The rain was beating hard against the windscreen and Hugo slowed down to read the signs to turn off the motorway.
Marie shivered as the darkness of the country lanes closed around them. She had never liked being away from the city lights and felt a sense of unease. There was just the noise of the torrential rain and the wipers moving very faster.
A sudden clap of thunder made her jump and she put her hand on Hugo's arm. He was hunched over the steering wheel, a frown of concentration on his face, but he smiled at her touch.
'We're nearly there darling. I am so looking forward to introducing you to everyone. They're going to adore you.'
Marie squeezed his arm and then relaxed back into the seat. She held up her left hand and smiled at the sparkling diamond on her finger, turning it to catch the light.
'Your mother's ring is beautiful. I do so hope I will be worthy of it. She must have been a very special woman to have brought up such an amazing son. I love you so much Hugo'
Her voice was full of desire and she heard him catch his breath.
' I know my mother would have loved you, I wish she could have met you.'
Marie squeezed his arm being careful not to distract him from the driving. The eerie darkness was beginning to unnerve her. She was quite nervous about meeting Hugo's family. They had met only six months before when she was doing an internship for a leading daily newspaper. Hugo was chief correspondent and considered to be one of the major voices in British print media. He had taken her under his wing from the first day and after working on a story together her respect and admiration had blossomed into a deep and lasting passion. It turned out to be mutual and Hugo had asked her to marry him before she'd even finished her work experience.
The news of their whirlwind romance had spread around the building and all their colleagues were delighted to see the easy-going star of their paper so in love with the pretty young reporter.
They turned off the lane and stopped outside enormous wrought iron gates. Hugo pressed a button and they started to open just as a sheet of lightening lit up the sky. For a moment the silhouette of a large country mansion could be seen against the night sky.
'There it is darling, Tudor Hall, my family home, where I grew up. I can't wait to show you round. Let's hope it stops raining tomorrow so I can take you round the estate.'
Marie stroked his thigh as he parked the car with a flourish in front of an elegant flight of steps.
'Quickly tell me who's going to be here again Hugo'.
'Well there's my father Sir Hugh who is the lord of the manor. He'll already be in bed for the night when we arrive so you'll meet him at breakfast. Patricia Peacock who was a friend of my mother's. Her main hobby is spending her husband's money. She'll be with her daughter Kassandra Scarlet who my mother hoped I would marry. Then there is the Revd Green who my father feels sorry for because he's wanted for fraud, don't ask me why. Then this evening there will be a guest of Mrs. Peacock, a university Professor, who got in to some sort of trouble with a student and had to retire. Oh and Jack Mustard, our neighbour who is a retired colonel and owes lots of money so dad's always trying to help him out. Oh yes and of course Mrs. White our governess who looks after dad.'
Marie laughed, ' They sound fascinating, I hope I'll be able to remember all that.'
The door of the mansion opened and a woman ran down the steps holding up a large umbrella.
'Oh Mrs. White,' called out Hugo with relief, ' This is Marie, quickly we're getting soaked, thank you so much.'
Hugo put his arm round Marie and the three of them ran back into the house huddled together as another clap of thunder sounded overhead.
As the imposing front door slammed shut behind them a silence fell and Marie gripped Hugo's hand. She stared around her and took in the grand marble staircase and the vast hall dominated by three huge statues of lions. She felt her jaw drop and in a daze handed her wet coat to the woman who had greeted them, Hugo shook his wet hair scattering raindrops that sparkled in the light of the magnificent chandeliers.
Mrs.White lead the way towards an imposing set of solid oak doors and opened them with a flourish.
'Everybody is waiting in the Library. The power keeps going so it is the warmest place to be.'
They entered the room just as another loud clap of thunder sounded overhead. Marie clung on to Hugo's arm. The library was even more grand than the hall. The walls were lined from top to bottom with antique leather bound books. A beautiful log fire lit up the people grouped around on huge velvet armchairs. One of them stood up and came towards them. He slapped Hugo on the back and held out his hand to Marie.
'Good evening my dear, so pleased to meet you at last. I am Colonel Mustard, but you can call me Jack.'
Marie shook his hand and fought the desire to curtsey. She felt totally overwhelmed by the grandness of the house and the elegance of the occupants. One by one they came to greet her. The Revd Green scowled and mumbled something that sounded like scum. Mrs Peacock held out a limp hand and scrutinized Marie's outfit with a look almost of disgust. Kassandra Scarlet was dressed in a tight fitting red gown that left nothing to the imagination. She lay her hand on Hugo's arm and whispered in his ear.
Marie had to make an effort not to roll her eyes and giggle. She drew herself up and tried to give what she hoped was a friendly smile.
'It's a pleasure to meet you all at last. Hugo has told me so much about you all, I feel I know you.'
There was a stunned silence as they all stared at her. Hugo coughed and looked embarrassed. Marie felt a sensation of unease creep over her.
Another clap of thunder heralded the arrival of Mrs.White bustling in with a tray.
'Here we are, a hot toddy, honey and whiskey, just the job for this miserable evening. Oh no I've forgotten the oat cakes on the kitchen table. Could you go and get them Hugo please, I made them specially for you. I'll just go and check the generator in case the power goes again.'
As Marie took a sip of the hot golden liquid, Jack Mustard stood up in front of the fire and stared straight at her.
'I think we are at an unfair disadvantage, my dear, Hugo has told us nothing about you.'
Kassandra Scarlet pointed at her with a long perfectly manicured nail.
' Yes come on spill the beans. Who are you?
The drink was making Marie feel light headed and giggly, she thought Kassandra looked like the centipede in 'Alice in Wonderland'.
Revd Green mumbled something that sounded again like scum. Mrs. Peacock threw a log onto the fire and there was a menacing hiss. Marie felt a chill go down her spine and gulped more of the drink. It gave her some sort of courage because she heard herself say brightly:
'Well I'm Marie Jones and I come from Brighton, which is where I went to school. My father is an engineer and my mother is a nursery school teacher. I read English at Brickwell university, I've got a younger brother who is a doctor and I work on the same newspaper as Hugo, that's how we met. In my spare time I like painting and gardening and I'm learning how to play the harp. I also belong to St. John's ambulance and specialize in cardio arrest.'
Because of the effect of the unaccustomed whiskey the words came out in a rush and in a sing song voice. Marie stopped, embarrassed and wondered where Hugo had got to. Everyone was staring at her.
The door opened and everyone turned. Marie gave a sigh of relief thinking it must be Hugo, then gasped and clamped her hand to her mouth when she saw who had entered the room. She could feel her heart in her throat and the blood pounding in her head. There was another clap of thunder and she fought back a scream. She stood up, There was a candlestick on the table next to her and she grabbed hold of it to try and relieve her tension.
Mrs. Peacock stood up and sasheyed towards the newcomer, swaying her hips and tossing back her hair.
'Good evening Professor Plum, how wonderful to see you. Hugo's fiancée has just been telling us all about herself. She went to the same university where you worked, perhaps you know her.'
Professor Plum bowed to brush his lips on Mrs. Peacock's outstretched hand, then raised his eyes to the assembled company.
His voice was low and husky,
'Oh my dear, so many students, so many.' then his gaze fell on Marie and their eyes locked. He turned bright purple and seemed to gasp for breath.
There was a streak of bright lightening and a deafening clap of thunder. A gust of wind blew down into the fireplace and the flames died down. The lights went out, there was a tremendous thud, then someone screamed.
The door flew open and Hugo appeared with a plate of oatcakes and a torch. He shone it round the room and shrieked
'Professor Plum, he's on the floor, what's happened?'
He shone the torch straight at Marie, she was still clutching the candlestick. She gently placed it back on the table and knelt down beside Professor Plum's body.
Just then the lights came back on and Mrs. White came back into the room. She screamed at the sight of Professor Plum. His head was thrown back and his face was a mask of total horror.
Marie stood up and looked around the room. Kassandra was crying and Mrs. Peacock had her arm around her shoulders. Revd Green seemed to have aged ten years and looked very scared. Colonel Mustard was slumped in a chair by the fire holding his head and moaning. Hugo was still holding the plate of oatcakes . She looked directly at him and saw the unfathomable depth of her love for him reflected back at her.
When she spoke Marie's voice was gentle and full of kindness.
'We must call an ambulance and the police, but I'm quite sure that Professor Plum has suffered a heart attack.'
Hugo put down the plate and went over to her. he hugged her tight and she felt the tension leave his body.
Maybe one day she might tell him what Professor Plum had done to her and her friends, and how she had wanted to become a journalist to expose people like him.
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