Rest Thy Head (16 page)

“How did the family get from Virginia to Wyoming?” Peyton asked as she reached for Griffin. The child would not stay away from the edge of the porch.

Griffin ignored Peyton and reached for Jake who said, “There wasn’t anything left in Virginia for the colonel. The South was undergoing reconstruction, so the colonel decided to move his family west. When they reached what’s now Waterbury, he felt at home and decided this was where he wanted to live. He built Rest Thy Head, which was a family home until the World War II era. At that time the family needed money pretty badly, and they had to sell it.”

“Oh, what a shame,” the girls chorused.

Jake settled Griffin more comfortably in the crook of his arm. “It belonged to other people until ten years ago when our parents bought it. It felt like coming home to move in here. You can almost taste the sense of history and family.”

“Very poetic, Jake,” Peyton smarted. “Maybe that’s why people think it’s haunted.”

“It is haunted. Ask anybody who’s spent any time here.”

Ashley sniffed at Peyton. “Well, I believe in ghosts.”

“You do?” Patrick looked surprised which made Peyton laugh.

“Yes, I do.” Ashley nodded for emphasis. “Let me tell you about my cat.”

“I don’t know if I believe in animal ghosts,” Patrick admitted at the conclusion of her story, “but if you see anything let me know.”

“Oh, I will.” Ashley shivered. “I’d love to see a ghost. Maybe Sally or Colonel Waters came to visit after they died and stayed on for a few hundred years.”

Jake rolled his eyes and gave Peyton the impression ghosts weren’t acceptable to him even though he did believe. “Will you two knock it off? Peyton, Ashley can play the part of Sally, so you play Drusilla Jenkins.”

“Who’s that?” Peyton asked as she nibbled an after dinner apple she had stuck in her pocket.

“Her husband Lawrence Jenkins was Colonel Waters’ aide during the Civil War. Lawrence and Drusilla met after the colonel and his aide traveled to the west. ” Jake leaned toward Peyton. “Give me a bite of that apple. It smells good.”

Peyton handed him the apple. “Tell me about Drusilla.”

Jake took a bite of her apple and passed it back. “Drusilla was supposed to be the most beautiful woman in the state.

Peyton batted her eyes at him. “That’s flattering.”

“Drusilla didn’t have an easy time of it,” Jake warned. “She had Indian blood. For some people that made her an unacceptable friend.”

“Oh, what a shame!”

“Don’t worry; her story had a happy ending. Sally Waters befriended her, and what Sally wanted Sally got.”

“And she wanted the town to accept Drusilla,” Peyton guessed.

“She did.” Patrick’s head bobbed. “And it happened too.”

“I wonder if she’d be beautiful to modern people? Standards of beauty change from generation to generation.”

Jake smiled. “We could look at her picture.”

“You have a picture of her?” Peyton asked. “I didn’t expect that.”

“Sure. Come to the living room, and I’ll show it to you.”

Jake shifted Griffin to his hip, and the five of them went into the living room where Patrick gestured at a large painting just to the left of the fireplace. “There she is. That’s Drusilla.”

Peyton stepped closer to look. “She is beautiful, but I can’t decide exactly what it is about her that I like. Maybe it’s the expression in her eyes. She looks as if she knows something no one else knows.”

“It doesn’t hurt she has a great figure,” Jake wryly put in, “and she looks as if she’d be very graceful.”

“Uh huh.” In fact, Peyton liked most everything about Drusilla Jenkins. She had long, full, dark hair she had carelessly caught up into a knot on the back of her neck. Her eyes were framed by impossibly long dark eyelashes and looked gray in the painting.

Her flawless skin glowed even in the old painting. She had full lips, but her nose looked just a touch too large. “That’s it,” Peyton exclaimed. “That’s why she’s so beautiful.”

“What is?” Patrick asked.

“It’s her nose. Don’t you see? It gives her entire face character and beauty.”

Patrick tilted his head and studied the painting. “You could be right. I’ve never thought much about it.” He gestured toward the fireplace. “Look at the lady over the fireplace. That’s Sally Waters.”

Peyton looked the painting over. Sally didn’t look as tall as Drusilla. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, a pert, upturned, little nose and a determined expression in her eyes. Sally undoubtedly had been a force to be reckoned with.

The play sounded like it would be fun, and she liked Drusilla’s painting. “I’d be delighted to play Drusilla. I think I’d have liked her.”

“Good. Let’s get you ladies a costume.”

They searched a storage closet where Peyton found a dark maroon gown that looked similar in color to the dress in the painting. Ashley picked a medium blue dress with ruffled sleeves.

“If you’ll take the dresses upstairs we can drive into Waterbury and get an ice cream,” Patrick invited. “One of the creameries in the area makes their own ice cream, and it’s delicious.”

Jake passed Griffin to Ashley. “You go ahead. I’m bushed.”

Peyton touched his arm. “Jake…”

“You go on. I’m fine.”

Patrick tried too. “Aw, go with us, Jake.”

Jake shook his head and went inside, and Patrick took the girls for an ice cream.

***

“Thank you for the ice cream, Patrick,” Peyton said as they entered the lobby at Rest Thy Head after their trip to town.

“Yes, thanks,” Ashley echoed. Griffin babbled something, but nobody understood him.

“Anytime, ladies. We’ll do it again soon.”

Ashley took Griffin into the kitchen for a drink of water while Peyton went up to her room. She unlocked her door and flipped on the light. “Wha…What happened?”

Her maroon gown lay on the floor, cut into what looked like a million pieces. Peyton’s heart pounded like a jackhammer. She ran back downstairs, ploughing into Jake who had just left the office. “Jake! Come and see!”

He grabbed her arms. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Come see!”

They raced upstairs where Peyton took him into her room and pointed to the dress on the floor. “Look at that! Someone ruined my dress.”

Jake’s face hardened. His body tensed. At this moment, it was easy to believe he’d been a marine. “Stand back so I can check the closet.”

No problem. Peyton willingly scurried outside to let him search. “Nobody here,” he called. “Did you lock your door before you left for town?”

“Yes, of course I did. I don’t get it. First my car, then my book, and now my dress. These things have to be connected. Why would someone have it in for me? I barely know your staff. Why would they dislike me so much?”

Jake ran his hand around the back of his neck. “It wouldn’t have to be a member of the staff. It could be a guest.”

“But the guests come and go,” Peyton wailed. “We’ve had lots of check ins and check outs, and things are still happening to me.” Her voice shook. “It kind of scares me.”

Jake threw his arm around her shoulders and gave her a bracing squeeze. “Yeah, it does seem strange that you’re the only one who’s had trouble. It still doesn’t have to be the staff though. We have a lot of deliveries each day, and the locals come here to eat all the time. It could be anybody.”

Peyton stared into the empty room and moved closer against his side. This was much worse than mythical ghosts. She could see the shredded dress on the floor in front of her, but she’d seen no sign of ghosts. “What can I do? This…this scares me.”

Jake took her hand. “I don’t blame you. How about we move you to the attic with Ashley for the night? Tomorrow I’ll change the lock for you.”

Peyton agreed even though she hated to alarm Ashley. She’d have to, though, because she refused to stay in that room tonight. Whoever she had ticked off might come back. Wouldn’t it figure just as she found a place she liked somebody would have it in for her?

After she grabbed her pajamas and toiletries, Jake escorted her upstairs to the attic where Ashley gladly agreed to share her space. “Maybe you should move up here permanently, Peyton. Then you wouldn’t be alone in the room.”

“I’ll think about it, but truthfully I’d rather stay where I am. If I move up here, it’ll crowd you and Griffin. Poor baby. I’m just glad he’s a sound sleeper, and we’re not waking him up now.”

“Do you honestly think I care?”

Peyton smiled. “No, I know you don’t mind. What do you think is going on? Why are these things happening to me?”

Ashley thought for a moment. “Anyone could have vandalized the car. If that was the only thing that happened to you I wouldn’t be too worried. You know how mean people can be. By itself the book incident doesn’t look too threatening either. You said it was a romance with a graphic cover so maybe someone felt it was too graphic.

“No, each of those incidents doesn’t sound too threatening, but when you look at both of them together you begin to see a pattern, and the dress thing is definitely personal. I’m worried about you. Do you think you should consider leaving Rest Thy Head?”

Peyton shivered and wrapped her arms around her middle. “Not unless something else happens. I like it here. I’m not ready to go home yet.”

“I don’t blame you.” Ashley shivered and looked around as if some intruder might jump out at them. “Can you think of anyone who’s mad at you?”

Peyton shook her head. “No one besides Mother, and this type of intimidation isn’t her style.”

“She isn’t here anyway. How about the girl whose job you took?”

“I did think of her,” Peyton admitted, “but she quit. It isn’t like they fired her so they could hire me.”

“Still, she might have had a change of heart. Maybe she wanted to come back but couldn’t because you had taken her job.”

Peyton nodded. It made as much sense as anything. “That’s the only thing I can come up with. I’ll ask around. I’ll find out if she came back or not.”

They talked for a few more minutes before they turned out their light. In the darkness, Peyton pulled her covers tightly around her. She had to admit she felt better with Ashley in the room.

***

In the daylight things didn’t look so scary. “I’ve just had some bad luck,” she told Annie, who had showed up to talk to her that morning. “Some kid probably slashed my tires, and anyone could have torn up my book, even a dog, I expect.”

“What about last night?” Annie shifted in her chair. Her hands twisted in her lap. “What about the dress?”

“Maybe the ghost did it,” Peyton replied in sepulchral tones.

Annie scowled as if the ghost comment bothered her. “Why would a ghost do such a thing?”

“It wouldn’t. I don’t believe in ghosts.”

Annie laughed then, as if something had amused her. “Oh, I do.”

“You and everyone else around here! No, this isn’t the work of a ghost. Somebody must have it in for me, but I can’t imagine who.”

Annie’s face turned serious. “I’ll keep my eyes open for you. People overlook maids all the time. I bet I can find out who’s doing this.”

Peyton smiled at her faithful friend. She always looked forward to their talks. “I appreciate it, but don’t put yourself in harm’s way. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Annie’s eyes shone with what Peyton felt sure was genuine pleasure. “Thanks for your concern, but don’t worry about me. I’ll get to the bottom of this in no time.”

Chapter Eleven

The next day they started rehearsing the play. “What part are you playing?” Ashley asked Patrick who sat beside her on the living room sofa.

“This year I’ll be Benjamin Blakely, the guy who married Sally Waters.”

“Who’s playing Colonel Waters?”

“Jake’s friend Andy Russell. He owns a pottery shop in town.”

“I’ve met him.” Peyton who had just finished cleaning up after the dinner crowd took a seat beside Ashley. “He’s a nice guy.”

“Yes, I sure am,” a voice chimed in.

Peyton looked around and smiled when she saw Jake and Andy standing in the doorway. “Don’t be bragging on yourself, Andy.” She smiled at him to show she was only teasing.

“If I don’t brag on myself, who will?”

Eyes twinkling, Jake jabbed him with his elbow. “Nobody.”

Peyton threw her hand across her heart and pretended to be overcome with emotion. “Why, Jake Douglas. Did you make a joke? Be careful, or you’ll lose your reputation as an old curmudgeon.”

“I’d hate to do that.”

Everyone giggled, and Peyton jumped up and grabbed Jake’s arm. “Now that you’re here you can help me find a new costume.”

He glanced at his watch. “Do we have time before you start the rehearsal, Patrick?”

“Sure.”

Patrick handed Andy a script to look at while Jake and Peyton went to the storage closet. After careful consideration, she selected a green dress with a white front for her character. She held it in front of her while Jake critically studied it. “It looks nice. I’m sorry about the other dress. I changed the lock on your door myself. You shouldn’t have any more trouble.”

“I hope not.” Peyton chewed on her bottom lip. “I don’t like the idea of someone entering my room at will.”

“No, and I wouldn’t either.”

Peyton folded her dress across her arm. “Do you take part in the pageant?”

Jake’s eyes lowered. “I used to before I got burned.”

“I think you look fine. You could still participate if you wanted to.”

“I don’t think so. I’ve seen how people look at me, and I don’t want to make them uncomfortable. Me either, for that matter.”

Peyton could have argued with him all day about that, but she decided to let it go. Patrick wanted to start the rehearsal, and she hated to hold them up. She made a mental note to talk to Jake again. He needed to get over this nonsense.

Patrick got them started as soon as they rejoined the others. He wanted them to read through the play together. Then they’d go back and work on it scene by scene.

Peyton indicated the script in her hand. “Whoever wrote this has talent. The story has a lot going on, but it isn’t boring or hard to follow.”

Patrick nodded toward Jake. “He wrote it.”

“Why, Jake. You didn’t tell me you can write.”