Landweir House Chapter 17 - Tony Lane's Blog

Landweir House

Chapter 17

Mam’zelle Marie Turnow

From the diary of Emily Landweir

April 11, 1865- Word came today that the war has ended. General Lee has officially surrendered two days passed. Perhaps now life will begin anew at Landweir House. Carlton has been very quiet today. I am sure that the news has left him disturbed.

April 12, 1865- My world has come to an end. Carlton has brought a child into our house and he tells me that it is his child born as a result of an affair that he has been having with a local free woman named Marie Turnow. The news of the war’s end has forced him into action on this matter. He now sees some hope for the city and wants this abomination of a child reared alongside our own dear Clarisse. I will not see this happen. I must convince Carlton to reverse his decision.

April 13, 1865- I took it upon myself this day to traverse into the Quarter while Carlton is away on business and make acquaintance with this Mam’zelle Turnow in hopes of finding a sensible head with which I might reason. Unfortunately I did not. What I found was a witch who consorts with all things Satanic. A Voodoo priestess who deals in conjuring, fortunetelling, spells and potions. She uses her powers to heal those who are poor and of the same faith as she. I now know that it was she who has used her magic to put my husband under her spell. There is no other possible explanation for his actions. And now for him to feel the need to harbor this child simply because it is male and I have only been able to produce one child, our daughter Clarisse, is beyond what I may endure.

April 14, 1865- I have discovered the route by which I shall travel in order to save both my family and my own life. Marie Turnow was grief stricken and inconsolable when I agreed to take her child into our home and rear it as my own. She would only be happy as mistress of Landweir House or dead and buried. The former I will not abide the latter I will gratefully accommodate.

April 15, 1865- I have done the deed and Marie Tornow and her spawn shall darken my horizon never again. With her last breath the witch most certainly did curse all who should seek to be the mistress within the walls of Landweir by saying that those who crave love will find only hatred and those who seek life only death. I shall push back her words with every beat of my heart. I will tell Carlton that he is free tomorrow when he returns from his business travel.

April 16, 1865- Carlton flew into a rage upon hearing of the loss of the Turnow woman. Could it be that I have misinterpreted the relationship between the two of them? Was it more than animal lust? Or rather, has her Hoodoo magic reached out from beyond the grave? I fear that Carlton may hav

“That’s all. The writing stops there.” Dr. Jacobs said to Bart, Molly, Terry and the Landweir's. “I would guess that the skeleton with the gris-gris pouch is Mam’zelle Marie Turnow, killed by this woman, Emily Landweir.” Jacobs said as he held up the diary.

“What is a gris-gris pouch doctor?” Lisa Marie asked as she took a hold of it and held it tightly.

“A small pouch that she carried which would have been filled with magical items. Perhaps a lock of Carlton Landweir’s hair, herbs, flowers, charms, whatever she thought would give her power over the Landweir's. We can have the pouch analyzed if it is important to the show. It is an important part in the practice of Voodoo. Perhaps you will want to educate America on the Voodoo religion?” Jacobs said as he took back the bag from her.

“So, who are the other skeletons that were buried out there?” Donald asked.

“For that we must make some educated guesses or we can send away their bones and have their DNA checked to see if there are still traces of family here today. I would guess that as Mr. Landweir was in a rage over what his wife had done to his son and his mistress and as her sentence ends interrupted in her final entry and as these tiny specks may very well turn out to be blood, I would think that it is very likely that one of the skeletons is that of Mrs. Landweir and quite possibly another is that of dear little Clarisse. The other youngster may very well be that of the little boy from the union with the Voodoo queen. Carlton Landweir sought to keep his family together in death even if Emily would not accept them in life.”

“What if the bodies that are sharing the other grave are of the second owners of Landweir, the Terhune's?” Molly asked.

“No, Mr. Terhune remarried after a brief marriage to a Vanessa Dupree Terhune. It is unclear if she died young or simply left Miller Terhune. All of this would have been at about the same time that the Landweir’s had their murderous spree, within months actually. One of the bodies could be that of Vanessa and perhaps the other of her lover. She was reputed to have been quite the beauty.” Doctor Jacobs countered.

“And do we even want to air a story that quite possibly involves multiple murders and voodoo?” Terry wondered. “All we’ve done is to try to make this into the all American recovery story. I say that we stick with the slave burial ground angle and let this other theory drop. It’s less controversial.”

“But it’s not the truth.” Jacobs protested.

“And why would the truth matter now?” Terry said as he closed the diary. “No, I say that we keep all of the Skeleton’s in their closets and don’t let them out.”

“Terry!” came the voice of his assistant from the second floor window of the master bedroom.

“WHAT IS IT NOW!?” Terry screamed.

“There’s a skeleton in the closet up here!” The assistant yelled.