Ashdown Island

Chapter Two

Once settled in their rooms, Ace and Cicely met in Ace's bedroom,

The room was large, and they almost wondered if it were meant for two or three people rather than one. There was a peculiar green and black color scheme, whereas Cicely's rooms were red and black. The carpet was soft with a deep pile, and they could almost feel themselves sinking into it. The room was also immaculate, as if no one had occupied it for a long time.

But the lack of dust or cobwebs was a stark contrast to that theory.

The bed, encircled with dark green velvet curtains, was large enough to hold four people comfortably. Five or six if one should wish to be squished between the others. The sheets were also dark green, and were scented strangely of violet. The green blankets were heavy and obviously intended for winter, decorated with delicate gold embroidery.

The wardrobe in the corner was filled with clothes that looked as if they would have been worn a hundred years ago, as they were by no account fashionable by today's standards. The wardrobe however, looked more like a work of art rather than a place to hold clothes. Astonishingly carved to look like an apple tree, with detailed leaves about the top, and roots twisting to make the feet.

The room itself strangely smelled of the sea, and one could see the dock from the windows.

"Well..." Ace sighed. "This is a lot creepier than I thought it would be."

Cicely nodded in agreement. "Victoria seemed.... nice... at least. And perhaps we'll meet some of the islanders tomorrow."

Ace looked around the room. "There's... there's something off about this place..."

"Yeah." His cousin interjected. "It's straight out of an old time-y themed horror film. I mean we're literally living in a mansion that's hundreds of years old, with a single woman who looks and dresses like a vampire, who openly told us none of the locals want to even step foot in this house. That doesn't seem 'off' to you?"

Cicely shook her head. "I don't like it here, Ace. I'm honestly really scared. This is the kind of place you read about online in those 'unsolved cases' articles."

"I know." Ace sighed again. "But we're here, and we're here for a reason. It's only a week. Then we'll be back home. For now, let's just focus on-"

He was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Ace and Cicely exchanged looks, before Ace cautiously rose to answer the door.

Standing behind the ornately carved wood was a young woman, she was shorter than Victoria, but no less pale. However this girl had blonde hair and bright blue eyes, instead of black hair and brown eyes.

"Can I.... help you..?" Ace asked.

"Dinner will be ready soon." The girl declared. "You are to make yourselves presentable and meet in the dining room in thirty minutes." Her voice, —though Ace would be loathe to ever admit it out loud— rather reminded him of a mouse.

"Ah- um- alright." He nodded.

Cicely, heaven bless his cousin, came to his aid, voicing the question that had been rattling around in his brain.

"Victoria said there were no maids here." She said slowly.

The girl smiled, and for some reason that set the cousins on edge, despite there being nothing truly... disturbing or alarming about the expression.

"The Lady is sometimes... confused. You must forgive her... she's not been the same... not since her father died."

Cicely nodded slowly. "How many of you are there?"