Among the Darkness Stirs

“What if I refuse you?” she asked.

“It’s possible. I’ll accept defeat and then ask again when next we meet.”

She smiled lightly as the carriage arrived.

“Until tomorrow,” he said, his eyes warm on her.

“Until tomorrow.”

The next morning, they arranged to meet at the register office, and when Audrey arrived, she found Henry waiting for her.

“How is Frances?” was the first thing out of her mouth.

“She’s well. My mother is doting on her so much that I think my existence is unnecessary now.”

Relief washed through Audrey. “Let’s go inside.”

Once inside the register office, they asked to see the deaths recorded from the last year, and Audrey came prepared with the names from the diary they had written down. They were given a small room with a desk and two chairs to review the records.

“Ah. Here’s a familiar name. Marguerite Shirley.” He tapped the entry with his finger.

“Marguerite?” Audrey looked up.

Henry met her eyes. “Her death is listed as the black death.”

The room was filled with silence as they both stared at each other.

“Impossible,” Audrey said.

“It’s listed here, Audrey.”

“It can have the seal of the queen for all I care,” Audrey said impatiently. “It’s impossible. I saw the woman.”

Several seconds ticked by before either of them spoke. “This is getting more and more interesting,” he said suddenly.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Marguerite was cremated.”

“Cremated?” She frowned. “I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone who was cremated.”

“I’m not surprised,” Henry said. “Cremations are rarely performed. In my lifetime, I’ve known one, and it wasn’t even here it was London.” Henry continued to look down the ledger. “Here’s Alistair Hillby.”

“Her gentleman caller?” Audrey asked.

Henry sat back in his chair. “This is odd. Too odd.”

“What? The black death?” she asked.

He nodded. “The black death and also cremation.”

“It was consumption that killed him,” Audrey said firmly. “He was coughing. Just as my father did. I know the symptoms.”

“You don’t have to convince me. I am absolutely certain these black deaths are another name for something else.”

“What else?” she wondered.

“That’s what I don’t know. And now the cremations?”