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Chapters (63)
  1. Cover
  2. BRONTË SISTERS MYSTERIES
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. Haworth Parsonage, April 1852
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. "Music on Christmas Morning"
  60. Author’s Note
  61. Acknowledgements
  62. About the Author
  63. What’s next onyour reading list?

“I find this theory quite terrifying,” Charlotte said. “All my courage has flown away, and I wish we had never become involved in the matter of these diabolical bones. If by trying to solve this mystery, we have caused harm to another, then . . . we are just as guilty as the monster!”

“I do not disagree, Charlotte,” Emily said, letting down her damp hair and spreading it over her shoulders to dry, “but I don’t believe we may turn back now, much as we might wish it. We know the monster is aware of our efforts, and our only source of protection is to reveal his identity. So hold fast a little longer—if we can stay safe until after the dark moon, then at least the danger will have passed for a little while. Did you discover anything new at Top Withens?”

“Indeed I did.” Charlotte’s sigh was heavy of heart.

Anne settled on a stool at her sister’s feet as Charlotte told them about Bradshaw’s confession to using child slave labour. “It may be that though it was many years since, there might be someone there who would remember the names of the children who didn’t return from Top Withens. So tomorrow I believe we must travel to Crossed Keys Orphanage and its school.”

“I shall come with you,” Branwell said, appearing at last, his shirt loose, his hair tousled as if he had been sleeping, his eyes red and swollen as if he had been weeping. “For goodness only knows what endeavours you get up to when you are out of my sight.”

“We should be glad to have you, brother,” Anne said, “though I am afraid that if we are being hunted by the very creature we seek, there is the possibility of danger abroad for us all.”

“The only thing I fear,” Branwell said with neither artifice nor flourish, “is isolation and solitude from those I hold dear.”

“Did your letter make you very sad?” Anne asked Branwell.

“Perhaps you should tell me that, Anne,” Branwell said. “Perhaps you should all tell me if the letter I received made me very sad. In the meantime, I am going out—I will see you on the morrow.”

“Our brother is very strange,” Anne said after Branwell left.

“Well, he is awake,” Emily said. “The two states seem to go hand in hand.”

35

Emily