The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Cunningham reunites with Aiden to report on his tasks. Cunningham was able to find the plague doctor costume in the rooms of a guest named Philip Sutcliffe along with a note arranging a meeting between Sutcliffe and Lord Hardcastle at the ball. Cunningham also read the note left in the woods for Evelyn: The note was unsigned and warned Evelyn to stay away from Millicent Derby. Cunningham wryly points out that he himself could be a suspect in Evelyn’s murder, and he hints that he has a complicated history: “Strange you haven’t heard about my scandalous relationship to the Hardcastles, then. Oh, I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise for you” (119).

During dinner, Michael Hardcastle announces that his sister, Evelyn, is going to marry Lord Ravencourt. Aiden now understands the hideous punishment that Evelyn’s parents have devised for her: “If Lord and Lady [Helena] Hardcastle really do blame their daughter for Thomas’s death, their punishment is exquisite. They plan to steal all the years from her that were stolen from Thomas” (125).

After the dinner, Cunningham explains that the Hardcastle family is experiencing financial troubles, and that “in return for Evelyn’s hand, Lord and Lady [Helena] Hardcastle will receive a rather generous dowry and Ravencourt’s promise to buy Blackheath […] for a tidy sum” (129).

In the crowded ballroom, Aiden catches sight of someone in the plague doctor costume and pursues this unknown individual. However, Aiden quickly realizes that there are several guests at the ball all wearing identical plague doctor costumes. Aiden also sees Michael anxiously searching the ballroom for Evelyn.

Cunningham and Aiden catch sight of Evelyn outside near the reflecting pool with a pistol in her hand. This gun is silver, and it’s not the same as the one she had in the graveyard. Cunningham goes to get Michael, but before they can reach her, Evelyn shoots herself. Michael and Doctor Dickie rush to try to help Evelyn, but she is already dead. Aiden is now more confused than ever: He was told that he had to solve Evelyn’s murder, but he has now witnessed her taking her own life. Aiden eventually falls asleep.

Aiden wakes up in the injured body of the butler, now resting in the gatehouse. A young maid is helping him, and Aiden realizes that she is Anna. He feels deep affection for her, noticing that “even though I can’t remember this woman, I can feel the years of friendship between us” (138). Anna explains that she doesn’t move from host to host or receive visits from the Plague Doctor. She simply instinctively knows the rules of the game. Anna will also only speak openly with Aiden when the two of them are alone. Doctor Dickie enters the room and dismisses Anna, and then he administers a sedative to Aiden.

Aiden wakes up in the body of a new host, Jonathan Derby. It is early in the morning, and Aiden recalls that Evelyn and Madeline are going to be attacked near Charlie Carver’s cottage. He wants to see if he can catch the attacker, so he tries asking various servants about the location of the cottage. His questioning attracts the attention of Mrs. Drudge, the cook. Mrs. Drudge accuses Aiden of attacking Madeline, and Aiden is unable to control his host body from lashing out violently against the cook. Aiden realizes that “my hosts can fight back” (146), and that his actions and plans are influenced by which host body he is occupying.

Aiden starts to walk through the woods, hoping to stumble upon Evelyn. He finds the compass and coat belonging to Sebastian Bell. Aiden finds the cottage and catches sight of a maid whom he assumes is Madeline. She runs off, and Aiden hears her calling for help, as well as the sound of Bell calling for Anna. Aiden pursues Madeline and is startled when Evelyn suddenly appears and shoots at him. Evelyn thinks that Jonathan Derby is trying to assault Madeline and tells him “Stay away from this girl, stay away from all of them” (149). Evelyn and Madeline depart, and Aiden realizes in horror that while he was trying to prevent the attack on Evelyn and Madeline, “I caused the very thing I was trying to stop” (149). With this new perspective, Aiden can now understand the events of the novel’s opening scene, when he first began this loop in the body of Sebastian Bell: He initially believed he saw someone being murdered in the woods, but he actually saw Jonathan Derby pursuing Madeline, and then being threatened by Evelyn.

The Plague Doctor joins Aiden in the woods, and the two of them argue about the game. The Plague Doctor explains that he doesn’t know who the murderer is and that he doesn’t think Aiden can prevent Evelyn’s death. He also tells Aiden that, unlike the other individuals trapped at Blackheath, Aiden came here of his own volition. Frustrated, Aiden goes to find Bell in the woods. He drops the compass in Bell’s pocket, replaying one of the first scenes of the novel: Aiden previously experienced this moment as Bell.

Back at the house, Aiden runs into Millicent Derby and realizes that Jonathan is her son. Mrs. Derby gossips about Cunningham, explaining that while Cunningham has been raised as the son of Mrs. Drudge (the cook), it is a well-known fact that he is actually the illegitimate son of Lord Hardcastle.

Anna catches up with Aiden, and he tells her about a plan Daniel has concocted to try to attack the Footman. While Aiden is excited about the plan, he is angry because Daniel has lied to Anna and led her to believe that more than one of them can escape from Blackheath. Anna also positions a rock near the pool and tells Aiden that he must stand precisely at that location the next time that Evelyn kills herself. She doesn’t explain why, leaving Aiden to reflect that “whoever Anna really is, I’m following her blindly” (168).

A brutish man summons Aiden to meet with Ted Stanwin, and Aiden follows him to a deserted corner of the house. Aiden can hear Evelyn and Stanwin talking in the next room. Stanwin seems to be threatening Evelyn and blackmailing her with some sort of letter. Stanwin orders Evelyn to tell someone that “she best not play any games with me, or it’ll be the end of both of you” (172), and Aiden hears Evelyn leave.

Stanwin and the brutish man enter the room to join Aiden. Stanwin references Mrs. Derby being late in her payments and threatens her. Aiden is unable to control his host from lashing out, and Stanwin orders his henchman to beat Aiden in punishment. Aiden and the brutish man fight, and Aiden flees from the room: “I’m on my feet as the blood pours between his fingers, sprinting down the corridor” (176).

Aiden eventually sneaks back into Stanwin’s rooms to look around. He finds a letter addressed to Evelyn from someone named Felicity Maddox. The letter indicates that Felicity “stand[s] ready to help unravel this plot” (180). Since Felicity and Evelyn are clearly working together on some sort of plan, Aiden deduces that the note in the woods (urging Evelyn to stay away from Millicent Derby) may also have come from Felicity. Suddenly, Aiden is violently attacked by an unknown assailant.