The Cockermouth Murders

Chapter 2: Uncovering Dark Secrets

The drive to the mansion wasn't long but it was silent, nonetheless. It began to spit with rain as the car made it up the long driveway.

Stephanie glanced out of the window and she sees that the high walls were covered in ivy. What secrets does this place hold? She thinks to herself. The more Stephanie sees of the ivy-covered walls, the more she thinks about something out of some sort of gothic novel.

Then as if by magic, she spots the mansion and gulps as her heart skipped a beat. It's as if she's been chucked in at the deep end already. "Is there something you can tell me about this house?" Stephanie asks with her eyes still glued to the house. The man takes a breath, "This is the Van Der Liden estate, it's been in the family since 1637."

When they arrived at the house, they ran inside, hoping to not get wet. Stephanie's low-heels can be her clacking across the floor. Her curiosity deepening with each step she took and the air slowly becoming more uneasy as she looked around the rooms.

She knew she had to get back on track, she had a job to do. "Miss Connell?" A lady spoke her name behind her, making Stephanie spin on her heels to face a woman who looks around 60, if not a bit older and not a Cumbrian accent but more of a thick Lancashire accent, "I'm Edna, I'm the head-housekeeper for the Van Der Liden's. I see you've already met Mr Davenport, the gardener and chauffeur." Edna explains.
"Yes, that's right." Stephanie replies. Edna turns around, "Mr Van Der Liden is waiting for you in the library, follow me, please." Edna continues.

As Stephanie enters the library with Edna, she becomes fascinated by the vast multitude of books on the shelves and on the table from Jane Austen all the way to Agatha Christie, not to mention the vases and paintings that are on display, "Woah, I think I just stepped into antique heaven." Her mouth falls open as she looks around. Stephanie hadn't seen anything this beautiful since when she worked at Bonhams, "They really are something, aren't they?" A male voice made Stephanie jump and turn around quickly, "Yes, sir, they are." She replies and then he extends out his hand for Stephanie to shake as he introduces himself, "Tobias Van Der Liden, but everyone calls me 'Toby'." Toby then went on to explain why he asked Stephanie to come, "It's my daughter, Louisa Grace, but we all called her Gracie you see. I went for my daily morning horse ride around the grounds because Gracie usually comes with me, I noticed her horse wasn't there so I just assumed she went on ahead and then that's where I found her, at the edge of the orchard."

Now that the formalities were done, Stephanie wanted to 'cut to the chase', she wasn't one for messing around especially if she has a job to do. Toby showed Stephanie to the edge of the orchard where Toby found Gracie. Her shiny blonde hair was no longer shining but covered in the leaves that have fallen from the tree. "When Mr Davenport came to see me earlier, he gave me this note, I'm wondering if that's a clue as to how Gracie was killed but there's a second half to the letter which could give us some answers." Stephanie then handed Toby the note for him to read.

Stephanie took a closer look at Gracie's body, "If you look at her eyes, can you see where the skin is jaundiced?" She asks him. Toby nods and he then points to her lips, "Her lips, they're blue!" Toby's heart sank but Stephanie knew what's happened, Gracie had been poisoned. "May I use your telephone to call for the police?" Stephanie asks, Toby then shows Stephanie to the telephone.