Carridelle – Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen: Pandora’s Box

Looking from the box and then back to the family bible again, she thought that perhaps the bible was a better starting place. The box was calling to her, but she would rather save the best for last. She opened the front cover of the bible and scanned the history of the family very quickly.  It didn’t take too long to come to the entry that she searched for. In faded and blotched ink of years gone by were written the names of Charlie’s ancestors

Marriages:

The Honorable Stephen Patrick Murray 2^nd

To

Miss Susannah Anne Hughes

The 26^th day of September in the year 1843

Children:

Stephen Patrick Murray 3^rd

Born

December 18, 1844

Thomas Robert Murray

Born

November 21, 1852

Deaths:

Mrs. Susannah Anne Murray

November 21, 1852

Carrie ran a hand over her face as much to relieve the sorrow that overcame her as to wipe away the moisture that had formed in her eyes. The story told in those few lines was sad. A man widowed after nine years of marriage. A father left to cope without his partner. A son left without a mother at only eight years old and another who would never know her. It must have been pure torture for them.

Carrie looked upwards to the landing above her. She half expected Susannah to be watching her. But the space was empty. Still, she felt the need to call out. “Susannah is that why you haunt the house, because you passed away in childbirth? Are you trying to get to know the baby you never met?” As she expected, no answer came her way.

Carrie looked at the box and thought twice about opening it alone. Should she wait for Charlie to come back? Somewhere in the back of her mind there was an urgency to discover the secrets that lay within the box no matter how disturbing those secrets might be. She lifted the lid gently, almost reverently.

She uttered a gasp as the first surprise came into view. Wrapped in muslin, that had somehow or other withstood the test of time, was a wedding gown. Instinctively, she knew that it had been word by Susannah. It was white or had been at one time.  It was hand decorated with hundreds of tiny pearls to adorn its simple silk carriage. It was not simplistic or serviceable as most would have been in that time. It was extravagantly long with a high bustle in the back and a high collar at the neck. It would have been the dress of a bride with a dowry, a propertied woman. Carrie marveled at the condition and the detail. She set it on the table to examine later. Under the dress had been the faded remains of the hat and veil that had once gone with it. It had a wide brim and it appeared to have been adorned with a veil and a band of silk at some point in time but had been damaged with age.

The only thing that remained in the box was an envelope. Carrie took it out and timorously opened the seal. There were two pieces of paper inside, a small pin and a ring.  She held the ring in her hand and realized with some astonishment that it must have been Susannah’s wedding ring, a simple silver band. Perhaps it had been worn by generations beyond her, passed down from one to the next till they no longer felt its simplicity to be stylish. She tried it on the ring finger of her left hand and not surprisingly it fit very well.

The pin that was inside the envelope was a mystery. It was about the size of a straight pin. The tip though was broader and flatter then a straight pin was. It looked as though it had been at one time encrusted with diamonds and might still be, but it needed to be cleaned. The years had not been kind to this tiny little thing.

All that remained then, were the two folded pieces of paper. One piece appeared to be some kind of onion skin and the other a parchment of sorts. Gingerly unfolding the onionskin, Carrie found that it was an etching. It appeared to be of an amulet of some sort.  It was oval and about an inch long. It looked like it was a flower and was covered with an entanglement of vines. It seemed like the vines were keeping the flower safe, or suppressing its beauty.  Carrie had no idea what the amulet was or where it was.

The other piece of paper was blotched with ink. It maintained fingerprints, smudges of history, a signature to all who had read it before her. It was in stanzas and though withered and old, Carrie was able to understand that it was a poem and not just any poem, but one written by the hand of Susannah Murray herself.

The Sailor Merchant’s Wife

By

Susannah A. Murray

She laid her weary head upon her pillow.

Knowing well she could not find the rest she struggled for

And so, to get some air she rose

Only to greet his mistress as she opened the door.

“Fie!” she cried to the consuming beast.

That waited from her not far.

And she searched the heaven for a friend,

In the ever-shining northward star.

But alas, no friend to be had tonight.

And in pitch blackness the sky resounded

And she knew the enemy’s time to be near,

As her fear and love compounded

Her lover’s mistress beckoned her forth

As if to join her in their games

And the lady wondered if she should not go

By chance the wild whore she could tame

The harlot was ranging in angry fervor

As thunder crashed the sky

And the wind began to play a furious tune

A storm was coming nigh

The lady stepped to the widow’s walk

Drenched in the pouring rain

And she searched the endless darkness

Her heart filled with a driving pain

She wanted to please her husband’s lover

For she knew well the force with which she could strike

How much could she give of herself

To soothe the ravenous appetite?

Now the clouds begin to lift

And the moon stood fast watch beside her

How long could she play the fool

To nature’s own Delilah.

His mistress was not a woman

No far more dangerous then she

It was the ever-fervent call

Of the livid and dangerous sea

He was to be gone a fortnight

But two had passed since then

And she wondered with growing anxiety

To even see her love again

A boat appeared on the horizon whose captain

She knew instinctively to be he

And a joyous cry arose from her lips

Echoed it would forever be

So if by chance you meet the seaside

And hear the howl of night

Fear not ‘tis only the wind

Echoing the sailor merchant’s wife.

Now Carrie understood the smudges of ink, the tear-stained words. She felt what Susannah felt, the frustrations, the yearning, the fear, the relief. Those were powerful words. She opened the music box and the upstairs door slammed again. She was used to it now. She put the papers and the pin inside. Carrie suddenly found herself very drained. It was as if she had been on a roller coaster of emotions, and she just needed to sit down and clear her head for a little while. Gathering up the wedding dress, she went to the sitting room to take full advantage of the daylight and to look at the detail as best she could. However, as she sat back in the overstuffed chair, her eyelids grew heavy. She felt herself lulled to sleep. And as she slept, she dreamed.

The Dream

Carrie had intended to close her eyes for just one second but that one second had propelled back hundreds of years. Standing in front of the mirror, she peered in, but it was not her face she saw it was Susannah’s who looked back at her. And she knew in an instant she had been given some sweet gift, a glimpse into the past.

Susannah peered into the mirror again She looked beautiful, even to her own eyes. Her dress was pristine and so elegant. Hundreds of tiny pearls adorned the bottom and the small train. The high bustle in the back was adorned with a bow. The lace collar was high around her neck. It was a bit old-fashioned perhaps; the style was at least twenty years old and yet she thought it looked beautiful. Even to her eyes. She smiled down at the Claddagh that adorned her right hand today. It was the engagement ring he gave her, silver with and emerald heart. Extravagant yes, perhaps, but Steven spoiled her. These engagement rings were all the rage right now. She heard some of the ones in Europe were even made of diamonds.  Turning around she smiled at the room that would be hers no longer. And in all truthfulness, she longed to leave it. Those few years she had spent in the convent had given her an obscure taste at freedom. In some perverse way those dear old ladies had been kinder to her then her life had been since her adoptive parents had died eight years ago, only two after her own mamma had died. She had been left with only William to raise her. He was only eighteen then himself. But it hadn’t mattered. He had hated her for many years and even more so after his parents adopted her. But at eighteen he was more interested in playing around then raising her. And after only a year, he sent her away one night. She was not very crushed; to get away from him would be a pleasure. Susannah shook her head to ward off the thoughts creeping in. Instead, she thought about Stephen and the first day they met when he literally bumped into her in the mercantile shop. He was so handsome and sweet as he fumbled all over the place. It was love at first sight.

Brigitte came in at that moment. Brigitte was the maid that Stephen had hired to help Susannah make the huge transition to the lady of the household. Straight from Ireland, Brigitte was a true treasure, and they were already fast friends. “Aoy, you look beautiful mi’lady. Sure’n Mr. Stephen knows what a beautiful lady he is getting. You outshine all of those society fluffs.” Susannah hugged her friend and she smiled at the thought that she would finally have a name of her own. She would be a lady, a true lady. Marrying Stephen was going to give her that. She peeked in her mirror again and smoothed her hands over the butterflies that danced in her belly. Brigitte fussed with her bustle until a knock came on the door. When a familiar voice asked to come in, the butterflies in Susannah’s stomach leapt to her throat. And Brigitte scurried away to put the finishing touches on the hat. She was not going to be around Mr. William, he scared her.

William entered, presumptuous and pompous, taking long arrogant strides into the room. He covered the distance between them in no time at all. “You look lovely my dear.” He said taking a long look at Susannah and running his tongue over his lips. He reminded her of a slithering snake, slimy and cold. “Thank you, William.” She said and curtsied to him as was proper. “So, Stephen gets my sister today,” has said with an evil sneer. “A true lady as far as he knows. But we will keep that our little secret won’t we dear?” Susannah hated him. He knew the one thing that could stop her marriage to Stephen today. She was not true society, and his family would have never accepted her. But to stay on his good side, if indeed he had one, she smiled sweetly and accepted the arm he proffered to her. Brigitte settled the hat on her head, and they walked out the door together. She would say goodbye to William today, only forced to see him at society gatherings, and join her life with her husband, the man she loved.

The shrill ringing of her phone woke Carrie up from her dream. At first, she was not aware of where she was and then she jumped with a start and ran to answer it. It was Raymond on the other end.

“How are you dear, I haven’t heard from you in a few days?”

“I’m fine…fine…I think…”

“You seem distracted am I disturbing you? Dare I hope that you were working on your new masterpiece?”

“Well yes and yes and no.  I just woke up. I was napping. And having the strangest dream. It helped me with my research believe it or not. I have the most wonderful story to tell.”

“Well, that’s good. Tell me honey have you heard from Jon?”

“Ummm, he sent me three dozen roses, I think. He never signed the card, but they were not from Charlie, so I suppose he’s trying to romance me.”

“Charlie? Uh oh. Has that delicious man been around more?”

“We have had a few dates I suppose. He’s helping me with my research.”

“Hmmm think Jon is going to buy that excuse?”

“Oh please, I’ve done nothing wrong, one innocent kiss, but Jon doesn’t need to know about that until I decide it is right. Jon is the one that stopped talking to me all the sudden and now he wants some attention again.”

“Hmm, perhaps he remembered that he loves you,” Raymond said, but privately he knew why Jon had this sudden interest. He was trying to assuage his own guilt, find his true feelings. Oh yes, rumors flew fast in New York’s social circles, and he knew that Jon had met one of the socialites at an architecture party. He would never repeat that to Carrie though. It was not his place to meddle as Tomas reminded him gently. He still worried for his friend though. “I have to go dear, people await me.”

“All right Raymond, take care. I will talk to you soon.”

Wonder what that was all about? Carrie thought. She brushed it off as the memory of her dream came flooding back. It was too real, and a little disconcerting. Suddenly she didn’t want to be alone tonight. Charlie was busy and she racked her brain to call someone. She couldn’t call Lea. Lea had to work in the morning and she wouldn’t drag her away from her love at night anyway. She knew. She deliberately walked over to the phone and dialed for local information. Getting the number, she punched in the buttons.

“Greasy Spoon?”

“Hi can I talk to Buffy please?”

“Yo, hon it’s for you.” Said Cookie gruffly and Carrie suppressed her laughter on the other end.

Buffy picked up the phone.

“Hey Buffy, it’s Carrie. How do you feel about a sleepover tonight?”

“Sure, hon in that big ole house it sounds great and a little spooky, but after all Halloween is coming soon anyway. I’ll bring dinner if you provide the antacids.”

Carrie laughed as Cookie let off a string of expletives tempered with humor in the background.

“Oh and Buffy, one more thing. Do you have a Ouija Board?”