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Back The Diabolical Bones Save as PDF
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?

“Papa,” Charlotte said gently, seeing the pain on their brother’s face. “Emily has never once been seemly, and I know full well that I am not orderly. The best of us is Anne, and even she was prepared to take on Bradshaw with her own dear hands today. You have raised brave, good children, Papa, but not seemly ones. And besides, perhaps even yet it might be one of your daughters who saves the family’s fortunes.”

“In any case,” Anne interjected, looking at Liston, who had been rapt with attention throughout, “perhaps we might spare poor Liston these family squabbles, for these are private matters, and we embarrass him.”

“Not so, Miss Anne,” Liston said, with a shy smile, “for I do love to hear a family speak so to one another, with kindness and even in disagreement with . . . well, with love, I suppose. It ain’t . . . it’s not a way of life I am familiar with, and to see it played out so gives me great comfort and hope that one day I may find a wife who would willingly make a family with me as loving as this one.”

“You are always welcome at the table, my boy,” Patrick said, nodding at Liston, “as is your father and every sinner in search of redemption. For it is never too late to seek God’s forgiveness if your heart is pure.”

“Well, on that note, Liston, may I suggest that you and I brave the cold and seek out a well-earned ale or two? After all, the Bull is virtually on our doorstep. It would seem inconsiderate not to.” Branwell rose from his seat.

“Branwell, don’t mock Papa so,” Charlotte admonished her brother.

“I do not mock him,” Branwell said cheerfully, bending down to kiss his father on the cheek. “Papa says it is never too late to seek redemption. That leaves me plenty of time to have another drink and sin a little more.”

9

Charlotte

All their party had stood sentinel as the small bundle had been carried from the church into the back room of the schoolhouse, where it was determined it would be best kept until a funeral could be conducted. It was somehow more seemly and comfortable than the cellars beneath the King’s Arms that were commonly used as a mortuary. Charlotte tarried a little longer after her family returned to the parsonage, taking her time to light a few lanterns. It might have seemed foolish to some, but when she had been a child mourning the loss of her mama and feeling so desperately alone, there had been no greater comfort than the thought of a lamp keeping the dark at bay.