The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

THE SEVEN DEATHS OF

EVELYN HARDCASTLE

To my parents, who gave me everything and asked for nothing. My sister, first and fiercest of my readers from the bumblebees onwards. And my wife, whose love, encouragement, and reminders to look up from my keyboard once in a while, made this book so much more than I thought it could be.

CONTENTS

One: Day One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine: Day Two

Ten: Day Three

Eleven: Day Four

Twelve

Thirteen: Day Two (continued)

Fourteen: Day Four (continued)

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-One: Day Two (continued)

Twenty-Two: Day Five

Twenty-Three

Twenty-Four

Twenty-Five

Twenty-Six

Twenty-Seven: Day Two (continued)

Twenty-Eight: Day Five (continued)

Twenty-Nine

Thirty

Thirty-One

Thirty-Two: Day Six

Thirty-Three: Day Two (continued)

Thirty-Four: Day Six (continued)

Thirty-Five

Thirty-Six

Thirty-Seven

Thirty-Eight

Thirty-Nine: Day Two (continued)

Forty: Day Six (continued)

Forty-One

Forty-Two: Day Two (continued)

Forty-Three: Day Seven

Forty-Four

Forty-Five

Forty-Six

Forty-Seven

Forty-Eight

Forty-Nine

Fifty

Fifty-One

Fifty-Two: Day Three (continued)

Fifty-Three: Day Eight

Fifty-Four

Fifty-Five

Fifty-Six

Fifty-Seven: Day Two (continued)

Fifty-Eight: Day Eight (continued)

Fifty-Nine

Sixty

Acknowledgements

A Note on the Author

You are cordially invited to Blackheath House for

The Masquerade

Introducing your hosts, the Hardcastle family

Lord Peter Hardcastle & Lady Helena Hardcastle

&

Their son, Michael Hardcastle

Their daughter, Evelyn Hardcastle

-Notable Guests-

Edward Dance, Christopher Pettigrew & Philip Sutcliffe, family solicitors

Grace Davies & her brother, Donald Davies, socialites

Commander Clifford Herrington, naval officer (retired)

Millicent Derby & her son, Jonathan Derby, socialites

Daniel Coleridge, professional gambler

Lord Cecil Ravencourt, banker

Jim Rashton, police officer

Dr Richard (Dickie) Acker

Dr Sebastian Bell

Ted Stanwin

-Principal household staff-

The butler, Roger Collins

The cook, Mrs Drudge

First maid, Lucy Harper

Stablemaster, Alf Miller

Artist in residence, Gregory Gold

Lord Ravencourt’s valet, Charles Cunningham

Evelyn Hardcastle’s lady’s maid, Madeline Aubert

We ask all guests to kindly refrain from discussing Thomas Hardcastle and Charlie Carver, as the tragic events surrounding them still grieve the family greatly

1

Day One

I forget everything between footsteps.

‘Anna!’ I finish shouting, snapping my mouth shut in surprise.

My mind has gone blank. I don’t know who Anna is or why I’m calling her name. I don’t even know how I got here. I’m standing in a forest, shielding my eyes from the spitting rain. My heart’s thumping, I reek of sweat and my legs are shaking. I must have been running but I can’t remember why.

‘How did—’ I’m cut short by the sight of my own hands. They’re bony, ugly. A stranger’s hands. I don’t recognise them at all.

Feeling the first touch of panic, I try to recall something else about myself: a family member, my address, age, anything, but nothing’s coming. I don’t even have a name. Every memory I had a few seconds ago is gone.

My throat tightens, breaths coming loud and fast. The forest is spinning, black spots inking my sight.

Be calm.

‘I can’t breathe,’ I gasp, blood roaring in my ears as I sink to the ground, my fingers digging into the dirt.

You can breathe, you just need to calm down.

There’s comfort in this inner voice, cold authority.

Close your eyes, listen to the forest. Collect yourself.