Twelve: La Chambre

"Maybe Letecia had nowhere else to go.." Louie tried to sound casual, I think he's not convinced that the former governess would have an affair with her employer. "The new Baron had no other family member as well, he had known her since he was a child. He couldn't just let her go."

"You have a point." Tristane answered, "Letecia was raised by her spinster aunt after her own mother left the country with another man. Her aunt died while she was employed with the Norwoods."

"Well, it doesn't like it'll point us why Lucian disappeared. This is like a side story of the story itself." I stared at Louie, he's either taunting Tristane or just oblivious he was making an ass of himself. "Its like the author decided to include a little love story to keep us off the track. Like a distraction of some kind."

"Aren't you curious how Letecia and the Baron began their affair?" Tristane remained calm.

Louie shrugged, "If it helps the research I'm all ears. Those letters didn't happen to mention why Lucian decided to ran away, did it?"

"I haven't read everything, half or so. I won't promise anything like that though." Tristane tried to patronise him.

"Then its a dead end."

"Maybe." I said and joined at the table, my hands shuffling through the letters, "Still, this is a new clue of what their lives used to be. Dad will appreciate this Tristane." I smiled at him.

"Glad to help. You wanna explore the rest of the house?" He offered, I recalled he wanted us to check the master's bedroom.

The phone rang, we all stared at it. I used the chance to escape and think of an answer for him, afterall I need to speak with Tristane alone.

"Hello?"

"Krista? Is that you?" It was a woman's voice the car's engine sounded on the background. "Its Emma, sweetie."

I frowned, "Emma? Are you looking for Dad? He's not here right now.." I didn't know she had the number at the manor. She usually don't interfer with Dad's research.

"Oh, did I just miss him? You know when he'll be back?"

"Probably this afternoon. You can try his cell, he's in town."

"I tried, he's not picking up."

Weird, unless Dad slept or the phone is far away he usually answer's immidiately. "Uhm, maybe the battery died. I can try him later. Is this urgent?"

"No, nothing important at all. Just wanted to check up on you guys." It sounded like she wanted to something else but changed her mind abruptly. I didn't push.

"I'll tell him to call you as soon as I can reach him."

"Thanks sweetie. You take care, okay? Bye.."

I placed the phone down, curiousity eating me up. Why do I feel like something isn't right here? Emma knows Dad always kept his cell with him if he can't help losing it, which happened a lot. Everytime Dad travelled far she gets him right away. They couldn't have fought, did they? I hope it isn't that bad. She seemed restless like it felt that way when I listened to her voice.

"Was that Dr. Neville?" Louie asked.

"No, it was Emma actually. Says she can't reach Dad's cell." I sat back down, next to Tristane.

Louie regarded us for a second then went back to his laptop, "Probably got no coverage. There's a dead spot in town."

"You're right," I turned to Tristane "say why don't we finish the tour? So Louie here can continue whatever he's looking at?"

"Yeah. I could stretch my legs," he rose slowly emphasizing those long well-shaped legs. Tristane probably excercised a lot to stay in shape. "You got the keys?"

I took his offered hand and stood up, "Yeah, they're in my room. I can swing by a second then we can go."

"If you need anything just yell." Louie croaked beneath his breath.

I stared at him,boy he did abhorred Tristane. "I don't really want to disturb you Louie."

"I only meant that the house is huge, if you would yell I'd hear you better. Just incase something comes up." He darted a warning glance at Tristane.

"Fine. I'll scream my lungs out if I need you." I dragged Tristane away before this ended somewhere else.

The master bedroom

"He doesn't like me, does he?" Tristane asked as we were opening Lucian's room.

"Louie's just being Louie. Don't mind him."

"If I didn't know he worked for your Dad, I would have thought he's jealous." I heard the keys turned and the hinges creaked. Jeez, everything in this house either creaks or groans. Tristane found the switch and light flooded into the room.

I went in and surveyed the place, like the others it stank of cleaning materials and accumulated dust. I noticed it was painted burgundy with a few touches of brownish hue. The ceiling used to be of cream color but turned yellowish due to age.

There was a dressing screen to my right with an ornate chair barely visible at first glance. The walls were decorated with antlers and deer heads, Lucian had loved hunting eversince.

Next I noticed the bed, it was a king size canopy bed filled with crisp white sheets. There were more pillows than I could count, all piled neatly by the headboard. The columns were thick mahogany slabs that had been hand carved beautifully. On the foot of the bed laid a chest big enough for me to squeeze in. I guess this is were they keep the sheets or change of clothes.

The bedside table was pretty as well with its natural wood color and pattern. Though at much closer look the room was actually barren. There were no mirrors or closets. Not even a modern bathroom.

"We tried to maintain the room as much as how it looked before." Tristane opened the large windows to air out the room.

"I can see that, it looks very simple. I expected a lot being this is the master bedroom."

"It looked way better before I guess, when it was still occupied. Right now its just an empty room."

I sat on the bed and opened the drawers of the bed side table, it was empty of course. I had not expected to see Lucian's things here, but still...

"What happened to his things? His clothes, shoes or jewellries?"

"It was given to the next kin. Specially the jewels, Elizabeth's engagement ring included. It was supposed to be a family heirloom along with most of the things they owned." He stood by the foot of the bed, "You must be wandering what we did to his clothes?"

"I uh, I thought there'll some of it left?" But I looked around again, there was an armoire just beside the dressing screen but it looked empty.

"During that time Letecia decided to just give it all away. After the Trilby's decided they didn't want what was left here. He took most of the prized possesions and there's nothing the servants could do."

"The manor must've looked wonderful then. Though right now it looks good and has the ancient feel, it must've been different when all those things are still here."

I felt sad, the room wasn't very promising. No clues left for us to follow not even a single item from Lucian. How am I going to find him? There has to be something here, perhaps if I looked closer and check each corner somehing would turn up.

"I remembered the baron loved books," I heard Tristane paced around the room. He opened a portal that must've been connected to the bath. He came back with a grin. "You'll love this, come on."

I stood and went towards the door, it did led us to the bath. A wooden tub was placed next to the window so that the master could look outside while washing himself. Did Lucian stared at his lover outside while he was up here? Did he watch from afar how her hair glowed under the sun, how her hips swayed as she walked and how her smile made her younger? Perhaps he did, he had every right to do so.

I felt Tristane tap my shoulder he was opening another door and was waiting for me to follow. I fell behind him as he fought the cobwebs inside. This room had not been cleaned unlike the others, maybe because it wasn't noticeable and they just ignored it? Or was it a secret door that only a few knew existed?

I heard a match scratched against the wall, Tristane found a candelabra and managed to light the wick of each wax. A soft yellow light bathed the room.

"There," he pointed behind me, "that's his private collection."

I turned around to face a dusty bookshelf. It was just over above my height and was stacked with thick volumes. I pulled one out, careful not to inflict any damage. God knows how old these books are. I blew the dust off and patted the cover. It was a book about giants.

"Guess he loved to read.."

"Yeah, must've been a collection of bed time stories." I flipped the pages seeing the ink still visible, "Its written in French."

"Well, that's disappointing. I thought we could make use of them somehow."

Tristane reached for another book and examined it. I did the same with the one I had, just flipping thru the pages not really seeing anything. My hand caught a folded page, it probably meant nothing. I carefully unfolded the paper to see what prompted Lucian to mark this certain page. It showed me a picture of a woman who wore a red flowing robe, her blonde hair fell almost on her waist. She was bent down as if her stomach was in pain, her eyes shut. Behind her was a thick forest with a ghostly feel, what kind of story was this? Doesn't look like a children's bed time story.

I stared at the woman again, her lithe form suggested she was a grown woman. No longer a young maiden or a little girl. If she stood she's probably be 5"8' or so. She had pale white skin and soft features. Her hand sported a huge sapphire ring right into her ring finger. I frowned, the picture is quite detailed to be a bed time story. It was more of a book about evil magic and night beings.

I traced my finger on her pained face, dust came off and I can she her more clearly now. Her nose was well structured that celebrities would die for to get. Her cheekbones were well pronounced and showed some freckles just below her eyes. The lips were atttactively small, pink and plump. I squinted against the light and was suprised to see it was slightly open that I could make a perfectly set of white teeth. Her eyes were a deep set of blue and well rounded. My hands stiffened beneath the book as my breathe came short. What's going on? Why is she staring at me? Wasn't those eyes close moments ago?

I began to tremble with sweat. She was really staring at me, burning me such anonymity that I was totally lost for words. She'd bewitched me. A spell prevented my limbs from working, my voice was lost, my gaze fixed and trapped with hers. I wanted to break her hold with me, but the more I resisted the more I felt pressure being pushed againts me.

"Krista? Are you alright?"

I was not. My arms felts heavy yet I held the book still. I tried opening my mouth but no sound came out, not even a whisper. Sweat began to form on my forehead and a drop or two blotted the woman's face, making me see her eyes turn from blue to black.

"Krista, hey.." Tristane was shaking my shoulders, "you're very pale. What's wrong?"

The woman's gaze held me tighter and tighter. My throat felt hot and painful, like I was being choked. Air no longer came into my lungs, my heart skipped a beat and I collapsed in Tristane's arms, yet again.

"Krista, hold on.." His arms went around me, I felt I was being lifted off my feet.

The last thing I remembered was the woman's face, she continued to stare at me and her lips formed a grin.