Murder at Mansfield Park

miss. That man Maddox is still in the house, and if he were to hear of it—’
    ‘You have no need to fear, Polly,’ she said firmly. ‘I will see to that. But have you no idea at all what it was that Kitty told this man Fraser?’
    Polly looked exceedingly awkward. ‘Not really, miss. Though I did hear her murmur some thing about—well, about Miss Julia.’
    Mary turned involuntarily to the figure lying unconscious on the bed; the girl had not, to Mary’s knowledge, spoken a word since the day she saw Fanny’s coffin carried past her room.
But Julia ? How could such an innocent young girl possibly be involved in this dreadful affair?
    Mary sent Evans away with renewed promises of silence and complicity, and closing the door quietly behind her, sat down by the bed to ponder and deliberate. As the morning wore away, however,
she was obliged to put her own concerns aside; she began to perceive that though Julia’s pulse had initially been much stronger, and her condition more favourable than on her preceding visit,
she was slowly growing more heavy, restless, and uncomfortable. Mary asked for Mr Gilbert to be sent for, and waited anxiously until Mrs Baddeley ushered him into the room.
    ‘I cannot comprehend it,’ he said, a few moments later, his face anxious, ‘every sign was growing more propitious, and I saw no cause to apprehend a relapse. Not, at least, a
relapse such as this. You are sure—’ this to Mrs Baddeley ‘—that only the cordials I prescribed have been administered, and in the correct doses?’
    ‘I would stake my life on it, sir,’ said Mrs Baddeley, her pink face somewhat pinker than usual. ‘I have given the maids the most strict instructions.’
    Gilbert shook his head. ‘Only yesterday I was offering the family my felicitations on a recovery surpassing even my expectation, but now a recovery of any kind is most doubtful, most
doubtful indeed. We will have to redouble our vigilance—and our prayers. Miss Crawford, can we prevail upon you to assist us yet further?’
    Mary assured him of her complete willingness to watch the rest of the day, and the night if needed. It was a period of almost equal suffering to both. Hour after hour passed away in increasing
pain and discomposure on Julia’s side, and in the most cruel anxiety on Mary’s, which could only be augmented by the new sense of unease that had arisen since her conversation with
Evans.
    She made a hasty dinner in the housekeeper’s room, and returned to relieve Mrs Baddeley. Julia was tossing to and fro, and uttering frequent but inarticulate sounds of complaint. Her face
was flushed, and she seemed to be breathing with difficulty.
    ‘I do so hate to see her in such a pitiable state, Miss Crawford,’ said Mrs Baddeley, with tears in her eyes. ‘I do believe she is worse even than when you went
downstairs.’
    Mary put her hand on her arm, and offered words of reassurance that were very far from the forebodings in her own heart.
    ‘Mr Gilbert has promised to call again in the course of the next three or four hours, Mrs Baddeley. Let us endeavour to support our hopes and spirits until then. We will be of more
assistance to Miss Julia if we can remain calm.’
    At that moment Julia started up in the bed, and in a near frenzy, cried out, ‘No! No! It cannot be! It cannot be!’
    Mary was at her side in an instant, and advising Mrs Baddeley to send for Mr Gilbert without delay, passed her hand over the girl’s brow.
    ‘I am here, Julia. There is no cause for alarm. You are quite safe.’
    ‘ No! No! ’ she moaned, ‘You must tell them—I can trust you—I did not mean—did not mean—an accident—an accident —’
    ‘Hush, Julia, do not distress yourself so,’ Mary said imploringly, as she attempted to persuade her to lie down again, but when she clasped the girl’s shoulders, she felt her
thin frame grow rigid against her.
    ‘So much blood!—never knew—so much —her dress—her hands—never, never wished for that—let me be rid of it—let me forget it—never, oh
never—no hope—no hope—’
    She threw herself back on her pillows, as if exhausted, and lay for some moments neither moving nor stirring. Mary, too, was unmoving, half stupefied between horror and incredulity. Was this the
explanation of the reprehensible conduct of Maddox and his associate? Was it indeed possible that Julia had been responsible, even if accidentally, for the death of her cousin? She knew the
strength of