4
THE NEWSPAPER STORY
Marie-Grace and Alice came to the houses in the woods, and went into Aunt Lissie's first. Marie-Grace saw Papa sitting at a table with Uncle Alex, inside, playing chess.
"I showed Marie-Grace around town!" Alice announced loudly, her voice proud.
Nobody seemed to hear her.
When it was Uncle Alex's turn to move in chess, Marie-Grace saw Papa pick up a newspaper on the floor, near his feet.
The women sat in chairs, knitting, near the blazing fireplace. For a minute, the only sounds were the crackling of the coals in the fire and Papa's newspaper, and the women's knitting needles clacking. All the grownups' faces looked very concerned and thoughtful.
"Papa?" Marie-Grace asked timidly. She came to stand by him, and Papa showed her an article in the newspaper.
MRS. WHITE FOUND DEAD!
"Mrs. Widow White," as known by many, was found dead, this morning, lying in her bed as though asleep. A kindly neighbor had found her there, and when the police arrived on the scene, they found that Mrs. White's expensive jewelry was missing. The jewelry is said to be an expensive necklace made of rare gold, with a ruby stone in the middle. Mrs. White also owns a bracelet matching it, and a few other rings and necklaces, including two twin, silver necklaces, which were all stolen.
Was Mrs. White murdered, and her jewelry stolen? After examining her, a nearby doctor, visiting Cairo, stated that no wound marks could be found. Was Mrs. White poisoned? Or did she simply die peacefully in her sleep, and a passerby thief took the extraordinarily coincidental moment to steal her jewels?
"That's terrible!" Marie-Grace gasped, after she had read the article.
Alice, who had tiptoed over, and read the newspaper over Marie-Grace's shoulder, nodded in agreement. "Mrs. White is dead?" she asked her father.
Uncle Pierre nodded. He had just come in the house, and was holding an armful of firewood.
He stacked the wood in the corner of the room, then told Alice uncomfortably, "She was old anyway, Alice."
"But someone murdered her!" Alice went on.
"Alice!" Uncle Isabelle scolded. "The police say they are not sure if she was killed. No wound marks could be found on her."
"But someone may have poisoned her!" Alice argued. "It said so in the paper!"
Suddenly Marie-Grace had an idea. "Papa, did you examine Mrs. White for wounds?" she asked. "Was that the errand you went on this morning?"
Papa nodded. "And not a knife slash or bullet hole could be seen," he reported, glancing at Alice.
"But her jewels were stolen," Alice insisted quietly, half to herself. "It only makes sense that she was murdered." She gasped. "But the police haven't caught the murderer yet!"
"No," Aunt Odette told her niece. "And we adults were just talking about it." She sighed. "Alice, if there is a murderer about, we want you children to be safe."
"Do Gilbert and Bruno know about the newspaper story?" Alice demanded eagerly. "And Édith an Elise?"
Aunt Odette nodded. "But," she continued, "if there is a murderer—"
Suddenly Gilbert came into the room.
"Papa," he gasped, "may Bruno and I try out the pond, for ice skating?"
Uncle Alex frowned. "Gilbert," he told the boy, "I am not sure that pond is safe. It is springtime, and the ice may be thawing."
"It's been frozen all winter!" Gilbert protested. "Bruno and I wanted to see if it was all right to ice skate on, so that the other children could ice skate, too." He grinned, sliding a look at Marie-Grace.
Marie-Grace felt her heart quicken. She wasn't sure about ice skating on the pond. And Uncle Alex said it may be thawing.
"Fine," Uncle Alex agreed, waving his hand. "You and Bruno may skate on the ice, to test it, then decide for the younger children. I trust you boys."
"Merci, Papa!" Gilbert exclaimed.
"But—" Aunt Odette began.
But Gilbert was already out the door.
Aunt Odette frowned. "We'll have to talk about this later," she muttered.
"Gilbert is not dressed warm enough," Aunt Isabelle pointed out, in French.
"I'm sure he'll put on an extra coat," Uncle Pierre assured his wife. "He is a smart boy."
"Yes," Uncle Alex murmured.
"Come with me," Alice whispered to Marie-Grace, and the girls slipped out the door.
– ❧ –
Outside, Alice told Marie-Grace, "Let's watch the boys ice skating! And when they say the pond is safe, we can ice skate!"
"What if the pond isn't safe?" Marie-Grace asked worriedly.
Alice pursed her lips. "It will be," she decided.
"I haven't ice skated much," Marie-Grace admitted.
Alice was surprised. "Well," she shrugged, "just watch the rest of us, and you'll catch on quickly. Do you have a pair of your own ice skates?" When Marie-Grace shook her head, Alice added, "You can borrow my old pair. You have pretty small feet."
Marie-Grace looked down at her feet. She hoped she could fit Alice's old ice skates.
The weather was cold out. Birds whistled faintly in the trees, and Marie-Grace saw some flowers peeking up through the dirt, as well as blossoms on the trees. It was still a cold spring, but Marie-Grace found herself surprised that the pond was frozen at all.
They came to the pond, and Marie-Grace saw it was a lot bigger than she had imagined.
Pine trees grew around the bank of the pond. Gilbert and Bruno were already skating on the frozen water, whooping gleefully. Marie-Grace shivered as she watched how fast they ice skated.
"It's solid frozen!" Gilbert called. "Get out your ice skates, everyone!"
He and Bruno circled toward the edge of the pond, then out in the middle again.
It was beautiful, Marie-Grace thought as she watched. They were such expert ice skaters.
Gilbert and Bruno spun in circles, laughing, and Marie-Grace thought how she envied them. Then Gilbert skated toward the edge of the pond—where the ice was sure to be thicker, Marie-Grace reflected. When I skate I'll be sure to keep to the edge, she decided. But Bruno stayed out in the middle.
Just then a loud, cracking sound was heard over the pond. Alice gasped, and leaned forward on the bank, grabbing Marie-Grace's arm.
Marie-Grace didn't even flinch as her cousin's fingernails dug into her skin. She watched, mesmerized, as a large crack appeared on the ice.
Gilbert and Bruno both yelped, staggering backward, their arms flailing. But Gilbert was much closer to the bank than Bruno.
Then Bruno fell through the ice, his head sinking out of view.