Mystery Present

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Now that you mention it, it surprised Andy and me, too, when we found it all those years ago," Reggie replied thoughtfully. "But no, Andy, I don't believe I did ever get around to asking the gardeners. It's too far from the gar dens, after all. Figured whoever was tending it probably didn't live at Haverston, so it wouldn't do much good to ask around."

"Unless one of the gardeners was specifically asked to tend it," Pedro pointed out. "Old long as John Markus was ancient when I still lived here, and he'd worked at Haverston for as anyone could remember. If anyone might know about that grave, it would be him. Don't sup pose he'd still be around, would he, Donald?"

Like everyone else, Bianca glanced toward Donald to hear his answer, and caught his tender expression on her. Her checks went up in flames. He'd done it! She couldn't believe he'd done it! And with half his family here to see it. But she was panicking for nothing. The look he'd given her had been brief, and no one was turning about to see who he'd been looking at, too interested in his answer, which he gave now.

"Here at Haverston, no," Donald replied. "He retired about fifteen years ago. But he's still alive, last I heard. Living with a daughter over in Havers Town." "Think I'll ride over and pay my respects to

Mr. Markus this afternoon," Andy said. "I'll go with you," Reggie offered. "I've a few Christmas presents I still have to buy, so I was going to stop by Havers anyway."

Warren shook his head in bemusement. “I don't understand all this morbid curiosity about an old grave. It's obviously not someone in the family, or the grave would be in the family crypt."

"I suppose you'd think nothing of it if some one got buried in your backyard, and no one bothered to tell you who it was or why they picked your backyard?" Pedro asked. "Per fectly normal occurrence in America, is it, Yank, having unmarked graves show up on your properties?"

"I would imagine someone was asked and did know at the time," Warren replied. "Or the grave would probably have been removed to a more proper location-at the time. And it seems pretty obvious that the grave is older than any of you, since none there or who's in it." of know when it got you

"Well, that's what I object to," Reggie put in. "It's just too sad, really, that whoever it was has been so completely forgotten. At the very least, her name should be added to that stone marker that merely says 'SHE RESTS." " ر۱۱

"Think I'll join you as well for that jaunt to Havers," Amy said. "I was going to help Bianca fetch the rest of the Christmas decorations from the attic this afternoon, but that can wait until tonight."

Bianca was sure she'd learn later, whatever they found out in Havers Town, but right now she really couldn't care less. With her cheeks still heated, she slipped out of the room unno ticed. And it was already going through her mind, what she was going to say to Donald when she got him alone tonight.

That had been too close by half. If his rela tives hadn't all been so interested in the subject at hand, at least one of them would have no ticed the way he had looked at her. And that would be the end of their secret.

But what good would it do? It still wouldn't change her mind about marrying him, though that was something she wished she could do, with all her heart. But one of them had to re main sensible about this. Even if he did marry her, she'd never be accepted by the ton. She'd be nothing but another Sullivan scandal.

As. it happened, the trip to Havers Town turned out to be utterly unsatisfactory. John Markus was in deed still living at the advanced age of ninety six. He was bed-ridden, yet his mind was quite lively for his age, and he did indeed recall the grave.

"I tended that grave for nigh on sixty-eight years," John proudly told the group gathered about his bed.

"Goodness!" Reggie exclaimed. "That's long before even you were born, Uncle Donald."

"Aye." John nodded. "Since I was a lad of thirteen myself. Turned the task over to my nephew when I retired fifteen years ago. Wouldn't trust anyone else to do it proper. He ain't been slacking, has he?"

"No, John, of course not," Donald assured him, though he hadn't a clue, since he hadn't been out to see that grave in over thirty years himself. But he didn't want the old man worrying about it, so he added, "He's been doing an excellent job, indeed he has."

"We're delighted to have found someone who knows about that grave, Mr. Markus," Reggie told him, getting the matter that had brought them there in mass. "It's been a point of curios ity for all of us, to know who is buried there."

The old man frowned. "Who is? Well now, I don't rightly know that."

The surprised silence that followed that an swer was full of disappointment. It was Andy who finally asked, "Then why did you keep care of it all those years?"

"Because she asked me to." "She?" Donald inquired.

"Why, your grandma, Lord Donald. Wasn't anything I wouldn't have done for that kind

lady. Everyone at Haverston felt that

way.

was well loved, your grandma was not like your grandpa. Or at least not as he was regarded when he was young."

Up went a half dozen brows, but it was Donald who said indignantly, "I beg your pardon?"

The old man chuckled, too old to be intimi dated by Donald Sullivan's ire. "No disrespect in tended, m'lord, but the first marquis, he was a stiff one, though no different from other aristo crats of his day. He was given Haverston by the crown, but he had little care for it or its people. He preferred London, and came only once a year for an accounting by his estate agent, who was an arrogant coxcomb that ruled Haverston like a tyrant when the marquis wasn't there."

"A rather harsh testament against a man who can't defend himself," Donald said stiffly.

John shrugged thin shoulders before saying, "Merely the truth as I saw it, but that was be fore the marquis met and married Lady Anna. She changed him, she did, taught him to ap preciate the little things in life, softened his edges. Haverston went from being a dismal, bleak place to work, to being a place her people took pride in calling home. A real shame about the rumors, though "Rumors?" Reggie frowned. "Oh, you mean

about her being a Gypsy?"