TLMS 30

Chapter 30

Jane’s body was first discovered at dawn by two maids who had come from the annex to the west wing to begin their morning duties.

Because the early morning light was still dim, they couldn’t immediately tell what the pink bundle lying at the bottom of the stairs was.

“What is that?”

“I don’t know… it wasn’t there last night.”

Feeling uneasy, the maids stepped closer. Then they recognized Jane—her body twisted unnaturally, lifeless—and they screamed in terror.

When she was found, Jane was still wearing the pink dress she had worn to the party the night before. One of her high-heeled shoes was still on her foot, while the other had fallen midway down the stairs.

They were the very same high heels she had bought with Eugenia at the shopping district for the dance party.

No matter how one looked at it, it seemed clear that she had missed a step and fallen down the stairs. Beside her body lay a blood-stained horse statue.

The statue, made of stone, had been part of a pair placed on small tables at the bottom of the staircase for decoration. The one from the right side had fallen and landed near her head.

In other words, it appeared that Jane had accidentally fallen down the stairs, hit the table, and caused the stone statue to fall and strike her head.

Jane’s sudden death threw the entire household into chaos. People ran around in confusion, shouting to call a doctor and the police.

Dr. Jensen, the Flanigan family’s physician, was urgently summoned again, and Jane’s death was officially confirmed. Since it was not a natural death but an accident, the police were also notified.

To anyone, it looked like a tragic accident. The police thought the same and began a routine investigation.

“Accidents on stairs happen more often than you might think.”

It seemed the police told this to the bereaved family first.

“In old mansions like this one, the steps are usually higher. Accidents often occur when someone hurries on the stairs. That’s why modern houses are built with lower steps.”

Of course, not everyone who falls down stairs dies. Some are lucky and only get bruises. Others might break an arm or a leg.

But Jane was unlucky. She either broke her neck during the fall or was fatally struck on the head by the stone statue.

Even if it was an accident, an investigation was necessary. The police questioned the household about Jane’s movements from the previous day until her body was found.

As everyone knew, the day before the accident was the summer festival. In the afternoon, Jane attended a dance party at the Hayes mansion with her cousin Eugenia and two maids.

Later, the police also questioned people at the Hayes mansion. They confirmed that Jane behaved normally at the party. She seemed a bit excited but not unwell. She looked happy.

Jane returned from the party a little after midnight.

“I clearly told her to come back by nine…”

Edward had repeatedly reminded Jane to return home on time, but she did not follow his instructions. However, it wasn’t entirely her fault.

“Miss Eugenia told us before she left the party,” the maids testified.

“She said she got permission from the master to return by midnight. So we thought it was fine.”

Dance parties usually lasted until dawn, and people who left early typically did so around midnight. Leaving earlier than that was rare. So Jane and the maids believed Eugenia had easily gotten permission.

Jane and the two maids returned to the Flanigan mansion a little after midnight. As expected, there was already an uproar at the house.

Since I was in the east wing, I didn’t know much, but according to the maids who had been serving the family late into the night, the elders were furious about Jane being late.

“What a disgrace to the family!”

Madam Melissa shouted angrily.

“How can a girl wander around so late at night? She has no shame! Great-grandmother Alice will be furious! Our family is ruined!”

Thomas, who stood beside Edward, added:

“Brother, allowing Jane to attend the dance party in the first place was a mistake. How can a woman shamelessly lift her skirt and expose herself in front of men? It’s a disgrace!”

At dance parties, people simply danced waltzes. No one behaved as Thomas described. His words sounded more like descriptions of indecent places—which suggested he was familiar with such places.

Thomas, who had been furious about Jane’s lateness, left the house again around ten to drink with friends. After all, the men of the Flanigan family had no curfew.

“She’s not a child,” the younger maids whispered among themselves.

“They’re not worried about her. They just think a woman having fun is disgraceful.”

As it neared midnight and the servants began returning to the annex, Edward finally lost patience and prepared to go to the Hayes mansion himself to bring Jane back.

Fortunately, Jane arrived around that time. A maid ran ahead to inform Edward cautiously.

Because it was late, Edward decided to postpone scolding her until the next day. He told the maids to go back quickly and went to his room after confirming Jane had entered the west wing.

Jane hesitated, likely wary of her uncle, and slowly approached the stairs. Edward glared at her once before turning away and heading to his room.

That was the last time he saw Jane alive.

Jane’s room was on the fourth floor of the west wing—right next to Anne’s room. It meant she had a long way to climb.

However, since her body was found at the bottom, it was likely she never made it that far. The police believed she slipped between the first and second floors.

Still, other possibilities had to be considered.

Once again, the maids whispered among themselves.

“Could it be the curse again?”

“After Aileen and Anne… now Jane…”

“But Aileen and Anne committed suicide. This was an accident.”

“Idiot. If it’s a ghost’s curse, it could make anything happen—suicide or accident.”

Because of such gossip, even the police heard rumors about the ghost of Madam Alice haunting the mansion.

Even if they saw a ghost kill someone with their own eyes, they could never write in a report that a ghost committed murder.

Besides, Jane’s death could be explained rationally.

Falling down stairs was common—especially in old mansions with high steps.

Jane was wearing high heels, recently bought with Eugenia. They were fashionable but difficult to walk in, and accidents were common.

She had danced all evening and returned late, so she was likely tired.

The maids also testified that Jane had drunk alcohol at the party—encouraged by Eugenia. Since she wasn’t used to drinking, she may have been unsteady.

Additionally, her skirt was found torn.

Although wide skirts were fashionable, their length had recently become shorter, reaching mid-calf. But in the Flanigan family, even showing ankles was considered improper, so skirts were long enough to cover the feet.

Jane’s pink dress was also long, reaching her ankles.

Such long skirts were cumbersome. If the hem was torn, it would be even easier to step on it while climbing stairs. Combined with high heels, the torn fabric might have caught on her heel.

Thus, it was natural to assume she tripped on her skirt.

Jane was found still wearing her party clothes, meaning she died before reaching her room.

“I should have made sure she got to her room…” one maid sobbed.

But Jane wasn’t a child, and it wasn’t the maid’s duty to escort her every time. Besides, Edward had sent the maids away in anger.

So no one blamed them.

All things considered, it appeared to be an accident. However, the police had to consider every possibility—including murder.

Recently, three young women in the mansion had died one after another. Even if everything seemed normal, it couldn’t be ignored.

Unlike Aileen and Anne, whose deaths appeared to be suicide, Jane’s case was different.

If someone fell down the stairs, it could be an accident—

or someone could have pushed them.

Jane might have been murdered.