The Bride In Black

Part 80

It sounds strange but I really missed Thomas. I found the bed was far too big without him, I did feel rather cold without him her to cuddle with and his pillow was not a good substitute even if it smelt of him the proportions were all wrong, and it didn't have the cosy like corners I can rub my nose in like Thomas does. But it's only for one night, at first light tomorrow I'll be up with a hundred jobs to do ready for the wedding tomorrow. I just tried to get some sleep relying on all the jobs in mind hoping it would drum me to sleep but it didn't. It just made me worry about everything running my necklace pendant up and down its chain as I laid on Thomas's pillow. Not even like I had him here to cuddle to calm me down. I smiled, tucking the covers around me, unable to stop imagining our sweet wedding would be in the morning.

I jumped a little as I heard a strange sound like ... moving around beyond the door to the suite.

I tried not to let it bother me just pulling the covers closer trying to get some rest.

I heard it again and for a moment sat up in bed curious if I was imagining the creaks and cracks of the wooden floorboards. But I was almost positive. It couldn't be my imagination.

I heard the door click open and panic rushed through me.

It then occurred to me the obvious answer was likely just Thomas having snuck back into the room unable to sleep without me and honestly if it was I wouldn't mind him staying for a cuddle till morning.

But his mother in an old red dress appeared at the foot of the bed with a candle in hand.

"Natalie?"

"Follow me" she says handing me a dark red cloak I nodded and slipped it on not wanting to ask questions as she put one of her own on. She headed out the room so I grabbed a candle, put on my slippers and followed her through the house. She didn't say a word to me but I knew better than to ask. She lead me down to the library and I noticed her looking for a book so I spoke up

"What's going on?"

"All will be clear. Soon enough" she says "come on their waiting for us"

"Thomas?" I asked

"Thomas can't know of what happens tonight" she says as she pushed open the conservatory door

I didn't press further, following her out the conservatory and out into the garden the dark sky looming low without a moon to light us. The sounds of owls and other such nightly creatures all that I could hear beyond my own fearful breathing. I held my necklace tightly absentmindedly moving the pendant back and forth as she led me deeper and deeper into the gardens.

I stopped so giggly seeing our wedding space set up for the morning with the sweet wooden arch at the altar covered in roses the chairs already laid out but she continued on so I followed her still. She led me behind the house to a space on the grounds that I had never been to, it was a little grey building with an old greenhouse style roof a black gate surrounding it. She pushed open the gate and began to walk inside where the door was open and light was flooding out.

I followed her nervously inside, seeing a dusty dirt floor within, ivy growing up the walls, cobwebs lingering about the place.

I noticed immediately beside the door was a stone surrounded by red roses. I continued on noticing I wasn't alone,

Natalie met here with others in the same long cloaks. All of which I recognized, ava, Martin and Oliver. All of them are family members. They all stood at the back of this building by a stone and a large deep hole.

I didn't want to go over fearful of what could be going on

"It's alright y/n. Come forward" ava reassured