Chapter 5

The staff was certain now that the bizarre incidents were in direct correlation to Mr. Clifford's absence. Mary and Robert both considered this absurd, remembering that Mr. Clifford had of course been at home when the occurrences first began. No matter a person's individual beliefs, everyone was in agreement that strange things were happening at the Clifford estate and people began to gossip.

It had been almost 3 months since Mr. Clifford had left on business. Mary left the estate early one morning with the small phaeton and one of the ponies. She was headed into town to pick up a few provisions, she brought along one of the stable boys to assist her in carrying the many packages she had planned on retrieving. Samuel was elated at the thought of getting off of the property; he jumped at the chance to go with Mary whenever she had errands to run in town.

Mary eyed Samuel as they entered the borders of town. He was a plain looking young man barely fifteen years old. He had thin brown hair that was always disheveled and a round face with small, brown eyes. The only thing significant about the boy was the joyful aura that constantly surrounded him. Samuel was always smiling and if he said anything, he laughed with the words that came from his thin-lipped mouth. Mary enjoyed his company immensely and often found herself acting motherly towards him. If she could say any one of the staff was her favorite, it was Samuel.

Mary pulled the phaeton up next to their first stop and Samuel jumped from the confines of the carriage and assisted Mary down. He was such a gentleman. Samuel held the door to the shop open for her as she sauntered passed. She couldn't help but smile to herself as he grinned from ear to ear. She spoke with the store manager reading off her list to him. He quickly and wordlessly gathered her things and packaged them up. Mary told the man she was going next door while he finished up with the packages and instructed him to give them to Samuel, who would put them away.

She left the building and sauntered outside. It was going to be warm today, she thought to herself. As she made her way towards the next shop, she paused as from behind her she heard a door slam and shuffling of feet, she turned and saw Samuel heading to the phaeton with a scowl on his face. She hurried over to him, as he put the packages into the carriage. He turned and faced her huffing and mumbling almost inaudibly.

"Samuel! What in heaven's name...?" Mary started.

"Ma'am, I think it'd be best if you'd not patron that man's business no more. He'd some gawd awful things to say after you left. I've half a mind to march rut back in there and tell 'erm off." Samuel's eyes narrowed and he threw a scowl towards the shop door.

"What is it Samuel? What happened? What did he say to you?" Mary considered Samuel's appearance and thought immediately that she should have insisted that he clean up before they left the estate.

Samuel rushed his words out, "He didn't say it to me ma'am, he meant it to be for hisself but I heard 'em, I heard what he says about Master Clifford, ma'am. He said it to your back as you left ma'am. He says, master, um, mister Clifford musta done sum gawd awful thing wrong to offend missus Clifford's spirit since she won't leave this world for the next. I told 'em it was rubbish and I took the things from the counter and walked out! I made sure as to slam his shop door though, serves him right! Master Clifford's never done nobody no harm and ain't he always in a chipper mood ma'am and to just think that's what peoples been sayin' bout 'em ma'am!"

Mary almost didn't catch it all; his response came out so quick. She wasn't sure if she should believe him or not, but as she looked at Samuel she could see how upset the boy was. She knew that the talk of the town had been Mrs. Clifford's death and the subsequent events that had occurred since then. She never thought it would mean people would begin to think ill of Mr. Clifford.

Mary and Samuel continued their errands and were soon on their way back to the estate. When they arrived, Robert met them near the stables. Samuel took the pony into the stable while Mary and Robert gathered the packaged from the Phaeton and placed them in the cart Robert had brought with him. They started towards the house.

"How did your run into town go?" Robert asked politely.

Mary couldn't look at Robert as she replied, "well..." She wasn't sure if she should tell him what happened but thought she had better so he would know what to expect, as he often went to town for gardening supplies. "Robert, it was awful. You and I both know that people have been talking about the incidences that have been happening here at the estate, but it was far worse than I ever imagined. It seems as though the talk of town is that it is Master Clifford's wrongdoing that led to all of the queerness that has been going on. We were in the shop today and the shopkeeper made poor Samuel so upset, and rightfully so, he was speaking ill about Mr. Clifford." Mary stopped because Robert's face hadn't shown the least bit of surprise.

"I wondered if you would run into any problems in town. I wanted to catch you before you left. I was in town not two days ago and spoke to an acquaintance of mine at the pub; he told me what people were saying. I didn't believe anyone would actually say anything to you, and I am sorry they said anything to Samuel. Did you run into any other problems while you were there?" Robert inquired.

Mary thought about what he said and exclaimed, "Come to think of it Robert, we passed a couple of ladies in town and while they walked by they gave us some nasty looks and whispered to each other. I assumed it was because of Samuel's appearance, he did look quite scruffy today, but I expect it was where we were from not what we looked like that made them act that way." The two entered the house and could hear Siobhan's rhythmic voice carrying out to them from the nursery.