said, reaching inside. She flicked it once, twice, then looked at him. "I'm sorry, they must have forgotten to put lights in here. I'll make a note to tell them to take care of it tomorrow." She pulled the door closed. "Heavens, it's cold in there."
"May I?” Curious, David stepped in front of Theo and reopened the door, just sticking his head inside to get the feel of the air within. Theo was right, it was cold, but he knew that the tower walls were unplastered stone, so that was to be expected. Reputedly, the third floor tower room was the place where the daughter of the original builder, Byron Baudey, had strangled her baby then hanged herself, having gone mad from the rape that produced the child. It was supposed to be one of the most haunted places in the house, and David found it particularly interesting because it was a precursor to the scandals that changed Baudey House into the infamous Body House. It was a precedent that he hoped to research eventually.
Taking one step into the darkness, David did not hear the cries of a phantom infant, see the doomed mother climbing the steps or even sense any of the slimy-feeling psychic cold that usually accompanied major phenomena. Another night. Slightly disappointed, he reminded himself that the third floor, not the second, would be the heart of the manifestation. Besides, what he'd told Amber was true: first nights in haunted houses usually gave you nothing but a good night's sleep. He stepped out and pulled the door shut. The latch plate had not one but two skeleton-style keyholes in it and he could see old scratch marks on the newly polished brass.
"Someone wanted to keep this door locked," he said to Theo.
She nodded. "The doors on all three floors are just like that. As a matter of fact," she added, digging in her purse. "I have the keys for you." A second later, she pulled forth a pair of big old-fashioned keys, ringed and tagged. "Want to try them?"
"Sure." He inserted a key in the lock and found that it turned easily. "Works great." After an instant's hesitation, he withdrew the key without unlocking the door. His own caution amused him as he turned to Theo. "Shall we go upstairs?"
"Right this way." They turned right, pausing to admire the stained glass art on the French doors that opened on either side of the hall. The six right-hand doors opened onto a tall-ceilinged ballroom, its parquet floor gleaming warm gold. On the left, a half-dozen doors opened onto the wide veranda above the front porch. Small brass swing bolts kept them shut.
David unlocked one door and they walked outside. Three sides of the fifteen-foot-wide veranda were snug against the walls of the house. David would have liked to examine the stone walls and exteriors of the windows, but it was too dark. Instead, he walked to the railing, turned and leaned against it to peer up at the dark third floor. He thought the ribbon of windows on the tower above resembled blind eyes.
"It's cool out tonight, isn't it?" Theo said, joining him at the railing.
"Yes. And not a hint of jasmine out here." Something pale flickered behind a dormer window just above them. "Did you see that?" he asked, his heart racing.
"See what?" She moved closer to him. He pointed at a window to their left. "I thought I saw something move up there." He chuckled softly, still watching, but already calm. "It was probably a wisp of fog. I guess I just have ghostbuster's fever." He stepped away from the railing, but Theo stayed behind, still watching the dormer.
"Do you see something?" he asked.
"I-I thought I did." Suddenly, there was a creaking sound and Theo stumbled backward. "David!"
He jumped forward, grabbing her hands and pulling her toward him as the iron railing gave way. Instantly, her arms were around him and she clung to him, her breathing rapid. He held her, first looking at the crazy angle of the loose railing, then glancing briefly back at the dormer. As he held her, he noticed that he couldn't smell any jasmine
"May I?” Curious, David stepped in front of Theo and reopened the door, just sticking his head inside to get the feel of the air within. Theo was right, it was cold, but he knew that the tower walls were unplastered stone, so that was to be expected. Reputedly, the third floor tower room was the place where the daughter of the original builder, Byron Baudey, had strangled her baby then hanged herself, having gone mad from the rape that produced the child. It was supposed to be one of the most haunted places in the house, and David found it particularly interesting because it was a precursor to the scandals that changed Baudey House into the infamous Body House. It was a precedent that he hoped to research eventually.
Taking one step into the darkness, David did not hear the cries of a phantom infant, see the doomed mother climbing the steps or even sense any of the slimy-feeling psychic cold that usually accompanied major phenomena. Another night. Slightly disappointed, he reminded himself that the third floor, not the second, would be the heart of the manifestation. Besides, what he'd told Amber was true: first nights in haunted houses usually gave you nothing but a good night's sleep. He stepped out and pulled the door shut. The latch plate had not one but two skeleton-style keyholes in it and he could see old scratch marks on the newly polished brass.
"Someone wanted to keep this door locked," he said to Theo.
She nodded. "The doors on all three floors are just like that. As a matter of fact," she added, digging in her purse. "I have the keys for you." A second later, she pulled forth a pair of big old-fashioned keys, ringed and tagged. "Want to try them?"
"Sure." He inserted a key in the lock and found that it turned easily. "Works great." After an instant's hesitation, he withdrew the key without unlocking the door. His own caution amused him as he turned to Theo. "Shall we go upstairs?"
"Right this way." They turned right, pausing to admire the stained glass art on the French doors that opened on either side of the hall. The six right-hand doors opened onto a tall-ceilinged ballroom, its parquet floor gleaming warm gold. On the left, a half-dozen doors opened onto the wide veranda above the front porch. Small brass swing bolts kept them shut.
David unlocked one door and they walked outside. Three sides of the fifteen-foot-wide veranda were snug against the walls of the house. David would have liked to examine the stone walls and exteriors of the windows, but it was too dark. Instead, he walked to the railing, turned and leaned against it to peer up at the dark third floor. He thought the ribbon of windows on the tower above resembled blind eyes.
"It's cool out tonight, isn't it?" Theo said, joining him at the railing.
"Yes. And not a hint of jasmine out here." Something pale flickered behind a dormer window just above them. "Did you see that?" he asked, his heart racing.
"See what?" She moved closer to him. He pointed at a window to their left. "I thought I saw something move up there." He chuckled softly, still watching, but already calm. "It was probably a wisp of fog. I guess I just have ghostbuster's fever." He stepped away from the railing, but Theo stayed behind, still watching the dormer.
"Do you see something?" he asked.
"I-I thought I did." Suddenly, there was a creaking sound and Theo stumbled backward. "David!"
He jumped forward, grabbing her hands and pulling her toward him as the iron railing gave way. Instantly, her arms were around him and she clung to him, her breathing rapid. He held her, first looking at the crazy angle of the loose railing, then glancing briefly back at the dormer. As he held her, he noticed that he couldn't smell any jasmine
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