December, 1911
I believe in ghosts.
I have seen them.
Interacted with them.
Fought them.
Ghosts are real.
So very real.
But are all ghosts dangerous?
No, they are not.
Some are here to help us.
Some need our help.
And there are some who do not even know we are here.
They are the ones who need to be listened to.
They are the ones we need to help go into the Light.
But what about those who are dangerous?
They are the ones to be feared.
They are the ones to be avoided.
They are the ones who need to be driven out.
But how do we know the difference between a good ghost and a bad ghost?
Should we send the ghosts which are damned into the Light?
That, I cannot say.
All I know is we must be cautious and not dabble in the supernatural or we, ourselves, are damned.
Brookshire
Thomas closed the book as his fingers moved over the cover and he looked at the title of the book.
Crimson Peak
An illustration of a frightening looking house sat under the title and Edith Cushing-Sharpe was under the illustration.
He had lost track of how many times he had read the book over the last ten years, but the story still shook him to the core.
Edith had changed a few things, but it was still their story.
He and Carter had wondered why she had killed the father of her main female character and Edith explained his death had happened in the original manuscript.
Thomas was glad she hadn't killed off her main male character like she had in the original manuscript, but he understood the slightly graphic death of her main female character's male friend.
"Are you planning on doing other stories with these characters?"
"I do have a few ideas."
"Is he going to help her?"
"Yes, but she is not going to be happy about it."
"Well, he is her soulmate."
"As you are mine."
Smiling, Thomas stood as he walked to the bookcase when he slid the book onto the shelf and his fingers moved over the spins of the other books Edith had written.
"I am so proud of you," he whispered when a soft hissing sound came from the fireplace and he turned to look at the fireplace. Above the mantel was a portrait of Edith and Thomas on their wedding day and on either side of the portrait were smaller portraits of their children, Bon-Ton and Little Thomas. The hissing sound happened again and he laughed. "Yes, I know it's late."
He extinguished the lights in the room then he carefully walked to the door as he opened the door and he left the room. The houselights had been extinguished as he used his left hand against the wall to navigate down the dark hallway and the soft ticking of the tall clock near the entrance to the main parlor filled the air. He remembered the day he had found the dark wood clock at the clock shop and he liked the tune it played at the top of the hour and the little chiming sound at the half.
He found the railing as he carefully walked up the stairs when he paused at the top of the stairs and he looked at the dim light from the full moon coming out of the guest rooms. A soft creak came from somewhere as he smiled and he shook his head.
"Yes, I know," he whispered. He walked to the other staircase as he walked up the stairs then he walked down the hallway. He headed for the doors to the nursery when he knocked and the door opened. He looked at the bright green eyes of their nanny, Annie O'Bryan, and she smiled at him.
"Good evenin', Surh," she said as she stood back to let him in the room.
"Good evening, Annie," he said and she close the door. He looked at Edith sitting in the white wood rocking chair while she read a storybook to their youngest son, James, who was three, and James was engrossed in the story. Thomas then looked at his twin daughters, Elinor and Margaret, who were five, straightening up their dolls and they seemed to be whispering something to each other. He looked at the empty bed where his son, Carter, who was seven, slept and he knew Carter would be home for Christmas break in a few days.
As images of Carter moved across his mind, Thomas felt his mind drifting back to the past and his eyelids lowered.
October 22, 1904
"Will you sit down before you collapse," Carter said with a grin as Thomas passed him for what felt like the hundredth time. Sighing, Thomas finally sat on the couch, looked over at the fireplace and he looked at the fire.
"Sorry. I am just…," Thomas said as he slapped the palms of his hands against his knees.
"I understand you are worried. Not surprising. But you have to remember this isn't like the last time."
"Yes, I know. It's just that I keep thinking what if all I make are… Are…"
"For the hundredth time, your children are not going to be monsters or demons."
Nodding, Thomas stood when he heard footsteps and one of the maids appeared in the doorway to the main parlor. She looked at him and Carter as Thomas felt his heart slamming in his chest and he swallowed the lump in his throat.
"You can go up now," she said.
Thomas didn't remember when he started running. He bolted up the stairs as one of the maids laughed after he nearly collided with her and he yelled that he was sorry while he went up the stairs. He stopped at the master bedroom when he opened the door, went in the room and he looked at the bed. The midwife smiled at him as he panted and she walked to him.
"There was no need to rush. They're fine," she assured him. Nodding, he walked to the bed as he looked at Edith and she was holding something in a white blanket with little yellow ducks stitched on it.
"Hello," Thomas said and Edith looked at him.
"Hello," Edith said in a tired voice. He sat on the edge of the bed as he looked at her then at the blanket and she held out the blanket toward him. Thomas felt his stomach flipping as he took hold of the blanket, looked at the baby wrapped inside the blanket and he smiled.
"Do I have a son or a daughter?"
"You have a son."
His heart felt like it had stopped for few seconds as he sighed and he blinked the tears out of his eyes.
"So, what is this little man's name?" the midwife asked.
"His name is Carter Lachlan Sharpe," Thomas said. He watched the midwife writing the name on the birth certificate and she left the birth certificate on the night table for them to sign later. She left the room as Thomas stood with his son in his arms when he leaned over to kiss Edith's lips. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Edith said. She watched him walk around the room while he whispered something to the baby then he walked back to the bed. He carefully sat next to her while he slid his left arm around her and she leaned into him.
"Are you alright, Surh?" Annie asked and he blinked his eyes a few times.
"Yes, I'm fine," he said as Thomas walked to his daughters and he knelt down on his haunches. "What are you two doing?"
"We're putting them to bed," Elinor said and Margaret nodded.
"Ah," he said when he noticed one of the dolls was facing the wall. "Why is she facing the wall?"
"That's Alice. She was being bad," Margaret said.
"She was being bad?"
"Yes. We didn't have enough bedtime snacks and she wouldn't share her teacake with Mary," Elinor said as she folded her arms over her chest.
"I see," he said as he stood and they looked up at him. His mind moved into the past as he cupped their face in his hands and he titled his head to one side.
February 18, 1906
It was Thomas' fortieth birthday.
Edith had planned a special party for him, but the party didn't matter.
What mattered was what was going on in their bedroom.
"I am so sorry," Edith moaned as he held her hand and he shook his head.
"It is fine, Darling," he assured her.
"It's your birthday."
"And it will soon be theirs," he teased as he looked at the midwife and the midwife smiled. He was thrilled when Edith told him they were having twins, but having them being born on his birthday was something he would treasure forever..
A short time later, Edith gave birth to two healthy girls, but each one was born with a veil over their eyes. The midwife assured her they were fine after she had removed the veil, but she did suggest getting them baptized as soon as possible.
He remembered the tears rolling down Edith's face as she held one of the babies and he held the other.
"I am so sorry," Edith said in a soft voice. The twins were wrapped in white blankets with little rosebuds stitched on them and one of the twins was born with dark hair.
"Darling, stop beating yourself up over this. You said it yourself. The women in your family were born this way," He said while sitting next to her and he placed the baby on his thighs after pulling his legs up.
"I know. But I prayed for it to skip like it did for my mother."
"Well, as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't' matter. But I promise you this. We will be there for them when and if they do see something and we will never belittle them or tell them not to talk about it. Also, I am sure Doctor Carlyle will be glad to help us teach them what to do."
"You're right."
"Now, if you don't mind, I would like to call them Elinor Pamela and Margaret Enola."
"I like that, but which is which?"
Thomas made a soft hum while he looked at his daughters and he lightly tickled the baby sitting on his thighs.
"Do you want to be Elinor or Margaret?" he asked and the baby wiggled after he said Margaret's name. "It appears she wants to be Margaret."
"Hello, Elinor," Edith said as she rocked the baby in her arms and the baby made a little smile. He moved closer while he looked at his girls and she looked at him. "Happy birthday, Darling."
"Yes. Yes, it is," he said and he lightly kissed her forehead.
"Daddy, are you alright?" Margaret asked as his mind returned and he nodded his head.
"Sorry. I was just thinking about something," he said as he stood then he walked to the rocking chair. He had seen the worry on Edith's face as he barely shook his head for her to stop and she nodded. He sat on the small stool as he watched her read the story and his mind started to drift into the past.
May 14, 1908
Thomas paced back and forth while Carter watched him and Thomas shook his head.
Unlike the first two births, the baby was late.
Edith had been uncomfortable through most of her pregnancy, but the midwife assured them each pregnancy was different.
"What is taking so long?" Thomas grumbled when he sat down and Carter looked at him.
"I am sure everything is fine," Carter said when the maid walked in the room and Carter smiled. "Ah, it looks like something is up."
Thomas stood when he walked to the maid and she smiled at him.
"You can go up now," she said.
Thomas had ran out of the room then he ran up the stairs when he headed down the hallway and he saw his son standing in the hallway.
"Da-da, I hear the baby," Carter, who was almost four, said with a grin.
"I can hear the baby, too," Thomas said while he picked up his son and they headed for the door. He opened the door while they walked in the room and he looked at the bed. Edith was sitting against the pillows as she held something in a white blanket with little blue fish stitched on it and she smiled at them. "Hello."
"Hello," Edith said in a tired voice.
"Mama, I wanna see the baby!" Carter said as he crossed his arms over his chest then he pouted.
"Not if you're going to act like this," Thomas warned.
"Sorry."
Thomas hugged his son then they moved back and Thomas walked to the bed. Annie brought in the twins as the two years old girls ran to the bed and Annie helped them onto the bed. Thomas put Carter onto the bed then Thomas sat next to Edith and Thomas looked at the blanket.
"Would you like to hold him?" Edith asked.
"Him? I have another son?" Thomas asked as he took the blanket from her and he looked down at the baby.
"Yes, you do."
"Do we have a name for this little man?" the midwife asked.
"Yes. His name is James Thomas."
Edith was surprised when he suggested naming the baby after his father if it was a boy, but seeing the pleased look on Thomas' face made any doubts leave her mind.
"Da-da, Thomas is Tommy's name," Carter said.
They had explained to Annie, Carter and the girls about the urn in the nursery and Thomas gave him a sad smile.
"Thomas was the name of our first son," Thomas explained to the midwife. She saw the sadness in his eyes as she nodded then she wrote the name on the birth certificate. She knew the look of a loss of child well and she placed the birth certificate on the night table.
"He is a fine boy," she said and she and Annie left the room. Thomas rocked the baby while looking at his wife and his children and he slid his left arm around Edith's shoulders.
"Darling, are you still with us?" Edith asked. She had become concerned as she knelt in front of Thomas' legs and he blinked his eyes a few times.
"Sorry. I was just thinking about something," Thomas explained as he glanced over at nook and the small cups with lit candles sat on either side of the urn. He stood up when he looked at the girls and he walked to them. "Right. Time for bed."
He helped Annie get the girls into bed as he leaned over to kiss the top of their heads when he noticed the look on Margaret's face.
"What's wrong, Darling?" he asked as he knelt down on his haunches.
"I was thinking about Tommy," she said, pointing toward the urn.
"What about him?"
"It's not fair that he's not here."
"No, it's not fair."
"Know what, Da-da?"
"What?"
"If he was…. If he was here, I'd help Annie take care of him."
"Me, too," Elinor said.
Thomas had told them about Thomas not being able to walk and him might be mentally unable to do things and hearing them saying they'd help take care of their older brother warmed his heart.
"Well, I am sure he'd love being taken care of by the best little sisters in the whole world," he said as he tapped the end of his right index fingers against the tip of Margaret's nose. He stood as he walked to Edith and she tucked the bedding around James. "Alright. Who is helping Captain Bearly with the watch tonight?"
"Major Bunnyton," James said as he pointed to the plush bunny sitting on the top of the toybox.
"I see," he said as he walked to the toybox and he lifted up the plush bunny. Thomas walked back to the bed when he tucked the plush bunny under his son's right arm then he placed the teddy bear at the foot of the bed and James smiled. They kissed the top of James' head then they headed for the door and Thomas held Edith around her waist.
"Da-da, wait. You forgot something!" Elinor said and he turned to look at her.
"What did I forget?" Thomas asked.
"You and Mama forgot to say goodnight to the Ladies," Margaret said as she pointed to the fireplace. Edith looked over at the fireplace when she saw Margaret, Pamela and Enola standing near the fireplace and she smiled. She had seen Little Thomas lying in the crib near the fireplace and the baby was sucking on his fingers.
"Oh. I do apologize," Thomas said as he turned to the fireplace then he made a small bow. "Goodnight, Ladies."
"Yes. Goodnight," Edith said with a nod. They left the room after Annie had extinguished the lights and she closed the door. She had gotten used to the girls talking about The Ladies. She considered them the nursery guardians and she made a little curtsy toward the fireplace.
"Sleep well, Angels," she whispered before she went into the nanny's room and she closed the door. The room became silent as the girls and James drifted off to sleep and the fire popped in the fireplace.
"It's strange," Pamela said while she looked at the fire and she folded her arms over her stomach.
"What is?" Margaret asked.
"It is almost ten years since… Since we were freed from Hell, but Thomas is still haunted by it."
"He isn't haunted," Enola said while she looked at the children. "I was watching his face. He was smiling. My guess is he was thinking about the children."
"Aye. He tends to smile when he thinks about them," Margaret said.
"Then why does he keep reading the book Edith wrote about what happened?" Pamela asked.
"I've read over his shoulder. It's a very good book," Enola said.
"She even included the part where he frees us," Margaret said.
"I do apologize for being gloomy. It's just...," Pamela said as she shook her head.
"No, there is no shame in it. I still wonder if what the house said is true and Thomas is really free from…her," Enola said.
"Think on this," Margaret said as she held up her left index finger. "If he wasn't, then he would still feel the strong pull of their bond and he would never have left England."
"True."
"He would never have married Edith."
"Right."
"And those children wouldn't be here," she said and they looked at the children.
"He would also be dead," Pamela said, softly.
"Which proves my point."
"You're right."
"I do so love a happy ending," she said with a smile and they lightly laughed.
"I think we better leave," Enola said as she walked to the small cradle under the nook and the baby yawned. She watched as the baby closed his eyes and Margaret and Pamela walked to her.
"Aren't you going to pick him up?" Pamela asked.
"No. I think it would be nice for him to spend the night with his family."
"Aye. I think it would," Margaret said and the ladies vanished. The fire popped and crackled while a soft sighing came from the fireplace then the nursery became silent.
Over time, Allerdale Hall became one of the most feared and haunted places in England.
Those who dare to enter the grounds have reported of hearing screams coming from the sealed entrance to the clay mine or the sounds of terrified horses coming from the burnt remains of the stable.
Some even say the rusted remains of Thomas' clay harvesters seem to move on their own and the damaged scoops try to dig up the ground.
Those who were brave enough to venture into the dilapidated remains of the once grand house have reported seeing a large shadow of a man moving over the walls and hearing heavy footsteps as well as a low moaning sound.
There are tales of the Red Woman.
She is reported to be seen as an elderly woman standing on the top landing of the stairs and she has a red tint to her skin, hair and clothing. She is also reported to be holding the top of a cane in her hands.
She will scowl at anyone who dares to look upon her then she scream for them to leave her house.
Or she is reported to be seen in the bathroom as a naked, twisted figure with a large gash at the top of her head and she is covered in what people say is red clay.
She will scream then charge forward and she will slam the door shut once whoever enters the bathroom leaves.
There is the tale of the Angry Man.
He is reported to be a gray figure of a young man and he is seen standing in the grand hallway
He seems to look at the front doors with such anger and hate in his eyes and his face becomes twisted with rage
He would suddenly rush at the front doors, but then he is tossed back by an unseen force and he is reported to shout one word before he vanishes.
Edith.
The most terrifying tale is of the Woman in the Music Room.
She is described as a beautiful, young woman with long black hair and blue eyes.
She is dressed all in black and a black veil covers her head.
She never speaks.
She just walks to the ruins of a grand piano then she sits on the slightly broken piano stool.
She starts playing a haunting lullaby, but those who have seen her say her fingers are not touching the piano keys.
Only a few are brave enough to go closer, but they wish they hadn't.
At first, she doesn't notice them.
Then her hands start to age and her fingers turn into bloody, bony talons with long nails.
The ghost blood drips onto the keys then the ghost blood swirls into the air.
Her head turns to look at whoever it is as her beauty fades into the semblance of a mummified corpse and her hair turns stark white.
Her shiny blue eyes turn red and the skin of her face creaks as she parted her lips to scream.
In life, she was Lucille Sharpe.
In death, she is the Black Ghost of Allerdale Hall.
She is eternally damned to play the lullaby until her brother… Her only friend… Her lover returns.
But he will never return.
He is free.
Free from his past.
Free from the house which tried to destroy his life, his mind and his soul.
And, finally, free from her.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed reading this. If so, please leave review.