The Crimson Bride

Chapter 6: Margo

Margo couldn't remember when she had decided to go out for a walk.

She couldn't even remember getting out of bed and changing into warmer clothes.

It was still dark outside though, so it couldn't have been too long after Deloris had helped her to her room. Something felt off about the situation all the same.

As Margo strolled through the large front grounds of the estate, she spotted an out of place building nestled just inside the thicket. There was so much overgrowth around the small building that she hadn't noticed it during the day. Something about the building made Margo think of it more as a tomb than a storage shed or garage.

The sudden ring of a bird call made her flinch. Such a sweet call felt so out of place during the dead of night.

Margo turned to head back to the manor but saw that her bedroom light was on. She paled as she saw there was someone standing at her window.

She recognized the auburn curls and slender frame of the figure standing there.

It was Caroline Freeman.

Once their eyes met, she began whispering. However, Margo could hear her as if the voice was right in her ear.

"I'm sorry, Deacon."

Margo's eyes shot open as she awoke in a cold sweat. She jolted up and scanned the room frantically.

All seemed unchanged until she locked her gaze on the chair against the opposite wall.

She didn't know if it was the dark playing tricks on her, but there was a silhouette of a person sitting there, gazing back at her. When she turned on the lamp on her bedside table however, the figure was gone.

Margo finally decided she couldn't stay in the room any longer and hopped out of bed. She grabbed her phone and slipped on a robe before heading out for a glass of water. She needed to cool her head after the strange dream she just had.

Walking out to the hallway, it was pitch dark, though Margo had expected as much since it was past midnight. What she wasn't expecting however, was to see a group of staff lined up in front of the library. Before the group, Barnaby was pacing the length of them, as if inspecting them.

Margo wondered if this was some kind of punishment or hazing of the new staff. What was the point of having them all be in the dark?

She couldn't bring herself to say anything however and simply kept to the corner right before the staircase so she could see what was happening without being spotted. She heard the head steward say something to the staff but couldn't quite make out what it was from her distance.

Margo then heard the very distinctive ring of the service bell chime four times.

The girl that was fourth in line stepped up and went to the library door with cleaning supplies.

That didn't make much sense to Margo, however, since she was told that the room was under renovation. Why would it need to be cleaned? Especially in the middle of the night?

She watched as the other staff dispersed, supposedly to do other night chores. Once the foyer had been cleared, Barnaby took a key out from a secret compartment in the wall and used it to open the library door.

No sooner than when the girl had entered the library, Barnaby locked it back up. Margo clenched the corner of the wall and was about to reveal herself when suddenly, hushed whispers rang through the halls of the manor. Margo couldn't make out what they were chanting as it was in a language she didn't understand.

During the chanting, Margo felt the chill of someone watching her. She didn't dare turn or move as the chanting seemed to hold her in place.

She snapped back to attention as Deloris touched her shoulder, causing all the echoes to stop at once.

"Miss, what are you doing out of bed?"

"Oh, um, I just wanted a glass of water. I didn't want to disturb you since it's so late."

Margo tried to calm her quivering heart as she spoke. Deloris gave her a grave expression and glanced towards the library for a split second.

"It's dangerous to walk around here in the dark. You could trip and get hurt. I will get the water for ye, ma'am. Please return to your room."

Deloris spoke in a frantic tone as she spoke, hurrying Margo back to her room. She didn't question it however, since this wasn't her home. It wasn't her place to argue with the older woman, even if the situation filled her with unease.

Once Margo was given her water, she returned to her bed. It was difficult for to go back to sleep, however. Too many strange things had happened, and her mind was buzzing with questions.

What was that chanting and where were the voices coming from? Was it really just Deloris that she had felt behind her? Why had Barnaby locked that girl in a room that was supposedly being renovated? What was the meaning behind that strange dream she had?

Nothing made sense to Margo, but she needed to try and get some sleep. A family reunion had been scheduled in the afternoon and she needed to be mentally prepared to meet the Freeman clan. 

There was no way Margo could have known what was taking place in the library while she was worrying about her own personal matters.