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Chapter 20
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Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 21
Four carcasses twitched and shuddered across the wooden floor while we took a well-deserved drink. Eight in total had attacked Serenity House this evening."I think we can safely say your ball was a riot." I couldn't help myself, I had to say it. Behind me, the soldiers chortled with laughter."It did end rather spectacularly, didn't it?" Seth smiled.Frank appeared on the top step. "Seth," he called. "We think we've pinpointed the hive in the grid Ella identified."Seth handed off his sword to the butler, who had materialised at his elbow. How did he do that? He must have secret doorways that exited in thin air. "Rally your men, lieutenant, we have our target.""Yes, captain." The soldier saluted and jogged up the stairs.I took in the mess on the dance floor. "We need to identify them if we can, and the ones outside." Where did they come from, and how far had they travelled? I needed names to inscribe in my notebook, before their bodies were consigned to the bonfire. A tinge of
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 22
Waiting seemed to take an eternity. From above came the monotonous thud as the men dug through the dirt, and then hit the stone. Not long after that, a soft boom vibrated the air around us and made me jump."Small charge," Seth said. "Just enough to break through the stone. Frank has a way with dynamite."Then from below, a gunshot, followed by three more fired in rapid succession. I jumped and glanced to Seth."Shouldn't we go in? They need our help," I said.He ground his jaw, but held his ground. "I can't risk more men without knowing what's in there. We wait."I wanted to dash in after the brave young men. How could he stand here, while a few feet away his soldiers needed our help? He reached out and took my hand, holding me at his side and drawing my gaze again."This is what it means to lead, to balance two lives against many more. I don't issue the command to wait lightly, but I have faith in Jack and Jake's abilities."Time stretched, and my heartbeat struggled to fill t
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 23
"Run!"Seth gave the command as soon as we emerged, but our feet were already moving.Frank waited up top until he saw we were clear. Then he let the missile drop, jumped, and rolled down the side as though the hounds of Hell were snapping at his heels. We ran toward the trees and the shelter of a low ridge. As we passed over, Seth looped an arm around my waist and pulled me to the ground, the damp grass chill against my skin. His larger body shielded me as a whump hit my ears, at the same time that heated air blasted over the top of us."What was in that?" I asked, although with the buzzing in my ears I wasn't sure if I would be capable of hearing his reply.A minute passed before he caught his breath and answered. "Ever hear the story of Greek fire?"Vague memory cells sparked. As a child, I had the benefit of a classical education, and father had loved reading me ancient stories of lost civilisations and long dead warriors.Seth started talking as he rolled us to our sides. "I
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 24
It was a quiet trip back through the country lanes to the estate. I was lost in my thoughts, worried about father and how to deal with Step-mother. I expected to find my scant belongings scattered over the cobbles in the yard when I returned.Seth stroked the back of my hand in comforting circles. "The War Office is extremely interested in employing you, if you're looking for another occupation and could stomach working with me?"I had to smile at that. Yes, I think I could stomach working alongside the Duke of Leithfield, especially if it involved cramped quarters with him holding me close. But the idea of leaving made my mind stutter, like a vermin cut off from the queen. That would leave father at home, and my friends exposed to her toxicity. Could I chase my own career and leave them all behind? I longed deeply for freedom, but part of me couldn't do it. Not until I removed her from our lives. Somehow."Let me make it through today first, and then we can discuss it." My smile dr
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 25
I sat in the yard for a long time, staring off into the distance but not seeing anything. Lost in the maze of my own thoughts. Eventually, I found my way out of my reverie and stuck my head in the kitchen door."I'm going for a ride to clear my head."I wasn't sure if Magda heard me. She sang under her breath as she mixed something in a bowl while simultaneously instructing Alice, who was doing something arcane to a chicken. Alice looked up and waved the large knife in her hand, before grabbing the unfortunate chook by one leg.I saddled up the patient mare, put my foot in the stirrup, and once settled, we headed across the fields. My mind rioted with all that happened over the last day and night. We took out a nest, but still didn't understand the capabilities of a queen. Her whispered words gnawed at me. Need more, not enough yet.What would the vermin be capable of, with Elizabeth in charge? Would she gather the more they needed and could we stop her? A shudder ran through my bo
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 26
PART TWO: Alice, the PlayerElla. In turmoil.Seth deMage, the Duke of Leithfield, is a dreamy kisser. You don't have to take my word for it; an article in the newspaper rated the top kissers in England. Seth was ranked number three. The Prince of Wales cheated him out of the top spot, and really, I think the fact Edward is the future king coloured the woman's impression. Number two on the list was Rudolph Valentino, who shouldn't count since he is American.While I adored being in the arms of the third-best kisser in England, my mind wandered?through no fault of Seth's, lest anyone think his lips failed to hold my attention. No, the fault was entirely mine. I had a rather pressing problem on my mind. A bigger problem than his marriage proposal of a few minutes before.Worry nagged at me and flowed through my limbs, fighting against the desire building with his kiss. The two emotions fought a dirty battle in my mind and pulled me even further from where my heart wanted to be, wit
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 27
The day kept improving. Not only were Elizabeth and Louise gone from my life, but Seth had made me feel a tiny bit better about letting them go. I now viewed Elizabeth as a traitor who would deliver the information we needed, hopefully, about the ultimate plans of the vermin.As I entered the kitchen, a beaming Magda pressed a tray into my hands. "Sir Jeffrey is awake, sitting up and, I believe, waiting for his lunch.""He asked for lunch?" My heart leapt?how I longed to hear his voice again.She patted my cheek. "Don't get too excited, love. It's noises, but he is trying. Let us pray a full recovery will follow."I floated up the stairs to father's room. Could this be the fairytale ending? I had a handsome duke courting me, my vile step-mother gone, and father back from the dead. Then my mind whispered that I given Elizabeth a sequel to my story by making her the evil queen. Could I win against her a second time? I had so much more to lose. My happy mood deflated, punctured by tho
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 28
I spent a restless night tossing and turning in a bed that felt too big, isolated in a cavernous room that threw unfamiliar shadows. As a young child I loved that room, but as an adult, it seemed overwhelming. I missed the cramped space I shared with Alice, but she practically chased me back down the stairs when I tried to follow her.I awoke to birdsong as the sparrows rose from the hedges and set out to pluck worms from the damp ground. Normally I would jump from bed, don my uniform and rub the sleep from my eyes while I started an endless round of meaningless chores. But today there were no fires to set, no coal to polish, no step-sisters to wait upon, and no tightrope to walk as I waited for someone to pull it out from under my feet.Instead, I stretched my arms and wiggled my toes, and then stared at the wallpaper. Perhaps a change would help me re-settle into my own room? I couldn't help thinking of it as Louise's room and I expected her to burst in, scream, and chase me out wi
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Hazel followed my line of sight and glanced down at her mother's leg. Then she looked up to meet my horrified gaze. She shook her head, silencing me, not that there was anything to say, assuming I could say anything. My vocal cords had managed only two words in the past two years, and that rusty sound was only for Hazel's ears.I gestured to the trapped creatures and drew a line across my throat and then mimed lifting the head off. The vermin would keep struggling to free themselves and we needed to deal with them while they were still trapped."Father, Henry says you must remove the heads of these things to silence them forever." Hazel placed the fallen walking stick in her mother's hand, but kept an arm around the woman's shoulders.Mr Morris' eyes widened as he looked from the vermin stuck in a tree, one pinned to the roots through the side, and another back by the front door. That one was still trying to swim across the grass. I had a strong urge to go check on Phelps; with my l
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 89
I reached out and grasped Hazel by the shoulders. I gave a gentle shake to break the staring contest but she tried to swat me away. There were some advantages to being taller, and spending all day engaged in manual farm chores had finally put some muscle on my frame. I turned her and pointed out the window.At that point Mr Morris remembered why he had ran up the stairs. "You don't understand, love. Those things are outside the gate."Hazel and I kneeled on the window ledge and looked out. Below, in the approaching dusk, shuffled at least four of them. They stared at the thick door as though trying to remember how they worked. Push or pull?If they figured it out, they would swarm into the enclosure. We all stared at each other, realising there was one other person down there who didn't know what waited outside. Someone who couldn't ascend the steep tower stairs or run.Mrs Morris."Rachel!" Mr Morris screamed and ran for the door at the same time. His heavy boots and weight shook
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 88
March 22nd, 1919 was an important date in my mental diary. Things happened on this day far more than the signs of new life pushing up through frigid ground as the earth threw off winter and embraced spring. It was Hazel's eighteenth birthday. Not even the threat of Mr Morris tearing me limb from limb could make me miss her birthday.Sadness and regret formed a swamp in my gut. That day she would leave her tower forever, having agreed to stay only until she reached this milestone. This would most likely be our last day together. I had promised to take her to the village, where she would be safe from roving vermin, until she decided on her course of action.It was early afternoon by the time I had finished my chores and then penned a note to Magda asking for hot water to wash. All the while, Ella and Alice twittered and laughed. Honestly, what was wrong with a fellow wanting to wash the sweat and dirt off before he visited a girl on her birthday?As I rode out, the other women stood b
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 87
February 1919 and work never stopped, despite the solid ground that showed no sign of spring. An unexpected cold snap saw a light snowfall blanket the ground. It meant we either bundled up and continued on regardless, or undertook one of the endless inside jobs. Due to the weather, I decided to clean tack and dragged a chair to the end of the barn aisle. With the doors open to the frigid air, I sat with a pile of bridles in a box next to me. On my other side, a bucket of warm water and a cloth for working in the saddle soap and cleaning off sweat and dirt.The horses were quiet in their stalls and a sense of peace suffused the world. As though the drop in temperature had frozen time itself and allowed us all a chance to draw a deep breath and recover from events of the last few weeks.I should be cleaning the leather, but my mind couldn't concentrate in the quiet. I picked at my worries, pushed to the front by the voice that whispered from the back of my skull. Muttering about sins
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 86
The dawning of 1919 was a subdued affair, with little to celebrate as the new horror unfolded across the country. Father Mason's deceased wife turned up in his kitchen one night and the encounter shattered the last of his fragile confidence. Over at Serenity House, the former duke escaped the mausoleum and was dispatched by the capable butler, Warrens.Winter deepened and created a frozen tableau, which bought us some time. It's much harder to climb from your grave when the topsoil is frozen solid. We all wondered if the victims would sprout up with the warmer temperatures like daffodils.As January unfurled, Lady Jeffrey grew tired of us all peeking around the parlour door and moved the wireless to the kitchen. She deemed news of the Turned, as they were now called, far too unsavoury for her girls anyway and only suitable for our lowborn ears. That included Ella.The square wooden box crackled and chirped all day long. It seemed the horror would never end, as reports emerged that t
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 85
All through November and December, at every opportunity, I braved the frigid night time temperatures and waited in sight of the tower for Hazel to drop the ladder. I would spend an hour or two in her company. She would read and I would sketch her profile as the moonlight caressed the planes of her face.Christmas 1918 arrived and I was determined to be with the girl who held my heart. In double layers and with a wool cap shoved down hard on my head, Cossimo and I rode out to our familiar lookout point. I carried a bribe to console the gelding while we stood the lonely watch, a feedbag with oats. His eyes lit up as I carried it over to him and he dropped his nose into the canvas. That made it easier to slip the strap over his head. Quiet munching came from behind as I leaned against a barren tree and stared at the tower.A puff of smoke spiralled skyward from her tower chimney. At least she would be warm as the fire threw out a good heat in the circular room. To pass the time, I imagi
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 84
The household bombarded Ella with questions as soon as we returned. The poor girl barely made it over the threshold into the kitchen. Alice squealed and hugged her friend so tight it looked like she might never let go."I was so worried," she said. "What happened?""They let me go." Ella's gaze met mine. How much would she tell the others? Would she mention the price of her freedom?decapitating four other people?"I'd love a cup of tea and a bath. I don't think I will ever be warm again." Ella turned to me. "Thank you, Henry."I?d done nothing. How did she stand tall and brave when so many grown men showed themselves to be cowards? But then I shouldn't be surprised. I served under Sir Jeffrey, and his daughter had the same iron backbone.I left her to the care of Alice and Magda and busied myself with the farm chores. My next rescue mission wouldn't be so public. I waited until the approach of dusk before saddling up Cossimo. The horse looked at me and I swear gave a low snort and
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 83
As though Lady Jeffrey read my mind, she discovered a job that had to be done immediately and kept me from riding to see Ella the next day. Instead Stewart and I had to dig out a ditch by the end of the driveway. She wanted it deeper in case of winter rain. I swear she wanted a moat. By evening we both had blisters on top of our callouses and to my shame, I was too tired to spare much of a thought for either Ella or Hazel.Three days had passed since Alice ran home screaming and Ella was arrested. Dawn still hadn't made the horizon as I sat in the kitchen, warming myself in the chair closest to the coal range while I chewed my toast. My gaze fixed at a point on the far wall, but my vision turned inward as I sorted through my plans.Firstly there was the issue of Ella, no doubt freezing in the cold cell. Then there was the girl trapped in another type of gaol. Mr Morris would skin me for gaiters if he caught me around the tower, but I?d risk it for Hazel. My chances of sneaking over t
Serenity House: Ella's Journey Chapter 82
I screamed until my voice gave out and still I ran. My vocal cords might not have stamina, but my legs did. Blindly, I didn't care what direction or what obstacle stood before me, I ran away. I would surmount anything to leave the horror behind me. But no matter how fast I moved my feet or how hard my lungs worked, it stayed at my back. Death was stitched to me; it formed part of my fabric and rippled over my skin.And it laughed.The black shadow chuckled and mocked my feeble attempts to slip its clutches until, exhausted, I fell to the ground. Then I curled up in a ball, clasped my hands over my head, and sobbed. Why didn't the Grim Reaper cut me down? Then, at least the nightmare would end. An eternity in Hell would not be any worse than living.In the secret room in my mind, I pulled the blanket up and everything went dark.***August 1914. I had turned fifteen a few days earlier when I crept down the barn stairs early one morning. I slipped a bridle over Cossimo's head, jumpe
