A/N: Happy Halloween! Well, early Happy Halloween anyways. Lol. Here's a very nice and long chapter. Wait for the end… Don't forget to review!

Chapter 27

The evening was better than the previous one. We slept well and did not wake to reporters or neighbors calling us. The only call we did receive was from Colonel Reyer during breakfast. He wanted to inform us that the inquest will take place tomorrow morning at ten o'clock.

He also added that this would more than likely end around noon so we did not have to bring a lunch. To hear the Colonel's confidence… it was practically revealing the outcome that Erik would not be accused of anything damning.

I held onto that hope as did Erik. It was the only thing we could do.

But Erik did confess to me last night while he held me that he did not regret a single detail of his life.

"It eventually brought me to you. If I had not married Luciana… then I would not have done what I did that led me back to Monte Carlo. I want you to know that Christine. I have no remorse for my actions. If I had to I will kill Luciana all over again when I know I would find you. You gave me life Christine. You gave me the love I have always wanted and thought I would never have. You are nothing but a miracle to me and my only fear is that I will wake and find this was all but a dream. I cannot lose you. And however the inquest goes and whatever the jury decides… I will not lose you. I refuse to let that happen. I swear to you this. I will never leave you."

As earnest and heartfelt his words… I knew if for some reason the jury should find Erik guilty even something as not being forceful with his warnings… they would take him from me. I did not want that to happen, but that was how things went in reality. They could determine our fate by saying that single word and everything we had would fall apart.

And despite his promises, I knew it was the same concerns he had and he called Nadir to come as soon as breakfast was done. He assured me it was typical business that needed to be taken care of, but when Erik's office door was shut… it was really putting his affairs together in case of the inevitable. I did hear Nadir whisper to Erik before he left the other day he should have a plan set if it did not work out well. I know Erik did not want to burden me even more, which was why he kept this secret, and I could not fault him for doing so.

I would have done the same in his shoes.

While the men conducted their business, I stayed in the morning room with Sasha's head in my lap. As I scratched behind her ear, I gazed out the window to the garden outside. The sun was bright than ever and it certainly was inviting… but my place was to stay close by and I did not want to abandon Erik.

Anthony came in with my tea and a paper under his arm. I looked up to find that Robert and Meg were also standing behind him.

Their expressions were solemn and there was no need to hide the pretenses anymore.

"Forgive us Mrs. de Winter," Anthony said. "But the paper has the most alarming news in it about Mr. de Winter and the late Mrs. de Winter."

I paused in my ministrations, which Sasha whined softly that she did not want me to stop, but I knew they had the right to know what was going on… or at least half the truth. I gently nudged Sasha to get down and she did with much reluctance. I brushed off some loose hairs and motioned for them to sit.

Meg did while the men stood. There was no way they could break from their habits and I was not going to make them.

Taking a deep breath, I said, "I know how it sounds. But Erik and I were informed ourselves yesterday about this."

"Is it true?" Meg asked. "What the paper says… is it really her?"

Anthony shook his head disapprovingly, but I could not keep it a secret from them as they were great friends of ours and we could count on their loyalty.

"Yes," I said. "There will be an inquest tomorrow. But do not worry. Colonel Reyer merely wants it stated in the record that the real Mrs. de Winter was found and that's it. This is the most shocking as you can imagine and I know Erik is doing his best not to get too distraught. I will depend on your discretion most of all to prevent the staff from saying anything unsavorily. This is Luciana de Winter that was discovered and that will not be hidden from anyone. But I will detest if anyone tries to harm Erik and they will find themselves seeking employment elsewhere."

"You can be certain that the three of us will do our best to ensure that you and Mr. de Winter's privacy is protected," Anthony said. "He is a fine master and everyone who works here knows they will never find a suitable placement better than this. You can count on our support."

"You mean a lot to us," Meg added while smiling. "Not only as a mistress but as a friend. I know I have never met the late Mrs. de Winter, but if you need someone to testify… I will step up on your behalf."

"As will I," Robert responded and placed his hand on Meg's shoulder.

"Of course, I will always be there," Anthony told me. "This is a rough time for the two of you and friends are what you need. I find it absolutely terrible that this had to happen. The past will not rest."

We all silently agreed.

"The staff will keep quiet on the matter, but Mrs. Danvers… she has been taking this all very hard. More so than when it was learned that Mrs. de Winter had died," Anthony remarked.

I had practically forgotten about Mrs. Danvers! Never once did it cross my mind on how this would affect her. After all this time and to finally learn that your mistress was underwater nearby… despite how undeniably cruel she was I did feel a little bit of sympathy for her.

Only a little.

"How is Mrs. Danvers doing?" I inquired.

"The last I saw her she did look very ill. I believe she said she was going to stay in her room."

"Then it's best that she remains where she is and not to be disturbed. I know how much she loved the former Mrs. de Winter. This is not easy news to handle. Be sure that someone brings her meals and tea. Then when Mrs. Danvers is ready to resume her duties she may do so."

It was a generous offering on my part, but everyone is allowed to mourn no matter what kind of person they are. I only hope that Mrs. Danvers will mourn properly now. Perhaps this is the closure she needed after these many months.

Anthony nodded. "I will inform Mrs. Danvers. Is there anything you would like?"

"No thank you Anthony. That should be it. But do let me know when my husband and Mr. Khan have finished their business."

"I will. Come Robert. We have work that needs to be done. Meg?"

"I will be there soon Uncle." Meg waved the men off. "I won't be long."

I saw a smile pass over Anthony's face as he shook his head. "Young ladies… I tell you Robert… they promise to do one thing, but when they become distracted it would take far longer to accomplish a chore that would not take long."

Robert did not reply but only scratched his head while pondering what Anthony meant. Meg and I shared a chuckle.

"I saw what happened there with Robert. Is there something you would wish to share Meg?"

Her cheeks turned a rosy red. "Robert asked my uncle if he could court me. Then he asked him what my mother's address was so he could write to her! The other day a letter did come with my mother granting her permission for Robert and I. Oh Christine! I am so happy! Of course, I dared not imagine what it must feel for you to know that the first Mrs. de Winter returned."

"Meg, I am happy for you as well! I knew you and Robert would be a right match and it pleases me that all parties are in agreement. Do not feel bad about me. As shocking as it was I have learned some truths about her and it only has deepened my love for Erik. And… he loves me! He finally told me he loved me!"

Meg let out a tiny yelp and hugged me. "I knew he did! Oh Christine! How marvelous! When did this happen?"

"Two days ago," I said. "Meg, I know this may sound wicked, but I have never been this happy in my life. As saddened as I am to know that this brings back awful memories for Erik, I cannot help but think about the future. Our future. There have been so many misunderstandings between us, but that's behind us now. We are in love! That's what matters. Erik loves me and I have seen behind his mask."

"You did?!" Meg gasped. "Christine…"

"I know what you are going to say Meg and all I ask is that you do not question it. It is not up to me to explain, but Erik. He has to make that decision, and I cannot be even more proud than what I already am. He trusts me so much and this is something that I will cherish forever."

"Of course. As long as you are happy Christine then so am I. This is good news indeed! We both have the men in our lives who love us. But the inquest! Are you not nervous?"

"I am," I confessed. "I'm only worried about what people will say about Erik. Inspector Butler was not a friend and I do not want him to convince people that Erik is a horrible person."

"Oh dear. Then you would not like the article that was in the paper," Meg said as she picked up the paper Anthony left on the table. "It's best that you see it. That way you can prepare yourself tomorrow."

Picking it up, I scrolled down the page until I found the column that Meg was referring to. Immediately, my stomach was churning with anger and unease. The article was filled with plenty of inaccuracies and little actual fact that it did not bode well for Erik. What the reporter wrote was suggestive:

Tragedy strikes Manderley again, but this time it is what a reader might find in a Bronte romance. The late Mrs. de Winter, Luciana nee Belmonte, had drowned about a year ago right in the bay. And it was only hours ago that when a ship crashed upon the rocks that the grisly discovery was made of a sailing boat. The diver recognized it as Mrs. de Winter's and while investigating the wreckage he stumbled upon a body. The boat, itself, was raised so the authorities could examine the sturdiness and dependability of the structure to determine if it was safe for Mrs. de Winter to go sailing during the night when a powerful storm swept through Kerrith. As for the body, Doctor Leroux, the family physician, was able to identify that the remains were in fact the late Mrs. de Winter. Not much else is known what about led to this unfortunate incident, but it appears to this humble writer that this could be the work of no accidental incident or perhaps this was a tragic sense of irony afoot. As the reader may remember, the late Mrs. de Winter was an expert when it came to sailing and partook in activities that even her friends would admit were dangerous. Yet, Mrs. de Winter had a good head upon her shoulders and would not do something as foolish as sail during a storm. However, this avid sailor could have seen the opportunity too much to pass up. The price was costly as it would later turn out.

Friends of the beloved Mrs. de Winter will always remember her kindness, her tenacity to find the simple pleasures in life, her beauty, and her talent. It was no surprise that the late Mrs. de Winter sang very well and would often participate in her husband's music. They had been collaborating on an opera together that would have opened last spring, but Mr. Erik de Winter thought it best in her honor to stop the production. This was a difficult decision for him to make as friends stood by him to help him through this time of grief. Of course, no one could have predicted what followed after when Mr. de Winter returned from his travels with a new wife in toll. Friends were not sure what to make of the new Mrs. de Winter and some feared that her intentions were not exactly pure. Mr. de Winter has wealth to boast and as deeply in love he was with his first wife… it was rather strange for him to marry so quickly. The portrait that could be described is that the second Mrs. de Winter shares none of the characteristics of the former and it does leave one to wonder what could have enticed Erik de Winter to remarry so soon and so secretly.

Whatever Mr. de Winter's intentions were he did throw the new Mrs. de Winter the surprise of her life with a lavish ball in her honor. Now, lavish balls were always a grand event for the former Mrs. de Winter and her parties were legendary. Some guests felt that the latest Masquerade was lacking in the finesse and it was too soon after the late Mrs. de Winter's death. It was popular opinion that this party had been done in poor taste and it would appear that even the late Mrs. de Winter had a say when the ship crashed and later led to the recent discovery.

So, ladies and gentlemen, it would have to be believed that while humans move on after a death… it would seem that the dead is not willing to move on. Or could this be a sign? Perhaps the late Mrs. de Winter took offense to the new wife in question and is expressing her resentment. Or could this be something far more sinister than this writer could imagine?

The truth will be known by tomorrow as a formal inquest has been called to order. Colonel Jack Reyer of Kerrith will be presiding and we will have our questions answered about what happened to poor Luciana de Winter.

The article was brutal towards myself and in between the lines it was not friendly towards Erik. Implying that Erik would marry me for reasons that were best left in private… it was libel more than anything and the paper clearly favored Luciana. We did not need this filth in Manderley.

I ripped the page in half and crumbled the pieces in my hands as I walked over to the fireplace and tossed the bits into the fire.

Meg quietly applauded. "The reporter is a fool and he will be begging for forgiveness when he realizes how wrong he was after tomorrow."

I hope so, I thought. I really hope so.

xxXXxx

Around lunchtime, Erik and Nadir were still working, but I did find the maid who was bringing down the tray from Mrs. Danvers' room.

"How is she?" I asked.

"Not so well ma'am," the maid, Mary, replied. "Mrs. Danvers hardly ate."

So I went ahead and called for a doctor. Dr. Leroux came and he was in the room for less than twenty minutes when he came back down to speak to me.

"I gave her a sedative. But Mrs. Danvers will be all right. She's in a state of shock."

"Thank you Doctor," I said. "I know how devoted she was to the late Mrs. de Winter. This is not easy for her."

"Yes. It is distressing to hear and I am sorry for this happening so suddenly too. I want you to know Mrs. de Winter that I have great respect for your husband. It saddened me to be the bearer of bad news after all this time and I wished this would have been handled delicately than what it already is. No one should have to experience the pain and loss of a spouse all over again."

"I know it could not have been easy and my husband is holding up the best he can. We do appreciate it though."

The doctor regarded me. "You are a remarkable young woman. Most ladies would not be able to withstand the pressure. You must truly love him."

I blushed at the sincere comments and I felt at that moment… that Dr. Leroux was a friend and wanted the publicly to end as much as we did.

"You tell your husband that I will be there at the inquest tomorrow. And if you should need anything Mrs. de Winter… I am your servant. Do not hesitate to call. Good day."

"Good day to you too Doctor," I said as I walked him out the door. At least he did not give the impression that I was a horrible person for marrying Erik. He was quite empathetic and it did pain him to be the one to identify the remains. Well, there was no doubt in my mind that the doctor would say it was an unfortunate accident, but now Luciana could rest in peace.

By half past two, Nadir and Erik did emerge from the office as their business was finally concluded. I debated if I should ask Erik if Nadir knew the whole truth like I did. They were in there for an awful length of time and I knew it was important to have some of the details sorted out beforehand… but the topic of conversation had to have come up. I cannot imagine Nadir doing this without an explanation of some kind and being Erik's oldest friend… he had to suspect something.

I watched him closely as the men took a late lunch.

"I heard there was someone at the door Christine," Erik said. "Who was it?"

"Doctor Leroux," I said. "Mrs. Danvers was feeling poorly and I think the excitement and stress caught up to her. He said not to worry, though, and he will be there at the inquest to ensure that the matter will end there. He seems like a nice man."

"Doctor Leroux is one of the best," Erik commented. "Most tolerable and kind-hearted of men." He said this while gently tapping at his mask. "I do believe he wants this to end as much as I."

"I know I do," Nadir rejoined. "You should have seen the paper Erik. It was the worst piece of garbage I have ever read. You would have thought Luciana was some kind of heavenly saint or something."

"Well… she had her admirers," Erik said.

"Yes but it is outlandish. They made Mrs. de Winter appear to be the villain for helping the grieving widower move on."

Erik glanced at me for confirmation and I nodded. "Meg showed it to me. I burned it after. Do not be upset Erik. What was written was written. Anyone who knows me knows that is not the truth and I will settle for that. As long as our friends can see through the lies then it does not matter."

"It does if they think they can slander my wife in such a fashion! I will speak to the editor about this. I will not stand for more lies being published!" Erik slammed his fist down on the table and Nadir was quickly shaking his head.

"Erik… you need to get a handle of your temper. As upsetting as this is to all involved, you do need to remain calm throughout the proceedings. You know they will bring Christine up and they will say anything to rile you. This article was the first and look what it has done already. Like I told you earlier, you still have to show that you are upset with your loss so this will not drag out. They will sympathize with you. But forgetting yourself is not going to help you or Christine. Do I make myself clear?"

"Erik," I interjected softly. "Do not worry about me. It's you I'm concerned about. Like Nadir said, they will try to get you to lose your temper and they will separate us."

I knew asking this of him was a lot and insulting me was insulting him, but if we were to be together, then we must carry through this masquerade that Luciana started. Erik started to waver, closed his eyes and exhaled. "I will try for you Christine."

It was progress and even Nadir looked relieved that Erik was coming to his senses on this aspect. He looked over to me and silently mouth "thank you" and I saw that he knew. He wanted us to win and this was his way of letting me know that he knew everything. Of course, this was all confirmed when later Nadir will pull me aside to whisper:

"As beautiful as Luciana was… she was vain and spoiled. She made my friend's life a living hell and while in life there was little I could do… in death I will make sure that vixen will not have the last laugh. Erik did what he had to do and I'll do everything in my power to make sure your marriage remains intact."

Thankfully, we were not alone in this burden and we had an ally who knew the actual events and could stir the truth away if it got too close.

As they finished their lunch, Nadir went over some other points that might be discussed at the inquest. The most important detail that would be called to question would be Luciana's experience and why would she go into her cabin when the storm was vicious when there was a possible chance that it could capsize. Anyone with the knowledge would know it would be dangerous to go out in the first place, but Luciana was not like most sailors. Erik was not the only witness to hear her brag about sailing under unfavorable conditions for the thrill of it. But to go down below… that would go against any instinct.

Nadir instructed that if Erik was questioned about this then the only answer he could reply would be "I don't know." Erik never gone sailing with Luciana and could not explain her habits out on sea.

The other detail that might be mentioned would be the rumors of Luciana's infidelity. No doubt the Inspector could use that to establish a possible motive for Erik, but Erik had assured me that to come forward with such information would be for the women to admit their spouses committed adultery and that would tarnish their reputations. They would not risk such exposure, even if Luciana was dead.

Lastly, Nadir wanted to go over, especially with me, what would happen if the event something should occur and Erik's credibility is questioned. It was the scenario I dared not think about, but often plagued my mind. On the other hand, Erik did not want to discuss this and any protests fell on silent ears.

"It will not come to pass," he reaffirmed. "I will not have you put such unhappy thoughts in my wife's head."

"Erik… she has the right to know—"

"Nadir, you damn Persian, I will not speak of this now. I'm exhausted from all of the talking and would like to be alone with Christine. We will see you tomorrow."

It was impossible to convince Erik and Nadir decided he will leave. It was when I was walking him to the door, Erik standing in the doorway of the dining room, when Nadir told me his vow to help us.

"Since Erik was not keen to discuss this… I will be brief. You must know Mrs. de Winter that I know the real accounts of what took place that night on the bay. Erik told me all this morning and while it was ghastly… I knew the desperation he must have felt. I had admired Luciana, perhaps even loved her, but there was something I could not figure out about her until… well, one day I had come to see Erik and while I was strolling through the halls, I overheard them in a heated argument. I did not want to make my presence known, but there was no avoiding all that I heard. The language that poured out of that lady's mouth… I blush thinking about someone like her could have known such words… then I heard the clatter of something crashing on the floor and I peeked in to see she had torn Erik's mask off his face. She was pointing, jeering and laughing at his ugliness. It was right then that any love for her that I felt was wiped away. Erik is like a brother to me and to hear that abuse… Of course, the last thing I'm sure Erik wanted to know was that I witnessed this. For the sake of his privacy, I kept this to myself, but I was on alert if Luciana misbehaved when Erik was not present and I tried to make myself available as much as possible. I was quite grateful to know she was not interested in me and as long as I was there nearby… she would not do anything that I could tell Erik. But I fear my intentions were not as helpful as I thought. I should have told my friend sooner, but he understood my reasons and was glad to know he was not the only one privy to his late wife's activities. Naturally, if I should be called to testify, I would be going against my principles to keep the truth from coming out. But the worst crime of all would be to let this woman succeed and Erik arrested. I will protect him Mrs. de Winter, rest assured. But I know he wants to make sure you are taken care of and not blackened by this scandal. Everything has been arranged in case Erik does not come home tomorrow… I know this is terrible but we took the lengths to ensure your protection and safety. Now, go back to your husband and spend what little time left together. You both need this."

Nadir bowed and left.

His advice ringing in my ear, I went to Erik and took his hand. "Come. I want to sing."

We stayed in the music room as Erik played and I sang. Then to my utter amazement… Erik said, "I think you sung enough, my dear. Let's rest your voice and let someone else sing for a while."

At first, I did not think I heard him correctly. "Who else is going to sing?" I asked stupidly.

Erik chuckled. "Who else indeed! Well, I did train you and you have no evidence other than my playing if my voice could be up to par with my musical knowledge. I must correct that and I shall leave that to your final judgment if I am a musical genius or not. But I should tell you first that I composed this right after I met you."

Standing from the piano bench, Erik turned to me, his piercing gaze locked on my face as he took in every inch. Then slowly and gently, he began to sing.

Night time sharpens,

heightens each sensation

Darkness stirs and wakes imagination

Silently the senses abandon their defenses

I knew my husband singing would be a treasure and I was right. From the moment he sang the first line, I was ensnared by his powerful voice and my body reacted to him instantly. It was quite the aphrodisiac… the deep huskiness combined with the longing, adoration, and most of all, love…

Slowly, gently night unfurls its splendor

Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender

Turn your face away from the garish light of day

Turn your thoughts away from cold unfeeling light

And listen to the music of the night

Erik was circling me, my body shuddering from the way his voice would tease in my ear and then… I found myself obeying with the lyrics.

Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams

Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before

Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar…!

And you'll live as you've never lived before

My eyes shut tight I could feel the thoughts of my former life slipping away. I was not the same girl anymore. I was not the timid country chit who was silent and passive. I was a lady, a de Winter. I was the singer my parents knew I could be and they sent me the Angel of Music that I longed to have. This was my life now. The life I have always dreamed of having and it was now in my grasp.

Softly, deftly, music shall caress you

Hear it, feel it secretly possess you

Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind

In this darkness that you know you cannot fight

The darkness of the music of the night

Let your mind start a journey to a strange new world

Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before

Let your soul take you where you long to be

Only then can you belong to me

I could feel Erik's chest behind me, his hand tentatively resting on my abdomen pulling me closer while his other hand reached into my curls. Gently, he stroked my hair and pushed it to the side so he could lower his mouth against my neck. The next verse was sung in my ear, the heat of his breath tickling my skin and my heart racing with the anticipation of what was to come.

Floating, falling, sweet intoxication

Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation

Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in

To the power of the music that I write

The power of the music of the night

Now, Erik had me facing him, his finger tilting my chin up as I looked at him with half-closed lids while he sang the last lines.

You alone can make my song take flight

Help me make the music of the night

The last note was cut off when I pulled Erik in a fervent kiss. I needed to taste him, to feel him. My heart and soul were burning from the passion that was reflecting in that song. And to know he wrote that after meeting me! No words could express my gratitude, but speaking was the last thing on both our minds.

That night… we did not stray from each other's embrace. If this was to be our last night as husband and wife… then we would make it a memorable one and I prayed mightily that God will give me a sign so I will know what the future will hold for us.

I could not lose Erik.

xxXXxx

The day of the inquest came and while I had the intention of going… Erik changed his mind and wanted me to stay at home. I gave him the patented glare that I have seen Ayesha give on more than one occasion and told him that I would not stay at home and I will go to stand by my husband's side and that was final. To my elation, Erik did not fight me and acquiesced. He even muttered that I was spending too much time with Ayesha and he was sorry to encourage our friendship, but I knew he was truly not crossed. He was pleased I was still going and as Anthony drove us into town… we had our hands clasped together.

The inquest was held in a small police station that served as a courtroom as well. It was all very plain and orderly with wood paneling on the floor, bright white walls, and a single window to allow in some sunlight. There was a long table in the center where Colonel Reyer was to sit and preside over the proceedings. To the right was a chair for the witnesses to speak from, to the left was a small table with two chairs, and the rest of the room had benches for the public to watch. Already, the space was quickly filling up with reporters and curious spectators as well as our neighbors and friends.

I saw Nadir, Ayesha, and her husband were already there. They managed to grab a seat in the front and waved us to come over. Immediately, everyone's attention was drawn to us as we calmly walked down the aisle towards our friends. I clutched Erik's hand tighter and I knew I was flushed from being put on display so bluntly and an uneasy feeling began to churn in my stomach. It would not do for me to get sick right now before the inquest started and Erik was depending on me to be his rock… I could not fail him.

Swallowing my fright, I greeted them warmly while keeping a smile on my countenance to show to the rest that I was not worried.

"Come sit down." Ayesha patted the seat beside her and I was too grateful to sit to keep my back to those vultures. "It's good that you came at last. I was getting quite irritated with those mongers yammering that you will not come and how you must be guilty and such. Can you believe it? Already they are passing judgment before anything has even been decided! I had half the mind to give them something else to talk about and I assure you I would be held in contempt."

"Take it easy my tigress," Giles said. "No need to give those mongers anymore fuel. Remember what happened with that fellow from… what was it? Something Chronicle."

I looked to my sister-in-law in puzzlement and she smirked. "Well, yesterday, Giles and I were hounded by the press too. Since I am Erik's brother and Luciana's late sister-in-law, they apparently thought I would have something juicy to share about their marriage and if I had any theories on what happened that night. This one in particular… he's not important with a name… kept asking the most audacious questions and hinting to some ridiculous and absurd claims that I (remember this was all done in a passionate reaction) took one of our inexpensive vases and threw it at his head."

"It was a good throw," Giles interjected, leaning towards Erik and Nadir. "When he caught wind of what Ayesha was about to do, he was already out of his seat and running. The poor man did not stand a chance and she knocked him out flat."

"Well," Ayesha said, fluttering her lashes. "It was quite ungentlemanly what he was saying. I only responded with the correct way he spoke. Besides, there was little blood and I threatened to call his editor to have him sacked for what he said. He was cordial after that, but he did not stick around for tea. I thought that was very rude."

I chuckled while Erik could only shake his head, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Ayesha, is there any possible chance that a meeting with you cannot end with blood being shed?"

"I don't know brother," she drawled. "I have yet to find out."

There was a loud cry of the inquest about to start and the massive doors closed to keep anyone else from entering. Colonel Reyer, Captain Lefevre, and Inspector Butler entered from a side door and took their spots—the Colonel at the long table, the Inspector off to the side, and the Captain coming to the sit in one of the empty spots at the small table.

I looked at Erik quickly and sucked in my breath. The moment has finally come.

The Colonel picked up the gavel and banged it twice to silent the crowd. Clearing his throat, he announced:

"Remember ladies and gentlemen, this is only a formal hearing over the de Winter case. I will start with Captain Lefevre giving his testimony on what happened several nights ago. Captain."

He rose and stayed where he was when the Inspector brought a Bible over to him. After swearing the oath, the Captain started with the accounts that occurred after the ship had crashed. It was the same what he told me the following night and ended by informing the authorities of the body discovered.

The next to speak was Doctor Leroux. He talked about how he was able to identify the body as Luciana de Winter.

After him, Erik was called to the stand.

I folded my hands in my lap to keep from shaking as my husband pledged his oath and sat down. The Colonel started by asking Erik what he remembered of that night a year ago.

I knew I did not make a single sound when Erik retold his side of events that he had been in the house, composing in the music room. It had been growing late and Erik was getting tired so he went up to bed. He remembered falling asleep with Luciana by his side and when the next he woke… she was missing.

"I assumed she was already awake since my wife loved to get an early start on her correspondence. It was when I finished dressing that my butler, Anthony Giry, knocked on the door to tell me that Mrs. de Winter was nowhere to be found. We searched the grounds and when there was no sight of her… we went down to the cottage where she kept her sailing boat. There we saw the sailing boat was missing and knew Luciana must have gone out during the storm. I had told her countless times of the dangers of sailing by herself at night and I feared that my warnings had been fortuitous. You can only imagine the horror I felt and we did try searching by sea as you remember Colonel Reyer. But there was nothing. Then a month later I received a call that a body had been washed up on the shore in Edgecoombe. I drove out there as soon as I hung up to see if it was my beloved Luciana. I had been terribly ill from not knowing what happened to her or finding her that I wanted the body to be hers. And I truly believed it was her at the time, of course, I know thanks to Dr. Leroux that it was not true. The body that was found under the bay was Luciana's."

There was some slight murmurs going on in the room, but Erik did splendid. He captured the role of the frantic husband well while doing everything he could think of to find his wife. I was so proud of him and I gave him a proud smile to show he was doing very well.

"Thank you Mr. de Winter. That will be all." Colonel Reyer nodded as Erik began to rise.

"Colonel," Inspector Butler interrupted. "If you may… I have some questions I would like to ask Mr. de Winter."

The Colonel sighed and asked if this was all right with Erik.

I grabbed the edge of the bench while waiting for Erik to reply. If he were to decline… would that make it seem suspicious? What if he accepts and the Inspector puts Erik on the spot? What if…

But I had no time to think of the what-ifs as my husband accepted permission for the Inspector to ask his questions.

"What are you doing you fool?" Nadir muttered to himself.

Erik took his seat again and waited for the first question.

"You said you were asleep when your wife left in the middle of the night?"

"Yes that is correct."

"Didn't you sense her leaving?"

"No. I'm a heavy sleeper."

"Was this a normal habit of Mrs. de Winter's?"

"Yes. Luciana loved to sail and her favorite time was during the night. I don't know why that particular time was her favorite nor could I understand her fascination. I am not a seaman by any means, but I knew that it was not safe for her to go off on her own."

"So… you never joined your wife when she sailed?"

"No. She would take her friends if they wished to, but I never had the inkling to sail."

"But if you knew she loved to sail at night… wouldn't that be enough to join her? To make sure she was all right?"

He was leading Erik on, egging him with his insinuations. If he pushed Erik… surely he will lose his temper!

But before my husband could speak, the Colonel interrupted.

"Inspector, this is not a trial or an interrogation. It is no surprise the late Mrs. de Winter favorite pastime was sailing in the evenings. My wife has heard this from her many times and the reason that Mr. de Winter would not have gone out was that she was an experienced sailor. Any caring husband will want to keep the risks known, but there was not any concern that something would happen since she kept a sound head on her shoulders. Thank you Mr. de Winter for your cooperation. You may step down. Next witness: Richard Dutton."

I turned to whisper in Nadir's ear. "Who is he?"

"The boat-builder," Nadir whispered back. "He did a lot of work on Luciana's boat. Repairs and check-ups and such. They want him to give a report on the condition of the boat at the time it sank to determine how sound it was for sailing. I do recall that it was due to be looked at soon."

Erik returned and sat next to me. He sought out my hand right away and I took it, using my dress to shield us. I squeezed it to show him how proud I was for doing a fine job on the stand. As I looked up at him, out of the corner of my eye, my body went cold as I saw Mrs. Danvers and Raoul de Chagny sitting next to each other. They were on the other side of the room, sitting close to the back. But I saw them as plain as day. If that was not bad enough… Raoul noticed me and sent me a sly wink.

I quickly looked away just as Mr. Dutton took the stand. Erik frowned at my odd behavior and was going to ask what was wrong, but I shook my head to tell him not now.

"Mr. Dutton, you have worked on the late Mrs. de Winter's sailing boat, is that correct?" the Colonel asked.

"Aye, I have," Dutton replied. "She had a fine boat. Good eye too. She was quick to spot what needed fixin' and brought it to me right away. I have always said that she was born a sailor."

"Right. What was your last assessment of Mrs. de Winter's boat before the incident?"

"The last I saw 'er… it was top notch and ready for the winds. But I did have an appointment with Mrs. de Winter for the following day for the regular check-up. I like to check all my clients' boats every so often to make sure nothing is amiss."

"In that time before the appointment… was it possible the boat could have suffered some damage and needed to be repaired?"

"It's very possible. But I knew Mrs. de Winter and her love for that boat. She would not have gone out if there was something wrong with it."

"Could be possible, if the conditions are right, for a boat that size to capsize?"

Mr. Dutton scratched his head. "I su'pose. It was not a very large boat in my recollection. But I knew Mrs. de Winter had sailed her in all sorts of weather and never had any problems. Of course that was a pretty bad storm we had that night."

"And supposing… Mrs. de Winter got wet and went below for a coat. Is it possible that during that time the boat had capsized?"

"No," Mr. Dutton said as a matter of fact.

"Well, I had a sunken boat in the bay that says otherwise. I am not criticizing your knowledge or your report that the boat was seaworthy before the incident… but considering the facts and that you said she was due to be seen… it could be quite possible that the boat tipped when Mrs. de Winter was in the cabin."

"I would agree with you sir, but there is something else. With permission, I would like to further explain my statement."

"Go on."

"After Mrs. de Winter's disappearance, I got a lot of complaints from customers that I had not done a good enough job and caused Mrs. de Winter to sink. I lost a lot of boats that summer and have been struggling these past months. It was upsettin' and I kept turning my head to see if there was something I missed. When the boat was discovered and Captain Lefevre was able to raise it… I had to see for meself. I had to know if I was at fault for what happened to Mrs. de Winter. I asked the Captain if I could look at her and he granted me permission. Put it on the record that I inspected that boat from top to bottom. Not a single inch went unnoticed. Now the boat was at the sandy bottom and it was at least five feet from the ridge. The boat had no mark or traces of rock hitting her. The diver attested to that.

"But the strangest part was this… if the boat had not touched any rocks, then how could it have sank? I thought the wind tossed her, but upon my examination, I realized that was not so. There were holes and they were done by a spike."

Upon this reveal, there was a collective gasp sounding through the courtroom. My heart was already pounding and I could feel myself growing hot.

"What kind of holes?"

"There was three of 'em. One was starboard near the chain locker on the planking below the water-line. The other two were close and underneath the floor boards at the bottom. Also, the sea-cocks had been turned on."

"What are sea-cocks?"

"It's the fitting that goes in the pipes to keep water from filling in. They are usually by a washbasin or lavatory. When you're sailing, those sea-cocks have to be closed. But when I saw the boat… they were turned on full."

Erik gripped my hand tighter and I kept my gaze ahead so not to look at any expressions.

"So you see Colonel… with those holes and the sea-cocks on… it would not take much or long for a boat to sink. I knew those holes were not there from my last inspection. So it is my opinion, Colonel Reyer, that the boat never capsized like you thought. Those holes were deliberately made."

TBC…

Dun dun dun dun! I'm not a sailor and I do not know much about boats so a lot of this is based on the novel and some research I made about the parts of a sailboat. Hopefully, it makes sense. Go ahead and push the review button.