TO SOLVE THE PUZZLE BEHIND KATHERINE'S DEATH

An irresistible eagerness bobbled through Amelia as she climbed down the staircase to the hallway. Caroline had her right hand linked with Dane's and Henry stood behind them with an expressionless face. 

Just as she elegantly climbed down the stairs, their gaze darted towards her direction and she could see the look of shock on their faces. Did they really expect Katherine to be dead?! 

They couldn't believe their eyes as they stared at her in astonishment. How could this be possible? She was confirmed dead a few hours ago, but how come she is…? So alive!

A lot of questions ran through their heads as their expressions were beyond that of shock. 

Caroline stared at her, no less stunned than Henry. Dane, on the other hand, his expression was impossible to gauge. If he was glad or shocked to see her alive, he gave no sign, and if he was displeased, he gave no sign of that either. His face was a mask.

Amelia's attention went to the lady in his arms and gasped. She was absolutely beautiful but there was something strange with the way she was looking at her as if she was disappointed, angry and shocked to see her alive. Why? 

But as she stared at the face of this woman, the information she so desperately sought came flooding into her head. Katherine had witnessed Dane and Caroline in the process of making love on the night of their wedding and she had run out of the garden in tears. She could remember confronting Caroline and that's when…

" He would never love you. " Caroline had said this to her that night but she still couldn't get what the confrontation was.

" I would never love you. " Katherine had also met Dane on the night she committed suicide and he had said this to her.

Was that Katherine's memory?! The memory hit her heart like thousand stabs of knives, shattering it into pieces. It was obvious it wasn't physical pain but an emotional one. Katherine had loved Dane and his hurtful words and what she witnessed had hurt her. Dane's eyes. 'That's more than hatred. He despises her.'

As the short flashback of Katherine's last moment came flooding into her head, Amelia closed her eyes and breathed deeply. How come she was getting short clips of the last moment of the real Katherine? What other possible explanation could there be? 

She knew everything that happened to the real Katherine, well, not everything, and knowledge like that had to come from memories hidden deep in modern day Amelia Smith. She wasn't inventing anything; these were actual events that happened before Katherine committed suicide or could it be that…she was murdered?

Amelia abruptly opened her eyes, and her gaze went to Dane and darted to Caroline, then Henry. These were the three people Katherine met that night according to the flashback she just had but that wasn't enough proof for her to jump into the conclusion of Katherine's death. 

" You're alive? I'm so glad. " Caroline was the first to speak, interrupting Amelia's thoughts.

" I trust you don't plan on doing anything irrational again, madam? " Dane inquired coolly.

His tone was as chill as the glint in his grey eyes. Oh, such , a grey, like a mountain stream beneath a stormy sky. But she knew if that bleakness lifted and he smiled, her very soul would melt. Instead, his remoteness washed soberingly over her, causing her steps to falter a little.

She managed to reply. " I won't. " It was as if she was agreeing with him that she'd tried to commit suicide but wasn't that the truth?

" I'm sure you won't. We were so worried about you. " Caroline said. Amelia didn't know why but she could sense the sarcasm in her voice.

Henry was the only one who didn't say anything to her. It seemed that no one liked Katherine but what could be the reason?

" If you would excuse me, I would like to go to my apartment. " Henry said, referring to Dane and walked away without even sparing Katherine a glance.

What was wrong with him?" Amelia thought.

" You…" Caroline was not able to complete her statement as she was cut short by Dane.

" Please leave us. " Dane sternly said but his eyes were soft as he stared at her although Caroline looked offended she still obeyed him and walked away, leaving only the both of them in the hallway.

What was he going to say to her?

Amelia glanced at him, wanting to reach out to establish some sort of harmony, a basis upon which to gain his trust, but his cold demeanour forbade any such advance. The chill that shut her out also served as a reminder that in Regency England, he was one of the hazardous men to fall foul of, as the four duels he'd fought and won bore witness.

The silence in the hallway grew more stronger as she studied him from beneath lowered lashes, wondering what it would be like to lie naked in his arms. He was handsome and had the most mesmerising grey eyes. 

She pulled herself up sharply. What was the matter with her? She was thinking about him as if he was real. He wasn't real. How could she possibly feel this way towards a man who is long dead?

He spoke suddenly. " I trust your strategy to gain my attention was well received? "

In History, Katherine truly died but she wouldn't have done all that knowing that she couldn't swim just to gain his attention.

Hastily Amelia defended herself. " I have no idea what you're trying to say, your grace. " God, how weird it was to have an English voice!

He gave the thinnest of smiles. " Of course, I expected you to deny it. There was no need to pull such a stunt just to get my attention. "

Everything in his tone suggested that he believed that she jumped into the lake just to gain his attention.

" I'm not sure what made you conclude that I would do anything to the extent of trying to kill myself just to get your attention but I believe you're wrong! " Amelia replied.

He raised a wry eyebrow. " Dear God, what manner of gull do you take me for, Katherine? "

This was the first time he'd call his wife's name.

" It's the truth. Why don't you believe me? " She threw back at him. This was starting to feel off. There was something more than what he thought of Katherine.

He drew in a furious breath. " Why should I believe you when I know you've always been nothing but a liar? "

Amelia stared up at him not comprehending what he was saying. Not only did he think of Katherine as a self-centred woman, in his eyes, she was also a liar.

" I…I don't understand…" She asked, confused.

" Oh, how smoothly you play the innocent, " He scoffed

" I'm not playing the innocent, I am the innocent. "

Dane looked incredulously at her. " If you mean to astound me, madam, you succeed. I bid you goodnight. " He said abruptly and walked swiftly toward the hallway and turned to a corner till he was nowhere in sight.

Everything Caroline had said about Katherine were true and what he'd witnessed that day.

Meanwhile, after he left, Amelia felt quite rattled. All this was beginning to get just a little too creepy for comfort, and far from wanting to go on into the castle, she suddenly wanted to cut and run. No, that wouldn't do for she'd never forgive herself for being such a wimp. She had only been here for a few hours. All she needed was a few minutes to sit and think.

Was this what Abigail meant 'to solve the puzzle behind Katherine's death'?

To be continued...