She stole a sidelong look at Reuben, knowing he was in fact the weaker link than cunning old Gus.
“How interesting,” she said aloud. “I’ve always been curious about Vance House.”
He wheeled around and regarded her with narrow eyes. “No doubt you’re thinking that Vance House is the ideal place for a fine lady such as yourself,” he said with a pronounced sneer. “But let me assure you, woman, you’ll never get your hands on it. Over Nye’s dead body. So, don’t even think it!”
Meaning to rile him, she cast a look of disdain his way. “I assure you, that as his lawful wedded wife, that would be the one condition whereby I would get my hands on it.” she pointed out. “Any property of his would then come to me by law. But in any case, Nye has told me we shall retire here to Vance House, so I shall certainly be mistress here someday, whatever you say, Reuben.”
He balled his fists and took a hasty step toward her as Mina heard Gus’s approaching footfalls draw closer. “Let her alone, lad,” he said with a chuckle. “You’re not her equal for verbal sparring. She’ll run rings around ye, so she will.”
“I’ll give her a split lip if she keeps testing me,” Reuben said sullenly.
“Ah no,” Gus scolded him. “That’s no way to talk about a lady.”
Reuben spat on the ground. “For two pins I’d cut her throat now,” he snarled.
“Nay lad,” Gus said, shaking his head. “When we dispose of her, she’ll go over the cliff with not a mark on her. “She’s threatened to jump before and that’ll be what folk thinks happened this time.”
“I have never threatened to jump from a cliff!” Mina said indignantly.
“Have you not?” Gus stroked his chin. “But to be sure, that’s what they’re all muttering in the village for weeks now. You told Nye you would sooner go over the cliff than mind his shameful ways and that’s how you bought him in line.”
“I did no such thing!”
“Well, Minnie girl.” He shrugged and spread his palms wide. “You can appreciate how these rumors get started. Now you can’t deny, you did run up to those cliffs very dramatical that time.”
“I wanted to get away from the inn, not fling myself off!” Mina disputed hotly.
“Aye well, there’s always a grain of truth to such rumors but often not much more than that,” Gus admitted with a grin. “Reuben said you and Nye had just had a dust up about that Ivy’s disappearance. He’ll blame himself no doubt for being too sharp with you.”
“Nonsense!” Mina huffed. “Reuben quite mistook the matter. We did not quarrel and Nye will know I was not remotely distressed.”
“Shut the bitch’s mouth, or I’ll do it for her!” Reuben interrupted them in a low growl.
Mina glanced curiously at Gus’s face. It was clear that he gave the orders, for he had instructed Reuben to abduct her. Yet for some reason, Reuben seemed to forget this in the face of Gus’s affability. It was almost like he was taken in by the ‘salt of the earth’ act and forgot that was just a mask the older man wore. Having seen it slip, Mina knew she would not forget Gus’s real face in a hurry.
Gus seemed to notice her scrutiny, for he gave her a sly wink before sauntering over to Reuben and dealing him a vicious blow across his face. Reuben reeled and was forced to clutch at the rockface of the wall to keep standing upright. “Now Reuben, my lad,” said Gus in his kindly tone, rocking back on his heels. “I’ll not say it again. You’ll keep a civil tongue in your head around Mrs. Nye. I’m the one gives you your orders and not t’other way about.”
Reuben’s face turned a dull, ugly red. He choked back the angry words that sprang to his tongue and turned away to retreat skulking into the shadowy distance.
“Don’t you mind him,” said Gus jovially. “He’ll toe the line alright,” Mina said nothing, for in truth she was far more frightened of Gus than she would ever be of Reuben. “Just think, Minnie my girl,” Gus sighed, pulling out his tobacco pouch. “You’ll very likely end up another ghost story, like the one I told you about those dastardly monks.” He twinkled at her like a kindly uncle. There was something truly horrible about it.
“I’ll probably be a good deal more romantic and tragic in the re-telling,” she managed to joke feebly.
He chuckled. “Ah yes. You’ll be beautiful as the day, with a crude brute for a husband. The quintessential wronged wife, no less.” He transferred some tobacco to the bowl of his pipe with his thumb.
“No doubt a gray lady,” Mina forced herself to expand on the theme. “The ladies are usually gray I find, when forced to roam the earth weeping and wringing their hands.”
Nye nodded, removing his pipe from his mouth to consider this. “Very true,” he rumbled. “Tis a pity you’ve not a spectral hound to keep you company, so it is.”
“I will not haunt the cliff, though,” she assured him. “Instead, I would haunt you.”
He paused a moment in the act of striking a match. “Would you now?” He chuckled again. “I believe, if it were in your power you would.”
“Naturally, my afterlife would be in my power,” she told him coolly.
“Well,” Reuben said, holding the flame to his pipe. “I’ve had a few wives you know, and most of them swore vengeance on me at the last.” His eyes glazed over as if in fond memory. “The one I prized best of all, ah she spat in my face that she’d be revenged with her last breath. Such a spitfire she was, my Jenny! But she never troubled me, after I’d put her in the ground. Never heard so much as a peep from her.” He shrugged.
Mina stared at him. “How many wives have you had?” she croaked.
Gus cocked his head as if considering. “Well, five give or take. A couple of them was only common-law so to speak,” he said cagily.
“You killed them?” Mina heard herself ask faintly.
He shook his head. “My Lucinda she died in childbirth and the babe with her. And Connie, she was always nesh. Fever fetched her off. But as for the other three…” He let the words dangle and shot her a sly look.
“I don’t believe you,” Mina said obstinately, and Gus laughed. “It’s no different to your other fairy tales. I knew you lied about the monks,” she said obstinately.
“Lied? Not a bit,” he rumbled but Mina only shook her head.
“Spectral monks? I think not. And I know who Grayking was, even if you do not.” He lifted his bushy eyebrows at her in query. “He was a goose, not a saint.”
Gus removed his pipe again and stared at it a moment. “Well now,” he said ponderously. “Stranger things have happened. I have heard tell that there were dogs sainted at one time and even a woman once made pope.”
“Fancy that,” Mina said sarcastically, and he chuckled again. Somehow hearing him continue genial was far more frightening than Reuben’s ugly threats. “Nye will know I didn’t fling myself over a cliff,” she persisted. “I’m afraid your confederate’s understanding is far from strong. One time, Sir Matthew Carswell offered me a carriage ride and Reuben reported he had asked me to run away with him.”