Wails in the Night

Chapter 3: Rockfortbridge

The next day Elizabeth woke early because she wanted to give her cousin a tour of her new home. Elizabeth was surprised to find that Agatha was awake and dressed already, sitting in the window seat, and looking out of the window at the garden and woods beyond.

"Good morning, dear cousin Aggie," Elizabeth said in a singsong voice "Would you like to go on a tour after breakfast?"

"That would be wonderful," Agatha said, turning from the window. "I'd love to walk through the woods."

Elizabeth repressed a light shiver. The woods frighten me, Elizabeth thought.

"Of course," she replied. "Let's go to breakfast, you must be hungry after such a long journey."

Agatha's room was on the third floor, and the girls walked down the stairs to the dining room. As they entered the room, Elizabeth could smell the fresh lilies that her mother had brought in from her garden. She and Elizabeth sat across the table from each other, and the butler began serving them from the sideboard where candles under the trays kept the food hot.

It seemed to Elizabeth, as she observed Agatha's expression, and the way she slightly leaned away from the butler, that she was uncomfortable with having someone else serve her. Elizabeth felt a twinge of pity mixed with guilt. She glanced at Elizabeth as if she could sense her thoughts, and Elizabeth saw that flash of red in Agatha's eyes, just like last night when she had first arrived. Elizabeth blinked and it was gone, her eyes the normal gray that they always were. Had I imagined it? Elizabeth shivered slightly and decided that must be it.

Breakfast consisted of eggs from the family's own chickens, ham, buttermilk biscuits, and milk. There were apples and grapes in the silver bowl in the middle, and next to it, two dishes with butter and black currant jam for the biscuits. Agatha's eyes widened at the sight of the abundance of food that the butler put on her plate.

"Did you sleep well?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes, the bed was quite comfortable."

"Not too drafty, on the third floor?"

"It doesn't bother me, I adore the view from the window, the woods go a long way."

"I suppose," Elizabeth replied. "I never go there."

'Why not?"

"I've heard stories of dark creatures that stalk the forest, people have gone there and never come out. People say that dark Fey kidnap them."

"I understand," Agatha replied. "I'm sure it is safe in the daylight, shall we..."

Elizabeth shook her head, shivering again. "I dare not."

"That's fine. I will go for a walk there myself."

"Aren't you listening? It's not safe!"

She raised her head and looked at Elizabeth, the light caught her eyes in that funny way and made her eyes take on a brief red tinge. As she gazed at Elizabeth, the air felt colder.

"Agatha, tell me what happened in Incantata. How did you survive?" Elizabeth's inexplicable fear of her cousin caused the hair on her neck to stand, her skin prickled, and her words came out as a mere whisper.

Agatha lowered her eyes at her cousin's question. She paused for several seconds before she answered. "There have been many times when I wished I had died with Mama and Papa."

"Oh, Agatha, forgive me! How insensitive you must think me! Of course, you seem different, you have been through a terrible ordeal. I am glad you survived!"

Elizabeth arose and moved quickly around the table to her side and clasped her cousin's cold hand between both of hers.

"Thank you," Agatha said, her eyes bright with unshed tears.