The Fourth Mistress - Chapter 66

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While Graham was locked inside the drawing-room with the ghost, Louise tried to look for the kerosene can that Father Edward had earlier dropped somewhere. She held the lantern in front of her, her feet quick and her eyes searching for it.

She wondered why Father Edward had abruptly left them when he knew the dangers that awaited them in the dark corridors of the manor. She noticed the cross and the can on the floor, and she quickly picked them up, making her way towards Graham and her room.

Louise hoped for Graham to be alright. If he could stall the ghost, it would help them buy some time to burn the skeleton. When she reached the room, the fireplace was burning brightly, and she noticed the bed empty. She turned around from the spot where she stood.

Walking towards the bed, her heart started to race, and she could hear it drumming in her ears. Carefully, she bent down to take a look under the bed. When there was nothing in there, she stood up straight and came to look at someone she hadn’t expected to see.

“Papa?” Louise uttered those words, the sight itself leaving goosebumps on her skin.

“Louise, it is so good to see you, my child,” said her father, who stood on the other side of the bed.

Her hand gripped on the lantern’s handle and the can of kerosene that she hadn’t let go of. She was taken aback by the sight of her father standing there. He looked the same as the last time she remembered when she was still small.

“It feels so long, how have you been?” asked her father, his lips holding the same gentle smile.

Louise would have been able to handle anything, but seeing her father healthy as if he was still alive, it confused her. She asked him, “What are you doing here?”

She noticed the little frown that appeared on his face, and he asked, “Are you not happy to see me? Your mother and I missed you.”

“I… I am happy to see you,” whispered Louise, trying to wrap her head around what was going on in here.

“Your mother and I, we left your side so early and we couldn’t help but worry about you. But look at you, you have grown up well,” her father kindly smiled at her and Louise’s heart clenched.

“I missed both of you too, father,” replied Louise. It felt as if her feet had glued itself to the floor. She had missed her parents so much, and now seeing her father in front of her, a sense of joy entered her mind.

“Were you here all the time?” she asked, her eyebrows knitting together.

“We never left your side, Louise. We have always been right next to you and you have done so well. We are extremely proud of you,” said her father and Louise smiled at her father’s words. Tears brimmed up in her eyes.

If Emily could exist, and so did Lisa, it was possible that her parent’s ghosts were around too.

“Where is mother?” inquired Louise, looking around the room, and he shook his head.

“She couldn’t make it here today. But maybe someday,” replied her father, and Louise nodded her head. It felt good to see him here in this tough time, and she slowly started to walk around the bed, but when she walked to the other side, her feet paused. “What’s the matter Louise?” her father asked her.

Louise stared at her father, at least that is what it looked like. But she was looking at the mirror that was behind him. In the reflection of the mirror, she noticed it wasn’t him but a woman’s reflection with long hair and wearing a nightgown.

Her eyes filled with tears. Even though it was a lie, she had still seen her father.

The smile on her father’s face slowly started to change, and a giggle escaped from his lips. His face started to morph into Emily’s face, and the ghost came to attack her. But before that, Louise raised her hand that held the cross and stabbed the ghost with it, and the ghost disappeared in thin air.

What Louise came across just now was the dead person’s ghost’s fragment that had continued to haunt the room, while Emily’s actual ghost was with Graham right now.

Lisa had mentioned that the skeleton was in this room, but what if Emily’s ghost had changed it? Louise started to look at every room, looking through the closets, under the cots, while searching for the malevolent spirit’s skeleton.

Not finding it, Louise questioned where else the skeleton could be? She continued to look all around. She decided to go to the right-wing and see if Emily had perhaps placed it in her former room before getting married to Graham.

Louise ran to the right-wing while keeping an eye for any more fragments of the ghost that could come to attack her. On reaching the room, the skeleton wasn’t there either. But when she tried to step out of the room, the door closed, locking her inside. She tried to bang her hands on the door while knowing Emily had trapped her again.

She continued to bang the door when after three minutes, the door was opened by Gilbert.

Blood was smeared on his face and splattered on his clothes.

“Where are the others?” questioned Louise, holding the lantern and stepping out of the room. Gilbert took hold of the kerosene can in his hand.

The butler looked somewhere between torn and frustrated, “Only Camella is fine along with Harvey. The rest…” he shook his head. “We didn’t find anything in the forest and nothing in graves,” he informed her.

Louise nodded her head, “Yes, Lisa’s ghost told me that the skeleton is in the manor. We need to find it as soon as we can.”

The butler gave her a nod, and together, they started to search for Emily’s skeleton. They went to Lisa’s room, searching the closets and moving the curtains. After checking the cellar room and the attic, it felt as if Emily’s ghost had taken the skeleton away from the manor and had placed it somewhere. If that was true, they were fighting a lost battle. There was no way of knowing where the ghost would have hidden the skeleton, and by the time they would figure it out, it would be too late, thought Louise in her mind.

Considering how Emily’s ghost wasn’t hunting her down right now, it only meant that Graham was keeping the ghost busy.

“I have even checked Mr. and Mrs. Reed’s room, along with the others. Everything is clear,” stated Louise, having a headache because of the lack of time in her hand.

Suddenly they heard the sound of the clock ding loudly that echoed through the corridors, with every move of the pendulum. Louise walked near one of the grandfather’s clocks, and she asked, “What does it mean? This time?” It was four past eleven.

Gilbert walked and came to stand one step behind the lady. He replied, “It is the time of Emily’s death. The time when she was buried alive.”

Louise turned to look at the corridors that were dark and quiet. She wondered if the skeleton was perhaps somewhere in the garden. But then it didn’t make sense why the ghost would be guarding the manor.

“We missed the dining room!” whispered Louise. Her eyes snapped to look at Gilbert, and they quickly ran towards the dining room.

The lightning in the sky continued, occasionally passing through the windows, to lighten the dark corridors. When they reached the dining room, the doors were closed. Louise tried to open it, and she said, “It is locked.”

“Let me try it,” said Gilbert, moving to the front, and he checked it.

The butler used both his hands to push the door open, but it wouldn’t budge. He said, “I think there’s something blocking from the other side of the door.” Walking away, he turned back and ran to the door, using all his force in kicking the door this time. After several attempts, the doors finally opened, and they stepped inside the dining room.

With the lantern held up by Louise, she caught sight of the skeleton in the room. It was placed on the right side chair of the table near the head of the table.

Lousie didn’t know what was sick right now. If the ghost had decided to place the skeleton on one of the chairs, at the dining table, or if it was how the ghost’s mind worked. She placed the lantern on the table and then started to pour the kerosene on the skeleton, less worried about burning the dining room and more concerned about sending Emily to where she rightfully belonged.

Once she poured all the liquid, she turned to look at the fireplace that had the logs of wood still burning in it with a sheen of ash around.

When Louise went to get a hold of the burning wood, Emily’s ghost appeared in the room, as if the ghost had sensed someone near its skeleton. It caught hold of Louise’s hair and smashed her head against the wall.

“I will not let you do that!” Emily’s ghost screamed at them, its voice echoing not just in the dining room but also in the corridors near to it. “You cannot send me away from here!”

The butler tried to hit the ghost with a log of wood, but it was to no avail. The ghost threw him against the wall. With great difficulty, Louise stood up, and she tried to get hold of the coals, but this only angered the ghost. The ghost threw Louise to one side of the room.

Louise winced in pain, and when she stood back up, Emily’s ghost held her neck in its grip. Emily’s ghost laughed at Louise’s attempt in trying to free herself.

“I thought I would kill you in the end, but since the beginning you have been problematic. Always trying to ruin my plans!” shouted the ghost in a hoarse voice. “It is finally time for you to die!”

Earlier, when Louise had got to the fireplace, she had dropped everything from her hand, which included Father Edward’s cross, that was now on the table. Gilbert stood up from where he had fallen and picked up the chair to get rid of the ghost. But Emily’s ghost turned around and pierced her fingers near his stomach, and he threw up blood from his mouth.

“I don’t understand why it is hard for you to understand that Graham is mine. He is mine! Yet, you try to take him away from me,” growled the ghost.

“Don’t you realize it,” Louise struggled to speak. “Even though you had succeeded by marrying Graham, no one has ever acknowledged you to be his wife. Not Graham nor the others.”

Even though Emily had married him, she was nowhere in the picture. It was only by name, and it was Louise, who had been considered to be the rightful person, to be the fourth mistress.

The butler staggered back, and his hand pushed the lantern, and it fell on the floor. The sparks from the lantern touched the drops of kerosene on the carpet to catch fire.

“Louise!” Graham had stepped into the room, and he noticed Emily standing nearby, who appeared to be in a rage, in the dining room.

“NOOO!!!”

Emily’s ghost screamed, seeing the skeleton had started to catch fire, and the ghost staggered backwards. Emily, who had been in her full form, her hands slowly started to crumble like the logs of wood, and she continued to scream as the ashes from her hand fell on the floor.

The ghost’s scream echoed in Reed’s manor, and even though she wanted to touch the skeleton now, she couldn’t do it. The carpet, along with the rest of the objects, had started to catch fire, slowly spreading, and the three of them stepped out of the room. Walking out of the manor, both Louise and Graham helped Gilbert sit down on the garden bench as he was wounded. They noticed light coming from the dining room.

When the screaming stopped, Louise came to believe that everything was finally over. Emily’s ghost that had been haunting Reed’s family members, it was all over and had gone up in flames.

“Master Graham!” The coachman came from behind along with the maid.

“Go inform the officers and bring the physician as quickly as you can. Gilbert needs help,” ordered Graham, and the coachman bowed his head before making his way to the carriage.

Louise watched how the fire continued to move to the left side where the kitchen was located. Graham walked to where Louise was, putting his arm around her to comfort her.

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“I am sorry,” he apologized, and Louise turned to look at him. “If you never met me, you would have never gone through all these things.”

Louise shook her head, “I am just glad that everything is over now.” She noticed Graham eyebrows subtly knitted, his eyes falling on her neck that had finger marks. “Everything is going to be okay,” she closed her eyes, giving her a moment to breathe after what had happened.

With Emily and Graham locked in the drawing-room, Louise wondered if Emily had finally tried to confess how she felt towards him. But it seemed like Emily still didn’t understand it.

“I am so relieved that you are fine,” said Graham, his olive-green eyes holding a hint of sadness. The ghost has been sent away, and it couldn’t torment them anymore, but it had left them with many dead people. “I would have never been able to forgive myself if something were to happen to you,” his hand caressed her cheek. “You have been so brave during this time, I cannot tell you how proud I am of you, Louise.”

She shook her head, “I couldn’t save others.”

“It isn’t your fault, Louise. None of this is,” said Graham, his words patient with her. “You did everything that you could have done.” Louise placed her hand on his, looking at him before moving close to hug him. Putting her arms around him, she felt him do the same.

Gilbert, who was sitting on the bench, winced in pain. His hands-on the side of his stomach, where his shirt had stained.

Graham came to the butler’s side and said, “Just a little longer, Gilbert. Harvey must be on his way to bring help and the physician.”

“Yes, Master Graham,” the butler nodded his head while staring at the manor. Even though it was finally over, none of them dared to step inside the manor and stayed outside, in the garden.

“Graham,” Louise called to gain his attention, which he readily gave her. “Lisa said she wanted us to burn her skeleton.”

“Did she,” murmured Graham, looking in the direction of the lake, and he said, “Let me go and see if she’s still there.”

Louise gave him a nod, knowing how important it was for Graham to get his closure with Lisa, who had mysteriously died five years ago. Before leaving, he stepped closer and pressed his lips against hers, it was a kiss of assurance and she kissed him back. She saw Graham head in the direction of the lake, and she turned to look at the butler, who had closed his eyes.

“Maybe it would be better if I fetch the medicine from the manor so that it can ease your pain, Gilbert,” the butler opened his eyes and shook his head.

“No, milady,” came his feeble voice. “Many unnatural deaths have taken place inside the manor, I worry we might run into another ghost.”

Louise nodded her head and sat down next to him on the bench. On seeing the lady sit on the bench, the butler tried to stand up, but she gestured to him to sit down.

“Are you doing alright, milady?” asked Gilbert, his emotions barely showing on his face.

“It isn’t I, but you who is hurt, Gilbert.” Louise reminded him of his injury, and the butler turned back to look at the manor. Even though a lot of time passed, Louise sat there waiting. Graham wanted to speak as much as he could before they would burn Lisa’ body, and Louise didn’t want to interrupt it.

Soon the fire from the dining room had started to spread to the next room and the room next to it.

It seemed like letting the manor burn with the other things related to the past was the right thing to do. At least by this, there was no way for anything to return, thought Louise to herself. As Gilbert mentioned, they weren’t sure about what they would come across in the manor. She wasn’t sure if the officers would believe them or not.

Soon Reed’s carriage arrived, and so did the officers and the physician, stopping their carriage in front of the manor.

The bodies that were in the forest and near Reed’s family cemetery were checked for any pulse or heartbeat, but they were all dead except for the maid Camella and the coachman, who looked frightened and had a blanket wrapped around her body, sitting next to Gilbert, who was being tended.

“What happened here, Lady Louise?!” questioned Mr. Burton in shock.

“The ghost tried to kill us all,” replied Louise, her calm voice only brought suspicion on her by the other officer.

“Pour the water!” ordered the officer to his subordinates who had come to help, to extinguish the fire so that they could enter the manor and to start taking a look at the scenes and see what they could find.

Officer Shaw turned to the maid, who was sitting quietly and asked her, “Can you tell us what happened here?”

The maid looked frightened, her lips trembling, and she said, “It was Emily’s ghost that tried to kill us. The ghost killed the other members.”

Officer Shaw stared at her as if he was at his wits end. He said, “Is this something that everyone rehearsed? There is no ghost.”

Louise turned her eyes away from the officer as if she didn’t have any energy to sit and explain it to him. Emily’s ghost was gone, leaving only dead bodies in the Reed’s estate.

Camella said again, “The ghost was here. It’s body rotten and decayed, she killed Gemma right in front of me.” She looked down at her pale dress and said, “This is her blood. It was about to kill me too.”

“And how did you get away from the ghost, if the ghost killed others except for you?” questioned Mr. Shaw.

“I ran like my life depended on it. I ran until I met Gilbert and then ran away from there,” explained Camella.

“It is because she must have been distracted, Officer Shaw,” Louise finally intervened, and the man frowned. “It is up to you, to believe or not to believe it. We are telling you the truth.”

“We’ll see when we find the bodies. There have been many cases, where people have killed their own family members to become the owners of the property,” harrumphed Mr. Shaw, and he walked to the front, where his subordinates were throwing water at the manor.

“Where is Mr. Reed?” asked Mr. Burton.

Louise’s eyes shifted from the man to look in the direction of the lake, “He went near to take some time for himself,” her words were polite. The man gave the nod before joining the other officer.

Once the fire had extinguished completely and had come under control, leaving only smoke to escape from it, the officers and his people stepped inside the manor to take a look. Louise and the three servants stood outside. She stood next to Gilbert, who was being tended by the physician to stitch up the wounds that appeared to be severe and painful.

By the time the two officers came out of the manor, it was the time of dawn and the clouds that had earlier hovered around the land of Habsburg, had cleared up.

Louise asked, “Did you find the bodies?”

“We did, Lady Louise,” replied Mr. Burton, his lips pressing in a thin line before he said, “We found them.” The officers’ subordinates carried the dead bodies one by one. First, Father Edward’s body, then Lady Viola’s body and finally Meg’s body, the maid who had been caught in the hands of Emily’s ghost.

But then came the fourth body, carried by the men and blood drained from Louise’s face. It wasn’t possible… thought Louise to herself. It was Graham’s body.

In shock, Louise was unable to form a single word. Even the three servants, who were next to her, appeared shocked on seeing Graham’s dead body.

“This…” Louise felt a lump start to form in her throat.

“The maid’s body was found in one of the top rooms and the remaining three bodies were found in the drawing-room. I don’t know if I should tell that I am sorry for your loss,” informed Mr. Shaw, staring at Louise with a grim expression on his face. “You successfully planned and killed everyone in the manor.”

Louise walked towards Graham’s body, her hands trembled, and when she touched him, she covered her mouth with her other hand. There were finger marks around his neck as if he had been strangled to death. A gasp escaped her lips.

Louise quickly ran towards the lake.

She couldn’t think clearly, but her feet continued to run, passing through the many trees that had grown around the place. It couldn’t be possible, she said in her mind.

“Lady Louise! You cannot run!” Officer Shaw shouted at her, chasing after her, ready to catch and drag her to the station. “Lady Louise!”

Even Mr. Burton followed them from behind, not knowing what exactly was going on. Because one moment, the lady had told him that her husband was at the lake, but they had found his body inside the manor.

When Louise reached near the edge of the forest with her heart rapidly beating and ready to jump out of her chest, she finally caught sight of Graham, who stood at the edge of the lake.

“Graham!” Louise called his name, and she saw him turn around.

The sun had started to brighten up the sky, its reflection falling on the surface of the lake. When his eyes met hers, he offered her a warm smile. Louise couldn’t believe her eyes, and she felt her chest turn heavy at the realization of what had happened and what she was seeing right now.

Graham had been there with Gilbert and her since the time they had left the dining room, which meant that Emily had already killed him in the drawing-room before coming to attack her. She now understood the significance of the skeleton’s body at the table. Emily’s ghost had taken the seat right next to the head of the table, where Graham had started to sit as if living the memory of the past.

“Oh my God! Ghost!” said one of the officer’s men, who had followed Louise and the other two officer’s eyes widened in shock.

Louise tried not to blink her eyes so that Graham wouldn’t disappear from her sight. She had hoped it wouldn’t come to this. But in the end, Emily had stolen Graham’s life. She stared at him,  her throat dry to utter even a word.

As the sun continued to move up in the sky, and within a second, he disappeared from where he had been standing at the edge of the lake.