The Ghosts at Pemberley

by Fenella J Miller

  ‘Do not look so downhearted, dearest, we shall finish upstairs in no time and can then do the library and all the other rooms on that side of the house. I am sure that Adam will not care one way or the other if the furniture is festooned with coloured wool.’

  Going upstairs meant walking through the gallery and she had no desire to do so, but she could not voice her fears, she must be brave and pretend there was no danger for her up there. They negotiated their way around the busy servants, walked the length of the huge room and through the double doors into the vestibule.

  Here was also a hive of activity as huge vases of hothouse flowers were being placed on pedestals around the entrance hall. ‘Which one of the chambers upstairs are to be designated as a retiring room for the ladies?’

  ‘I believe I heard Lizzy and Jane discussing this very matter. Four of the anterooms downstairs are to be used, which will be ample as there will only be thirty of us tonight.’ Georgiana stopped to admire the flowers. ‘I hope we can still keep the hothouses going even when we are not living here, it would be such a shame if everything within them was allowed to wither. Do you think it will be safe for our people to work outside?’

  ‘I should imagine so,’ Kitty replied brightly, hoping the tremor in her voice would pass unnoticed. The closer they got to the staircase, the greater her sense of dread. ‘I am relieved there is nothing to do in the gallery as I have no wish to linger there.’

  She grabbed her friend’s hand, finding comfort in the contact, and together they hurried up the stairs and onto the expanse of polished parquet flooring. Even though she was thirty feet or more from the velvet curtain which covered the communicating door, Kitty knew instinctively the ghosts were not keeping to their word.

  The feeling she had was not the same as before, less menacing and more vague, but without a doubt there was something supernatural going on. She paused in her headlong dash for a moment and closed her eyes to try and identify what she was experiencing. She could not prevent her shocked gasp.

  Without waiting for Georgiana she bolted for the safety of their apartment scattering the balls of wool from her basket as she fled. Her friend arrived seconds later looking equally terrified.

  ‘What did you see? Are they back? Should we cancel the party?’

  She shook her head, but was unable to speak until she had recovered her equilibrium. ‘I am so sorry to scare you like that. The ghosts are behind the door, there is no need to cancel anything.’ She hesitated, not sure if she should say what she’d seen in her head. ‘I overreacted, I don’t think I shall ever feel comfortable on the gallery.’ She looked down at her half-empty basket. ‘Oh dear, I shall have to go back and collect what I dropped. Why don’t you start in here, I shall not be more than a minute or two.’

  Her feet seemed glued to the floor but somehow she forced herself to walk across the carpet as if she was not shaking from head to foot. Was it her imagination or did the door knob seem colder than usual? She closed her eyes and prayed for strength and protection, then stepped out into the corridor. She remained leaning against the wall for a few moments, allowing herself to become accustomed to the atmosphere.

  Then her feet began to move of their own volition and, however much she tried to remain stationary, she was inexorably moved down the passageway towards the gallery. Although her feet were no longer under her control her hands still obeyed her commands. She reached under the bodice of her gown and pulled out the gold crucifix.

  As soon as her hands closed around this she regained control of her body and flung herself sideways into the nearest room, slamming the door behind her. This was Darcy’s bedchamber, somewhere she had never thought to enter. On the other side of the wall was the East Wing; the master suite, with its multitude of dressing rooms, bathing room, servants’ pantries and so on, took up the entire length of the connecting wall.

  She was no safer here than she was in the corridor. She had been foolish to come in. Nobody would think to look for her in here. Her knees gave way beneath her and slowly she slid down the wall until she was huddled on the floor. There was no way she could prevent what was going to happen – even her cross was no protection from the evil that was stalking her.

  *

  Adam rose early determined to arrive at Pemberley that morning and not wait until the afternoon. He intended to drive himself as that way he would save his team two unnecessary journeys along the snow-caked lanes. His valet had already packed his valise so he was ready to leave as soon as he had broken his fast.

  His housekeeper and butler were primed and ready for action. They would be able to organise the cleaning preparation of all the chambers in the house far more quickly if he was not in residence. He was eagerly anticipating the arrival of his guests because his darling girl would soon be living under his roof, but also because he hated rattling around by himself in a house meant for a large family.

  He was certain that by the time the first diligence arrived everything would be ready to receive the furniture and trunks. He had directed half a dozen outside men to clear the barns and make them weatherproof. With the addition of dust sheets, holland covers and tarpaulins whatever was stored inside should remain pristine until it was needed again.

  He didn’t think his early arrival would be a problem, he already felt like part of the close-knit family. After giving his staff their final instructions he strode out to his waiting carriage and clambered on to the box. Today he had asked for the most robust of his cattle to be harnessed as, from his experience, a heavy grey sky meant further snow was imminent. He had no intention of risking his finest horses in such inclement weather.

  He hoped the snow would hold off until tomorrow and allow this party to take place. It would be better for the Darcy family to leave their home on a happy note, and not be obliged to slink away. He had yet to come up with a suitable name for his abode, he thought he would ask Kitty to decide as, after all, it would be her marital home very shortly.

  The horses that had been selected for this excursion were ideal, they had thick coats and sturdy legs, a trifle slow but well able to cope with whatever weather might be in store for them. He had not discussed with Darcy what was to become of the well-stocked Pemberley stables. The grooms and coachmen lived in separate accommodation outside and he could see no reason why they shouldn’t remain there and take care of their charges. It would be a simple matter to send for a carriage when one was needed and Darcy would only need to have his riding horses on hand.

  He guided his carriage expertly into the cobbled coach yard and was unsurprised when two stableboys and a groom appeared immediately. He grabbed his valise and headed for the side door he had used on a previous occasion. This time there was no footman waiting to fling it back, but it was unlocked and he walked straight in.

  He was no more than a few yards along the passageway when a piercing scream made the hair on the back of his neck stand to attention. He flung his bag to one side and raced towards the sound. He shoved his way through the milling group of terrified servants, tore across the Great Hall, and had just reached the vestibule when Darcy and Bingley erupted from the music room.

  ‘Quickly, it’s one of the girls, I don’t know which one. I thought this place to be safe. I shall never forgive myself if anything has happened to them.’ Darcy shoved past him and took the marble stairs two at a time. Adam was close behind him, Bingley bringing up the rear.

  As they reached the halfway point a second scream ripped the air apart. He recognised the voice, it was not Kitty. His chest constricted in fear, he was forced to grab onto the banister to steady himself. Then he was in the gallery and Georgiana flew from the direction of the bedrooms, her hair awry and her face contorted with terror.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The distraught girl flung herself into his arms but Adam was unable to decipher what she was babbling. Then he understood that Kitty had gone into the passageway outside their apartment and had vanished.

  ‘Go with Bingley, he will take
you to be with Lizzy and Jane. Darcy and I will find Kitty, you must not worry, everything will be well.’

  He all but shoved the unfortunate girl towards Bingley, his mind already focused on how to find his beloved. They were at the head of the stairs and he was aware there was something drifting about the gallery. He couldn’t see the things that Kitty did, but his skin crawled and he knew they were not alone up there.

  ‘I don’t think she has been taken into the East Wing as she was last time, she is somewhere up here, they are looking for her but I don’t think they have found her yet.’ Adam held his cross in front of him and moved softly down the corridor.

  ‘God’s teeth! This time I can feel it too – we will have to cancel the party and leave here immediately.’

  He was about to agree when Adam realised there was something odd occurring. ‘Wait a minute, these spirits are not malevolent. I am certain they do not wish to harm us, but only to communicate. That is why they were looking for Kitty as she has the ability to speak to them directly.’

  He put the crucifix back in his pocket. It would not be needed this morning. ‘Kitty, Kitty darling, where are you?’ There was no answer. ‘We must look in all the rooms on this side of the passageway as those are the ones that share a wall with the East Wing.’

  Darcy nodded. ‘I shall start here, you take the next door.’

  Adam continued to call periodically as he rushed in and out of the rooms. He was aware he was being followed by spectres but felt no danger. Then he put his hand on a door knob and recoiled. Darcy was beside him.

  ‘That is my bedchamber. What is wrong?’

  ‘The door handle is icy cold. Kitty is in there, and so are the malevolent spirits.’

  *

  ‘Can you hear me, sweetheart? Bang on the wall if you cannot shout and let us know you are in there.’

  That was Adam’s voice. He had come to save her. ‘I am here, but I dare not move. Something tried to drag me towards the gallery so I hid from it. I do not think it’s safe for me outside this room.’

  ‘I can’t get in to you, Kitty, the door is jammed. Darcy is making his way to you through one of the dressing rooms. Stay where you are until he arrives. I shall remain and talk to you.’

  Just knowing he was only a few inches away from her gave her the courage to raise her head and risk a glance at the far wall. It was as if she could glimpse something in the corner of her eye, but couldn’t quite work out what it was. A shapeless, nameless something, but strangely this time she felt no fear.

  A surge of energy pushed her to her feet. Whatever had been pursuing her was not in here, a more benign spirit lurked across the chamber. Emboldened by her discovery she stepped forward deciding to try speaking to them. ‘What do you want with me? You have broken your promise, you vowed to remain in the East Wing until Christmas Eve.’

  Adam rattled the door. ‘Try and open it from your side, Kitty. The handle is no longer possessed, perhaps you locked it without thinking when you hid in there. Is Darcy with you already?’

  She ignored him. She could not speak to spirits and humans at the same time. This time the amorphous shape did not materialise into a human form but a voice spoke to her in her head.

  ‘We wish you no harm, we believe you have been sent to save us. We have been trapped here for over a hundred and fifty years and wish to move on. We have been waiting for the one who would be able to communicate with us – and you are she.’

  She could not repress a shiver. Hearing words in her mind was even more unsettling than speaking directly to a ghost as she had before. ‘What can I do? Henry Darcy said the only thing that could release you was justice for your murder.’

  ‘He does not speak for us. We are the three that were with him that dreadful night. We should have known better than to accept his invitation. We were not friends of his, but young men who thought it would be a lark to attend one of these notorious house parties. We had no idea that he planned to abduct local girls for his pleasure. We did not deserve to die that night, for our families to be forever tainted by association with such an evil man.’

  ‘We had no idea that some of the victims were not part of his coterie.’

  ‘That night two evil men came face-to-face. Darcy showed no repentance and laughed at Josiah Bainbridge. It was he that killed us all, he was like a man possessed and we were struck down before we could resist. The others were guilty of not stepping in to prevent the massacre, nothing else.’

  ‘Surely one man could not have murdered all of you? Why did nobody fight back?’

  ‘When they burst in we were all three sheets to the wind. Darcy and his two cronies, all as bad as each other, had taken the village girls to another room whilst we disported ourselves with the ladies of the night that had accompanied him from London. We were not violent, merely boys seeking adventure, sowing our wild oats. We were slaughtered before the villagers could intervene. Bainbridge continued his killing spree and disposed of the others.’

  Someone was hammering on a door at the far side of the room. The noise was so great she managed to hear it over the voice of her ghostly visitor. Fitzwilliam, (she would never be able to call him Darcy again without thinking of that dreadful night), was attempting to enter.

  Then she realised Adam was also banging and shouting. ‘I am well, do not worry. I am talking to quite different ghosts and am at no risk by so doing. I am certain I will be released presently.’

  ‘Thank God! I have been beside myself since you went quiet ten minutes ago. If you are certain you are in no immediate danger I shall desist from my racket and leave you to continue your conversation.’

  She turned her mind inwards and was relieved to find the extra occupant was still there. ‘I apologise for the interruption. Would you be so kind as to give me your names? It might be possible for me to exonerate your memories. If I did so, would that let you leave?’

  ‘I fear not, we are trapped by Henry Darcy and his brothers. Until he is satisfied, we cannot depart. I wished to warn you that unless a Bainbridge dies by the hand of a Darcy we are forever doomed to keep company with that devil and not join our families in the light.’

  Suddenly the door to her right flew open and Adam erupted into the room, simultaneously Fitzwilliam appeared through a door in the panelling on the far side of the chamber. Whoever had been talking to her had released its hold and she was free to go.

  ‘My darling, you are shaking, let me hold you.’ Kitty threw herself into Adam’s arms but could not control her tears. She could never tell anyone how the curse could be lifted, she must bear the burden of this knowledge alone. Her brother-in-law, having finally been allowed in, strode across to join them.

  ‘Take her downstairs, King, we are not safe here.’

  She was too fatigued to argue when Adam picked up and carried her down the main stairs and into the drawing room where her family was anxiously gathered. An hour had passed before the room was calm again and she was ready to give them an edited version of what had transpired.

  When she had completed her tale they were suitably shocked. ‘Fitzwilliam,’ Lizzy said, ‘would it be possible to discover the names of those poor young men and remove the stain from their characters?’

  He frowned. ‘I doubt it, but I suppose King could check the parish registers to see if the names were entered there, or where they were buried.’

  ‘I must find the wool that I dropped so that Georgiana and I can get started,’ Kitty told the gathering as she stood up.

  ‘I have decided that things will be done differently. I shall give Lizzy’s lists and the wool to Reynolds and she can get the staff to tag the furniture.’ He had all their attention now. ‘I have postponed the move until the weekend as I have faith in what Kitty has told us and believe we are safe for another ten days.’

  ‘The day after our party we shall spend together quietly, the following day are we not to go in search of somewhere else to live?’ Lizzy asked.

  ‘We are indeed, my love, and I
am hoping that King will agree to remain here until our move. I have no wish to leave the girls on their own, especially as there will be several villagers working inside. Ingram has arranged for carpenters to make up crates to store our paintings and other valuables. I have said they can do this in the gallery as we no longer wish to use it ourselves.’

  ‘We are not to help in any way with the move?’ Georgiana said sadly.

  ‘I thought perhaps Adam would be kind enough to escort you to Lambton when Jane and Bingley, and Fitzwilliam and I are out looking at suitable properties.’

  ‘I should be delighted to. We shall have refreshments at the local hostelry which is famous, so I’m told, for its table.’

  The matter settled satisfactorily for all concerned the men retreated to play billiards, Lizzy and Jane settled in to discuss how they were to set up their nurseries, leaving Georgiana and herself to their own devices.

  ‘We have yet to build a snowman, Kitty, shall we do so now? The sun is out and there is plenty of snow in the park we can use.’

  ‘I should enjoy getting some fresh air, but I am not convinced that building a snowman will be particularly enjoyable.’

  ‘You will love it once we have started. We must find lumps of coal for the buttons and eyes, and a hat and muffler in which to dress it. I must do something, Kitty dearest, or I shall go mad with waiting for tonight.’

  The spot Georgiana selected was on the west side of the house, as far from the ghosts as they could be. Two footmen followed carrying the necessary equipment, a selection of old scarves and hats, and a basket with assorted vegetables of the pointed variety and a dozen small lumps of coal. They did not volunteer to remain to help with the building and Kitty did not blame them. There was a bitter wind blowing across the park and already she regretted agreeing to this escapade.