Garnet or Garnets Curse

shouted an old man.
    “ Mrs. Lanier has agreed to be responsible for the damage. Now go on, get out of here before I have you all arrested! ” Lieutenant Raymond called back. Some of the folks started to leave, but others stood their ground. Lieutenant Raymond fired his pistol in the air. “I am warning you, I will lock up every damn last one of you and throw away the key!” After a few minutes the streets were cleared.
    Maria walked over to Lieutenant Raymond and me. “ Margo, here are the keys to the house. Take the carriage and go on home. I think it is best that Martin not see you. ” I hesitated, but she was right.
    Lieutenant Raymond looked at Maria. “ I expect it is not a good idea to take him to the jail tonight. The village is pretty stirred up over this. If they decide to take the law in their own hands, anything can happen. Let ’ s take him over to Dr. Jones for the night. ”
    “ Yes, Dr. Jones knows Martin, ” Maria said. “ Martin is going to need stitches in his hand and the doctor can give him a sedative. First thing in the morning, I will have Martin on the ferry to La Vallee Institution. And that will be the end of this. ”
    Maria took me aside. “ Margo, will you be alright tonight alone? I think it is best that I stay with Martin tonight. I will not be home until I get him settled in at La Vallee tomorrow afternoon. ”
    I shook my head. Lieutenant Raymond and I watched Maria go inside and deliver Ox. He was cowered down like a whipped little puppy. I turned my back to them as they approached. I could hear Ox saying, “ Ox bad boy, Ox bad boy. ”
    “ No, no, Ox is a good boy. It has just been a bad day, just a very bad day, ” Maria said in her special tone.

    Chapter XII
    I Will Fear No Evil

    Maria’s rig was old and rickety, but her horse was finely tuned to his reigns. I had not driven a carriage in many months and it felt good to have a little freedom. My first thoughts were to seize the opportunity and ride over the island, but it was getting late.
    Maria had warned me it would be late tomorrow afternoon before she would return home. With that in mind, I hurried back to Maria’s house and planned to take a ride the next day.
    So much had happened over the last two days and I had not had time to write the letter I intended to Charles. I would inform him I was coming home. In addition, I expected a full account of what happened. I will demand to know why Arlene was masquerading as me. While I was stabling the horse, I had already started composing the letter in my head.
    The barn was just back of the cottage, but the walk was dark and shadowy. Just as I stepped onto the porch, I heard movement in the nearby shrubbery. I turned and caught a glimpse of something strange. I should have gone straight inside, but I was romanced by my fear. My head turned when I heard footsteps to the left of me. I saw a dim light and a fur-covered man creature disappearing into the woods.
    With the key in my shaking hand, I unlocked the door and quickly locked it behind me. Seconds later, I heard scratching on the window. I slid down to the floor and listened. The sound traveled from window to window and was accompanied by a high-pitched noise. My heart was beating loudly, but I soon recognized it was the voice of the cat.
    I crawled over to the window and lifted it just high enough to grab hold of the kitten. With her in my arms, I secured the window and sank back down to the floor. A thousand thoughts were running through my head. I wanted to see what was outside, but what if it was so awful that my eyes could not bear it?
    Except for the last drip of daylight, the house was dark. Cats are curious creatures and she soon scampered off my lap. Shortly, she returned rubbing up against my legs. I understood her feline ways.
    We were safe, at least for the moment. I could not help wondering who or what I had seen on the way in the house. My logical mind tried to reason with me. It was likely a huntsman, a medicine man gathering herbs or just a shadow.
    It had been hours since a fire had been lit and the kitchen was cold. Alone in the cottage I was surrounded by the sounds and smells of the ocean. The ocean had a peculiar effect on me: both haunting and comforting at the same time.
    With the success of lighting a fire and finding something to eat, I went to my room. It was a struggle to compose the letter to Charles. After several rewrites, I omitted knowing about Arlene and decided to make it