Chapter 13
Thirteen
Seth couldn’t help but notice that Annaliese’s eyes were now flashing in a rather telling fashion, but before he could figure out why, she turned her head and took to muttering under her breath.
Concerningly enough, he distinctly heard the word throttle before she lifted her chin and returned her attention to him.
“How did you arrive at the conclusion that only five students were involved?” she surprised him by asking since he’d been certain she was going to expand on the whole throttling business.
He pushed aside the idea that she might have been contemplating throttling him, although since he was responsible for the skunk situation, he couldn’t say he blamed her, and nodded to the students in the water.
“There seems to be only three students who got skunked down there. Since we know that real skunks weren’t involved, it stands to reason that those girls got in their smelly condition because they didn’t know the vials were meant to be thrown and probably stomped on them instead.
It also stands to reason that Norma Jean is, unfortunately, behind this attack.
Since Velma is always in cahoots with my sister but Norma Jean is put out with Phoebe and Coraline, that makes five girls in total. ”
“But then why aren’t Norma Jean and Velma in the water with the other girls?”
“I have no idea, which means we’ll need to run them down, or question the girls in the water.”
“Except that the girls might not talk because they’re probably firm believers in lady codes and won’t want to take the risk that Norma Jean will stop speaking to them like she’s done with Coraline and Phoebe.”
“They’re going to have to talk, because I didn’t catch a single glimpse of Norma Jean or Velma when I was dispensing water out on the front lawn.”
“Which means they’ve probably disappeared again.
” Annaliese’s shoulders took to sagging just a touch.
“It’s probably some type of record that I’ve managed to lose track of your sister and Velma twice in a week’s time.
” She gave her temple a rub. “I knew I should have insisted that Drusilla accept my resignation because I’m not up for this co-headmistress business, even though Drusilla was sure I was.
” She gave her temple another rub. “At least my sister agreed to that in-depth conversation about my position at the academy once she returns, although given the way today has unfolded, I’m not certain the academy will still be standing when she gets back. ”
“It’ll still be standing.”
“Unless your sister helps herself to another one of your inventions that’s capable of taking down a castle when deployed.”
Seth’s lips twitched. “The only thing I’ve invented that might do some actual physical damage would be a cannon that can shoot a cannonball twenty yards farther than normal. I’m fairly sure someone would notice if Norma Jean strolled up to the academy with a cannon in tow.”
“Words of comfort indeed,” Annaliese muttered before she whistled for Harriet, then picked the little monkey up once she scampered to Annaliese’s side, giving her a nose-to-nose rub before she lifted Harriet’s little chin.
“Think you might want to give Seth his billfold back?” she asked, which left Harriet blinking innocent eyes back at her before she unfolded her little monkey paw, revealing his billfold.
“I didn’t even feel her nick that out of my pocket,” Seth said as Annaliese handed him his billfold, which he promptly tucked into a pocket that wasn’t as easily accessible.
“She’s very stealthy,” Annaliese said before she gave Harriet’s head a kiss and headed for the stairs that led to the lake.
After following Annaliese down the stairs, Seth fell into step beside her as they began walking down a dirt path that led to the beach, his pace slowing once they caught sight of Seraphina striding their way, the sleeves of her dress rolled up and water stains marring the front of her skirt.
“None of the soaps Irma and I have tried have done anything to rid the girls of their less-than-pleasant scent,” Seraphina said, coming to a stop beside Annaliese.
“I’m off to hunt down some tomatoes to rub on them since Irma recalled an old governess once mentioning that tomatoes worked on people who’ve been sprayed. ”
Seth shook his head. “Tomatoes don’t work well, but may I suggest hydrogen peroxide instead, a compound that was created decades ago by a French chemist by the name of Louis Jacque Thenard. I’ve read that it neutralizes skunk scent.”
“Don’t you think that might have been something you told me about when you first arrived at the castle?” Seraphina asked.
“One would have thought hydrogen peroxide would have sprung to mind before now, especially when the fellow I bought a few gallons of skunk essence from recommended I keep some hydrogen peroxide at the ready in case I spilled any of it on me as I was distilling it into vials.”
Seraphina’s busy brows disappeared into her hairline. “Why would you distill skunk essence into vials?”
“Because I’m an idiot who thought arming girls with vials of skunk essence would be safer than giving them smoke grenades.”
“So this skunk situation is all your fault?”
“Indeed.”
“Excellent to hear,” Seraphina said as her lips curved. “I now have no reason to feel guilty about being unable to save some poor girls from smelling like skunks as it seems there were no animals involved, merely a questionable Seth invention.”
Annaliese rolled her eyes. “I’m not sure we should refer to them as poor girls since we’re relatively sure the girls in the water got in their smelly state because of their plan to skunk up the academy.”
“An unexpected disclosure, and I’m certainly not feeling nearly as sorry for them now,” Seraphina said. “May I assume there were other students besides the ones in the water who were involved as well?”
“We think only Norma Jean and Velma, but those two are nowhere to be found, which is why Seth and I are here to question Mabel and the Zambarello sisters.”
“Then I say there’s no time like the present to get that questioning underway,” Seraphina said before she took hold of Annaliese’s arm and started walking toward the lake.
As they walked, Annaliese filled Seraphina in on what they knew so far, finishing with “But even though I need the girls to confess why they did what they did, I think it’s more important for them to tell us where Norma Jean and Velma went, although .
. .” She nodded to Seraphina. “Perhaps it would be best if you did the questioning since you’re a far better disciplinarian than I am, what with how you took all five of the Zambarello sisters out last week and didn’t suffer a single mishap. ”
“Penina and Donata Zambarello are currently reeking of skunk, which means they’re not intimidated by me in the least, especially since I had both girls in my class right before lunch and right before they probably deployed eau de skunk everywhere,” Seraphina countered.
“Besides that, you’re perfectly capable of dealing with this situation on your own. ”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
Seraphina stopped walking. “Are you, or are you not, the lady who doesn’t shy away from confronting plume hunters and fur traders?”
Annaliese opened her mouth, an argument clearly on the tip of her tongue, but suddenly snapped her mouth shut when her gaze settled on something in the distance.
“Surely that jug Mabel’s pouring something out of and onto Penina isn’t the jug of moonshine that Norbert won at the Mead & Vittles last week, is it? ”
Seth turned his attention to where Annaliese was staring and found that Irma had waded knee-deep into the water and was nodding at Mabel, who was, indeed, pouring something from a jug over another student’s arm.
“Norbert thought a little moonshine poured over the skin might work to get rid of the stench,” Seraphina said. “But I told Irma to hold off because I’m not sure returning students who reek of moonshine to their parents is going to be well-received. Looks like Irma didn’t hear me when I said that.”
“Or she thinks we’ve run out of de-skunking options,” Annaliese said before she suddenly bolted forward.
The reason for the bolting became crystal clear when Seth realized that Mabel had passed the jug to Penina, who seemed about ready to take a swig of the moonshine instead of using it on Mabel.
Before Seth could do more than take a few steps, though, Annaliese was splashing her way into the lake and directly up to Penina, where she promptly snatched the jug straight out of Penina’s hands.
She then pointed a finger to shore, an action that left Penina looking at her quite as if she’d sprouted two heads.
“Annaliese just taught a lesson last week where she stated that ladies were never to point at anything as it’s considered a grave faux pas,” Seraphina said as she moved up beside him before he had a chance to contemplate exactly why Penina was currently looking somewhat offended.
“Everyone out of the water now,” Annaliese snapped in a tone that was downright frigid, something the girls obviously detected as well because not a one of them hesitated to splash their way out of the lake.
“I think I can say with all certainty that Annaliese is not going to have the difficult time she thought she would getting those girls to talk,” Seth said.
“Oh, they’ll still be difficult, but I think you and I can both agree that she’ll get answers out of them in the end,” Seraphina said as they started crossing the beach, the scent of skunk increasing the closer they got to the girls.
Seemingly unmindful of the scent, Annaliese set the bottle of moonshine aside and stalked her way over to girls, who were now watching her warily as they began drying themselves off with cloths Irma handed them.
“Now that all of you are out of the water and not suffering from any ill effects from ingesting moonshine of all things, you’re now going to explain what happened, as well as divulge what part in today’s disastrous events you were responsible for,” Annaliese said.
“However, before we get into that, I need to know where Norma Jean and Velma are since no one has laid eyes on them lately.”
Telling looks were exchanged amongst the girls before each of them dropped their heads and began scuffing their toes through the sand.
Annaliese crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m going to count to three,” she began. “By the time I get to three, I expect at least one of you to say something or you will not enjoy the consequences. One . . . two . . .”
“We’re not tattletales,” Mabel said with a lift of her chin before Annaliese could get to three as the Zambarello sisters lifted their chins as well.
“This isn’t a tattletale situation,” Annaliese began cooly. “This is a situation where the three of you, along with Norma Jean and Velma, deliberately inflicted harm on the academy.”
“It’s just a bit of skunk oil and small shards of glass,” Penina argued.
“But that oil is responsible for sickening more than a few of your fellow students,” Annaliese argued right back.
“And, to remind you, since obviously you’ve forgotten this, all of you were given the privilege of attending this academy after being denied entrance into every academy your poor mothers tried to get you admitted to over the years.
I hardly believe they’re going to be proud of your antics today.
Nevertheless, before I send all of you off to wait in the office for your mothers to come collect you—and yes, I will send them notes telling them I need them to personally collect you today even if they’ve already sent their drivers—you’re going to set aside any desire to follow some ridiculous lady code and tell me exactly where Norma Jean and Velma are.
Furthermore, you’re going to confess what rooms you besmirched with skunk essence so I’ll know where to send you, since you’ll be cleaning up the mess you made before I release you into the care of your mothers.
” She lifted a brow toward girls who were now looking rather dejected.
“Also, know that unless we run down Norma Jean and Velma, you’ll be cleaning up the messes they made as well. ”
“That’s not fair,” Penina all but stuttered.
“Fairer than it would be to ask my staff to clean up a mess not of their making?” Annaliese asked.
“Our mother will not want us doing manual labor,” Donata said.
“I’m sure your mother, along with Mabel’s mother, will find this particular punishment suitable, especially after they learn that their daughters are going to be the first students to be suspended from the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies.”
Open mouths all around met that statement before Mabel swallowed. “You’re going to suspend us?”
“Indeed, but it remains to be seen for how long.” Annaliese inclined her head. “That will be determined by how cooperative you are with me.”
Another round of looks was exchanged before Penina stepped forward.
“I don’t think there’s any need to suspend us since smelling like skunk should be considered a punishment in and of itself.”
“Nice try, but where’s Norma Jean?”
A moment later, the girls were huddled in a circle, whispering madly between themselves, statements such as “We can’t break the code” and “Our mothers are going to kill us” reaching Seth’s ears.
It wasn’t until Mabel murmured something about them being left with bag in hand while Norma Jean and Velma got away, though, that the girls turned, Penina giving Mabel a nudge that sent Mabel stumbling front and center.
Mabel then made a bit of a process of clearing her throat before she settled her gaze on Annaliese.
“We want it noted that we’re only disclosing this out of sheer duress because we know that Norma Jean is going to give us the cut direct after she finds out we sold her out.
” She gave a shiver. “However, we think our mothers are more frightening than Norma Jean, so with that said—Norma Jean and Velma have run away from home, and they’re not intending on coming back anytime soon. ”