My Story: The Winchester House [Completed]

10: Engagement

My feet pounded against the ground as I ran to my parents' house. What could possibly be wrong with my mother? I know she was technically my step-mother but she raised me and I called her mother.

"Father? Mother?" I asked as I opened the front door to the house. Brenton walked to me and hugged me as he rubbed my back.

"Did you just run here?" he asked as he looked at the street. I nodded and he pulled away. "Mother is in their bedroom." I walked to the bedroom my parents were in.

"Samantha," Father said as he stood up and walked to me. He hugged me and Mother struggled to sit up to look at me. "My dear, you came."

"As fast as I could," I told him as I walked to Mother's side and moved her hair. "What is the matter?" I asked as she started coughing.

"They don't know. Possibly poison," she told me and I looked at Father. "Forget about that, darling. Tell us about your job."

"It is really nice. I met a nice boy," I said. Mother and Father gave me a look to continue and I took a deep breath. "He is sweet and one of the butlers." I wasn't willing to give more information.

"Samantha, I think you know more about this man than you are telling us," Father said and I shrugged.

"No shrugging and don't you dare not answer your father," Mother said and I looked at my lap.

"His name is Luke but right now, let me help Mother right now," I said. I knew that I was the oldest girl so I was going to take care of my little sisters and brothers.

"You have work, Samantha. And it's Christmas. Relax and open the present we got you," Father said. I smiled and nodded as my little siblings jumped me.

*

The whole house awoke to a pounding on the door. So it wasn't a pound, but in a small house, it sounded like it. I stood up but Brenton and my other older brothers were there first.

"Samantha, step back," Brenton told me. I rolled my eyes as they opened the door. The brother that was born immediately before me by five minutes, Connor, me slapped me for rolling my eyes.

"Imagine if Father was here and saw that shit," Connor muttered as I rubbed my cheek.

"Hello, we work for Mrs. Winchester. We are looking for Miss Samantha Smith," Luke said and I walked forward, pass my brothers to see Luke and Madalynn standing there. Madalynn was holding a basket of food and I couldn't help but to sigh.

"I know that I shouldn't have ran off."

"She understands why you did."

"My mother is really sick right now."

"She said to take your time before coming back to work."

"I think we decided that I would go back today because I am more useful there than I am here."

"Then may we wait for you?" I looked at Brenton who nodded at me. I smiled and Madalynn handed me the basket.

"For your family, from Mrs. Winchester," Madalynn said and I nodded.

"Thank you," I told her as I placed it on our dining table. It looked so small compared to Mrs. Winchester's and we didn't have nearly enough chairs. Connor and I always shared a chair.

"Mr. Smith, it is a pleasure to meet you," Luke said. I turned around and found Luke offering to shake my father's hand. Father nodded to Luke and looked at the basket.

"Mrs. Winchester sent a basket," I told Father and he nodded.

"Thank the woman of the house for us as well as the man of the house," Father told Madalynn.

"I apologise, sir, but there is no man of the household," Madalynn told Father and Father looked at me.

"Well, certainly there is the man of the house," Father said.

"Unless you count the spirits that she builds the house for, there is no men of the house," Luke shared and Madalynn looked at him. He finally admitted that he believed in the spirits to someone other than me.

"Spirits?" Mother asked as she walked into the room.

"You should be in bed, Mother," I said, trying to change the topic.

"What spirits?" Mother asked as she grabbed my wrists.

"Don't fret, Mother. Luke protects me from the spirits of the house," I told her, "Let's get you back in bed." She let me lead her to the bed, which Madalynn came over to help me.

"I don't like you working with spirits," Mother said as Madalynn helped me lay Mother down.

"Mother, don't fret about spirits. They don't bother me," I told her before we heard something crash in the other room. "Mother, stay here," I said as I ran to the next room. Luke was on the ground and I ran to his side.

"It was Brenton," Connor shared and I shot him a look as I helped Luke sit up.

"B*stard tried to ask for your hand after a month and a half of knowing you," Brenton told me and I looked at Luke.

"I tried asking your father and your brother decided to show me his fist," Luke said and then he realised that I was looking at him.

"You were asking for my hand?" I asked and he nodded.

"Or at least trying. Mrs. Winchester encouraged me to ask," he said as he stood. Father walked over and I stood in front of Luke but Luke pushed me behind him and held my hand.

"How much do you make a day, son?" Father asked.

"$4 a day, sir. I am assistant head of staff," Luke said. Father put his hand out for Luke shake and Luke took it tentatively.

"Even though Samantha heard almost all of it, you may marry my daughter," Father said.

"Father," Brenton said as he stepped forward. Father held up his hand and looked at Luke.

"Stay true," Father told Luke and Luke turned to look at me.

"I will stay true," he told me and pulled out a ring from his pocket. I smiled as he slid it over my finger and I stood on my toes to hug him. He swung me around and kissed me. I smiled and looked at Father.

"Thank you Father," I told him and Father reached over to move my hair.

"Anything for my oldest girl," he said and I looked at Luke who pulled me to his chest.