I'm sorry I couldn't post this earlier. I hope you enjoy the chapter nevertheless. Let me know what think!
Chapter 4
Violet's staff had outdone themselves with the setting of the dinner table. The dining room at the Dower House was a festive space filled with candles, the delicious smell of food, and flower arrangements. The perfect setting for a perfect dinner, but the look deceived.
Spratt, wearing his best livery, watched the small group with astonishment and disbelief. The whole thing was the complete antithesis for one of his successful columns in Lady Edith's magazine. It could have been a perfect dinner party if it weren't for the fact that almost every of the four invited guests appeared to be rather displeased by the event itself. Everyone, including himself, was dressed to the nines and yet ready to flee the room as soon as possible. He had just served the main course and he wondered if they would make it to the coffee and port.
Prudence Shackleton looked as if she had tasted and swallowed a sour lemon. Dickie Merton was sitting next to Violet and seemed unhappy with the fact that Violet had placed Isobel right across him. All his former fiancé had done so far was glaring at him with a sparkle in her eyes that excited and frightened him in equal measure. He used to admire her spirit and fierceness, but tonight all of it seemed directed at him. Only Doctor Clarkson and the Dowager herself were in high spirits - which didn't help to improve the atmosphere.
Isobel couldn't remember a time when Violet had been this chirpy and since she knew exactly the reason for her cousin's good mood, she wondered how she could come up with a scheme for revenge. It satisfied her immensely that Dickie seemed uncomfortable with his place right across her. His face was a little flushed and the way he nestled with his collar when he thought no one was watching, amused her. Prudence Shackleton, usually not shy, was tight-lipped and sipped more wine than a lady usually would at such an occasion. Clarkson, who always claimed to feel bored by the members of the aristocracy, was chatty and gave a lively lecture about the new x-ray machine for the hospital that was going to be delivered within a couple of weeks. Isobel, who usually loved to talk about the hospital and medical subjects, was annoyed with his enthusiasm - mostly because she hated him taking credit for something he hadn't been interested in, in the first place.
"I'm very grateful to the administration in York who supported the idea of a new x-ray machine for our little hospital," Clarkson said. "It shows they meant what they said when they promised not to forget about our needs."
"You forget that it was Lady Grantham who made the notion," Isobel snapped. "Without Cora's determination none of this would have happened." She felt the Doctors' eyes on her. He was taken aback by her coldness, but her eyes were resting on Dickie who raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Of course, Lady Grantham has a lot to do with our success," Clarkson added quickly.
"I understand she's very well respected in York," Dickie said more to Isobel than to anyone else.
"She is," Isobel confirmed without breaking eye contact with Dickie. "The hospital would be lost without her."
For an uncomfortable moment silence filled the room. Outside the house a dog was barking and the ablazed wood in the fireplace cracked. Finally it was the hostess who broke the silence. She turned to Prudence who was running her fingertips along the stem of her wine glass.
"Well, Prudence, how are things at your brother's estate? I heard there was a fire some weeks ago."
Prudence looked up and nodded. Isobel could see she was bored by the subject. "There was, but no one was hurt. The roof and the attic need some refurbishment, that's all." She shrugged nonchalantly and emptied her glass. Spratt stepped forward to refill it.
"Well, that's good to hear," Dickie said, in an attempt to save the conversation. "I don't want to think about the inconvenience of having a rebuilt big house like Rupert's."
"As if a house draughty like yours is threatened to burn down," Isobel commented dryly. "I'm sure with all the ghosts haunting it, no fire could destroy it." Dickie smirked. He knew the 'ghost' Isobel was hinting at was the one of his dead wife and he didn't blame her. Ada had a certain reputation among the community and he had no reason to rebut any of them. In many ways Ada was one of the reasons why Larry had been against their marriage. Knowing how much she disliked Cavenham, he said, "Old houses like ours must have some advantages to modern buildings."
"That's one way to see it," Isobel returned and put down her fork. Most of the time she had simply pushed her food across the plate. She wasn't hungry and when she looked at the plates of the others, it didn't look much different.
Outside the dining room Denker stood in the hallway and her ear was pressed against the door. Despite Spratt's warnings, her curiosity had got the better of her and so she was eavesdropping. It was hard to tell, but from the sound of it, the dinner was not really a pleasant experience for the guests. Unfortunately she couldn't understand every word that was spoken. The fragments she could make out were 'x-ray', 'fire', 'ghost', which sounded too strange to be true. The real pity was that Spratt wouldn't fill in the gaps for her. On the contrary: he would do anything to add to her confusion! Bloody man!
Denker drew a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. She had to go, before Spratt would find her here and lecture her about her duties. With pointed fingers she rearranged the Dowager's laced shawl over her arm that she had taken with her to present an alibi in case Spratt wondered why she was hanging around in the hallway.
On her tiptoes she sneaked up the staircase. Before she had reached the first landing, she heard a scream. She couldn't tell where it came from, because it echoed through the whole house, seemed to radiate from the walls. The lights went off and a cold draught whiffed through the room. Goosebumps formed all over her body. Scared, she wanted to get away from the staircase, but she missed a step and lost her balance. The next thing she felt was how she hit the bottom of the stairs and then she lost consciousness.
"Not again!" Dickie's voice echoed through the spooky half darkness of the dining room when the lights turned out. He remembered the irritating moment in Isobel's hallway two nights ago. If he had been more courageous he had used his chance to kiss her, but he had always been too much of a gentleman to force himself on a woman.
Isobel looked around and shivered. At least there was a fire that spent some light across the room. The flames threw shadows all over the face and walls and suddenly she felt as if she were sitting at Count Dracula's table in his dark castle.
"What is it, Spratt?" Violet barked through the room, without really knowing where her butler was.
"I'm not sure, Milady, but I will take care of it!"
The noise of footsteps and the clatter of plates followed Spratt across the room.
"Why is it so cold here all of the sudden?" Prudence asked and looked at the fire. The flames flickered and a cold breeze waltzed over them.
"Is it?" Isobel wondered and denied the coldness she felt to overcome her. "I feel rather hot actually."
"That's why you always obsess over everything," Violet stated. "It's like fuel for you."
Isobel was about to return the insult when they all heard someone screaming and seconds later a rumbling noise from the hallway reached their ears.
"For heaven's sake!" Clarkson rose and put his napkin on the table. Spratt and the Doctor hastened to the door and were welcomed by complete darkness in the hallway. The others rose as well and followed the two men to the door.
"Who's here?" Spratt yelled into the hallway. Someone groaned. One second later, the lights flickered and went on again.
"Miss Denker!" Spratt yelled at the maid on the floor. "What on earth are you doing here?"
Clarkson kneeled next to the whimpering maid and felt her pulse. "She's bleeding," he said when he noticed a wound at her temple. "I'll get my bag." He rose and rushed to the front door.
Violet looked exasperated at her maid. "How could this happen?"
"My guess would be she slipped on the staircase when the lights went out," Isobel said matter-of-factly when she bent down to have a closer look at her.
"It doesn't look too bad," she added. "It's only a small wound. If nothing else occurs, she'll be fine in a few days."
"Your words in God's ear," Violet said, wondering how she should do without a ladies maid for 'a few days'.
"I don't feel very well at all…" Prudence, who was standing next to Dickie, was faltering. Worried about her sudden condition, he took arm to stabilize her.
"You should sit down," he said, before he gave Isobel a long look. "It seems Doctor Clarkson will be having more than one patient tonight."
"Obviously," Isobel agreed and did her best not to sound annoyed. If Lady Shackleton was feeling unwell, she needed help. Although the timing seemed convenient. "I'll stay with Denker. Spratt, perhaps you could get us some cold water and small towels."
"Of course, Mrs Crawley." Hating everything about the present situation, Spratt turned on his heels and left the hallway. Dickie led Prudence back into the dining room and Violet looked at Isobel and Denker. "What a nightmare!"
"Oh well, you started it all. Why did you have to invite us all?" Isobel snapped.
"I thought it was a good idea to have all the protagonists around one table for once."
"And this one just backfired," Isobel returned, not without a great amount of satisfaction in her voice.
"This isn't over yet, you know," Violet informed Isobel and turned around to join the others in the dining room.
Clarkson took first care of Denker's head wound. The maid was visibly shaken by her accident and had no recollection of the events that led to her fall.
"It's not unusual," Clarkson told her, when he helped her to rise slowly from the floor. "I'll come back tomorrow to check on you. Try to rest. I'm sure one of the maids can be of assistance to Lady Grantham tonight." Before Denker was able to complain, the Doctor went inside the dining room where Lady Shackleton and Violet were sitting at the now cleared table. Prudence was massaging her temple with her finger tips. Dickie was standing near the table and watched her, concerned. Isobel followed the Doctor inside, but remained in the background.
"Your maid will be fine," Clarkson informed Violet. "But she needs rest for one or two days." Then he took Prudence's wrist to check her pulse. It was obvious, she wasn't feeling well. Her face was pale and she was trembling all over her body.
"Perhaps you're coming down with something, but I want to be sure it's nothing worse," Clarkson informed Prudence. "It's best I take you to the hospital, if you don't mind."
"Of course, I do mind!" Prudence snapped, but agreed to cooperate when she saw the stern expression on Clarkson's face. "But if you say so."
"I do say so," Clarkson said and offered his hand. She took it after a short hesitation and rose as gracefully as her condition allowed it.
"I guess that means, the evening is over," Isobel clapped in her hands and watched Clarkson who was guiding Prudence out of the room.
"Can I take you home?" Dickie asked Isobel.
"It's just around the corner," Isobel said. "I can manage on my own."
Violet shook her head about the harsh answer and sighed. "Please, take her home, Lord Merton. We don't need another accident tonight."
Isobel gave Violet a nasty glance. As if the Dowager ever thought about her safety before!
"It's settled then," Dickie gave Isobel a triumphant look and kept the door open for her.
The fog was as thick as it had been the whole day. The light of the gas lanterns barely went through the thick, damp air and gave the village a mystic look. Shadows danced across the storefronts and the leafless trees looked like crooked skeletons. If she was honest with herself Isobel was glad she wasn't on her own. Dickie had offered her his arm and together they strolled through the village. Once more she realized how natural it felt to have him by her side - even when she constantly felt the wish to snap at him like tonight.
"I guess we were lucky that Clarkson was in the house," Dickie admitted to her. "At first I thought I couldn't trust my eyes when I saw him in the drawing room."
"I pretty much felt the same when I saw you and Lady Shackleton."
"So, we both got disappointed," he concluded bitterly. "At least we have something in common."
"For very different reasons though," she argued. "Don't tell me you aren't unhappy with Lady Grantham for making us look like fools."
He snorted, "Well, I can't say I'm angry with her for inviting you, too. I always long to see you, no matter how difficult the circumstances are."
She stopped in her tracks and he stopped with her. The hoot of an owl disturbed the nightly silence. "Why do you say that?"
"Well, because it's true," he answered, astonished. She didn't know what to reply and so she motioned to continue their little walk. Until they had reached Crawley House neither of them spoke a word. While she looked for her keys in her purse Dickie looked around. It was amazing how the weather could change ones perception of the village. Everything looked surreal tonight. The fog was becoming thicker and the air colder.
"Shouldn't you just knock?" He asked, when the rummaging in her purse became more impatient.
"There's no one there tonight. My maid's with her family and Mrs Field doesn't live at the house."
"I see."
Relieved to have found her key she unlocked the door.
"Thank you for walking me home," she said. "It was kind of you."
"Well, good night then." He lifted his top hat and gave her a smile. He wanted to add something, so much actually, but didn't know how to say it.
"Will you go to the hospital?" She asked against her better judgement.
He drew a deep breath, but asked nevertheless,"Why should I?"
"To see how she is."
"She doesn't need me for support," he replied. "If things were otherwise I wouldn't have taken you home."
She stood in the doorframe, unsure what to do next. For the first time tonight she lacked a fitting, sarcastic reply. "Why don't you come in then?" She heard herself asking, wondering if she was mad.
"Whatever for?" He wondered.
"A drink…," she offered. "Just a drink. I think we deserve it."
He nodded slowly and with his heart racing in his chest he followed her inside.
-tbc-
