[Wordsmiff]

CHAPTER 70

Edward sat alone on the bed in the secret bedroom at the other side of his wardrobe portal, and he remembered how it had all began.


FLASHBACK - WAY BACK

Thursday 12th June 1919


As he sat at the dining table with his mother, his eight younger sisters and his cousin Mary, the nineteen-year-old Edward Sutton felt a bit outnumbered. His father, Albert Sutton, had died two years previously and Edward had taken over the mantle of ‘Man Of The House’. As soon as he attained the age of twenty-one, Edward would inherit his father’s estate. In less than two years, Edward would become rich.

Edward gazed secretly at his cousin, Mary, who had come to visit for a few days. She was beautiful, he thought, but she hardly gave him a second glance. As he observed the fourteen-year-old girl sitting almost opposite him at the dining table, he felt himself getting aroused. This is wrong, he thought.

“Mother,” he said, politely, “May I be excused?”

“Of course, Edward,” his mother said.

Edward patted his mouth with a napkin, pushed his chair back and stood up. He quickly exited the room and went upstairs to his own room.

Edward slid his journal out from underneath his bed and lay back on his bed to write. He had perfected boustrophedon, an old method of writing, where he wrote alternate lines in different directions, the first line from left to right, the next line from right to left and so on, as a method of confusing anyone who should attempt to read it. It took him a little longer to write but it was entertaining.

“My cousin Mary is visiting this week,” he wrote, “This evening, before dinner, I came out of my room and I saw her walking along the landing in her filigree nightdress. She hastily apologised and retired back to her room and I to mine. Once settled, I self-abused myself whilst imagining that Mary was...”

He was interrupted in his writings by a knock on the door. He quickly closed his journal and put it underneath his pillow.

“Yes,” he called,” Who is it?”

“Meredith,” came the sweet voice from the other side of the door.

Edward raised his eyebrows. “Come in,” he called.

The door was opened and fifteen-year-old Meredith entered. “Edward,” she said in little more than a whisper, “We were wondering if you wanted to join us in a Ouija session.”

“Ouija?” Edward said, sitting up on the bed. “What do you mean? You were told never to...”

Meredith interjected. “We wanted to try and speak to father. We thought that your presence might increase the possibility of making contact.”

Edward’s parents had purchased the board several years earlier as a parlour game. However, something had happened which they never spoke about and they hid the board and swore never to use it again. His sisters must have found it again.

He sat up on the edge of the bed and beckoned his sister over.

Meredith approached him.

“Who is there?”

Meredith took a deep breath. “Myself, Alice, Mary, Grace and Elizabeth,” she said.

Edward pondered on this. Meredith was fifteen and Alice was thirteen, whilst Grace and Elizabeth were ten-year-old twins. His other sisters, eight year old Constance, six year old Evelyn, four year old Margaret and two year old Emily were too young to understand.

Cousin Mary would be there, he thought to himself. It was an excuse to see her again.

“Edward?” Meredith whispered, “Would you help us?”

“Does mother know about this?” Edward wanted to know.

Meredith furtively glanced back at the bedroom door. “No,” she said, quietly, “Mother would not approve.”

“And you believe that I would?” Edward asked.

“Please Edward,” Meredith pleaded.

“Where do you have the board?” Edward said, standing up. He was not keen on taking part in the Ouija session but he wanted to ensure that his sisters were safe and he wanted to see his cousin again.

“In my room,” Meredith said.

“I will help under one condition,” Edward said finally.

“Anything,” Meredith said.

“If I say stop,” Edward said, “You stop immediately and put the board away.”

Meredith hesitated. “Okay,” she said.

Edward followed Meredith to her room where the other three sisters and Mary were already seated around the table with the Ouija board set up on it.

Edward sighed when he saw the board. He sighed again, for a different reason, when he saw Mary. He looked around at his sisters. As the oldest of the siblings, and the only male, he felt responsible for them. On the other hand, he wondered if they really could contact their father.

He and Meredith took their seats around the table and Edward held up his hand. “If I say stop,” he said, “I mean stop. Understood?”

His fours sisters and his cousin all nodded.

Edward glanced at Mary and wondered what she looked like with no dress on. Idly, his eyes drifted to Meredith, Alice, Grace and Elizabeth and he wondered the same thing about them.


To be continued...