t slay someone for uncivil behavior. The ton takes care of that well enough.”

“I imagine so. Mr. Parrish, how did you come by those cuts on your face? Were you in some sort of fight?”

Parrish shifted in his seat. Darcy couldn’t blame him. What man wanted to admit that his wife had physically assaulted him? Or that she was mad?

“My—” He cleared his throat. “My wife accidentally scratched me with her wedding ring. She’s not yet used to wearing it.” He looked to Bingley and Darcy as if beseeching them not to betray the full truth.

“Those are pretty big scratches.”

“It’s a pretty big ring.”

“When did this happen?”

“Yesterday evening, before dinner.”

“And if I ask your wife, she’ll confirm this?”

“Of course.”

Mrs. Parrish was summoned. As they waited, Parrish asked whether the constable had many questions for Caroline. “She’s been unwell today. I hope your enquiry won’t tax her too greatly?”

“Of course not, sir. I’ll be quick about it.”

Bingley led Caroline into the drawing room. She appeared sleepy and slightly disoriented. Parrish immediately crossed to her and helped her to a seat beside him on the sofa. He took her left hand in both of his.

“Darling, this man is concerned about the marks on my face. I told him about that silly little accident yesterday when you happened to scratch me. Remember?”

Caroline nodded.

“I assured him the injury wasn’t intentional.”

“No,” she said groggily.

“Mrs. Parrish, may I see your ring?”

Caroline appeared not to have heard the constable. Parrish lifted her hand and held it toward him.

“That’s indeed quite a ring.” The constable peered at it closely. “Hmm — looks like there are even a few bits of skin still caught in there. You need to be a little more careful, Mrs. Parrish, or your husband’ll have to buy you smaller jewels in self-defense.”

Parrish laughed politely, then turned serious once more. “As you can see, my wife is still very tired. May I escort her back upstairs now?”

“Certainly.”

He rose and assisted Caroline in doing the same. As they headed toward the door, the constable stopped him with one last question. “Mr. Parrish, you don’t by chance know what a pentagram is, do you?”

Parrish furrowed his brows. “That’s some sort of star symbol, right? Has something to do with witchcraft? Professor Randolph no doubt knows. I’d ask him more about it.”

“Thank you. I will.”

_______

Hurst entered the drawing room and went straight for the sherry decanter. Darcy intercepted him. He wanted at least the start of the interview to be conducted while Hurst was still sober.

“Allow me, Hurst.” He lifted the carafe and, with slowness visibly excruciating to the other gentleman, poured half a glass of wine. He did not immediately hand it over. “Please, have a seat.”

Hurst regarded Darcy uncertainly, then glanced to the other men. Elizabeth he ignored entirely. “What’s this? What’s going on here?”

“Nothing alarming, Hurst,” Bingley reassured him. “The constable just has a few questions for all of us about last night. He’s trying to figure out what happened to Mr. Kendall, and he’s hoping one of us saw something that can help him piece it all together.”

Hurst remained standing. “I don’t know anything about it. Didn’t even know the man, except for meeting him during his visit here.”

Darcy handed him the sherry. “Did you not play billiards with him?”

“Once.”

“What did you talk about?”

Hurst drained the glass. “Fox hunting. Shooting. He did most of the talking. Kept rambling about flushing prey out of their dens, or something or another. You know I’m not much of a sportsman, Darcy. I just let him go on.”

Darcy looked to the constable, preferring to let the official take over the questioning so as not to put himself in the role of Hurst’s antagonist.

“When did you last see Mr. Kendall?” the constable asked.

“In the billiards room. He was with Darcy when I left.”

“And where did you go?”

“To my chamber.”

“How long did you stay there?”

“All afternoon. I–I took a nap.” He swallowed hard, sending his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Might I have another glass of sherry?”

“We’re almost finished. Can you think of anybody who might have wished Mr. Kendall dead?”

Beads of perspiration formed on his forehead. “No, not a one.”