Disclaimer: Crimson Peak is Guillermo Del Toro's property, Supernatural belongs to Eric Kripke, The Lodgers to Brian O'Malley. Emma, Constance and I are self-inserts. The old lady from Camden Market belongs to Chibimelodee.
Summary: Ghosts are real and everything happens for a reason. Is this why Marina and her friends find themselves trapped in Allerdale Hall a few days away from Christmas?
Author's note: This story was written for me by « Emma » and « Constance » from Chibimelodee as an Advent Calendar two years ago. Please note that all three of us are french and while we do know our way around English, we might still make some mistakes. Feel free to let us know! As the three girls are french and start to speak from this chapter, I'll put the translations of their sentences right next to them so you know what they say.
At the Candlelight
Chapter 9: Keep calm and don't cut the sheets
The Baronet was on his knees on the rug in front of the fireplace, head down, his hair covering his face. He was still if it were not for his shoulders raising at the rhythm of his shaky breathing. The cold sunlight was surrounding him, accentuating his ghostly appearance. The strange scene reminded Constance of a fallen Angel… hurt… vulnerable… broken…
She rushed to him, putting a shaking hand on his cold, cheek, trying to see his eyes :
« Thomas… Thomas, are you alright ?... Oh, mon Dieu !... Are you hurt ?... Thomas, look at me… What can I do ? »
A shiver ran down his spine and he slowly rose his head towards her. What she saw in his eyes made her back away. Constance was expecting to find sorrow, pain, hurt and his usual kindness to her… Instead, his face was now twisted with rage, his eyes glistening with wrath.
« You have done enough, you foolish girl ! » he roared, betrayal mixing with fury in his ice-blue eyes. « Who did you allow to enter my house ? Am I such a bad host that you have to hire some random men to come and shoot me ? Should I understand I am like the dirt on your shoe you want to get rid of ?... »
Vivre l'enfer
Mourir au combat
Faut-il pour lui plaire
Aller jusque là
Se peut-il que j'y parvienne
Se peut-il qu'on nous pardonne
Se peut-il qu'on nous aime
Pour ce que nous sommes
« What the hell ? No ! » Constance screamed, almost forgetting she hated speaking English. « I swear to you, I don't know these guys ! I didn't tell them to come here ! I don't know why they came… »
Je plie sous le poids
Plie sous le poids
De cette moitié de femme
Qu'il veut que je sois
Je veux bien faire la belle
Mais pas dormir au bois
Je veux bien être reine
Mais pas l'ombre du roi
Faut-il que je cède
Faut-il que je saigne
Pour qu'il m'aime aussi
Pour ce que je suis
« Oh, really ! » he retorted with a harsh voice, moving with threatening steps towards the young women. « You are just like the others… You only see me as a monster… like my father… like my mother… like Ed… » His voice was cut by a strangled sob and Constance could see a huge sorrow invading him before he let the wrath took control on him again and started yelling again : « I thought that you were different… that you could see… »
Je n'attends pas de toi que tu sois la même
Je n'attends pas de toi que tu me comprennes
Mais seulement que tu m'aimes
Pour ce que je suis
« Stop ! » the frightened young woman screamed. « Shut up ! Calm down ! It's enough !... You will stop yelling… right… now… Okay ? »
Thomas stared at her with bitterness, his body shaking with anger, his fists edgy. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and said to him with a firm voice, her eyes diving into his :
« Stop… now !… Ça suffit !... Tu vas descendre d'un étage ! »
(That's enough, you are going downstairs (french expression that's hard to translate in english, it means calm down) )
His anger disappeared and left place for incomprehension :
« I am going to do what ?... I have no intention to go downstairs !... I don't know what could possibly be there… »
« Non ! Tu vas descendre toi-même d'un étage ! » She continued with nervousness. « Hein, toi-même… Tu vas descendre dans toi-même d'un étage… Okay ? Dans toi-même… Et tu vas te calmer… Tu vas arrêter de monter sur tes grands chevaux, parce que sinon… je te préviens… Arrête de me regarder avec ces yeux-là ! »
(No, you are going downstairs with yourself! Yourself... You are going downstairs inside of you, okay? In yourself... And you're going to calm down! And don't get on your high horses or else, I'm warning you... Stop looking at me with those eyes!)
« I am truly sorry but I am afraid it is the only eyes I have ! » he retorted with a sly grin. He then remembered that he was supposed to be angry and forced his face to harden before adding with a hint of annoyment :
« And I must notify you that I understand nothing of what you are saying ! Why do you want me to go downstairs ?... And why are you talking about horses ? »
« Horses ? Which horses ? Ne change pas de sujet ! » Constance interrupted sharply.
« I don't know which horses you are talking about ! If I knew, I would not ask you ! And I am not changing the subject since it is you who said that I had to stop riding horses ! » he retorted, letting the anger controlling him again.
« I never said that you cannot ride horses… C'est juste une expression !... »
(It's just a saying...)
The young woman yelled, she just couldn't contain her turmoil anymore.
« Arrête de crier et… Je te préviens, il faut que ça change !... Il faut que tu… et puis… Arrêtes de faire ça !… J'ai eu peur et toi... tu… tu es en colère… et… tu n'arrêtes pas de hurler contre moi… C'est pas moi qui t'aie tiré dessus !... Et puis, tu sais quoi ?... Tu m'énerves ! ».
(Stop shouting and I'm warning you, it has to change! You have to... and... Stop doing this! I was scared and you, you're angry and you don't stop yelling at me! I'm not the one who shot you! Oh, and you know what? You're getting on my nerves!)
To emphasize her statements, she grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at him with fury. Thomas took a step on the side so he could avoid the projectile and stared at her with complete shock. He had some vague idea of what she had said and he had certainly understood she was furious, but she was apparently upset with him… Why was this woman angry at him? He had done nothing against her and it was him who had been practically hurt by these men in the hall… Constance glared hard at the Baronet, her eyes full with despair, her lips trembling before she let herself fall on the bed, sobbing.
She couldn't hold back her tears. She lowered her eyes and whispered with a shaking voice :
« J'étais inquiète pour toi… J'ai eu tellement peur… J'ai cru que cet idiot t'avait blessé… ou pire ! Jamais je ne les aurais laissés entrer si ce fantôme n'avait pas essayé de nous agresser avec son couteau… »
(I was worried for you... I was so scared... I thought this idiot had hurt you or worse ! I would have never let them enter had that ghost not tried to attack us with its knife!)
Thomas went to sit next to her and wrapped slowly his arms around her waist. Seeing her like that seemed far more painful than his altercation with these American intruders. He softly stroked her back and she put her head on his chest, her sobbing slowly calming. The Baronet kissed lightly the top of her head, holding her tighter against him and whispered :
« Shh… I'm sorry… I'm so very sorry, my Butterfly… I shouldn't have become angry… My dear, could you forgive me ?... Constance, what did that ghost look like ? »
« A woman in black… avec un couteau de cuisine… Il y avait tant de haine dans ses yeux… Je suis sûre qu'elle voulait nous tuer… Ce n'est pas la première fois que je la vois… » the young woman answered, looking up so she could dive into his eyes, finding in there the comfort she was desperately needing.
(With a kitchen knife... There was so much hate in her eyes, I'm sure she wanted to kill us. It's not the first time I've seen her.)
« Lucille… » he sighed, wiping with his thumb the tears that had rolled down Constance's cheeks away.
« Ta sœur ? » she exclaimed, confused, frowning lightly. « Pourquoi ta sœur voudrait-elle nous tuer ? »
(Your sister ? Why would your sister want to kill us?)
« I… It's… because… I don't know… » he babbled, unable to stare at the young woman anymore. Constance could see how much he was uncomfortable and clearly not convinced by his own answer.
« Thomas, j'ai l'impression que tu me caches quelque chose… Pourquoi veut-elle nous tuer ? Pourquoi t'a-t-elle tué ? » she asked with a firm tone. He already had avoided answering this question sooner that day but she was firmly decided to have an answer this time.
(Thomas, I feel like you're hiding something from me... Why does she want to kill us? Why did she kill you?)
The Baronet got up, sighing, stroking his hair. Why did she have to ask that question ?... A question which would bring so many more… How could he hope to win her trust and her heart once she would know the truth ? He had seen the disgust in Edith's eyes when she had discovered everything… He clearly wasn't ready to see the same thing in Constance's eyes… He had changed and was ready to do everything to protect her from Lucille… He hadn't done a single thing for Margaret… or Pamela… or Enola… He had failed with Edith, even preparing her the first cup of poisoned tea… But he would succeed this time !
His thoughts were cut short by the sweet voice of Constance who whispered his name. She hadn't moved, still sitten on the bed, begging him with her eyes to give her an answer… An answer he couldn't possibly give… Not now… He fixed his attention on the window, watching the snowflakes fall and cover the countryside. A shiver went down his spine… The snow… It would stop them from leaving this house… Lucille who wanted to kill her… The snow tainted by so much red… clay or blood, he didn't really know anymore… His death… Lucille's death… Had he helped Edith to kill Lucille ?... Edith who had left him… Edith who never came back… Edith who had forgotten him… Edith who couldn't love the monster he was…
« The snow will keep falling for a few days… A strong storm… » he whispered, half for himself, half to keep avoiding answering her question. Without looking at her, he continued : « You will soon find out why this place is called « Crimson Peak ». You see, the ore and the red clay reach up from the ground and stain the snow. It turns bright red. So… « Crimson Peak ». It's quite a spectacular vi… »
« Thomas ! » Constance interrupted, getting up to join him, slowly taking his hands.
Pourrait-il faire en sorte
D'ouvrir un peu la porte
Pourrait-il faire encore
Un geste, un pas vers moi
« Because I… and she… It's not important ! » he said with a sigh. He dived into her eyes : « Someone told me once I was always looking to the past… but I don't want to do it anymore… because I won't find you there ! Only the present matters… »
Thomas bent slowly toward Constance, his face at mere inches from hers. His fingers stroked her cheek… The young woman held her breath… Her heart was beating so fast she had the feeling it could break her chest… He moved closer… They were lost in each others' stare… She rose her head to him, forgetting all about her questions he didn't answer, her soul getting attracted by his, his breathing caressing her lips… She slowly closed her eyes, ready to receive his kiss… when the bedroom door opened with a crash, making them jump.
A black and pink tornado appeared, rushing to the couple, pointing threateningly toward Thomas, screaming :
« Go away from MY sister right NOW ! ».
She crackled her sister's arm, trying to take her away from the psycho-ghost she was apparently on the verge of kissing… And say that, as the older sister, she was supposed to be reasonable and wise ! Luckily she got there in time ! Constance glared hard at her sister, refusing to move. Marina was frozen on the doorstep, fixing Thomas with fear, not daring to enter the bedroom.
« Constance, tu peux me dire à quoi tu joues là ? Il est DANGEREUX ! Il nous a attaquées ! » Emma whispered loud enough for the Baronet and her best friend to hear.
(Constance, can you tell me what you're playing at right now? He's dangerous! He attacked us!)
Marina nodded frenetically and, gathering her strength, entered with precaution in the bedroom. Constance rolled her eyes and Thomas gazed furiously the young woman who had partially pink hair :
« I beg your pardon ? What did I do ? Would you be kind enough to explain how I supposedly attacked you ? Should I also remind you, young lady, that it was you who threw a sheet at my face ! »
Constance watched her sister with disbelief :
« Tu as fait quoi ? »
(You did what?)
It was then Emma's turn to roll her eyes and to answer ironically :
« Tu n'as pas compris ce que ton amoureux vient de dire ? Tu veux que je traduise ce qu'il a dit ? Mais comment as-tu fait pour le comprendre sans moi ?... Enfin, après tout, t'as peut-être pas compris la moitié de ce qu'il a pu te raconter… Ce qui, entre nous, expliquerait beaucoup de choses à mon avis ! »
(You did not understand what your loverboy just said ? Want me to translate for you ? How did you understand him without me ? Well, after all, you might have not understood half of what he was telling you... Which, by the way, would explain a lot in my opinion!)
He's a cold-hearted snake
Look into his eyes
Oh ohhh
He's been tellin' lies
« J'en veux pas de ton avis et j'ai parfaitement compris ce qu'il a dit ! » Constance was getting mad. « Pourquoi tu lui as lancé un drap au visage ? »
(I don't want your opinion and I perfectly understood what he said ! Why did you throw a sheet at his face?)
« Il… est apparu de nulle part… comme ça ! Et il s'est mis à crier ! On a eu peur… Emma voulait nous protéger… » Marina whispered softly with a shaking voice.
(He appeared out of nowhere just like that ! And started screaming ! We got scared and Emma wanted to protect us.)
« Tu marques un point, Marina ! Moi non plus, j'aime pas quand il apparaît comme ça, sans prévenir… » (You have a point Marina, I too don't like when he appears like that with no warning...) Constance said to her friend with a reassuring voice before turning to Thomas, scolding him gently :
« I asked you to not do that again… You know, when you appear like that… pouf ! It's very scary ! ».
She focused again her attention to her sister and lectured her with a firm voice :
« Tu peux m'expliquer en quoi jeter un drap au visage de quelqu'un est censé te protéger? »
(Can you tell me why throwing a sheet at someone's face is supposed to protect you?)
Emma shrugged and kept staring fiercely at the dead Baronet. He added before the young woman could give an explication :
« Oh, and that's not all… You don't know the best part ! When I found them, they had sheets on their heads… Why would someone do that ? Are you sure they are sane of mind ? »
« Eh ! » Marina and Emma exclaimed, clearly offended by his comments.
Thomas ignored them and continued :
« They cut holes onto my sheets ! Is this a modern way to thank your host for his hospitality ? I don't think so… »
He turned to Emma and let his wrath explode :
« Do you have any idea how much a sheet-like that could cost ? They are handmade and… »
« Your sweetheart broke a vase ! She tried to aim for my face ! » the young woman retorted.
Constance paled and, shameful, fixed the floor.
Thomas' eyes shone with mischief and a sly grin appeared on his thin lips:
« Well done, Sweetheart ! But, can I ask you a question ? How did you do to miss her ? »
Constance's eyes popped wide with surprise. She was expecting for him to be furious against her. But, she would never think he would react like this… Thomas couldn't stop himself to find her adorable with her cheeks blushed with embarrassment and astonishment.
It was then that Marina's voice rose slowly in the room, almost inaudible :
« We were desguised in ghosts… That's why we were under sheets… and the holes, it was for us to see, you know… We're truly sorry… »
The Baronet turned to face the youngest of the three women, completly astonished by her intervention. He tried to hide his surprise and, raising an eyebrow, said slowly, life he was trying to explain something complicated to a child :
« As you can see first-hand, Miss ... I am unfortunately what is commonly called a ghost and you will probably notice that I do not hide ... under ... a ... sheet ! »
The young woman blushed, clearly overawed. He didn't seem to want to hurt her but he stayed sacry with his severe look, his pale color and his weird wound on his cheek… What could Constance find in him ?... She took a deep breath and said with an unsure voice :
« It was because we were false ghosts… »
« Indeed ! » Thomas exclaimed, incapable to hide his incredulity any longer.
His affirmation giving Marina some insurance, she continued :
« Yes… Wait, I need to explain… You're going to laugh… Like everybody knows, ghosts aren't real… Euh !... It's not what I meant to say !... It's clear you're real, Sir the Ghost… Euh, no ! I meant... Sir… »
« Sir Thomas Sharpe » the Baronet intervened, an amused smile plastered on his lips.
It was the very first time he inspired such anxiety in someone. Usually, it was him who needed to force hiding his shyness and act with fake insurance to try to find new investors. It was always Lucille who was able to create fear in others, him included… He has always had to be reassuring and charming to earn the trust of all these women. For now on, he absolutely needed to keep his imposing image of master of the house to everybody… everybody except Constance… He was incapable to lie to her… to hide her things and elude some embarrassing questions, yes !... but to lie… as little as possible !
« Euh… Sir… We wanted, Emma and I, to look for the people who tried to impersonate false ghosts and expose them… Because, you see, when a false ghost meet another false ghost, what happens ? » Marina asked the Baronet, a spark of pride dancing in her eyes.
She had succeeded to vanquish partly her fear and could now see Thomas's lost eyes. It was his turn to not know how to react ! The ghost glared at her for a while with astonishment before turning back to Constance, silently begging her to intervene. She bit her lips to stop herself from laughing. Thomas' expression was just so hilarious… and what to say about the fact that Marina had tried to explain him this ridicule operation :
« Fantôme… Vous avez dit Fantôme ! ». (Ghost, did you say Ghost!)
Thomas took a deep breath et, putting his hands behind his back, said to Marina with a firm voice while frowning :
« Miss ! Do you realise there is no « false ghost » in this house ! What you both did was completely reckless and could have been really dangerous… You could have been hurt… or worst ! Ghosts are not to be taken lightly… Is this really why you find it a great idea to cut in my sheets ? »
Marina's face paled and, pointing her finger at her friends, mumbled :
« Je… Nous… Et bien… Euh… It was her idea ! »
(I... We... Well, err...)
« I could have guessed that… » the Baronet grumbled between his teeth, rolling his eyes.
Decidedly, this young woman was… how to say it… full of surprises ! How had she managed to bring her friend along in such a preposterous plan ? Looking closer at her, it didn't seem it had been the only stupid idea she had had during her short life…It was enough to see her hairstyle to understand it ! How had a part of her hair become… pink ? Was it an accident ? A choice ?... No ! It was obviously a sort of experiment that should have turn bad… No-one could choose to have pink hair !
His thoughts were interrupted by the odd young woman, rushing to rescue her friend :
« Oh Marina ! Don't pay attention… The psycho-ghost of Constance is just rambling about his ruined sheets ! ». She took her friend in her arms to try to reassure her and glared hard at the dead owner, accusing him with her eyes…
Like it was his fault ! It wasn't him who had concocted such an idiotic plan… He had, admittedly, done things he wasn't proud of but never something that stupid… Thomas moved forward the two young women firmly, apologizing interiorly to frighten Marina. He looked from all his height the sister of the woman who had to conquer his heart… trying to be imposing… menacing… threatening…
« How dare you talk like that to a Baronet ? » he whispered angrily between his teeth.
Emma continued to stare at him without answering him… decided to win this stare-dual far west-style… Hold tight, Cowboy, if you blink, you're dead ! Meanwhile, Marina looked perplexed at Thomas before she turned back to Constance :
« Un baronnet ? C'est un fantôme de baronnet !... Pourquoi tu nous as pas dit que c'était un baronnet ? Et puis c'est quoi un baronnet ? » asked Marina with a small voice.
(A baronet ? He's the ghost of a baronet ! Why didn't you tell us he was a baronet ? Besides, what's a baronet?)
The young woman just shrugged… Deep down, it was not important he once was a Baronet… He could have been the King of England, a Marquis or a Comte… For her, he was just Thomas…
« C'est simple, Marina ! » Emma intervene without quitting her stare-dual : « C'est un petit Baron ! Quand tu mets le préfixe –et, c'est pour dire qu'une chose est petite. Un wagonnet, c'est un petit wagon ! Un garçonnet, c'est un petit garçon ! Et bien un baronnet… c'est un petit baron ! »
(Easy, Marina ! It's a small baron ! When you put the prefix «et » it's to say something is small. A wagonnet is a small wagon. A « garçonnet » is a small boy ! Well, a baronet is a small baron!)
« Bien sûr Em ! Et puis un chevalet, c'est un petit cheval ! » Constance sighed with laugh. « Tu trouves qu'il ressemble à un petit baron ? Tu peux peux me dire en-dessous de quelle taille un baron cesse d'être un baron et devient un baronnet. Il doit faire près de 2 mètres, alors je n'ose imaginer la taille d'un baron selon toi ! »
(Of course Em ! And a « chevalet » is a small horse !) Pun on chevalet, compose of cheval which means horse and the prefix « et » to say something is small (Do you think he looks like a small baron ? Can you tell me at which height does a baron stop being one to become a baronet ? He must be 6,5 foot tall ! So I can't imagine the height of a baron according to you!)
Emma turned to face her sister, forgetting her dual – damnit… oh, after all, he certainly had stopped staring at her to look at her sister… - and retorted :
« Et bien, au moins, mon explication avait le mérite d'être mignonne ! C'est mignon, un baronnet ! »
(Well, at least, my explanation had the merit of being cute! It's cute, a baronet!)
« Well ! Thank you ! » Thomas cut, a lovingly smile on his thin lips. Emma was the last person from who he expected to be complimented. Maybe, he was wrong about her.
« Euh ! No… the word is cute… not you ! Dean is cute… Sam too, right Constance... » Emma corrected.
Well thinking, he was absolutely not wrong about her… He has no idea who this « Sam » could be but he should definitively get back into Emma's good graces so she wouldn't push her sister into another man's arms.
« I must confess your analysis of my noble title is quite remarkable, Miss » he said, trying to hide his amusement. « It's not quite true but I have heard far worst, believe me… Edith used to say it was a man who lives off land that others work for him. In a nutshell, a parasite with a title ! »
The three young women looked at him with wode eyes… Exactly the reaction he was hoping for… Even Emma seemed astonished. Constance came closer to him, put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He took the opportunity to take her in his arms and she snuggled against him. Marina was looking at him with compassion et goodness. She, too, took a step toward him and whispered :
« I'm truly sorry, it was really mean… She mustn't really like you, this Edith ! »
Thomas hid his ironic smile against Constance's hair and just said :
« If only you knew… »
« Emma and I are really sorry, you know… We didn't think baldly… » the youngest said, encouraging with her eyes her friend to apologize. Emma sighed… Something within her – let's say feminine instinct – was screaming at her to be wary of this man… She didn't know why, but she didn't like him… One thing was sure, he was hiding something… She should absolutely protect Constance from this « petit Baron » !
You could find somebody better girl
He could only make you cry
You deserve somebody better girl
He's c-cold as ice
She glared at him a moment with suspicion before mumbling harshly : « I hope you're not hurt ! »
« It's truly nice to worry and I must confess it was not a pleasant experience but no… I'm not hurt » he said softly, stroking tenderly Constance's back with his fingertips like it was her who had been attacked. And, from a certain point of view, she had been… She had been scared for him, she had worried for him… He knew now she cared for him… A smile graced his lips at this idea and he hoped nor Emma nor Marina had noticed.
« And, who are, Misses, if I can ask so, these men who are currently searching my house down ? »
« Hunters ! » Emma and Marina answered, at this same time.
« Hunters ? » the Baronet exclaimed, a mix of fear and incredulity written on his face. « I don't think these men has told you the truth… Believe me, they must be foolish to go hunting in a middle of a snowstorm. Either they lied to you or they are particularly stupid! »
He had no idea who had come into his house but he could already say he didn't like these men… Especially the one who shot him… and the one who had tried to protect Constance from him… Could it be he was this « Sam » ? And, what to say about this man who strangely looked like Sir Cushing… They needed to go away from his house, and fast !
« Actually, they don't hunt animals » Emma retorted.
She really didn't like what he had just say about Dean… Well, okay, he had shot him, but it was to protect them… He couldn't know Casper and her sister were swimming in gothic romance… Speaking of which… She also didn't like how he was holding Constance… or the way her sister cuddled in his arms… She still didn't trust him and should protect Constance.
« They hunt supernatural creatures, such as werewolves, vampires… ghosts… So, just a little advice : be very careful and leave us alone ! »
He's a lover boy at play
He don't play by the rules
Oh oh oh
Girl don't play the fool... no
The Baronet looked hurt toward the young woman… Oops… Maybe, she had pushed his button a little too far but it was necessary for Constance not to be heartbroken… What kind of life could she have with a ghost ? He opened his mouth but, before he could say a word, the door opened abruptly and Sean rushed inside the bedroom. Fear written on his face, he ran to put himself in front of Marina, protecting her from the ghost. Thomas kissed tenderly Constance's forehead and disappeared, almost making the young woman who was still in his arms fall. She mumbled a « Je déteste quand il fait ça » and all the stares fell on the angel. (I hate it when he does that.)
Sean, out of breath, was smiling broadly and said :
« I came here just in time ! One more minute and I can't dare to image what could have happened… We are lucky he didn't hurt you… or worst ! Sam and Dean send me… They wish to talk about what brought us here… If you would follow me downstairs… »
He turned to Marina who looked at him with adoration and, blushing, whispered :
« You have nothing to fear, I'll protect you miss ! »