Louvenia’s eyes were the color of moonstones, soft and dreamy, but Nelda’s were dark like her brother’s and I imagined they could be just as piercing.
“Mrs. Durant has a cemetery located on her property that she may be interested in restoring,” Dr. Shaw explained, and I marveled at his smooth delivery. His tone conveyed not the slightest hint that we had spoken recently and at length about Kroll Cemetery. “Naturally, I told them about you and invited them to meet me here today so they could see a sample of your work.”
“Thank you,” I said, trying to emulate his coolness. I shifted my gaze to his companions. “If there is anything in particular you’d like to see or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“I’m sure we’ll have a great many questions once we get closer to the process,” Louvenia said. “But for now, it would be helpful to know how long a restoration normally takes.”
“It depends on the size and condition of the cemetery and the scope of the restoration. I’m afraid I can’t even give you a rough estimate until I see the cemetery for myself.”
“That makes sense,” Nelda said with a nod. “However, before we take up any more of your time, perhaps we should inform you that the cemetery is said to be haunted.”
Louvenia scowled down at her sister. “You know I dislike it when you speak so glibly about such matters.”
“I didn’t mean to be glib,” Nelda said, but I thought I detected a faint twitch at the corner of her mouth. “I merely thought Miss Gray should be aware of the rumors before she commits to a restoration.”
“What are the rumors?” I asked.
A shadow flickered in Louvenia’s gray eyes. “Most recently, two of the workers I hired to clean up around the cemetery claimed they heard strange voices coming from behind the walls and some of their tools have gone inexplicably missing. Regardless of my sister’s intent, she was right to warn you. The dead don’t rest easy in Kroll Cemetery.”
“Perhaps the restoration will calm them,” Nelda said. “At any rate, Miss Gray doesn’t strike me as the type to be overly bothered by ghosts.”
“She’s never been to Kroll Cemetery,” Louvenia muttered.
I suppressed a shiver as Dr. Shaw and I exchanged glances.
Outwardly, Louvenia Durant appeared cool and composed, but there was something going on in the depths of her eyes. A feverish glint that echoed the nervous flutter of her hands before she clasped them behind her back.
“Tell me a little more about the cemetery,” I said. “Is it a family burial site?” I knew from Dr. Shaw that most of the interred were from Kroll Colony, but I was curious to hear her response.
“Our only brother is laid to rest there,” she said. “We have no other relatives in the cemetery, but since it’s located on my property, I feel a responsibility to care for all the graves.”
“I understand.”
“You may have heard of our brother,” Nelda put in. “He was once quite notorious. His name was Ezra Kroll.”
I tried to sound only mildly curious. “Why was he notorious?”
She glanced at her sister and something passed between them that deepened Louvenia’s scowl. “I don’t see any need to go into that right now. It has nothing to do with why we’re here.”
“Sister is right,” Nelda said. “Ezra’s story can wait for another day. We’ve already taken up too much of your time and we’ve someone waiting for us.”
“Dr. Shaw, could I have a quick word before we leave?” Louvenia asked anxiously.
“Of course,” he replied with his usual courteous aplomb. He turned to Nelda and me. “Will you excuse us?”
“Take your time,” Nelda said before I could speak. “It’ll give me a chance to get better acquainted with Miss Gray. That is, if she has no objection.”
“None at all.”
Nelda stared after her sister. “Poor Louvenia. She would never admit it, but she’s hoping Dr. Shaw can help exorcise her ghosts.”
“Oh?”
“My sister has always been given to flights of fancy, particularly when it comes to that old cemetery. A guilty conscience is a powerful conjurer, Miss Gray.”
I didn’t know how to respond to her comment, so I held my silence and waited.
“You see, she and our brother had a terrible falling-out before he died. She’s never gotten over it.”
“That would be a hard thing to get over,” I said.
“I only tell you this because if you decide to accept the restoration, you’ll be working closely with Louvenia, and I think it only right that you know what to expect.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Physically, she’s as strong as a horse,” Nelda went on. “I’ve always been in awe of her stamina. Even now she works twice as long and hard as most of the hired hands that are half her age. But emotionally she’s a lot more fragile than one might imagine. Truth be told, I’m a little worried about how the restoration will affect her. Dealing with that cemetery is bound to stir up painful memories. But she’s right. Those graves have been neglected for far too long. The dead deserve better. Especially our dear Rose.”