All Bedlam Courses Past (part two hundred thirty-three)

All Bedlam Courses Past

Chapter Eight

Things Relative

(part two hundred thirty-three)

These facts included Miss Buckley’s movements altogether, excepting the Gorman episode.

“But Gorman wouldn’t,” Élucide said, “have been a confederate.”

“No, they’d not have risked a third party. Never minding where either might gain the acquaintance. But alibis were at first not wanted. Miss Buckley, who is thoroughly sharp of mind, came to recognize that use in Gorman.”

Miss Zucker had first known of the cruise at the end of May. She and her employer had discussed preparations in the week approaching Decoration Day, when Mr. Demrose had taken them to Field’s in the carriage, and Arnulfa had settled Mrs. Demrose in a salon. The manager would furnish a luncheon, Mrs. Demrose being an excellent patron, and the clerks bring her those things she wanted to look at…and if greater specificity were needed, Arnulfa kept note of dates, times, and purchases, as Mrs. Demrose sometimes wanted help recalling whether she had liked a thing or not.

Where had Mr. Demrose spent the day?

In the gentlemen’s smoking room, after a drive along the shore, and leaving his rig at one of the downtown liveries. But Arnulfa repeated only the words by which Mr. Demrose had accounted for himself.

Of brochures, she could testify to carrying parcels and letters to Mrs. Demrose, who enjoyed opening her own mail. She [Arnulfa] had located brochures related to the cruise when Mrs. Demrose had told her to get them, that was for Mr. Demrose to look at, saying they were on the bedstand, which they were. Cleaning was not Arnulfa’s duty; she did not remove items from furniture to dust and wax, did not thus arrange them where they’d been, could not profess notice taken of Mrs. Demrose’s occasional possessions. Maria, or the day girl (they had not had a day girl since the 1st of June) might know more.

Had Miss Buckley seen the brochures?

She had, her mother had pushed them across the table one day at lunch. Her mother booked travels through an agency; the house was littered with such things. Myra was sorry to inform Mr. Shute that they were wholly unmemorable to her, but her impression was of two or three excursions considered.

Mr. Demrose would be asked his liking, I would not. And he liked whatever she liked. I….? Because it made no difference. Mother kept to her routines in all weathers, she wanted me after breakfast, when she went through her newspapers, Arnulfa fetching what-have-you, my job to sit at hand and nod. We might have stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon… [laughter] Too extravagant, I’m making difficulties for you! Nothing stopped the breakfast, is what I mean, the papers, the lunch, the nap. My hours to myself were while Mother slept. But I couldn’t have gone off and started a bridge game, taken a lecture. I don’t think you will understand this, what it is to walk out a door with no plan in mind, as opposed to needing a complete story, the patience to have every thought you’d had altered, to wait for someone who needs a great deal before she can go anywhere, but insists she’ll come with you.

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Bedlam

All Bedlam Courses Past (part two hundred thirty-four)

(2025, Stephanie Foster)