Haunted Nights ✅ Completed

Chapter Six: Portrait of a Man

Portrait of a Man

 

Maya stepped back into the bedroom. She had one towel wrapped around her head and another around her body. She had absolutely no intention of putting her wet clothes back on and every intention of staying in the puffy, dry towels. Always prepared, she did have a spare change of clothes in her messenger bag but was saving the extra pair of jeans and t-shirt for tomorrow since today's ensemble had been ruined.

As she entered the bedroom once more, something shiny quickly caught her eye. Walking over to the chaise, Maya saw a beautiful silk robe had been laid out for her. It was a rich gold with thin black pinstripes.

Had Daniel really found her something to wear for the night? 

It appeared so and that wasn’t all. Around the room the gas lanterns had been lit along with several large candelabras, while a fire crackled merrily in the fireplace. Her clothes were already hung out to dry by the fire looking remarkably clean.

Maya walked over to her hanging clothes to make sure she wasn’t seeing things, but she really wasn’t. There wasn’t a speck of mud or dirt on any of her clothes. She leaned in close and gave them a sniff test and found her clothes smelled lightly of lavender and wood-smoke. She looked down by the fireplace and found her boots had also been set near the heat to dry and gleamed in the light of the fire.  

“Very nice,” she whistled appreciatively. Daniel was definitely a ghost with some useful skills.  

Not wasting any more time Maya dropped her towel and put on the beautiful robe. It was definitely a man’s robe, the sleeves were too big and the hem reached past her knees but it felt so good against her skin. Rolling up the sleeves to something she could handle, Maya towel dried her hair and tried to comb it out with her fingers.

“Damn,” she cursed, remembering she’d left her good brush inside her big suitcase; the suitcase still in the trunk of the car that was probably sinking to the bottom of the Gulf right at the moment.

Turning, Maya headed back into the bathroom for her messenger bag - she had a travel size brush she could use in a pinch though it wasn't as good as her normal one. But as she looked around for her bag she noticed there was an antique ivory brush and comb set lying on the vanity table. There was also an array of fancy bottles of various sizes and colors. Had those been there before she wondered? Maya couldn’t be sure since she hadn’t bothered to notice anything before practically jumping into the hot bath head first.

Taking a seat on the small vanity stool,  she brushed out her hair until all the snarls were gone. When she was done, Maya opened one of the bottles and sniffed at the liquid inside. It had a light rose scent. She put a drop on her finger and rubbed it with her thumb; perfumed body oil.

Smiling, Maya opened a few more bottles looking for just the right scent. The second to last bottle was the winner. She inhaled the rich scent of jasmine and was instantly transported to a time when life had been pretty good. It was the summer Maya turned eight and had been sent to live with her Aunt Freda for the very first time. It had been a magical summer – filled with tours of museums, walks on the beach, and the scent of jasmine in the air. Her aunt had pots and pots of wild jasmine growing in her home.

Maya turned the bottle over and put a small amount on her finger and dabbed a bit behind each ear and both wrists. When she was satisfied she hung her towels in the bathroom and headed back into the bedroom.

She was ready.

“Daniel?” she called tentatively looking around.

“Yes.”