The Lexington House Murder
~ Chapter Fifteen
Ichabod
and Katrina sat alone in their parlor in front of the fire. A lamb
roast dinner had been eaten and a half bottle of wine consumed.
Jonathan was in bed. Only Cook rattled around in the kitchen,
clearing up.
Katrina rose from her chair and knelt down next
to Ichabod. For a moment, she leaned her head against his thigh and
hugged his knee. He continued to stare into the fire; absentmindedly
caressing a lock of her hair. She looked up at him; the shadows gave
his beautiful face a somber look. She replaced her cheek against his
thigh and said, “Ichabod, it is time we go to bed. You are
exhausted.”
He stood up and gave Katrina his hand to help
her up. She linked her arm though his as they went up the stairs. In
their bedroom they both undressed quickly and quietly. Katrina was
not sure if she needed to send some signal to Ichabod, that she did
not expect a repeat of the night before.
She decided she
would not presume anything. However, she did try to peek around to
see if Ichabod was getting into bed with his nightshirt on or not.
Very suddenly she felt overwhelmed. Everything had actually
seemed less bewildering before last night happened. Katrina sighed
and wondered if this feeling of unease would forever repeat itself
night after night. Would this sort of decision have to be made every
night? Who would make it? He could hardly be in a very passionate
mood, and she wanted him to feel comfortable and know that she would
be happy just to hold him. But then after what happened last
night…
“Katrina” Ichabod whispered. “Whatever
are you staring
at? Come into bed.” Katrina turned and saw the Ichabod was
sitting
up in bed and had indeed folded the covers back on her side. He was
not wearing his night shirt.
She finished undressing very
quickly and slipped between the covers.
Ichabod whispered.
“Your combs.” She removed them and shook out her
hair. Ichabod
immediately began to move his fingers through her hair. “It
is the
first thought I can remember thinking when I met you. You kissed me
and then removed your blindfold. And I thought how beautiful you
were. All your golden hair."
They both slid down under
the covers. Katrina responded. “From the first moment I saw
your
face I knew I had crossed my fate. I guess it is safe to tell you,
that in spite of Brom, I loved you from the moment I looked into your
eyes.”
Ichabod reach his arm around her and she leaned into
him. “Ichabod, I understand that you are very tired. And that
you
might wish to sleep immediately.”
Ichabod buried his lips
in her hair. “Love, I thought about you every moment today.
It’s
a miracle I heard half of what Mailer was saying. I kept thinking of
how you felt next to me. How completely you gave yourself to me. Not
just your body, but your trust and your hopes.”
“But
Ichabod, all of this is something I am still so unsure of. I do not
want to do the wrong thing or at the wrong time.”
“Katrina,
this is our bed, our sanctuary. The one place where there is nothing
held back between us. No question that cannot be asked or answered.
No loving touch that cannot be given or received. This is where we
made our child. This is where we truly became one with the
other.”
He smiled at her and stroked her cheek. “So there is
nothing else to say, except to ask, do you love me at this moment,
Katrina?
“Of course.”
It was all so simple. She
locked her arms around his neck and drew him to her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janelle and John
Mailer were
finishing a fine meal at the upscale Lowell Hotel dining room. The
tables were set comfortable apart and the lighting warm. Mailer
ordered coffee and a light brandy for both Janelle and himself.
“Really, John, I am not used to spirits and I have already
had wine with my dinner.”
She could not quite believe what
was happening to her. All of the difficulties around her, and in the
middle of it, John. His dark hair and clear eyes. He was a much more
handsome man than she had ever known. Even though she was herself
considered a beautiful girl, because of her class, her best hope was
to marry a tradesman or some man of the upper household staff. But
never a professional man. And never for love. If there was love.
Perhaps he only wanted friendship?
John smiled at her. “You
do not have to drink the brandy. I thought perhaps it would help you
to sleep. I know you are under a great deal of strain. I thought some
dinner out would allow us time to get to talk. Rather better than
hiding behind carriages from Ichabod’s son.”
Janelle
laughed. “Yes, he is a very perceptive boy. Very well
mannered.
Someone so honest, he seems almost able to read one’s
thoughts.”
They had managed to steer clear of any discussion of the
murder during dinner.
Janelle sipped at her coffee looked
over at John Mailer. He took her small fingers within his own long
and slender ones. “Janelle, I believe it is only fair to
confess I
have developed a deep feeling for you.”
“I can only hope
that your thoughts are for me, John. And not for a woman from whom
you need information or for whom you pity.”
Mailer face was
total incredulity. “How can you believe that of me, Janelle?
I have
indicated for some time what my true feelings are.”
“No,
John you have been kind. Sweet and seductive as well. I am in a place
where it is difficult for me to trust. But I have no reason to
believe that you are more than just fond of me.”
Mailer
shook his head, “You are wrong, Janelle. You have this. I
love you.
I would like to make a life with you, but to do that I need to help
you survive this moment in your life. Please trust me. And know that
I would not allow anyone to be hurt. Anyone. Yes, I am torn because
of my duty to my position and my love for you. I want us to be happy,
and that will never happen until this is behind us.”
As
much as she had prayed to hear him say these words, Janelle was sure
she could see her whole future dissolve before her eyes.
“John, I
want more than anything to cause no difficulty in the carrying out of
your duties.” A tear fell down on her cheek. Janelle looked
off
into the distance and said, “How difficult it must be for you
to be
in love with a woman who may be involved in a murder. I feel for you,
John. I do. And yet I feel for myself, as well. Regardless of the
tragedies I have suffered or what imprudent steps I may have taken to
protect my beloved sister, I am no different from any other woman. I
have a heart full of love with no one to give it to.” She
looked
into his eyes, and grasped his hands with hers. “John, more
than
anything I would like a home to make comfortable, a husband and
babies to love and care for. But as for the truth I can only swear to
you, John, I have never deliberately committed an evil deed in my
life.”
Mailer paid the bill and they walked outside. He
motioned for their carriage to pull up. He silently helped Janelle
into the compartment. “Driver takes us to Constable
Crane’s home,
but go by the river. No need to hurry.”
For a few minutes
Mailer did not speak. Janelle looked out the window and said softly,
“You are suddenly very quiet. I will not be disappointed if
you
have changed your mind and decide to have nothing to do with
me.”
“Apparently you have not noticed that I am a most stubborn
man. I do not make declarations lightly. And once I decided to invite
you into my life, it is not a decision I am likely to
change.” The
woman beside him began to shake. It seemed to her she was raw and
weary to the point of collapse.
“John, could you hold me,
please.”
Mailer immediately enveloped her completely in his
arms. They felt wonderfully strong, and Janelle let herself go limp.
Very unexpectedly, a tiny spark of desire came into her heart. She
smiled and wiped her tears away. “You are capable of bringing
out
feelings I have not felt for a long time. I had almost forgotten all
my girlish dreams of meeting a man and having a great love
affair.”
Mailer gave her a gentle squeeze. “In your dreams what does
this man do, once he has fallen in love with you?” His lips
just
grazed the side of her face.
Her face hidden in the dark
carriage, Janelle answered softly. “Well you must remember
that
young girls are apt to be fanciful in their ideas of romance. It
sounds so silly, but I always hoped for a man who would ravish me
with impassioned kisses and take unspeakable advantages of me. Of
course, I was never quite sure what that meant when I read about it
in novels.”
Before another moment passed, she felt him pull
her over to his corner of the carriage. He leaned her gently back
onto the seat. He started by kissing her softly and then more deeply.
He seemed as if he would consume her. He moved his hand up under her
skirt until he could just caress the skin above her stocking. She
felt deliciously helpless to stop him in any way. But suddenly he sat
her up and looked at her with a grin.
“Now, Miss Janelle,
you may consider yourself properly ravished. And I shall take you
home to Ichabod and Katrina.”
He paused and lifted her chin
so they were looking at each other. “You know what this
means, the
fact that I have been such a cad and indeed taken advantage of
you?”
Janelle shook her head.
“It means, Miss Washington,
that no other man can touch you. You belong to me only. And, as a
gentleman, I have no choice but to consider your
“surrender” to
my advances to mean that you have accepted a proposal of marriage
from me.”
Janelle was so confused. She longed to be alone
to think about what was happening to her. She continued to hold his
hand until the carriage pulled up in front of the Crane’s
house.
Mailer took the key from her hand and walked her to the entrance. He
kissed her softly on the cheek and unlocked the door.
“Goodnight,
Janelle. Have only happy dreams tonight. An adoring husband, a home
of your own and a half-dozen children under foot.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Katrina stirred
in her
sleep. She glanced over at Ichabod but he did not move. She got up
from the bed and put on her night clothes. As she approached their
door, she was sure she could hear footsteps. Was Jonathan sleep
walking? Cautiously she opened the door, and gasped slightly.
It
was only Cook holding a candle in her hand. “Mrs., what are
you
doing up? I did not mean to rouse you.”
Katrina shut the
bedroom door behind her and said. “I could not sleep and
thought I
would check on Jonathan.” Together they started down the
steps,
when suddenly Jonathan voice could be heard behind them.
“Miss
Janelle is gone.” He whispered.
Katrina felt her heart
sink.
“Where would she be going, alone, at this hour? It
must be close to midnight” Cook asked.
“I heard someone
leaving by the front door. I looked and it was Miss Janelle. Mother,
we should waken Ichabod and tell him.”
“Alright, I will
get him up.” Katrina agreed. “Jonathan I want you
to stay here
with Cook. If Ichabod is going out, I am going with him” She
was
firm in her voice.
“But surely father would want me to
come; to look out for you should you encounter some danger.”
But
Katrina was firm. “No Jonathan. This is different. I will not
allow
you to come. You must obey me in this. And no sneaking out to follow
us. Promise me.”
Jonathan nodded. Katrina went back to the
bedroom and woke Ichabod. He opened his eyes slowly and immediately
reached for her. “What is it love, a bad dream?” He
was already
pulling her down into the bed.
“Ichabod, listen to me.
Janelle is gone.”
Ichabod was on his feet in a second. He
began to pull on this trousers and shirt. “Do we know how
long she
had been gone. And why didn’t the patrolmen stop
her.”
“Only
a few minutes. Jonathan saw her leave and was coming to tell you. And
I am the one who told they could take the night off. I thought with
you home….”
“Jonathan cannot come with me. You will
have to explain to him.”
“I have already told him that.
But I am coming with you.” Ichabod suddenly looked up to see
his
wife also dressing herself.
He prepared himself to argue. But
the look on Katrina’s face was resolute.
“Where to you
plan to look for her? Katrina asked.
“I am hopeful that we
will find her where all of this began. And hopefully where it will
all end.”