"The Mystery of O'Connor Death"

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

     The day after those sickening and disappointing days of Alice, Elizabeth's carriage arrived, but a little later than the scheduled time because the horses had died of fatigue on the way; the wheel of the barrel had come off and in short everything had happened that Elizabeth did not arrive at the Bennet's house on time. When Margaret opened the door and saw her old friend, Elizabeth, she was very happy and invited her in with joy to eat something and talk about the events of these three years of separation. After a while of friendly conversation, Elizabeth asked Margaret to call Alice to talk to her for a few minutes.
   Margaret also knocked on Alice's door for this purpose and then opened it halfway and since Mrs. Harris was teaching Alice, she smiled and said: "Excuse me, Mrs. Harris. I apologize, but Elizabeth, one of Emily's friends, has come here and wants to see Alice for a few minutes."
  Mrs. Harris closed the book and said: "Alice, you can go rest."
   Alice said with frustration: "No, Mrs. Harris; I don't want to see them now. I'm not feeling well at all." Then she said to Aunt Margaret: "Auntie dear, please tell them I can't see them. I'm not feeling well."
   Margaret returned to Elizabeth while thinking and said softly: "I'm sorry Elizabeth."
   Elizabeth interrupted Margaret and said: "Alice doesn't want to see me?"
   Margaret took her hand and said: "I'm sorry Elizabeth; the first day Alice came here, she was very happy, but now for a few days she has not been in a good mood. I'm very worried about her. I don't know why she is so upset."
   Elizabeth, who was stunned and bewildered, suddenly got up and said: "I have to go."
   Margaret also got up and said: "Elizabeth, I'm sorry I upset you. I didn't want to upset you."
   Elizabeth squeezed Margaret's hand and while trying to smile said: "I'm not upset at all. I haven't been here for long. I have to take care of some of my work." Then she said goodbye and left.
     As soon as Elizabeth left the Bennet's house and was able to think properly for a few minutes, she wrote a letter to Raymond.
When Raymond received Elizabeth's letter and learned of its contents, he felt bad. He left the house to take a walk so that he could calm down.
Raymond in this period often visited Mrs. Jane McKenzie and tried to establish a friendly relationship with the members of that family and if they got into trouble he quickly helped them until that day when he went to see Mrs. McKenzie he realized that both of them were not happy and seemed angry but it was clear that Tom Baker was more angry and upset; Raymond as soon as he saw Tom who was leaving the building greeted him but Tom was so annoyed and lost in thought that he did not notice Raymond's presence at all. Raymond followed Tom with his eyes until he got on the carriage involuntarily smiled triumphantly on his lips and went back into the building but at that moment why did he go to Jane's house?
   When he entered the room and was alone with Jane, they looked at each other in silence for a few minutes. Until Jane realized from his face that he was upset and finally broke this silence and said anxiously: "Has something happened?"
   Raymond stuttered: "Actually, something bad has happened."