“Oh, he so punished Delia for it. You know that’s what happened!” John exclaimed.
“Yes. I think that’s exactly what happened. A warning. There aren’t many entries for several days. Just an entry about how she doesn’t feel safe in that house, and how she can’t even trust her own servant. Then something must have happened”.
Oct 4th - ‘Win won again. Tattletale.’
Oct 11th - ‘Delia came over today. I can’t tell you how happy I was to see her. She said she was sick but her lip had a healing cut and her eye had an old bruise. We laughed and chatted like sisters again, like no time had passed at all. When the visit was over, I asked when we could sit in her lovely parlor once more and she looked scared.
She told me it would be easier for her to just come over here from now on and that my wing was better than her whole Manor combined. She said she would see me again tomorrow. It was weird, Diary, as she said all of that, she stared at Win. Then she was escorted out by her. When Win came back, she said, ‘Well isn’t that nice of her to come here from now on, so as not to disturb your comfortable living.’
Oct 13 - ‘Delia came over for a visit again today. As we were walking the grounds for some crisp, fresh air, we saw Daddy and a Doctor talking through the window. Delia suddenly got furious and began trembling. She blasted at me You know that man? and pointed at that Doctor. Daddy and the Dr. must have saw or heard us because when I looked up they were staring at us.
Suddenly Delia looked terrified and said. ‘I’m sorry. I must go’. She left so quickly it scared me. She called me later that night saying she was sorry for her behavior and she had to be mistaken. She couldn’t have possibly known that man. The man she thought it was died many years ago, in the same way that killed her husband. She apologized again and asked if she could come back over later that same night. I said, ‘Yes, of course.’ and then we said our goodbyes.
Win asked me about my phone call. I told her Delia apologized and hoped I would still continue our friendship, to which I said, ‘Yes, of course.’ Win was satisfied by my lie. I don’t like telling that woman anything anymore and besides it was her one night off a week. She was about to leave for the night. I was not giving her any reason to stay any longer than necessary.
Daddy had his weekly business meeting that night so, Wesley and he were completely preoccupied getting things ready as usual. By 8, all of Daddy’s guests were beginning to arrive and were being shown to the study. I knew neither Wesley nor father would reappear until well after midnight.
Delia arrived at 9:30. She scared me half dead by tapping on my French Bay window where I was sitting, reading. She waved and I let her in. She giggled and I could tell she had been drinking quite heavily.
‘Where are your dad and his spies tonight?’ Delia asked.
‘Win went home. It’s her one night off a week. Daddy and Wesley are in the study with his guests.
‘Guests? What guests?’
‘Oh, it’s just 12 of daddy’s work friends that get together once a week to drink and discuss business. Drab, boring stuff!’ I told her.
‘Drab stuff huh? You’ve been to the meetings before?’
‘No that’s what Daddy told me when I asked’.
‘And you never even wanted to peek and see?’
‘Well...I always have been kinda curious to see what men say when no women are around,’ I said.
‘That ain’t a tough one to figure out.” Delia gave me a look that made me blush and think of the Juliette novel.
‘You really think they just get drunk and talk about s-e-x?’
Delia laughed loudly. ‘I can’t believe even after that book I gave you, you still have to spell out the word sex to me. God sakes you were a married woman. At this point, I’d think you’d be past that nonsense’.
I felt very ashamed of myself and couldn’t look at her. Instead I said the first thing I could think of, ‘Wanna go see what their talking about?’
‘Yes!’ Delia grabbed my hand and we silently made our way to Daddy’s study. I was terrified if Daddy caught us. I didn’t want to feel the after effects of his rage on my face again. I also didn’t want to lose or upset Delia.
So there we were at Daddy’s study door listening but there was only silence. It was like the room was completely empty inside. We couldn’t hear even shuffling sounds or murmurs. Nothing! We crouched there for several minutes straining to hear something, anything. Finally. Delia just looked at me and shook her head. We weren’t going to hear a thing. I guess that’s a good thing, when you are trying to conduct business. You wouldn’t want others to hear or spy, like we were. I suddenly felt very guilty and grabbed Delia’s hand. We immediately went back to the safety of my wing.
Delia looked annoyed. ‘Nothing! How can over a dozen men, all be in that room together, and not hear one peep from the other side? Not even movement. Unless they were all turned into statues of stone. Ridiculous!’ she exclaimed, and collapsed in the chair next to mine. She then said, ‘Let’s play cards until they leave’.
I was glad she seemed happier, very glad. It was a little after midnight when we saw the men leave. Twelve men walked out of father’s study. One of which was that same Doctor that Delia had gotten so upset about earlier. She ran to my window facing the driveway and watched him intensely until he drove away.
‘It has to be him!’ Delia whispered.
‘Who’?
‘That Doctor!’ Delia exclaimed, ’The one from earlier that I saw with your father. It’s just got to be him.’
‘I don’t understand I thought he died along with your husband. Some kind of accident.’
’So did I!’
‘You never talk about what happened or anything about your late husband really. I went on and on about mine, but I know nothing about yours. Considering we’re supposed to be sisters, bonded in death, seems wrong somehow for you to not share your story with me, your sister,’ I told Delia.
That moment, I heard a loud slam from somewhere in the house. This frightened Delia like a skittish horse and suddenly she said, ‘Oh my, look at the time. I really must dash off.’
She got up, kissed my cheek, and went out the same way she had come in. Something very strange indeed is going on, Diary. I’m scared. This isn’t the same, amazing, brave, ballsy woman I first met when I came home. What is going on?’”
“Damn right!” John exclaimed.
“What the hell is going on in that house?” Lily wondered out loud.
“There are a week’s worth of entries after that. ‘No sign of Delia; called Delia was told she was under the weather.’ It’s not until the next week, on the same day of the week, that Delia appears again.
Oct 20th - ‘Delia appeared at my Bay window tonight without warning. It was a little after 9 and first thing she says to me is: Same meeting again I see?’
‘Yes. Same time, same day every week. So?’
Delia looked angry and said, ’So? So... a man I was sure died trying to save my husband is clearly alive, well, and working for your father. How is it possible? Why? Why is there a weekly meeting in your father’s home and 12 other men? One of which, I would have staked my life on the fact, that he’s dead! I was at the man’s funeral. I remember because his closed coffin was next to my dead husband’s! So what in the hell is going on? I can’t sleep thinking about this. We listened last time and not one single sound emanated from that room. How is that possible with 14 men in that one room?’
‘Solid wood, I guess. Good insulation,’ I shrugged. I couldn’t see the big deal.
‘You’ve got to be kidding me! Are you completely daft? Someone slams a door somewhere and we hear it, but that one door can muffle all sound? No, something else is going on and I need to get to the bottom of it.’
‘Delia please sit down. Have a cup of tea with me and tell me from the beginning.’
Frustrated, Delia stood there staring at me for several moments before letting out a loud disgusted, defeated sigh. Throwing her arms up, she
collapsed into the settee in a very unladylike manner.
Finally seated, Delia began, ’My husband was Bethlem Royal Hospital’s top doctor. Head of the Psychiatric department there. My father had informed us that after we got married, he had procured the prestigious job for my husband, and that we were going to be living in London. My husband was thrilled. I was not.
From the moment my father told me the news, I felt death breathing down my neck and doom filled my veins. I begged him please, surely there was a wonderful job he could have here in the states but he was adamant. I remember him shaming me for asking, saying most people can’t find work let alone food and you are complaining about your husband getting a prestigious job in England. Shame on you girl. If you knew what it took to get this job you wouldn’t be so ungrateful to your own father.
What could I do? We were packed and were to be shipped off to London. When we got to the shipyard, we were met by my father and a young man who we were told was going to be my husband’s right hand man and assistant. My husband was thrilled. It was a great honor to be sure but the moment I shook that man’s hand, I was sickened. His eyes screamed sinister as did his smile. He had this air about him. He scared me and all he had done was introduced himself.
‘Hello I’m Charles Pane. It’s a pleasure ma’am.’
It was the way he said it, too. I seemed to be the only one who felt it. I didn’t want to ever be alone with this man. At first he was civil but after a few days at sea, any time my husband would be out of sight, he would leer at me, saying things like ‘It’s obvious you’ve never been touched by a real man’; or ‘I could do things to you your husband could never dream of.’ I finally told him off. He got furious and said you’ll regret saying ‘No’ to me! He kept his distance from me respectfully, for the rest of the voyage. It was like none of it happened. No tension from him at all.’”
“More like a tiger waiting to pounce!” John interrupted Lily’s reading.
“It’s got to be the same man. All he did was change the “n” to a “g”; Pane to Page. Delia was smart. She saw what he was right away as did I,” Lily said.
Lily sighed and snuggled into John’s arms. He in turn leaned back, getting more comfortable on the couch, and brought her closer against him. It was very late at this point, and all John could think of was taking his lady to bed. Lily’s head was resting on his chest, his arm was gently wrapped around her waist. This was nice though, he thought. It’s rare when something so simple can bring such contentment and peace. John sighed and buried his nose into her hair and the nape of her neck. He just breathed in Lily’s essence.
“Mmmh.” He murmured into her neck.
“What?” Lily gently responded.
“Nothing. Just the smell of you is intoxicating and oh so satisfying, that’s all, Kitten. I just love the smell of you.”
“Aww.”
John stifled that with a passionate kiss. When John could tear himself away he said,
“What happens next?”
“Hmmm?” Lily murmured.
She was still too caught up in the kisses after effects to get her brain to function. John gently stroked her chin with the tips of his large, calloused fingers.
Looking into her eyes he said, “To Delia... in the diary... in London ...to her husband and deadly, Dr. Page.”
“Oh.” Lily mumbled almost asleep. The strain of the day and attempt on her life was taking its toll. John took the book from her and gently kissed her head. Lilian snuggled closer to John and in moments John could tell she was sound asleep. He thought about moving her to the bed but knew the moment he lifted her up, she would wake up and try to stay awake. John knew she needed sleep after such an ordeal. John might not read as fast as her, but he figured while she slept he would read.
“Now let’s see what’s so important in this little book of yours Wilhelmina,” John whispered and then spent the rest of the night reading while Lily slept in his arms.
It was after 9 in the morning when Lily woke up. It took her several moments to figure out where she was and what she was laying on before a deep familiar voice said very softly, “Good morning beautiful.”
Looking up toward the voice, Lilian saw John’s handsome face and smiled. “Morning,” she mumbled into his neck.
Lilian thought he looked eager. There was an excitement in his eyes, similar to a little kid’s when they wake their parents up on Christmas morning. ’To think he was that excited just because she had woken up seemed sweet in theory, but that wasn’t the right look for that,’ she thought. There was something else he was excited about.
‘Too early and too much thought process going on before my first cup of coffee.’ Lilian thought, beginning to get grumpy. She could feel the pout beginning to form when she inhaled and smelled the amazing aroma of coffee. He made coffee! Her heart melted. The man had coffee already made for her.
She thought to the heavens, ‘Oh please God, let me keep this man forever. The man made me coffee!’
John chuckled. He had watched the whole thing play out across her features. ’She’s just too cute,’ he thought. She was staring towards where the coffee pot was with a big smile.
“Yes, there’s coffee, hot and waiting for you. Just like me,” John said coyly with a wink and chuckled again. Her face was priceless. John kissed her deeply while sitting them both up.
Once he was finally able to tear himself away from those lips he said, “I know coffee first, lust later.”
He then stood up quickly and went to make her coffee for her, the way she liked it. He was almost going mad from having to wait but if he didn’t let her have at least one cup of coffee before he started, she would not be willing or happy with him at all. A pissed off Lily is not what he wanted, and he certainly wasn’t going to force the topic on her before she was truly awake. He already knew that would be a bad idea but waiting all this time, while she slept, was so frustrating and to have to wait even longer for her to be officially awake was even worse.
John brought Lily her coffee and sat with her while she sipped it. He had already drank three cups of coffee so far. He left his on the coffee table with disinterest. He enjoyed her company and the comfortable silence between them instead. Just her presence made him feel good. Her hair was all tussled and wild, with signs of sleep still touching her face. She was scrumptious. She was his. Wasn’t she? ‘Nope...now was not the time for insecurities, John. There isn’t a reason for it. Move on.’
John saw the insecure thought as a shooting target. In his mind, he shot the hell out of it until it was just bits and scraps of illegible paper. It was a trick his therapist taught him back when he was very depressed and negative, messed up thoughts would cause him to get even more upset.
The doctor said, “Each person can envision whatever image works best. For some, it’s a chalkboard with the thought on it and you erase it clean; others see it and just need to see themselves drawing a huge red X to remove it. You, John, you need to see a target, like those at the shooting range, and just shoot the shit out of the messed up thought until it disappears.”
John remembered thinking,’ and I’m the crazy one’ ...but actually, it really works. He felt better afterwards, every time. He could breathe again and the messed up thought that would have caused him stress, anxiety, and even deep depression now was no longer attached to him, causing pain. It was the most freeing thing that doctor ever taught him and has definitely saved his sanity every time.
He breathed slowly and deeply three times as the doctor taught him and then sighed. Much better he thought.
Lilian watched this with curiosity. ‘What had just happened?’ she wondered that he suddenly needed stress relief techniques. ‘Did she do something wrong?’
“You okay?” Lily asked quietly with concern. Fear gripped her belly momentarily.
“Yeah.” John looked over at her beaming. “I’ve just been waiting a while to tell you what I found in the diary and the waiting is killing me.” He smiled and chuckled again
, sheepishly.
Lily’s eyes flew wide. “Mhh! Yes! Tell me! What did you find?” Lily said while trying to swallow her swig of coffee. The psychiatrist within was eager for new information.
“I know why they were desperate to get their hands on this book and why there was a Ouija board and the red candles. Just like the red candles from what, I can only call, a true vision you must have had. I’m sorry to say it, but I don’t think those were regular dreams of nightmarish fancy. Not from what I read.”
“Tell me!” Lily said with excitement and a hint of frustration.
John laughed again holding a hand out in a hold your horses’ motion.
“Okay...okay. After you fell asleep I read the rest of her diary, trying not to feel like some Peeping Tom or pervert, but after about two thirds into it, I stopped caring. I’m not going to re-read it all aloud to you, because it would take me forever, but I’ll explain what happened:
‘Wilhelmina and Delia decide to break into the study one Saturday while her father was out whoring. Her words not mine. The study was small and unimpressive, and there was definitely the ability to hear through the door, if you were in that room. They double checked. So, they spent that Saturday, in that study, pushing and prodding every single thing in that room until a corner of a picture frame got caught in Delia’s hair. When she yanked away, the picture frame clicked like Wilhelmina’s hidden bed frame-”
“And the picture opened to a tunnel?” Lily interrupted with excitement
“No.” John laughed. “That’s what I thought, but instead the floor where Delia was standing began to move, very suddenly, into a dark winding staircase. It was so fast in fact, it caused Delia to actually slip and fall down into it. She smashed her face, shoulder, and ankle. That didn’t stop them. She described a circular room at the bottom of the staircase, huge and vast; must have been the entire underneath portion of the house from the way it was described.