My Dearest Josephine

7: Mr. Moon

Roses became Josephine's favorite flowers the day Derek came knocking on her door holding about three dozen of them.

"Couldn't you find any red ones?" she had teased him. The roses he held were all white.

"I couldn't find any!" Derek had laughed. "Don't you like them? I'll paint these roses red myself if they don't satisfy you."

Derek knew that these rough times were depressing his wife. That's why he was going to remind Josephine and everyone in England of the man they knew him as. He was a good man. When his wife was at her lowest point, he would cheer her up. Despite what Polly Nichols almost uncovered, he knew that he was an honest man. He would not be blamed.

"I want you to make my wife a grand garden where there are roses wherever she looks," Derek said to the garden architect beside him.

His name was Gregory Lawson, a man renowned for his ability to create beautiful gardens. They were standing behind his estate, staring at the massive backyard. Derek could already envision the roses.

"Oh, the roses," he whispered.

"What was that?" Gregory asked him. His voice snapped Derek back to reality.

"I apologize, Mr. Lawson. I was imagining my garden." Derek cleared his throat and went back to the topic at hand. "You will be payed handsomely. Money is not a concern for me, and it shouldn't be for you either. This garden has to be perfect. It must be different than anything you have ever constructed! I want there to be a labyrinth that leads to an extravagant fountain in the center of it. I want it to take her breath away."

"Fountain labyrinth," Gregory mumbled to himself, writing after Derek had finished speaking. "Continue."

"I want all the roses to be white, except in the center of the garden. Next to the fountain, I want one red rose bush. This has to be the most magnificent garden imaginable. Sir, this is very important to me. My wife and I are going through rough times."

A few seconds later, Gregory finishing scribbling and looked up at Derek.

"Have no fear, Lord Chester. I guarantee you that I won't disappoint you or your family. My men will begin construction a week from today. We're very fast when it comes to coming up with ideas. I'll notify you as soon as we have the idea for our first design. If you are not satisfied with the sketch, we will keep working until you are."

Josephine opened the door to the backyard and peaked her head out.

"Mr. Moon has arrived, Derek." she said to him. "I hate to interrupt you, I just thought you should know."

"I'll be right there!" Derek grinned. He extended his arm and shook Gregory's hand. "Thank you, Mr. Lawson."

"Thank you, Lord Chester."

Gregory followed Derek into the house and towards the front door. He exited just before Mr. Moon entered.

A new servant named Robert Moon was transferred over from the Galding residence to work for the Chesters. Lord Galding said he was superstitious and that he claimed to feel uncomfortable working late hours in a house where a woman had perished. Derek conveniently needed a servant right around the time that Robert Moon needed a new employer, and Lord Galding gladly allowed his son-in-law to take him.

He was a stretched out, pale man with a bony structure. James inspected him as soon as he saw him. He wondered how a man so tall could look so skinny and frail. Robert's dark black hair resembled the wood ashes James had seen in his fireplace. It was black as soot. He thought that if he touched the servant's hair, his hands would be stained.