Read Online HAUNT OF MURDER, A by P. C. Doherty - Free Book Online Page B

asked bravely.
    ‘This is no place, Beatrice.’ He paused. ‘It’s like dusk, caught between night and day. Death is a journey, one that takes all eternity. If you die with your face towards God, you journey towards God and He is eternal.’
    ‘A journey?’ Beatrice queried.
    Antony nodded. ‘An eternal journey, but you have not yet begun on it.’
    ‘Why not?’
    ‘Because you don’t want to leave.’
    ‘What do you mean?’ Beatrice asked.
    He held out his hands, fingers splayed. ‘You have intellect, love and will. The first can propose, the second can be your aim – or not, depending on yourself. The third, however, is most important. It is what determines your actions. Your will is what keeps you here. You have decided not to travel on. You have unfinished business.’
    ‘But what about Goodman Winthrop? He was collected by those terrors.’

    ‘He made his choice.’
    ‘Will he travel towards God?’
    ‘God will always call him, but if Goodman Winthrop lives his death like he lived his life, he will for all eternity refuse to hear the call and travel away from God, into his own self, his own love of wickedness. That’s why he was taken by the demons. They did not come from Hell, Beatrice, they came from within himself.’
    ‘And the poor beggar man?’
    ‘Ah.’ Antony smiled. ‘The Church teaches of Heaven and Hell and I have described both to you. The Church also teaches Purgatory where the soul is undecided. No, no.’ He shook his head. ‘I put that wrongly, the soul is not yet prepared for the journey.’
    ‘But that’s like me.’
    ‘No, your soul is ready but your will wants to delay because you have unfinished business which, I suspect, is connected with Master Ralph. That poor beggar man was collected by the wraiths of his mind and will, the sins and impurities he accummulated during life, for he was a beggar man by choice rather than by misfortune.’
    ‘And Elizabeth Lockyer?’
    ‘Ah. She was visited by the seraphims, beings of light. Elizabeth lived a good life, she died with her face towards God and God smiled on her. She wished to travel on and all the good she did in life has taken her forward.’
    ‘Seraphims? Wraiths? Demons? What about those others? Malkyn the torturer, Lady Johanna de Mandeville, the poor unfortunate who haunts the crossroads?’
    ‘They do not wish to travel on,’ Antony explained. ‘They are still locked in the pain and misery of their lives. Lady Johanna died a miserable death. God wishes to comfort her but she will not respond. Etheldreda, the young woman at the crossroads, is the same. She’s no sinner, just an unfortunate young woman who died when her wits were turned.’
    ‘And Malkyn the torturer?’

    ‘A cruel man in life, Beatrice. He did repent before he died, he was shriven by a priest here in the castle, but he does not wish to purge himself. He will stay here until he does.’
    ‘And those shapes and shades, spectres and ghouls?’ Beatrice asked. ‘That terrible knight, those men being hanged in the courtyard? And the battle?’
    ‘They are different. They are nothing but shadows of former beings. They are like tapestries which show a scene from the past.’ He sensed Beatrice’s puzzlement. ‘Have you ever been into a room, Beatrice, after there has been feasting and revelry? It’s very quiet but if you stand and listen you can almost hear the laughter, the music, the dancing which occurred there.’
    Beatrice nodded. ‘But what am I to do?’
    ‘Do you want to leave?’ Antony asked quietly.
    ‘I want to marry Ralph. I want justice for my death.’
    ‘But that’s impossible,’ Antony murmured.
    Beatrice sprang to her feet. ‘The others didn’t say that!’
    ‘What others, Beatrice? Clothilde and Crispin?’
    ‘Yes.’ Beatrice sighed. ‘I am flouncing away in a temper but what good will that do? They did offer to help.’
    ‘And that’s why I’m here.’ Antony spoke sharply. ‘Of all the beings you’ve met,