Dead Souls Volume Three (Parts 27 to 39)

by Amy Cross

  “At this hour?”

  “On a personal matter. There's no need for you to inform Baron Le Compte. I told you already, Jacob, this is vitally important to me. Be a dear, won't you?”

  “Should I have the horse and carriage prepared?”

  “No. I'd like to walk, and besides, Edgar might notice if anything goes missing. Whereas he won't notice at all that I'm absent, not unless anyone tells him.” Taking her cloak from the hook, she wrapped it around her shoulders and then headed to the door, which Jacob pulled open for her. “It's a nice warm evening,” she continued, “and I should be glad of the chance to get out for a while. I'll be back by dawn at the latest.” Turning to look back along the corridor, she listened for a moment to the sound of music drifting along from the ballroom. “I hate crowds.”

  “You do, M'am?”

  “Does that surprise you?”

  “It's not something that had occurred to me before.”

  “I detest them,” she continued. “Why be in a room with someone if you can't talk to them? Meanwhile, you never know when one of them is watching you, studying you...” A shiver ran through her body. “I like being with just one person. It doesn't even matter who it is, really. Just someone to talk to will do, or someone to sink my teeth into.”

  “M'am,” Jacob said after a few seconds, “I feel there is something I must discuss with you.”

  “It'll have to wait.”

  “I don't believe it can. Miss Madeleine, for as long as I have -”

  “Not now,” she said, turning and hurrying outside. Making her way down the steps, she stopped for a moment as she saw the lighthouse in the distance, its lamp burning bright in the night sky to warn passing ships. “I'm coming,” she whispered, before making her way across the lawn.

  As music continued to float from the house, one of the bushes near the main door began to rustle slightly. Finally a pair of eyes peered out, watching to make sure that the coast was clear, before slowly Anna Kazakos crawled into view. She watched as Jacob shut the main door, and then she ran around to the side until she could see the patio at the rear of the house. Her eyes widened with shock as she observed the scene for a moment, marveling at all the people at the ball, some of whom were wearing the most beautiful and elaborate masks.

  Spotting a small door nearby that had been left open, Anna ran through the shadows and into the house.

  VI

  “Don't you just love champagne?” Estella asked, raising a glass to her lips and taking a gentle sip. “It civilizes one's sense, I find.”

  “I don't really drink it very often,” Kate replied, watching as more guests spilled out from the ballroom to join them on the patio. The band was still playing inside, but she and Estella had decided to take up position by the fountain, where they were better able to observe the other guests. So far, Kate found the whole thing to be completely surreal, although she'd long ago given up hope that she might be dreaming.

  “I don't know who most of these people are,” Estella continued. “They're all Edgar's friends, really. Well, not friends exactly, more... People he's collected over the years.”

  “So I gather,” Kate replied, turning to watch as a tall woman with a feathery mask led a man into the house. “It's all so strange. I can barely even believe that something like this is real.”

  “But he has these parties in the future, does he not?”

  “I...” Kate paused. “Yes. Sort of.”

  “Of course he does. Leopards never change their spots, not really.”

  “He is different, though,” Kate said quietly, as much to herself as to Estella. “Between now and the time I come from, something changes him.”

  “He's actually far more predictable than most people imagine,” Estella replied. “I think I have him pretty much worked out. That's one of the reasons I love him, and I do love him, you know. He loves me too, even though he has a rotten way of showing it sometimes. You mustn't mistake our familiarity with one another for some kind of boredom. We have quite a passionate relationship, really, once we're out of public view.”

  “I'm sure,” Kate replied, turning to her.

  “I know it might seem otherwise,” Estella continued, with a hint of desperation in her eyes. “I think some people like to pretend that I'm just this ornament that Edgar wants to have on his arm. They act as if there's no real spark between us, but they couldn't be more wrong. I suppose they're just jealous, really, that I managed to win his hand and so many others failed. He could have anyone, but he chose me, and I think the reason is that he knows I'm not a walkover. I stand up to him, you know. I earned my place at his side. It's quite something for a mere human to be admitted into the Le Compte family.”

  “You don't have to persuade me,” Kate told her.

  “I think perhaps I do,” Estella replied. “Or at least, remind you.” She paused, watching Kate with a hint of suspicion. “I know it must be easy for you to think that you know him, but I can assure you, I'm the only person who knows the real Edgar.”

  Kate smiled.

  “He and I are perfect for one another,” Estella continued, clearly determined to prove her point. “I won't allow anything to come between us. People might refuse to come to our wedding, others might gossip behind our backs... Well, I can't change their minds, but they're the ones who'll be missing out. If they think they can make me feel bad by sulking, they're wrong. Even the priest's death won't hold us back, not really.”

  “The priest died?” Kate asked.

  “Didn't you hear? Poor Father Gregory dropped dead in the church some time between last night and this morning. I was the one who found him, actually.”

  “Oh my God -”

  “Don't worry,” she continued, “I'm fine. It was a dreadful fright, but I just feel so sorry for the poor man. The look on his face...” Her voice trailed off for a moment, and she seemed to be reliving the sight of the old man's terrified face. “Do you know what? I think I should powder my nose.” She set her champagne flute down. “I'll be back in just a few minutes, okay? Don't go anywhere, now. I'll hunt you down if you do!”

  Smiling, Kate watched as Estella hurried away. She immediately set her own champagne flute down, feeling as if drinking was the last thing she wanted to do, and then she watched for a few minutes as various guests mingled with one another, laughing and talking as if nothing remotely unusual was happening. Closing her eyes for a moment, she listened to the music and tried to imagine herself somehow drifting through the darkness and finding her way back to her world. The longer she kept her eyes closed, in fact, the more she began to wonder if some kind of miracle might occur.

  “There you are,” Nixon said, suddenly stepping past the other side of the fountain with a champagne flute in his hand. “Estella is keeping you entertained, I trust?”

  “Of course,” Kate replied, opening her eyes and seeing with a hint of disappointment that nothing had changed. “I've been meaning to speak to you, though. I need your help, you're the only person I can think of who might be able to -”

  “Scratch that thought,” he told her. “If you think I can untangle whatever's happening to you, you might well be barking up the wrong tree. I'll do some more research, but I fear it's beyond even my abilities. I think Edgar might have better luck, though. He sent me to find you, actually. He asked if you could meet him in his study. I was ordered to get you out of Estella's clutches for a few minutes, which was proving difficult since she seems to be absolutely stuck on you.”

  “I promised her I'd wait right here.”

  “So? Do you really want to listen to more of her inane babble, or do you want to find out what Edgar wants with you? After all, Kate... This whole party was staged purely as an excuse to get you to the house.”

  ***

  “This is... the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.”

  Standing in the lighthouse's doorway, Madeleine saw that Benjamin had turned the entire downstairs area into a candle-lit dining room, with a bench of food wai
ting to be delivered to the table.

  “You managed to slip away, then,” he replied, stepping toward her and handing her a single long-stemmed white rose. “Your favorite, I believe?”

  “Where did you manage to find one?” she asked, sniffing the rose. “It's perfect.”

  “I had it brought over from Parios,” he explained. “I remembered you telling me how much you like white roses, and how sad you were when the last of them died in the mansion's garden. I couldn't quite manage a whole bush for you this time, but maybe one day, when we have a home of our own...” He paused for a moment. “Well, you know what I mean. It's just something to think of, for the future.”

  “Where did you get this suit?” she asked, stepping closer and putting her hands on his shoulders. “I had no idea that you could look so... smart!”

  “I might be a lowly Thaxos peasant,” he replied with a smile, “but for special occasions...” He leaned toward her and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

  Closing her eyes, she turned her face and met the kiss with her lips, while wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him tight.

  “So,” she said finally, breaking from the kiss, “what exactly is the special occasion tonight?”

  “Come and look at the food,” he replied, taking her by the hand and leading her over to the table. “I made everything myself. Believe me, getting all of this done without arousing any suspicion was difficult, but I was able to use the cantina's kitchen and, well, I think I did okay. For a lowly Thaxos peasant, anyway.” Leaning past the various plates, he picked up a small tub. “I even managed to get some ice-cream for you. You said you were craving the stuff, right?”

  “You thought of everything,” she whispered, feeling a cold shiver pass through her body. She couldn't put her finger on the problem, and she knew that she should be overjoyed, but she sensed that something was seriously wrong. “You're not sick, are you?” she asked eventually. “You're not dying and this is your way of breaking it to me gently?”

  “I'm not sick,” he replied. “I just... I wanted to do something special for you. For us. So I asked Joe if I could borrow the lighthouse for a few hours, and he said it's fine. He's sitting in the cantina right now, having a great time playing cards and drinking on my tab, and he promised he won't be back before midnight.”

  “No-one has ever done anything like this for me before,” she told him, still trying to shake the sense of unease in her belly. “It's almost...”

  “Sit down,” he said, hurrying around her and pulling out her chair. “Please, I've got to serve the first course or it'll go cold.”

  “The first course?” she replied. “How many are there?”

  “Five,” he continued, hurrying over to the bench and starting to pour soup into two bowls. “Don't worry, I got some expert advice. Everything's going to be perfect.”

  “Sure,” she said, glancing down at her cutlery and catching sight of her own reflection for a moment. “Everything's going to be perfect.”

  ***

  “This is his greatest party yet,” said a woman as she walked along the corridor. “I don't know how he does it!”

  “He seems nervous tonight, though,” her male companion replied. “Something's wrong. After all, when was the last time you saw such fear in Baron Le Compte's eyes?”

  As the two figures headed through to the games room, one of the nearby curtains twitched slightly, and a moment later Anna peered out and saw that the coast was clear. Leaving her hiding place, she hurried along the corridor until she reached another door, at which point she peered through and saw that in the next room along, scores of people were dancing while a band played. She stared for a moment, completely transfixed by such a luxurious sight, and by the beautiful masks worn by so many of the dancers. Unable to help herself, she stepped a little further forward, until the dazzling light from the chandelier began to fall across her face.

  Spotting a man and a woman talking nearby, Anna stared at them for a moment, her eyes widening as she saw the details of the woman's dress. She began to imagine herself one day being at such a party, and wearing such a dress, and she inadvertently took another step forward, completely forgetting that she was supposed to stay hidden. After a couple more steps, she was close enough to reach out and touch the back of the woman's dress, and her fingers brushed against the diamonds that were sewn into the waist. For a few seconds, she could only admire the dazzling colors, until finally she felt the hairs on the back of her neck starting to move.

  Turning, she realized some of the dancers were glancing over at her, watching her from behind their masks as if they somehow knew she was out of place.

  “Looking for someone?”

  Turning, Anna saw that a masked man was standing right behind her.

  “You seem lost,” he continued. “I'm not sure Edgar Le Compte's parties are the right place for a little girl. What's your name, anyway?”

  “Is it my dress?” asked a female voice.

  Anna turned and looked up at the women wearing the diamond dress.

  “Oh, you precious thing,” the woman continued. “You look absolutely darling!”

  Feeling something brushing against her shoulder, Anna turned again and saw to her horror that another masked woman was staring down at her, and many of the other dancers had stopped and were now watching.

  “You're not like us,” the woman said, crouching in front of her. “What's your name, sweetheart?”

  “I'm not supposed to talk to strangers,” Anna replied, watching the eyes that stared back at her through the mask's eye-holes.

  “That's very sensible,” the woman continued, looking up at one of the men for a moment. “Don't you think that's sensible?”

  “She's been taught well,” the man replied.

  “Now let me see,” the woman added, turning back to Anna, “there's really not a great deal here for a lovely little girl to do, but I'm sure we can come up with something. Would you like to wear a mask?”

  Anna shook her head.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I don't have a mask.”

  “Well, that's okay,” the woman continued, reaching up and taking hold of the edge of hers. “You can try this one.”

  Anna watched as the woman began to remove her mask, but after a moment she saw that the woman's face was bloated and distorted, as if her blue-gray skin has begun to fill with pockets of light pus. Taking a step back, Anna bumped against the man who was standing behind her, and although she was desperate to run away, she couldn't stop staring at the woman's hideous face, which was made worse by the smile spreading across her rotten lips.

  “Don't be scared,” the woman continued, holding her mask out for Anna. “I know I look a little scary, but that's only because I drowned a very long time ago.”

  “I want to go home,” Anna replied, with tears in her eyes.

  “Of course you do, but first...” The woman turned the mask around and placed it over Anna's face. “Oh,” she added with a smile, “you look -”

  Pushing her away, Anna turned and ran past the other people, before racing along one of the corridors until she reached a darker room that seemed not to be in use. Hurrying to the window, she tried to get the handle to turn before giving up and slipping behind the curtain, where she waited for a moment.

  In the distance, she could hear footsteps getting closer.

  “I'm sure she came this way,” the woman's voice said finally. “We should find her. I don't think Baron Le Compte would like the idea of a child running loose in his home. It's really not safe.”

  Holding her breath and closing her eyes, Anna waited as she heard the footsteps passing through the room, and finally she realized that they seemed to be getting further away again. She opened her eyes and tried to breathe as quietly as possible, and eventually – once she was sure that no-one else was in the room – she began to peer around the side of the curtain.

  The man and woman were just a few feet away. They both had their masks o
ff now, and while the woman's face was bloated after her drowning, the man had a deep ax-wound running down across the front of his skull.

  “There you are,” the woman said with a smile. “We were looking everywhere for you.”

  Screaming, Anna ran past them and into the corridor, racing through the shadows as she got further and further from the part of the house where the party was in full swing. Slamming into a door, she was momentarily dazed before pulling it open and finally emerging in one of the dark hallways. She looked around, desperately trying to find a way out of the house, before hearing voices in the distance again, coming closer. Spotting a door on the far side of the hallway, she ran over and grabbed the handle, finding to her relief that it had been left unlocked. She hurried through and pulled it shut before turning and taking a couple of steps into the darkness.

  Stumbling, she fell forward and crashed down the stairs, before finally slamming hard into the floor far below. As she lay completely still, faint groans could be heard coming from the rest of the basement.

  For a few minutes, Anna didn't move at all, but finally she opened her eyes and realized she was in pitch darkness. She tried to get to her feet, but her ankle was badly twisted and she let out a cry of pain before dropped back down onto the cold stone floor. Opening her mouth to call for help, she realized at the last moment that she couldn't risk letting anyone hear her. With tears in her eyes, she tried again to get up, and this time she managed to keep the weight off her right ankle as she limped forward.

  “Help,” a voice whispered suddenly.

  She froze.

  The voice was coming from nearby, from somewhere in the darkness, but she wasn't sure of the direction. She turned, hearing a faint rasping sound, and then finally the voice spoke again:

  “Please help me...”

  Limping away from the direction of the voice, she managed several faltering steps before bumping against the stone wall. She reached out and steadied herself, before making her way painfully along the wall, hoping to find the stairs again.