Message of the Pendant

Darmon Series

By Thomas Thorpe

An action filled pursuit set in 1818 that begins with the discovery of a French conspiracy to free Bonaparte from exile. It is up to Elizabeth and William Darmon to follow the trail, which leads them to France, America, Scotland and the South Atlantic. *This is the first in a series of historical mysteries featuring the Darmons.

1-59431-079-3 Mystery/Historical/Adventure

Cover Art/Maggie Dix

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Chapter One

"We're all suspects until this business is sorted out," admonished William Darmon in front of his sleepy audience assembled in the grand ballroom. Evening was fast approaching. Six hours had passed since discovery of the body of Louisa Hurst in an upstairs bedroom of Mayfair Hall.

The tall, round-faced gentleman glanced down at the murder weapon pondering its

significance. It was an ordinary serving knife used at countless family dinners. The silver encrusted handle with the Darmon family coat of arms no longer gave him any pride.

"What in God's name happened here?" he muttered a five-shilling oath.

Despite the ordeal of police questions, friends and family sat stoically waiting for leadership out of their predicament. Elizabeth Darmon was losing patience with her husband who apparently expected the answers to fall from the sky. "Why would anyone use our knife?"

F. William Darmon glared at his wife of three years and then acknowledged her challenge with a smile. "Well, it's an odd weapon for a carefully planned murder. I mean, a gentleman would likely carry his own concealed instrument, a lady would surely choose a less violent means and if I were a servant, I'd employ a less incriminating tool. Of course, there's always the possibility its use was designed to cast blame on our household. But we are all good friends here, and who among us would harboring resentment toward poor Louisa?"

A short, stocky girl of twenty-three, Elizabeth fingered her dark brown curls wound tightly about her head, realizing that only a collective insight could possibly get a resolution to the crime. "Surely our family can't be suspect, William. Our parents, my sisters and your aunt, Lady Carlisle, are out of the question. So that leaves some thirty-odd guests. Anyone have an idea?"

Charles Bagwell, her brother-in-law spoke up. "Perhaps it was unplanned. An

enraged guest seized the knife in a moment's insanity, pouncing on it because of its convenience."

"In such cases, one quickly becomes regretful of the deed," his wife Emily offered,

curling her lip. "Yet no one has come forward to unburden his conscience."

Elizabeth's younger sister, eighteen-year old Victoria, shook her head. "I wouldn't be so quick to rule out Lady Carlisle. Her intolerance of Elizabeth has been a constant annoyance to the household. I still don't know why she left Rosewell Park to move in here. And where is she? Has anyone seen her since last night?"

"What of your family, Charles?" Emily asked with a suspicious glance. "Both you and Madeline were close to your sister, Louisa. Any family grudges lurking about? We could ask Arthur if his wife feared attack from someone, but as usual he's incapable of a sober thought. Anyone notice if he was upset with her last night before he passed out?"

William had enough. "Let's stop finger pointing. We're confusing family bickering with a motive for murder. Can we all agree to look outside her relations first? We can start with the list of attendees we know had an acquaintance with the deceased. I know of only a few of her associates present at the time of the murder.

"Mr. and Mrs. John Black of London

"Sir Terrence Winthrop formerly of London now of Paris

"Jack Crullage, Victoria's friend from Hunsford."