Lady in black - Part 1

I awoke early in the morning of the next day which was after I had only a few hours of sleep the last night.

I took a brief walk around the house, seeing how the compound was improving. The trees and gardens were not doing poorly or fairly. It will take time before everything will be cultivated again. The park and all. The well by the side of the house was doing well and was neat. It had been overgrown before. I can't still decide if I would stay longer here to perhaps help manage the house. Mother was getting older and even though we had the steward, she still needed a family here.

I think this moment of her life was the period she needed us more than ever.

For my mental health, I cannot possibly be considering that.

Once the parish's bell rang, I made my way inside to prepare because sooner enough visitors would come trooping in. It was also likely that Dennis would visit with his children today. I couldn't wait.

Going into the house and then walking towards the stairs I stopped when I heard footsteps pass through the other corridor. A door closed. Who would be awake by now? The old wooden clock on the wall was striking at 5:am.

I went to see who it was. The only thing I saw was a shadow of someone in a black gown who passed through the other door and locked it.

A sigh escaped my lips. I hope I was not seeing ghosts or was it hallucinations?

I turned back and mounted the stairs back to my room.

Walking through the passageway that led to the room I felt light footsteps behind me. I stopped and turned to look back. There was nothing there. No one.

For God's sake! I was a grown-up man! I can't be this scared. It seemed the talks of Elliot and his sister had finally gotten into me. There can't be ghosts in the rearwood hall. Never!

I returned to my room and locked the door.

Before I made it into the restroom, light footsteps passed through the corridors. I heard it! I was sure! I unlocked the door in a frenzy to find the door opposite mine being closed.

Goodness! I was frightened to death.

There were only two rooms on the floor and it had been locked yesterday. None of the servants shared the floor with me, Miss Curtis had told me so. I had no neighbor!

I pushed myself to knock on the door. What would I see? Was there someone in there?

Closer and closer my hand moved till it gave a quivering knock on the door.

No answer.

I knocked again.

No answer.

I sought to knock the third time but I had barely touched the doors when it opened to reveal a lady in a black gown, and a black lugubrious shawl that covered the sides of her face leaving no room to see her features. The steward.

"Good morning, Mr Houston."

Came her soft and low voice that would have been much more appealing if it didn't sound so monotonous.

I cleared my throat and stepped back.

"Good morning, Mrs Williams. I was—"

"Is there something you need, sir?" she cut off.

I couldn't see her face so I couldn't tell the state of her countenance. But, I sensed some— I could be wrong. But it sounded like she was unhappy and offended.

"No. Nothing."

"Have a good day." The door closed to my face.

Great. What a pleasant morning and meeting it was.

She was my neighbor. Interesting.

I retired back inside. I needed to clear my mind from this madness. It was just a day! A day! It's not even up to twenty-four hours and I was this blundered. And I could only hope she had not conjured some inadequate thoughts and prejudices against me. Well, if it turned out to be so, I wonder how we will be able to live on the same roof. Even if it was just a while.

❂❊❊❂

"Dennis would be coming today. He sent forth letters yesterday."

Mrs Houston chatted away with me as we came down the stairs going to the breakfast room.

The day had cleared and it was almost 7:30 in the morning.

"I assumed that."

"You wretched boys! You both abandoned me. I had pleaded with him countless times to bring my grandchildren to stay but he refused. For years! Eugene. I don't even know how big they are now after that unreasonable woman left him."

Pause.

Now, I have something else to remind you about. And also one of the reasons I think I would never be able to love any woman again or should I say get married.

You see, Dennis met this beautiful lady. What was her name again? Aha! Lana pierce. A very beautiful one. He ended up marrying her. He didn't even care to inform us before he engaged her and the next thing I heard when he visited me that semester was that he was married. Balderdash! Total Balderdash! I tell you, reader.

"So soon?"

I had asked.

"Why? We are in love and she loves me the most, I'm telling you Eugene, it's not a farce."

Such travesty. Had he known?

"You didn't care to tell mother?"

I asked again as he was busy blushing like a fool.

"I will send her letters to know because I won't be visiting that house."

And to remember, I was still on my right sense because that was before I met Maddie. Gosh! I needed to stop calling her that. Mandelyn!

I knew it was a total bluff and I reasoned it then and knew that from how he described the lady, She was just after his money. Yes, the wealth of the family.

Dennis didn't go further to university, instead once he graduated from the boarding school at eighteen he went on to handle father's factories all over the state. The one at Cerneth was the biggest and he did well there.

Mother's brother handled one in Laighton, a town near Bewifield. I would take over that when I was ready. But not now, I needed much evaluation, and weighing up, on where I would do best or maybe just relax and focus on my artwork which…..

I was leaving the whole context. God! Back to what I was saying.

So two years into the marriage. They separated. Not like really separate, She ran away! with another man to a forsaken town no one knew about leaving him with the lovely twins to take care of. Boom! She duped him.

"Mrs Williams! Wait"

I halted when I saw the lady she called upon.