Voices Deep Inside (Book 1)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Burying the Past

Jamison awoke before sunrise and dressed for the day. He went to the kitchen for coffee, and then he left out the back-kitchen door to retrieve four men to stand guard. They walked to the building where his father laid in rest.

"Men, I want you to retrieve the four men in the prison cells and bring them to the cemetery," said Jamison. "I will meet you there."

He handed the one man he most trusted with his key for the cells. Then, he and the groundskeeper walked into the cemetery to the area where his mother was buried. Jamison chose a spot next to her for his father's grave. The groundskeeper laid the tools down, and he chose a spade to mark the four corners for the grave.

The men returned with Timothy, Squire Brown, and the two hired thugs.

"Start digging," said Jamison.

"Damn it, Jamison," said Timothy. "We have not had so much as a bite to eat nor drink of water since yesterday."

"You had plenty to drink yesterday. Start digging and I'll have Hap bring you some water."

Then Jamison nodded to the groundskeeper, who left to get a bucket of water with a dipping gourd. The guards stood behind each man as Jamison handed them a shovel to dig the grave of his father.

The men reluctantly dug the grave in the frosty morning light. Timothy complained the most and dug the least amount complaining about his leg.

Squire Brown was red in the face, not being used to hard labor. Agnes had placed a sling on his arm and the Squire took his arm out of the sling in order to dig at the grave.

The two henchmen knew their way around a shovel and dug to simply be done with the unpleasant task. The henchmen were given water first, and Jamison instructed Timothy to climb in the hole to finish the sides of the grave.

Then Squire Brown was given water. Finally, Jamison and the groundskeeper declared the grave was suitable. They helped Timothy out of the grave, and he was given water to drink.

The guards led the four men back to their cells under protest by Timothy. Jamison ignored his pleas. After they were locked up, Jamison instructed his men to saddle the prisoners' horses and bring them to the cemetery. Then Jamison went to the kitchen and told Agnes to send trays of bread and water to the cells.

"If you have day-old bread, use that," said Jamison. "Don't bother with butter or silverware. They don't deserve it."

Jamison left to meet with the village vicar, and they set services at nine o'clock.

At eight-thirty, the bells rang out over the village, and the staff from the house walked to the cemetery. The guards brought the men from the cells to the gravesite.

The men from the livery brought Omar's coffin out from the building. The vicar performed the ceremony as people gathered around to pay their respects.

Jamison made his younger brother stand next to him to receive condolences. Timothy wept from exhaustion and humiliation as well-wishers shook his hand.

As the older brother, he graciously accepted their condolences. Jamison had shed his tears in the privacy of his room last night. This morning he felt nothing but anger towards his brother and his men for using their father to get money and helping Omar carry out his scheme for revenge.

Omar was laid to rest, and the groundskeeper handed shovels out to cover the grave. When the staff and villagers had left the cemetery and the grave was covered. Jamison turned to the four men.