The Tales and Tellings of Hallows' Grove (MLM)

CHAPTER SIX.

                Edward had clearly assumed Henry was joking as panic did not rise in his voice until they'd driven through town and stopped to ask Vera for directions to the old Cathern house.

"Don't suppose you're thinking of giving the new visitors a welcoming gift?"

"Something of the sort," Henry smiled. "Would you calm down?" he said, aggravated, when Edward suddenly appeared in the passenger seat, making Nox leap back and hiss loudly. "I know what I'm doing!"

"Do you?" Edward demanded. "Do you really?"

"Are you always like this?" Henry muttered. "Or did death change you?"

"Very funny," Edward snapped. "Tell me something, what if that man is who I say he is? What if he's a threat?"

"Then you ought to be safe," Henry said rationally. "How will they possibly harm a ghost?"

"Is everything a joke to you?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Edward," Henry sighed, taking a turn along a dirt road that lead through a small forest encircling the town. "I'd be a much happier person if everything was a joke to me. As it stands, I'm fairly content with life, but can't say any more than that, I'm afraid."

Edward raised a brow. "Are you always like this?"

"Clearly," said Henry. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't really have any friends. Practicing witchcraft can only hold so much blame. Ah, here we are."

They came up the gravel stone driveway of a tall manor, dark with long, narrow windows and white lace curtains fluttering out in the breeze. Under the grey clouds, the manor stood like a dead rose, warning others away from the disease that killed it. Henry smirked.

"I always loved this house," Henry said, hands in his pockets to keep warm, his breaths coming out in puffs of white clouds in front of his face. He sniffled. "Too big for one person, though."

Edward stood beside Henry, glaring up at the large rock. He was breathing quickly, a habit, but the cold air did not betray his presence. Henry knew he wouldn't feel the cold at all, yet he shuddered.

"There's something wrong with this place," Edward murmured.

He hummed. "There's been a lot of deaths here. A lot of unpleasantness. I've had that feeling for years, driving by this place, but it won't be enough to give us the confirmation we need."

Edward swallowed. "We shouldn't go inside."

"We don't have to," said Henry, and he walked up the path to the front door, despite Edward's protests.

The door was dark wood, the brass knocker made of silver-painted steel that was turning to rust. Henry shut his eyes and listened. He focused on the sounds against the earth, pushing past the dry leaves raking against the ground and the birds' small feet touching the grass that was echoing in his ears, and focused until he could hear footsteps inside the manor, something heavy like a pot being dragged across the stone floors, muffled voices that vibrated against the walls.

"Pity," Edward said at his side. He was holding Henry's arm, his grip tight. "No one's home. Let's go."

"Don't run out on me now," Henry complained. "You were the one who wanted to find out who'd killed you."

"I don't need to find out," Edward said through grit teeth, tugging on Henry's arm again. "I already know it's him."

"And what do you plan to do about that, if you're so sure?"

Edward blinked, as though he hadn't thought of this yet. Then he said in a tone that implied it was obvious; "Haunt him until he confesses, of course."

"Hm," Henry pursed his lips. "I think I like my plan better."

"Henry, no!" Edward tried, but Henry had already banged the steel knocker, the sound echoing loudly inside. Edward swallowed and moved to stand behind Henry, though Henry could've told him that no one would see him either way.

Footsteps made it to the other side of the door, paused, and then the door swung open. As Henry suspected, it wasn't the strange man from the shop that greeted them, but the blonde woman he'd seen at the grocery store.

The woman, on the other hand, seemed plenty startled to see Henry at her doorstep. "Can I help you?" she murmured.

Henry smiled politely. "Hello. My name is Henry, I live in the cottage a few ways from the town. I've just come to officially welcome you to Hallows' Grove."

"Oh," the woman looked down at Henry's hand held out to her. She did not take it. "Thank you, but we won't be here long."

"Thought there'd be more than just you living here," Henry said cheerfully. "It really is far too big a home for one person, isn't it? Is it your husband or . . . ?"

"My brother," the woman said, looking down.

"Brother, eh?" Henry said. "Strange, he doesn't look anything like you. Of course I've seen him, in a town this small, everyone's seen everyone."

"Stop stalling," Edward muttered. "Ask her where that man is."

Henry tried not to shiver at Edward's breath against his ear, and shrugged off the ghost that was leaning closer over his shoulder.

"All right," the woman said, already shutting the door. "Goodbye then."

Henry nodded. "Goodbye. Do yell your brother I'm sorry about the howlite. Felt awfully guilty about that. First time customer and all, nags at the mind of a business owner."

"Howlite," the woman stopped closing the door, frowning. "You're the . . . Everwood man?"

Henry tried not to reveal anything in his expression. His name always did yield some reaction. "Yes," he said. "Henry Everwood. Anyhow," he huffed, smiling widely, "lovely meeting you, but I have a shop to open. Do drop by if you're ever in the square. Good day!"

Without waiting for the woman's next words, he turned and left.

"What're you doing?" Edward demanded, following at a run. "You didn't even ask her name! Or that man's!"

"She wouldn't have told me," Henry murmured, pulling out a pocket watch. "Or she would've lied and I don't have the patience for it. Is she still watching us?"

Edward seemed startled at the question but looked back at the front door. "Yes," he said. "She looks . . . afraid."

"Of course she does," he sighed. "I'll bet you anything her brother knew exactly what he was doing coming into my shop. If I'm right, we'll see them both again."

Edward slid into the passenger seat, nudging an aggravated Nox into the backseat once more. His brows were furrowed. "Then where are we going now?"

"I said so already, didn't I?" Henry said, starting the car. "It'll be time to open the shop soon."