From the Tales of Saint Anthony, the Johnny Holiday Mysteries
These short stories follow the lives of people who populate the fictional city of Saint Anthony (Minneapolis, Minnesota), and make their appearance in the first Johnny Holiday novel, The...
Marie Beguine returned to the maid's chamber, attached to Amelie's suite of rooms in the wing of the Forrester Mansion that was reserved for her and her guests, leaving her mistress alone with the young man her father, the Colonel had brought into the house.
She wasn't sure if she liked this Johnny Holiday, though she had to admit that he was a handsome fellow, tall and strong with a smooth complexion and a generous smile. He was just the sort of young-man that Amelie was fond of, and because of this old-maid thought it was dangerous to have him living in the house, even if he was downstairs in the Colonel's guest quarters.
Amelie had already asked Marie for the key to his room, and she planned on giving it to her as soon as she could, even though Nils, the head butler, would be upset with her if he found out. She would much rather face a reprimand from Nils than Amelie's anger.
Amelie had been drinking heavily, throughout the day and into the evenings. There were several times in recent weeks when she had come to Marie to ask her what time she had come home, or with whom she had been out, what if anything had she might have said about the things she was doing.
Her blackouts were contributing to a deepening sense of paranoia, especially concerning her father and her missing husband, Bjorn Elmquist, who had disappeared around the time that she had begun to spiral out of control.
The other servants in the Forrester mansion had noticed Amelie's behavior as well, but none of them were as close to her as Marie was. They enjoyed their gossip, but Marie thought of the girl as a daughter, and she wanted her to be happy.
The other ladies in the household said that Amelie had driven her husband away, but Marie believed that something terrible had happened to him, though she did not know what it might be, and she was quietly concerned that Amelie had something to do with it.
Bjorn was her second husband, her first marriage ended in scandal and had been annulled on account of adultery, his not hers, but Marie knew that she had been unfaithful as well.
Amelie had met Bjorn a short time later and after a brief engagement the two of them were married. The old-maid believed she had noticed a change in her mood and behaviors then.
Her husband was a gregarious and fascinating man; Marie loved to eavesdrop when he was telling one of his stories to Amelie's father.
This new young man, this Johnny-boy, had been hard on Amelie and Marie did not like that. He had excited her nerves causing Amelie to spill her drink. Marie was happy to come in and clean things up, but she could tell that her mistress was deeply embarrassed by the mishap, and it would not have happened at all if Johnny Holiday had simply been more polite with her during their conversation..
He must be something extra special to the Colonel to think that he could get away with that kind of behavior in the Forrester mansion, Marie thought, and if that were the case all of the staff should know to let the boy have plenty of space.
It would be best if Nils handled his needs directly while he was a guest at the mansion, Marie said to herself.
It would be best.
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