The Twilight Garden

Epilogue

The procession wound through the headstones to where an open grave sat, awaiting it's final inhabitant. Lorrena Bray stood over the pit, surrounded by her closest friends—the Lady Keane had even arrived, earlier than the others, to pay her respects with the assistance of Dr Kaylock. There had been no talk of Porter since the day he had disappeared, though Lady Keane was sure that her son would come home, sooner or later. She was positive Porter had nothing to do with the death of Josephine Bray—no, he had only ever spoken highly of her, and loved her with all his heart. As Lorrena listened to the Lady's babbling, she looked over the group of mourners.

Dr Blair stood apart from the company, having not known the deceased personally; there were many family friends, all of which watched the casket bearers with tears in their eyes. Beyond the group stood two figures, engulfed in the shade of an oak tree. The woman wore a black veil, which obscured her features from anyone who casually glanced her way, and the young man stood with his face turned toward her. A smile worked its way across Lorrena's face as she watched the couple. They whispered to each other as the final attendees gathered around the coffin.

They all watched as it was lowered into the ground, but the two onlookers were quite unaffected by it. In fact, the young woman smiled under her veil, a flash of joy during a dismal time, and the young man kissed the top of her head.

'Do you truly think that this was the best way to stop them from coming after me? Look at my mother, Leland, she is inconsolable!' She spoke, looking at him through the lace of her veil, a grin on her face. She felt deeply for her mother's situation, having lost her husband and now her daughter was lost to her as well.

'She is a wonderful actress, though.'

'It may be painful now, Josephine, but this ensures you the freedom you deserve. Should the time come that you can return to your home, to your mother, I am sure she will receive you with open arms. Until then, Josephine, there is still so much to be done to stop those men from attempting the ritual again.' He responded. She remained silent, returning her attention to the funeral. Her heart broke for Lorrena, though the woman had rarely shown her the love and affection a mother should show her child. 'Your mother is, indeed, a wonderful actress.'For all her mother had done, all the pain Josephine had endured during her youth, she knew that her mother had made the hardest choice of all of them. She was alone with the memories of her husband and daughter, and of all the things that had happened with her knowledge and consent, whether forced or otherwise. Her hand rested on her abdomen above the still bandaged knife wound —she would never know the joy of raising her own child, but it was the price she had paid to stop evil from taking root in her home.

Josephine lifted her hand, saying a silent good-bye to her mother—Lorrena nodded, her eyes filled with tears and a smile on her face. Leland led her away, away from the headstones and the mourners. He helped her into the car, the windows tinted so dark that no one could see in, and he slid in beside her. For a moment, Josephine turned and watched as Whitmour Manor and the garden surrounded by the wall disappeared in the distance.