Thomas looked at the letter in his hand and rubbed his face. It was the last correspondence sent by Charlotte, declaring her joy at him informing her that the mines would be closing, three days ahead of schedule, Friday week and that he would leave the Saturday morning, hopefully making it to them by the Wednesday after.
It was the Sunday after the mines had closed, and he had not made his way to Pembrokeshire. He had not made even an attempt at it. The reason being that on the Friday, as the mines were shut for the winter, the snow began to fall, and continued to fall throughout the night, until, by Saturday afternoon, it had fallen until it left two feet of freshly fallen snow on the ground, and it blocked any form of transport to or indeed from Allerdale Hall. It left Thomas alone, more alone than usual, there was no Mrs Phillips, no men, just him and Blake, alone with whatever ghosts haunted the house, his ghosts. He had seen the shadows from time to time, he was convinced that he had started to see Edith's silhouette, and Enola's, even Margaret McDermott, oddly, the one that concerned him most was his mother's as he had the least to do with that one. It scared him no end. He thought of what Edward had said and was forced to acknowledge, he could possibly be going mad.
He walked into the kitchen, Blake all but attached to his side and looked around. With Mrs Phillips coming daily, food was brought fresh for the most part, with her not able to make it through the snow, there was little there to eat. He scoured for a few minutes, but flour was the most edible food he could find. Sitting on the chair by the empty fireplace, void of heat, he sighed, Blake placing his head on his lap. "I fear we will starve here at this rate." Blake whined in sympathy with his master's tone. "I am not sure what we can do."
The next moment, Blake's ears perked and he looked to the door before barking once and rushing to the steps. Curious, Thomas followed. There, looking at him in his doorway was Mr Parsons, Mr Carson and Edward. "How…?"
"The snow is deep, but not too deep for a workhorse and a plow." Mr Parsons smiled.
Edward stepped forward causing Thomas's attention to come to him. He could sense Edward looking over his appearance, no doubt disapproving of the further loss of condition he had endured from further lack of sleep and proper eating in the near a month since they had spoken, the day Edward had come to inform him of Charlotte's pneumonia. "Sir Sharpe, the weather will worsen, as you well know from your years here. This house will be unreachable after the snows begin again, you will perish here alone if you remain. We cannot get a carriage or even a good cart up the road, merely the horse and plow. Mr Parsons and Mr Carson will bring the Allerdale horses out of the stables and to the road, including your riding horse, but I fear little more than yourself and Blake can come also as a result, no one can carry luggage in it. Grab only what you truly need and we will get you from here."
"I…"
"I spoke with Reverend Wickham, he will house your horses until Spring, for only the smallest charge of their feed and a donation to the fixing of the church roof, I doubt you or indeed Lady Sharpe would mind, a hundred pounds is nothing really considering." Edward stated.
"I think two hundred a fairer price for such kindness."
"Aye, that will pay for further work." Mr Carson smiled, having always wanted the town church to be improved.
"If we cannot get the carriage out…"
"I am sorry, Sir," Mr Parsons shook his head. "The snow has collapsed the shed it is in. We'd never dig it out today."
Accepting it was futile, Thomas nodded. "I will get only what I need." He stated, relieved to be leaving the house at all, much less with immediate effect.
He rushed up the stairwell, going to the bedroom he shared with his wife, the bedlinen tussled from his fitful attempts at sleep. When he felt a presence behind him, he shuddered at the worry of what it was before the sound of heavy footfalls caused him to turn around and sigh in relief at seeing Edward there.
"Carson and Mr Parsons are getting the horses. What is essential?"
"I can buy most everything I need but I require some of the plans for the machines, I cannot make the improvements I must through the winter without them."
"Then get them and let us get from this house immediately." Edward ordered.
"You did this, why?"
"Mr Parsons and Mrs Phillips have been all but frantic as to you being here without food or such, Mr Carson owes you his employment and does not want any harm to befall anyone and how could I ever look my sister in the face again and say I did nothing to assist her husband when there was chance to? As a doctor and your brother-in-law, I am obliged on two fronts." The floorboards above them creaked with sounds akin to foot falls. "Jesus, get what you need and let us go. If the cold did not get you, this place would."
"It is their ghosts." Thomas stated, looking up, recalling how he ran into the room he and Lucille used to do their most horrid of deeds in to see Lucille standing over the lifeless body of Edith Cushing, just above their heads. "They are reminding me of what I allowed happen, of my wrongs."
"Well, as much as I feel you need to recall such, if that is their ghosts, I do not like their manner of doing it as it affects me also, so get what you need and leave them to their haunting." Edward looked around. "Clothes?"
"I will get more." Thomas stated, grabbing the few pieces of paper that allowed him to pay for everything from that room before rushing up the stairs to the attic to grab his paperwork to bring with him.
Twenty minutes later, Thomas closed the door of his family home, with only a satchel by his side and the clothes on his back and walked to the three men holding the three horses belonging to Allerdale Hall, two for the carriage and his riding one, as well as the large Clydesdale that was pulling the plough.
"Have you all you need?" Edward asked again.
"I do," Thomas confirmed, taking his horse's reins from Mr Carson who then went to the draft horse.
"Then let us get from this place." The foreman ordered, mounting the large animal with assistance from Edward, and forcing the horse forward. All the men rode the horses they held out of the grounds, Blake bringing up the rear on the fresh ploughed snow.
*
"We'll get this lot stabled and then you look like you need a good meal, Sir Sharpe. I am sure the inn will have something for you." The reverend commented as they arrived at his home.
"It's kind of you, Reverend, but Mrs Davies has dinner prepared at mine and is expecting Sir Sharpe there also, so extra portions are readied. You are, of course, welcome to join us, all of you."
"Terribly kind Doctor, but as you know, it is my brother's birthday and his wife has invited us all over." Mr Carson apologised.
"I must go to Ms Berkley's, I fear she is not taking her sister's passing too well and is seeking God's comfort." The reverend explained.
"I need not ask you Mr Parsons, Dolly has your pie ready." Edward smiled with a clap on the shoulder to the man.
"You know me too well, Doctor." Mr Parsons chuckled. "Sir Sharpe, if you require me…"
"Thank you, Finley. I cannot put into words my gratitude to you, to all of you for coming to my aid today." Thomas smiled.
The men gave their goodbyes and left Thomas and Edward alone. "Come on," Edward urged.
There was silence between the pair until they got to the doctor's cottage. On arriving, Edward simply wiped the snow and slush off his boots before entering, Thomas imitating after, Blake close on their heels.
"There you are, I was getting worried." Mrs Davies rushed into the room to see Edward before seeing Thomas also and smiling in relief. "Thank goodness, I will get the food."
"Thank you, Mary." Edward smiled as Lily rushed over to her master. "I dare say you have not been out today." She wagged her tail happily at the attention.
Blake gave a playful yip which brought her focus from her master, the pair sniffing excitedly for a moment before going closer to the fire to rest.
Thomas stood awkwardly, uncertain of what to say or do. A moment later, Mrs Davies returned to the room. "Food is in the kitchen and I have the spare room readied with fresh sheets."
"Thank you, Mary." Edward repeated. Thomas looked at Edward questioningly. "You will stay here, obviously."
"Obviously?"
"Well, considering your recent decline in health and the underlying knowledge you are my sister's husband, you hardly think I was going to shove you out with the horses in the Reverend's stable, did you?" Thomas remained silent. "I know we do not meet eye to eye with most everything, but you are indeed the husband of my sister and the father of my nephew and if I am to be honest, for all your wrongs, you treat them both well, far better than our father did us, so I feel obligated morally and professionally, to take you in at this time. My sister would have my guts were I to not do so, not to mention, I think my mother would haunt me in this life and what comes after were I to show such lack of manners."
"Thank you." Thomas was startled by him even doing it for so much, considering he was certain Edward hated him beyond all redemption.
Edward merely nodded in response before feeling the tension rising slightly. "Come, dinner will be getting cold."
*
That night, Thomas slept. For the first time in weeks, he slept, broken sleep, the cries of the child still in some far recess of his mind, echoing out of it, but when he woke, he lay his head on the pillow once more and found himself able to fall asleep again.
The next day, Mrs Davies served him his meals in bed. When he finished one bowl, another filled as full was brought to him. His appetite, it appeared, returned with a vengeance and between meals, he slept. In the afternoon, Edward entered the room.
"How are you feeling?"
"Good, thank you."
"Mrs Davies said you are eating well, that is important. Are you getting rest?"
"I am."
"Good. I...I think you in need of a check over, health wise."
"You mean you want to place me in the asylum you spoke about?"
Edward scoffed. "Why would I convince Mr Carson to hire than horse to get you out of that house solely to shove you in somewhere? It would have cheaper and less time consuming to leave you there. It is nothing more than an open-air asylum at the best of times and you would have had the same end result of perishing there. No, I mean general health, breathing, heart, eye-sight, all the things I can check. You have been ill since Charlotte left and that takes its toll on a body, I want to make sure you are not more ill than simply suffering from being there alone with your thoughts."
"You still think that house does not hold things?"
"If it does, it is your doing." Edward placed his doctors bag by the bed and took out what he needed.
"I know that, hence their reminding me." Thomas sat up.
"Did Charlotte ever mention anything?" Edward took Thomas's arm as he spoke, checking his pulse while holding up his pocket watch.
"Not to me." Thomas looked at the watch and smiled. "Did Charlotte get you that?"
"For getting into college." Edward smiled looking at the Thompson family arms on the outside. "She always loved getting me things. She always makes sure it is something I would like."
"She loves you dearly."
"As I love her."
"I am sorry, for everything. Lucille, all of that."
"Your apology is not something of great power. It is one of the few murders that woman committed that you genuinely have nothing in the world to do with."
"Yet you hate me for it?"
"Yet I hate you for it." Edward nodded. "I find that the hardest part in this, accepting that for your wrongs, you seem to truly be doing right now. Are some wrongs so wrong that they can never be righted? I do not know." He held up his finger. "Follow this." He ordered.
For a week, Thomas stayed at the doctor's house, eating and resting, getting healthier. The snow fell again, as was to be expected. According to Mrs Robinson the midwife, who had to try and go somewhere even three miles from it, the road was well hidden, she had to turn back, and Crimson Peak was so covered, those who looked at it said even the red of the clay could not be seen, such was the coating on it.
Thomas walked into Edward's living area, having finally roused enough strength to do so. There he was met by Mrs Davies and Mrs Phillips. "Ladies," he gave a slight bow. "Where may I find Dr Thompson?"
"In his office." Mrs Davies informed him. "He is alone."
Thank you." With a knock on the door, Thomas entered the room to see Edward writing for a moment. "May I speak with you?"
Edward looked at Thomas and placed the pen down. "Yes?" In the week of Thomas being there, they spoke only for short periods of time. It was clear Thomas still made Edward uncomfortable.
"I wish to thank you for keeping me here, but I feel I have outstayed my welcome and I have to leave."
"You do not have to leave."
"But I do, I made a promise to Lottie that I would join her and I will keep that promise."
"You cannot possibly think to make it to Pembrokeshire?"
"I made my wife a promise." Thomas stated firmly.
