Read Online Elysium. Part One. by Kelvin James Roper - Free Book Online Page A

‘Kelly was supposed to bring a new one back from Ireland before he... well…’ Eryn followed and looked up the staircase in the hope of seeing Boen. She didn’t, and turned back to Samantha, tilting her head with a façade of sympathy. Only a week had passed and the community were mourning the loss of promised goods more than Kelly.
      ‘I was speaking to Guliven last night.’ Samantha continued, ‘We supposed they might be travellers who’ve gotten lost. What do you think?’
     Eryn shrugged. ‘I don’t know… I wouldn’t have thought so. They’d never have got passed the border.’
      Samantha sighed, but nodded as she unscrewed the silver cap. ‘Guliven said he’d fetch me some sugar when he goes to Ballycotton.’ she said, as though sharing a confidence.
     Eryn looked up, impressed. They hadn’t seen sugar for some months. She supposed the Waeshenbach household would soon become a storehouse of luxury now her husband had been assigned the post of runner.
      ‘So, your pa didn’t say anything about them?’ Samantha probed.
      ‘Sorry.’
      ‘You know, it’s got everyone unnatural worried. Ted asked Guliven if he could bring a rifle back with him.’
      ‘You know what I think is sad?’ Eryn said as she watched tea being poured into her squat mug. ‘How suddenly Kelly’s death doesn’t matter anymore. He was alive a week ago, being pestered by everyone to bring particulars back for them, and now people have moved on to Guliven without a second thought.
      Samantha was a little affronted by the mildly veiled insinuation, but shook her head and placed the thermos between them. ‘People haven’t forgotten about Kelly, darling… it’s just… Last week we hadn’t been discovered. I’m not surprised that everyone’s more concerned about these women than they are about a corpse.’ She hesitated, knowing before the words had left her mouth that she had chosen them poorly.
      ‘He’s not a corpse!’ Eryn said hotly. ‘He’s Richard Kelly, and no matter how long he’s dead he’ll always be Richard Kelly to me. Corpse, indeed!’
      The two of them were silent for a moment, and then Samantha sipped her tea and spoke. ‘I know, I didn’t mean…’
      Eryn snorted and turned to the window, her eyes glazed. She breathed deeply and lay her hand on Samantha’s wrist. ‘I’m sorry… I just miss him. Every time the door squeaks in the pub I think it’s him. I don’t think my brain realises he’s gone for good.’
      The floorboards above creaked, drawing Eryn from her thoughts. She said, ‘Is that Boen?’
      ‘Most likely, I think Arabella’s already out.’
      ‘Do you mind if I go and see him?’
      Samantha looked a little confused. ‘You want to see Boen? What are you two up to?’
      Defensively, Eryn frowned. ‘Nothing, we…’ the words remained as though they were the best explanation on offer. She coloured slightly and, raising her brow, Samantha shrugged and said, ‘It’s fine with me.’
      ‘Thanks,’ Eryn replied, and took her mug with her.
      She lifted her skirts whilst climbing the steep staircase and knocked three times before waiting for a reply.
      ‘Yeah?’
      ‘It’s me.’
      ‘Wha… Oh! What are you doing here? What do you wa…’
      Before he could finish his sentence, she was in the room. An intake of breath followed, and she turned sharply, covering her eyes. ‘Put some clothes on, will you?’
      He was way ahead of her, fumbling around with a pair of corduroy trousers and scrabbling with the string at his waist. ‘Well what d’you bleedin’ expect – bursting into peoples bedrooms like that, you rotten pervert!’
      ‘I didn’t know you were in the nip!’ She snapped, her fingers still pressing against her eyes. ‘Is it safe yet?’
      ‘Yeah…’
      Eryn turned and saw that he was straightening his jumper, his face flushed with embarrassment. She caught sight of several scars on his back,