The doctor arrived quickly. He too, was sickened at the amount of abuse the poor girl had suffered. Without speaking, Margaret let Honor know this physician could be trusted to keep quiet… for a fee. While the doctor worked, Margaret began formulating a plan. It would be dangerous to move Hannah in her weakened condition, but it would be even more risky for her to remain in the brothel with people who were willing to look the other way while she was brutally victimized by a wealthy, powerful man.
Honor watched from the shadows, impressed by Margaret’s actions. She paid the doctor to take Hannah to his home and tend to her there. Once he and her driver had carried Hannah out, Margaret and Josie got to work on Hannah’s room. They washed down the walls and floor, with the exception of the one, blood-darkened corner. Next, they wrapped some partly filled feed sacks tightly together inside the bloodied sheets and bound the bundle securely with ropes. The finished product closely resembled a body, both in shape and weight. Margaret sent Josie to fetch the undertaker to come and remove the ‘body’ for a quiet burial, claiming Hannah had fallen, suffered a miscarriage and bled to death. Margaret knew the undertaker was a particularly callous man, concerned only with obtaining the largest fee possible for his services. Assuming Margaret was acting on behalf of one of her wealthy gentleman clients, he demanded enough money to cover the cost of a maple coffin, a burial plot, grave diggers and a marker. She agreed to his terms, as long as he would provide the information about the accidental death to the local church and newspaper.
On the back of one of the undertakers’ calling cards, Margaret penciled the name “Hannah Johnson.” He shoved the card into his pocket along with his payment, then hoisted the bundle over his shoulder and walked out. Margaret knew there would be no coffin or proper burial. The bundle would be dumped in a shallow hole somewhere to save the undertaker the expense of digging and marking a proper grave. But she didn’t care. The charade was complete, and that was all that mattered.
Before leaving the brothel, Margaret pressed money into Josie’s hand. “Child, I think you might be safer working elsewhere.”
Josie thanked her and closed the door behind them.
At Margaret’s home, the young man and his father waited anxiously for her return. When she finally arrived, Margaret glared at the young man, barely able to hide her disgust. “The girl bled to death,” she announced. He shifted uneasily in her icy stare.
The older man didn’t notice the contempt in her voice. “May god have mercy on her soul,” he murmured. “You saw to her final arrangements?”
Margaret gave the older man a curt nod. “Your son’s name is preserved.”
The corners of his mouth turned up slightly; his approval evident. “Splendid. It will be as though this ugliness never occurred.”
The younger man chewed on his lip, hoping Margaret wouldn’t tell his father the truth of what he had done.
Margaret addressed the young man. “You must never return to the brothel. Someone may have overheard the argument and blame you for the girl’s death. In fact, I recommend you take an extended trip abroad immediately.”
His father agreed and handed Margaret a stack of folded bank notes. “We are in your debt. My son’s reputation would have been sorely tainted, had the news of this unfortunate accident been made public.”
Honor heard Margaret’s unspoken thought. “I’m sure that evil monster has no remorse and will eventually commit other such crimes. I just pray our paths never cross again.”
The fog appeared suddenly, pulling Honor back to the parlor table in her hotel room. Margaret still sat with her cup of tea, but appeared more transparent than she had earlier.
Pleased that she hadn’t awakened from this dream, Honor asked, “What became of Hannah?”
“I’ve shared all I can for now,” Margaret whispered, her fatigue obvious.
An instant later, Honor woke with a start in her bed. The room was cold and dark. She turned on the bedside lamp and jotted down a few of the names and events from the dream before falling back to sleep.